CHAPTER 141: ENGAGEMENT PARTY PART 2

Maya shot lasers at the diamond ring in Marcello’s palm before picking it up. She could feel the burn piercing through her heart as she slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. She felt as though she had somewhat betrayed Dalton by wearing another man’s ring, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of guilt.

"The ring looks good on your finger," Marcello complimented.

Maya glares at him, pulling her hand back. She turns her back to him. "We are done talking. Get out of the room."

"Alright, I will leave you to get ready for our engagement party, fiancée."

Maya grimaced and stormed off to the bathroom, missing the chance to see Marcello leave.

She reluctantly took her shower, but she didn’t miss the opportunity to relieve her distress by crying under the spray of the faucet. She definitely felt better after the tears were gone.

She got out of the shower to find the beautiful dress she would be wearing to the fake engagement party.

With silent sighs and a million thoughts racing through her mind, Maya went through the process of doing her hair and makeup, then put on the gorgeous dress and shoes.

She headed to the large dining hall, which had been transformed into a banquet hall for the engagement party.

Family, friends of the family, the leaders of the mafia organization, and even that doctor who had taken an unusual interest in her were all present. She felt exposed as she became the center of attention, especially since she was the engaged girl.

Marcello approached her, took her hand, and pressed a kiss to the back of it. She considered stamping on his foot to teach him a lesson for kissing her hand without her permission, but unfortunately, all she could do was smile.

Marcello decided to speak Italian, sparing Maya from having to engage in a conversation with him. He led her to her table.

Zia Arianna stood up to give her a hug. "Congratulations, dear! You look lovely."

Maya smiled shyly. "Thank you, Zia."

"What a beautiful ring!" Zia Arianna took Maya’s hand and admired the ring.

"You did such a great job choosing the ring, Marcello," she hails him. "It’s a beautiful diamond cut."

Marcello smiled smugly.

Zia Arianna twitched, speaking to Marcello in Italian, and Maya noticed how much her aunt seemed to adore him. It made her feel sick inside that the aunt she had come to love was so fond of this moron she was being forced to marry. It felt like a betrayal.

After ending the conversation with Zia Arianna, Marcello whisked Maya away to greet Vico, his friends, and subordinates before taking her back to their table. Pretending to be a perfect gentleman, he pulled out a chair for her, and Maya sat down, reluctantly thanking him.

Vico and Natalia joined them at their table. Maya just realized that she was back from the U.S. She wished she could get Natalia alone to ask about Dalton.

Their eyes met, and Natalia’s face was rigid and sour, as if she were suppressing an emotion. Maya had to look away.

"What an elegant ring," Vico said. That’s when Maya felt her hand in his.

Is everyone going to touch her hand and examine it all night because of this goddamn ring?

Vico patted Marcello on the back like a proud father-in-law.

If there were a competition for eye-rolling, Maya would have won with the amount she was doing.

Her instinct prompted her to glance at Natalia again, and wow, Natalia was darting her a deadly glare. There’s no doubt that Natalia could kill her if she were allowed to.

What is really Natalia’s problem? Why does she hate her so much?

Vico decided to give a speech to officially announce the engagement. He spoke in Italian, and Maya turned off the little Italian she had learned so she wouldn’t have to understand a word he was saying.

There was applause, and Marcello encouraged her to stand with him as he gave his speech in Italian. Maya could tell it was heartfelt by the way he looked at her with affection. Maya smiled as she played along, and she was forced to also give an emotional speech in Italian, which she had written and memorized with the help of Zia Arianna, as demanded by Vico. She had to ramble on with a sweet smile, arching her lips, telling everyone how much she loved Marcello. The gleam of mockery in Marcello’s eyes only made it worse.

She clinked her glass with his when she finished speaking. Another round of applause followed, and people came to their table to congratulate them on their engagement. As Maya had predicted, they were examining her hand to admire the ring and offering their estimates on how much it cost in millions of dollars, but Maya didn’t care at all. She just wanted it to be over, so she could toss this ring into the trash can.

Music began to play, food was served, and there was more wine and chatter. The party became lively.

Vico and Marcello started chatting amicably about mafia business. Maya left the table to talk with her Nonna, aunt, and her cousins, who were sitting at the table opposite hers. They seemed to adore Marcello; he knows how to charm everyone around him. However, Maya can see through that infuriating charm of his. They raved about the engagement so damn much, Maya couldn’t take it any longer, so she excused herself and returned to her table.

Vico and Marcello were still deep in conversation, and Natalia remained very quiet. Maya tried not to stare at Natalia, but she couldn’t contain her curiosity, so she did. She noticed that Natalia was stealing glances at Marcello, with longing in her eyes.

Maya’s eyes widened. Wait, is Marcello the man Natalia is in love with.....

"Maya, are you listening to me?" Vico said, jolting Maya out of her thoughts.

"What did you say?"

"I said I have obtained a building in a perfect location for your five-star restaurant as an engagement gift."

Maya tilted her head to the side and shook her head. "No, thank you, Papa. I have enough money from the inheritance my late mother left me to buy a place of my choice."

"Late mother?"

Maya frowned. "Y-yes, my late mother."

"She is not dead," Vico bluntly said, sending shockwaves through Maya, causing her to nearly pass out in her seat.

"What?" Her blue eyes widened more than they ever had before, her pulse racing.