Page 60 of Morally Corrupt

Not even a day ago, Bianca and I were planning to visit a fertility doctor to expand our family. Suddenly, not only is she a killer, a liar, but she might also be a fucking Russian spy.

I school my expression and go back to the car. Inside, Bianca gives me a timorous smile, and I have the urge to both strangle her and kiss her.

Kiss her?

Yeah, I must be as sick as she is.

20

BIANCA

I've been playing the same role for too many years. I know how to control my expressions to appear timid, shy, introverted. And yet, why does it seem so hard to maintain this mask right now? I feel like I'm suffocating. Like Theo's always waiting for me to slip. After my crying performance last night and the minimal interaction with Theo, I think I overdid it. But I keep going.

At the same time, I also want to know what the deal with Marcel is. I've met him often enough over the years, but none of our encounters have denoted that Marcel is familiar with these types of issues. The way Theo has made it sound is like Marcel doing the clean-up is a regular thing.

One thing is for sure, though. I can't afford to show any holes in my persona. It's also why I had to let Vlad know the thing tomorrow is off. I need to act as normal as I can in the near future.

We're now in my room at my father's house. Theo is in front of the mirror, tying his cravat. I'd donned one of my summer mid-thigh dresses, going for a laid-back yet not too casual look.

As soon as we get to the house, we're greeted by my father's assistant who tells us to take some time to get ready, that there'll be other guests. We'd expected there to be other guests because my father only invites us when he wants to show off a family man's image. It's good for business, or so he always says.

"Do you have any idea who the other invitees are?" Theo asks me, finally breaking the torturous silence.

"No, but don't worry. We do what we always do. Smile, make small talk, and then we leave."

"Indeed." His eyes follow me through the mirror, and I muster the courage to go up to him and touch him. Theo and I have always had a very tactile relationship and keeping a distance would immediately mean admitting something is wrong.

My hands go up his crisply white shirt to settle on his biceps.

"We can do this." I raise myself on my tiptoes to briefly touch my lips against his. He doesn't move, doesn't even react, a glint of something in his eyes. We stand staring at each other for a long moment before his hand encircles my waist, and he tugs me in for a tight hug.

"We're a team," he whispers, almost without conviction.

"Always." I smile into his chest, hoping those words will always stay true.

"Okay, enough of this. Let's go down and face the crowd."

He offers me his arm, and we go towards the large sitting room on the ground floor.

My father's house is massive. It has over forty rooms; most of them only used when my father throws one of his extravagant parties. A double spiraling staircase is in the middle of the hallway. As we descend towards the great hall, I spot a few figures shaking my father's hand and starting towards the sitting room.

When we arrive, it seems we are the last ones to do so, and everyone's eyes are suddenly on us.

An elderly gentleman is talking to my father, next to whom I see another man around Theo's age, his hand clinically touching the woman next to him. Another two men, already deep in conversation, are on an opposite couch.

"Here are my daughter and son-in-law." My father stands and comes to us with a big smile on his face. The other people stand as well.

Let the acting begin!

My own lips immediately stretch to their full ability, and I see Theo putting on a pleasant smile as well.

"Gentleman," my father begins, clearly about to make the introductions.

"Bianca, Theo, these are Rocco Agosti and his son Enzo Agosti, and the lovely lady next to him is his wife Allegra." He motions towards them, and I'm almost taken aback by the identity of the guests.

Rocco is a portly man with gray hair that has to be about sixty, if not more. His son, though, doesn't resemble him in the least. He is quite tall, with a muscular built, yet it's his face that's entirely too surprising. If I were a normal woman, I might have swooned. The symmetry of his features coupled with his coloring are a dangerous combination. He has an olive skin tone that's accentuated by his vividly green eyes and dark hair.

Pretty boy… very pretty. Too cute when compared with his wife. She's small and frail looking, her bones too breakable. Her face is passable, I suppose, but compared to her husband, she is just… forgettable.

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