Third Person's POV:
Vintellis arrived at the Romano mansion exactly as they had said in 15 minutes. Benjamin and Alessio went to welcome them and bring them in.
"Welcome, welcome. How are you Riccardo?" Leonard asked.
"Good my friend. What about you?"
"Now that you are here I am also excellent. Come sit, sit." Leonard said excitedly. It was rare to see Leonard Romano being this enthusiastic. He was stoic and cold for the outsiders but when it comes to his family and friends he becomes warm.
"Hello everyone. It's been a long time." Lorenzo spoke.
"Hello. How are you all?" Aurora greeted them.
"We are good. Come sit here with me." Sophia said.
"Hello grandpa, grandma, uncles and aunt." Valente also greeted his elders. He nodded towards the siblings.
"Hello Valente."
"Valente, come sit here." Antonio said, and he went and sat with Antonio and Leonardo.
"Oh Ava is also here. Come sit here child. How are you? Why didn't you come to the ball?" Isabella said, smiling warmly. Ava smiled and went to sit with Isabella.
She always respected her and treated her like her own grandmother. Her grandmother passed away early due to an attack on their mafia. So she always has seen her as her own grandmother and Isabella also treats her like a granddaughter because she lost Ariana when she was just a child. But that doesn't mean that she treats Ariana any less or loves her less.
"Grandma, I was not in the town that day because of some work. So I couldn't come that day. How is your health grandma?" She asked sweetly. Any elderly would like her as she has a sweet and caring nature.
"I am perfectly healthy. Princess let me introduce you to her. This is Ava Vintelli. She is the daughter of Lorenzo and Aurora." Isabella introduced her to Ariana as this was their first time meeting each other.
"Hello Ava. Nice to meet you." Ariana greeted her warmly.
"Hello Ariana. Same here. I have heard from my mom that you are a beauty but you are more beautiful than she described." She said with a warm smile.
"Thank you Ava. You are gorgeous too." Ariana said while blushing. Antonio by the side was very happy that they were getting along well.
"I didn't know about you. So I thought that Valente was an only child." Ariana said.
"Oh no. We have a younger brother also. He will be here any minute as he is busy with something else." Ava said.
"Really? Then let's wait for him." Ariana said and saw that Matteo was looking a little strange like he was not feeling well.
"Twinnie what happened?"
"Nothing. Everything is alright." Matteo replied but Ariana could tell that something was bothering him. She thought that she would ask him after observing for a while. While others knew why Matteo was looking like that and they shook their heads.
"Ava what do you do?" Ariana asked. She felt like she had heard that name somewhere but couldn't recall where?"
"I work in your company Ariana. I am a head accountant there." Ava replied.
"Oh that's nice. Then you will be very close to my brothers huh?"
"Yup."
"Who are you closer to Leo fratello or Tony fratello?" Ariana asked, and Antonio, who was listening in on their conversation while talking to Valente, immediately perked up.
"Umm that's a hard one. I am close to both of them. While my work is more closely related with Leonardo I am also close to Antonio. They are both best friends of mine." Ariana nodded. She understood that well. She also can't choose one over another. They then shifted their focus to elders and saw that Gabriel and Lorenzo were talking.
"Lorenzo, when are you going to hand over your mafia to Valente?" Gabriel asked.
"I have been preparing for that. I have taught him all I could and now I think that it is time that I hand over my responsibilities to him and go on vacation with my lovely wife." Lorenzo replied.
"You have been saying this for some time now but I don't see you doing it." Aurora said.
"Mom, don't you want me to learn a little bit more and wait for some time before accepting this big responsibility?" Valente said with a serious face.
"Oh come on, quit stalling already. I want to go on vacation with your dad and tour around the world. Can't you fulfil this wish of mine Valente." Aurora said.
"You guys go on your tour now anyways even if I take on my role or not." Lorenzo replied with a straight face.
"Don't give me that crap. I want to go with him on tour for at least a year and not do any of this mafia work. Do you understand me?" Aurora replied furiously. Others were watching them amusedly.
"Ok ok. Just see where you are, at least mom." Ava said mediating between them. Aurora looked around and then came to realize that they were at Romanos and not in their home. She blushed a little bit and glared at Valente.
"It's ok Aurora. I can understand how you feel. You don't have to feel embarrassed." Sophia said.
"Yeah I am also preparing to step down so that Antonio can take charge now. That was one of the reasons why we told princess about us and held a ball. Now I will soon crown Antonio as the mafia head. He has learned all that was there to teach." Gabriel said.
"Sigh. Lorenzo, I think it's time that we hand over our position to him." Aurora said.
"But wife, you also know that there is a rule in our mafia that one has to be married to hold a position as the head." Lorenzo replied helplessly.
"So when are you going to get married, Valente?" Aurora asked threateningly.
"Mom you know that I don't love anyone and have not been in a relationship in my whole life so where am I going to get a wife from?" Valente asked exasperatedly.
"And I think that those rules are from ancient times. Why can't I be a head without a wife? I am perfectly capable of managing the mafia and taking it to new heights." Valente added.
"I have a girl in mind perfect for you and our family." Aurora said with sparkling eyes.
"Mom, I will not marry anyone whom I don't love." Valente said.
"Who is it mom?" Ava asked. Just as Aurora was going to answer they heard someone coming.
"I think it's our brother." Ava said. They all waited for him to come in. Then came a boy who was around the age of the twins Ariana and Matteo. He was very similar to Valente but his face resembled Aurora a lot whereas Valente resembled Lorenzo more.
"Good evening everyone." He said with a smile and nodded at everyone. Everyone nodded at him.
"Silvio, come here." Riccardo said and beckoned him. He went to his grandfather's side and obediently stood by his side. Here Matteo's face was looking more and more sullen. Ariana saw that and understood that his bad mood was related to Silvio and there was a history between them.
"Grandpa." Silvio said politely.
"Let me introduce you to Ariana. She is the one I told you about. Ariana, this is Silvio, my youngest grandson. He wasn't there at the banquet because he was with Ava and out of the town." Riccardo introduced them.
"Hello Ariana. Nice to meet you. I have heard about you. Mom couldn't stop talking about you after coming from the ball." Silvio said with a smile.
"Hello Silvio, nice to meet you too." Ariana greeted him back politely.
"Ariana, do you know that he is the same age as you, 18?" Ava said.
"Really, where do you study then?" Ariana asked, surprised.
"Oh I am currently in university studying computer science. I completed my high school early." Silvio said.
"Oh that's great. I also want to study computer science after high school." Ariana said eagerly. She is after all a renowned hacker so she wants to further her expertise in that area as she has no interest in anything else.
"You will go to university this year right?" Silvio asked.
"Yes, this is my last year in high school so I am working hard to get into the university." Ariana said.
"Oh I am sure that you will do great." Silvio said.
"Thank you. So which year are you in college?"
"Sophomore."
"Then you are already half way there." While they were conversing Valente was looking at them with a slight frown. Ava looked at him and observed that he was looking at Ariana and their younger brother. She had a sudden realisation.
"Do you know Ariana that Valente already completed his bachelor's degree in two years?" Ava said.
"Really. That's great. I was thinking how he can manage the mafia and college at the same time. So that's how it is." Ariana said, truly surprised. Although she knew the Vintelli family and Valente, that doesn't mean she knows everything about them because she didn't need to.
"Hmm that's why he got an early degree besides he is a genius." Silvio said with a proud look on his face. They were truly very close. Just like Romano siblings. Ariana smiled at him. Valente looked a little relaxed. However no one can see what he was feeling.
"Oh I am sure that you are no less than him. Considering that you are already in college in the sophomore year." Ariana said.
"Thank you. I still have a long way to go." Silvio said. While Matteo here was looking more and more mad like he was going to erupt any moment.
"Twinnie, come here." Matteo said, trying to sound as gentle as he can.
Ariana stood up and went up to him, "What happened, twinnie?"
"Nothing. I just want you to sit with me here." Although Ariana sat beside him obediently she could guess that something was wrong with him.
"What's wrong twinnie? You don't like him?"
"Nothing is wrong. Don't worry." He said half heartedly.
"Aurora, I remember that you were saying something about a girl that is perfect for Valente, who is she?" Riccardo asked. They didn't feel any hesitation or awkwardness talking so freely in the Romano mansion because they were really accustomed to it. They were friends of a lifetime.
"Yes, tell us Aurora. Is it someone we know?" Robert asked curiously.
"Uhh... I don't know... If I should say..." Aurora said hesitantly. Valente had a bad premonition.
"Tell us already." Sophia said.
"Well... Gabriel, do you remember... when Ariana was born and Valente wouldn't leave her side and refuse to go home?" Aurora started saying.
"That happened?" Ava asked.
"Yup. He was just three years old and he wouldn't go home and wanted to stay with her. He said that he wanted to take her home and wouldn't leave her side no matter what we said. Then he heard from somewhere that you can take a girl home when you marry them... then he started saying that he will marry her and take her home so that no one can take her away from him."
Ava and Silvio were staring at their brother wide eyed. They couldn't imagine their stoic looking brother saying that when he was three years old. They have seen his pictures of his childhood and they had seen that he was a cold looking one even in his childhood. He has been a genius since childhood and didn't like what a child his age liked because he was way ahead in his mentality than of his peers.
"I remember him saying that and we also used to joke and say that we will let them get married when they have grown up. Sigh! It's unfortunate that princess went missing." Gabriel shook his head in sadness. He still feels this pain and he will never be able to fully let go of her kidnapping but with time he will slowly heal.
Romano brothers were on edge and were ready to intervene if what they feared really happened. Well what they didn't know was that Ariana was who they had to guard against the most. That she will be the one who will take the initiative. *Smirk*
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Here's another chapter guys.
Happy reading.
Love, Stella.