CHAPTER 33

Eleonora looked stunning in a low-cut white satin dress that accentuated her curvaceous figure, and her blonde hairstyle completed her seductive look. Her companion, Tommaso Grecco, was dressed in a well-fitted black suit, holding her arm with a confident smile on his face.

Vittorio and Tommaso stood face to face, staring intensely at each other. Vittorio then approached Eleonora with a fake smile on his face and began speaking with a disdainful tone.

"Eleonora, what a surprise to see you here. And accompanied by Tommaso Grecco, of course."

"Thank you," Eleonora replied, smiling back, but her gaze revealed deep resentment. "It was the only way to see you again since you don't come to visit your ex-fiancée."

Ellis remained silent beside Vittorio, observing the tense atmosphere between the trio. Then she turned to Eleonora and said, "Oh, Eleonora, know that I'm very happy to see you here..."

"It's always a pleasure to be at such a beautiful party like this," Eleonora replied with a forced smile.

"Not as beautiful as your dress," Ellis ironically complimented. "By the way, that white dress is a hit!"

"Well, someone had to wear white, right?" Eleonora spoke while looking Ellis up and down.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself, Eleonora," Vittorio intervened with a tone of superiority. "I know I am," he finished, looking at Ellis with a mischievous smile.

"In fact, I'm in very good company, Vittorio," she replied, looking at Tommaso with a provocative smile.

"Ah, our old friend Tommaso. It's good to see you here," Vittorio said with a hint of contempt.

"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to meet your fiancée," Tommaso replied, staring at Ellis and feeling like a roasted chicken being observed by a hungry dog. He then took Ellis's hand and brought it to his lips. "Pleasure to meet you, Don Vittorio's precious diamond."

"Pleasure..." Ellis awkwardly responded to Vittorio's rival, who couldn't take his eyes off her, making her even more embarrassed by his mocking and seductive demeanor.

"So, Tommaso, how are the business dealings going?" Vittorio asked, drawing the attention of the other mobster while pulling Ellis by the waist. "By the way, I'm sorry about your withdrawal from Wild Bank..."

"Ahaha, Vittorio," Tommaso laughed as he took a step back. "I must admit I was too busy dealing with another matter so that one became irrelevant to me. However, thanks for sending William. It was of great help to remind me of my actions in that bank."

"You're welcome."

"Returning the favor, I must warn you that I heard you lost the deal with the Russians. What a shame, isn't it?" Grecco spoke, receiving an indifferent look from Vittorio, not giving importance to the comment. The mobster then looked at Vittorio, surprised. "Oh, you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? Your father was closing a secret multimillion-dollar deal with the Kurganskaya Bratva, but he ended up dead..."

"Killed by you," Vittorio corrected, sternly.

"Be that as it may, the important thing is that now you don't have to worry anymore because I took over the business and made a much better deal than you could have done," Tommaso continued, with a satisfied smile on his face. He then took Eleonora's hand and pulled her closer while taunting Vittorio. "Besides, even your ex-fiancée found something in me that you were never able to offer."

Vittorio lost his temper and approached Tommaso, staring him in the eyes. "Don't forget that you're just a failure who never managed to surpass my shadow," he looked at Eleonora, "and my leftovers. Enjoy your time with the Kurganskaya Bratva because I will make a deal with the Solntsevo Brothers."

"The Solntsevo Brothers? They will never do business with you," Tommaso replied with a mocking smile. "You're only saying that because I'm better for Eleonora than you could ever be, and it bothers you, Vittorio."

"I'm honestly glad that Eleonora has found someone who shares the same interests," Vittorio responded disdainfully. He smiled and then turned to Ellis. "By the way, none of them matter today. Today we are here to celebrate Ellis and my wedding."

"That's true, today is a special day. Let's enjoy the party together," Ellis agreed, smiling at Vittorio and taking his hand, trying to dissipate any tension.

"You found a wise woman, Vittorio," Tommaso commented with a mocking smile. "You better keep an eye on her, Vittorio. She might end up falling for another man. Or rather, falling truly in love with a real man... Eleonora knows someone she can recommend..."

Vittorio started to move toward Tommaso but was restrained by Ellis, who placed her hand on her husband's chest while shaking her head. "I think it's time for us to dance, darling," she said, pulling Vittorio by the arm.

He took a deep breath and calmed down, looking at Tommaso with a contemptuous gaze. "Enjoy the party," Vittorio concluded before moving away from Eleonora and Tommaso.

Eleonora and Tommaso exchanged a look of disdain as they watched Vittorio move away with Ellis. It seemed that the groom was more interested in his new wife than his ex-fiancée.

"He hasn't changed at all," Eleonora said to Tommaso. "Always so arrogant, conceited, and impulsive."

"That's true," Tommaso agreed. "But at least now he has a wife to keep him in check."

"A wife who dressed in black at her own wedding," Eleonora commented, rolling her eyes. "By the way, thank you for accompanying me tonight."

"I couldn't miss the chance to accompany such a stunning woman like you," Tommaso said with a seductive smile.

"Don't be so conceited, Tommaso," Eleonora said, laughing. "We both know the reason you're here."

"Yes, I fulfilled my part," Grecco said seriously. "Now it's your turn to fulfill yours: I want to know all the weaknesses..."

"As you may have noticed, Vittorio is no longer as accessible as he used to be," Eleonora said, observing her ex-fiancé. "I no longer have access to Vittorio."

"Ah, my dear, I'm not talking about him," Tommaso explained. "I want to know everything about Ellis Amorielle. I know there's a secret there; I just don't know what it is," he finished, watching Ellis and Vittorio getting ready to step onto the dance floor.