CHAPTER 28

Vittorio arrived just in time for the lunch prepared by Eleonora and Ellis, well, mostly by Eleonora, as Gattone's daughter watched Barker cook as if she were her servant, something that did not go unnoticed by Antonietta. Did I make a mistake? Thought the matriarch as she analyzed the posture of the two women. Ellis hadn't been raised within the mafia, but she showed a determination that Mrs. Amorielle expected from Eleonora, who had shown little interest in learning the dish. Of course, the blonde's disinterest vanished when the mafioso entered the dining room.

"Vittorio," Eleonora exclaimed excitedly. "Look, I learned how to make your favorite dish!"

"Hmm," Vittorio muttered as he passed by his ex and went to Ellis, who remained seated in her place. He bent down and kissed the brunette's cheek, causing her to almost jump out of her chair in surprise. "Hi, love."

"Hi... darling," Ellis said, trying not to turn toward Vittorio. She lightly tapped the mafioso's face as she asked, "Did everything go well?"

"Yes," the mafioso replied, sitting next to his fiancée. He held Ellis' hand and kissed it while asking, "So, did you learn how to make my favorite dish?"

"Well, we can say yes," Ellis said, feeling awkward. She pointed to the blonde who sat in front of them and said, "Actually, Eleonora did most of the dish... So, you should thank her. By the way, she's a great cook."

"I see," Vittorio said, raising an eyebrow at Ellis, surprised. He hadn't expected Ellis to sympathize with Eleonora. He turned to the blonde and said, "Well, Eleonora, cooking wasn't among your qualities."

"People change, V," Eleonora said before taking a sip of her wine.

"I know that very well," Vittorio affirmed, staring at his ex, seriously.

The tension between the former couple was palpable at the table, which wasn't very favorable for Ellis, who wished for the opposite. It seemed that it would be much more difficult than she had anticipated, as there was still a lot of resentment on Vittorio's part towards the blonde. She smiled and said, "Vittorio, Eleonora told me that you two were engaged. You know, I think it's great that you both have the maturity to remain friends. I hope that friendship lasts for many, many years. After all, just because we end a relationship with someone doesn't mean we have to become enemies, right?" Ellis asked, receiving only silence from those present.

"Right," agreed Antonietta, picking up on her daughter-in-law's lead, though she didn't understand why she was encouraging contact between Eleonora and Vittorio. "It's important to maintain the friendship, regardless of what may have happened in the past."

"Yes, and besides, Eleonora is such a refined, educated, and beautiful woman," Ellis began to compliment. She pointed at the blonde, who was also confused, unlike Vittorio, who was already looking at Ellis, seriously. "You know, she's an impressive woman. I can't understand how you let her slip away..."

"Ellis, come with me," Vittorio ordered as he stood up and extended his hand toward her. "Now."

Ellis got up and held her fiancé's hand as he led her out of the dining room and into the hallway. He closed the door behind them and then turned to his fiancée, saying, "Stop."

"What?" Ellis asked,

not understanding, crossing her arms. "What did I do?"

"I know what you're trying to do, and I'm telling you to stop," Vittorio emphasized, gesturing nervously.

"I'm not doing anything," Ellis said, pretending not to understand.

"You're pushing me into Eleonora Gattone's arms!" Vittorio accused, pointing his finger at Ellis. "What bride would throw her man into another woman's arms?"

"I'm not throwing you into her arms. Besides, I'm not a real bride, remember?" Ellis retorted, irritated at being discovered. "And don't point your finger at me!"

"Ah, why are you so difficult, woman?" Vittorio questioned, stepping away from Ellis.

"Excuse me for not being the kind of woman you want!" Ellis said, walking after Vittorio. She then stopped and said excitedly, "In fact, precisely because I'm a difficult woman, you should reconsider marrying me! Look at Eleonora, she is a woman for you. She dresses well, even to learn a recipe! I'm wearing a white blouse and jeans, for God's sake!"

"Just buy new clothes, Ellis," Vittorio argued, turning to face the brunette. "Take the twenty thousand in your account and spend it on new clothes. See that money as an investment."

"That's the problem, Don Vittorio. I like the way I dress," Ellis argued. "I'm not the kind of woman who wears high heels at home and has a little dog in her lap that you're not sure if it's a plush toy or a living being. I prefer to have a Doberman!"

"I don't care how you dress either," Vittorio affirmed. "You could be naked here at home, and it wouldn't make a difference to me."

"What?" Ellis exclaimed. "So, you're saying I'm not desirable, right? Which only reinforces the point I'm trying to make."

"Actually, it would make a difference. I would probably be looking at you," Vittorio corrected, turning his back to the brunette. "Ellis, my relationship with Eleonora didn't work out, end of story."

"Don Vittorio... I see that there's still something there. You're hurt, it's noticeable," Ellis said, approaching Vittorio. She touched the mafioso's arm, making him turn towards her. "Hurt indicates feelings... and getting married to me won't make them disappear. Whatever it is, time will make you reconsider the separation. Know that I don't object if you want to try with her... if you want to get involved with Eleonora..."

"Ellis," Vittorio called, holding the brunette's hands.

"Yes," Ellis whispered, nervous.

"Stop calling me Don Vittorio," the mafioso ordered. "We're engaged, so you should either call me by my name or a nickname."

"Fine, Vittorio," Ellis said, rolling her eyes. "Could you at least consider what I said?"

"No," Vittorio refused, causing Ellis to try to release her hands from his grip. "Ellis, I've already told you that I know what you're trying to do. I'm not giving up on you."

He pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately. Vittorio deepened the kiss, his tongue intertwining with Ellis', causing all the sensations they had felt during their first kiss in the office to resurface. Her kiss brought him a sense of calm, making him forget about his frustration with Grecco. The mafioso desired to carry her to his room and claim her as his own, but then he felt the brunette pull away, breathless. Ellis wanted to continue kissing Vittorio, but when she noticed that desire, she realized she was heading down a dangerous path. Her plan had taken a completely different turn from what she had imagined, and what she felt was not part of it, which frightened her. He smiled and then said, "She will never be able to give me a thousand-dollar kiss like yours, Ellis."