Page 72 of Snake's Head

What made the air easy was definitely Valerio, though. He was not trying to lessen the effect of my blows or suppress me. He was not even trying to break the tension. It was just his presence. He was himself, and it was making everyone feel good. He had an effect like that.

I got even more confused over the fact that he wanted me. I was the opposite of that. My presence didn’t make anyone feel better. He was supposed to hate me.

Yet he didn’t.

Kids left the table the second they were done. They ran away to go play. My heart clenched when Elsie left, but I was happy for her. She was supposed to be surrounded by friends. She was a bit shy, but she was still a social kid.

We stayed at the table a bit longer, but eventually, my brother looked at Valerio and said. “I have a bottle of Macallan at my office. Can we have a chat over a glass?”

“Just the two of us?”

“If the ladies don’t mind.”

Sofia shook her head immediately, but I was even more annoyed. I knew Tommaso didn’t invite us for me, but the reminder was not nice at all. I only said, “Whatever.” I was more than ready to leave this place.

Before leaving, Valerio pressed a kiss on my neck and whispered, “I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

I just shrugged and didn’t even give him any words as an answer. I sometimes just acted annoyed around Valerio, but this time, I was actually annoyed at him for playing into my brother’s hand.

After they left, Sofia led me to a living area with a smile and said we could also chat when they were busy. I didn’t think I had anything to talk about with a perfect housewife like her, but I had no other option, so I followed and sat down on one of the comfortable sofas.

“What are we going to drink? Wine?” I asked mockingly. I didn’t hate wine, but it was just so fitting to her stereotype that I couldn’t help myself to make fun.

Sofia didn’t lose her smile and went to the drink cabinet. She took a bottle and turned to me with a devilish smirk. “What do they have that we don’t?” She was holding a Macallan bottle.

My lips twitched. “Dick and balls,” I answered as she poured the drink.

She handed me one and said. “Not the most important parts if you ask me.”

“Important in this world.”

She sat down in her chair like a queen. “But you are not the type who likes to live according to the rules of this world. I am not either.”

I couldn’t help my laughter. Was she fucking with me? “You are the picture of a perfect Italian wife.”

Her smile turned a little sad. “You don’t listen to whispers, do you, Luciana? Gossip is not your thing.”

“I stopped when I realized most of the gossip was about me. I don’t fucking care what those bored-up bitches talk about.” I normally wouldn’t be this rude to people on their backs, but they deserved it with everything they said about me while I was going through the hardest thing in my life.

Sofia nodded. “I agree.”

“You do?” I was actually surprised. I knew this could be all show. Maybe she was not the perfect housewife, but still, it was a bit hard to believe for me.

“Yes,” she said assumingly. “Because I have been the subject of those gossips too. Maybe even more than you, but you were too young then.”

“Why?” I asked without thinking. It was probably a little invasive. She didn’t have to tell me what she had done to be subject to gossip, but she probably knew my secret, so I wanted to know hers. Also, I felt like that was the only thing that could make me believe she was really different than the rest.

Thankfully Sofia didn’t look uncomfortable by my question. “When I had my first child, I was married to Tommaso for only five months.”

Oh. I really didn’t know that. It was dogshit to me, but it was a big gossip material for the bored Cosa Nostra ladies. “You got married because you were pregnant?”

“Oh, no, no. We were engaged for a long time. Gino didn’t want us to marry. I got pregnant when the wedding was in plans. Tommaso said we could elope to keep it a secret, but I didn’t care. I was a free spirit like you. I didn’t care what anyone said.”

“Until?” Because there was always a point you started caring.

Sofia smiled sadly. She looked heartbroken at the memories filling her head. “Until a few months after the birth. My son was stillborn. It was the hardest thing I went through. I couldn’t leave the house for a while. I couldn’t eat or drink. I only cried. Tommaso was with me the whole time.” She smiled at that a little. “But then, finally, I got well enough to leave the house. I thought it would be good for me. We went to an event, and at first, it was amazing. All the women hugged me and told me how sad they were. They made me feel less alone. I actually had hope that my pain could go away.”

My throat dried. It sounded so familiar. “But.”

---