He Canceled Our Wedding Ninety-Nine Times, So I Joined His Enemy novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Dinner

On Thursday evening I walked into the Ruggieri dining room for the first time as a guest.

For five years it had been my room.

I had chosen the long table and ordered the white cloth.

Tonight the table was set for twelve, with candles, and I did not recognize the flowers.

Gabriele walked a half step behind my shoulder.

Tullio followed us with a leather case, and the east-docks capo came in last and stayed by the door.

Heads turned.

The old Don sat at the middle of the table with his cane across his knees.

The young Don of the north side sat across from him, and the fourth Don, a heavy man from the south shore, was already eating bread.

Massimo sat at the foot of the table.

He was shaved and in a clean suit, and his face was white.

Behind his chair stood the big one from the garage and a second guard.

They were not guarding him.

At the head of the table, in the chair that had been his father's before it was Carlo's, sat Paola.

She wore black.

She had put on her pearls, and her hair was pinned up, and she looked young and sad and perfectly in order.

"Renata," she said warmly. "I'm so glad you came. Please sit by me."

"I'll sit by Don Lombardi."

"Of course."

Her smile did not move.

We sat.

A servant I did not know poured the wine.

For the first course the old Don asked after Gabriele's aunt, and the south-shore Don talked about a ferry strike, and nobody mentioned why we were there.

Paola ate nothing.

When the plates were cleared, she stood.

← Chapter 17 · All chapters · Chapter 19 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend