Page 8 of Spice and Revenge

We gather the necessary ingredients and prepare our stations. Josie, one of the sous-chefs, stands beside me as we take charge of the cornetti.

“So, how are you seeing the job so far?” Josie asks me.

Before I can answer, Hilda, who is retrieving the pre-made dough from the refrigerator, looks at me and whispers, “I heard what happened with Don yesterday.”

Ah, so news of Leo's attempt to undermine me has already circulated throughout the household. Not surprising.

“Just so you know, he’s not always like that. Sure, he's strict, but he’s not always yelling,” Hilda offers.

Blanco, the guy, snorts.

“Yeah, he’s a man of few words. Just quick to ax anyone who fucks up.”

“Language,” Josie snaps, reaching out to slap Blanco’s shoulders.

“Ouch! Just because you’re holier than Mother Mary doesn’t mean I have to be,” Blanco mutters. I chuckle at their exchange.

“So,” Josie nudges me. “Is there anything you want to know about the Vitale family?” She asks. “I’m sure you must have heard some things, and trust me, most of them are lies.”

“Rich people are often subject to the public making up stories about them. It’s horrible,” Hilda adds, dropping the cold croissant dough on the counter before her.

I shrug. “I never really paid attention to them. I just see the family name appear in the news sometimes, and I know they’re the richest family in Sicily…”

“Not just Sicily,” Josie corrects. “The entirety of Italy.”

“Wow. That’s huge,” I say. I’m more interested in this story than I let on.

I'm intrigued by the Vitale family's story. What exactly catapulted them to such immense wealth? Their opulent estate, the retinue of servants, and the top-tier security all hint at a legacy of old money. But what exactly do they do?

“Yes, and what's even more astounding is that Leonardo manages everything,” Josie continues.

“But he seems so young,” I remark, unable to resist indulging in a little gossip.

Gossiping on duty might be one of the crimes that could get me fired, but I can’t help it. The Vitale family is interesting, and I want to satisfy my curiosity about them.

While we make the cornetti, I get ready for the story. The buttery aroma of the dough fills the air as we unroll the dough and cut it into triangular sections. Each triangle is then gently rolled into a crescent shape, ensuring that the layers are perfectly aligned for a tender texture. As we do this, Josie begins to squeeze some fresh oranges.

“Yes. Let me explain,” Josie starts. “Leo’s father had him first with another woman…”

“He is a bastard son,” Hilda whispers from across the counter, making Blanco nudge her with his elbow.

“The walls have ears, woman,” he hisses.

“I am a young lady, not a woman…” Hilda retorts.

“Can you two hush? I am trying to explain something here,” Josie interjects, clearly the leader of the trio. From the dynamic going on, she seems to be the oldest.

“As I was saying,” she turns to me when the other two remain quiet, “Their father, Ares, got married and had three other children: the twins, and the last one, Carmela. Ares died young. It is rumored he was murdered, but we don’t really know,” she speculates. “You know how it is with wealthy folks—enemies aplenty.”

“Leonardo had to come back and take over since the other children were still young. Carmela is still in high school. And Leo has done better than Ares ever did. I hear the family business is doing better now than ever, and Leo just came in a few years ago.”

“What exactly is the family business?” I ask.

“They are…”

“Investors,” Josie interrupts Hilda. I notice Blanco nudging her again.

“But the main source of income is the winery. The Vitale family are most known for owning and running the oldest winery in Sicily,” Josie finishes.

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