"Wait... you guys staged that!?!"
I was in complete shock. I could not wrap my head around the fact that Rachel and Noemi, though a bit less for Noemi, had the idea to sabotage the wedding. Even less so that they executed it so well.
Growing up Noemi and Rachel were always by my side so we had a deep understanding and tact with one another. Noemi as loud and free spirited as she is, she knew when to keep her toes in line and that line was one she never dared to cross.
Rachel was even more of a traditionalist rule follower. As the 'mom' of our friend group she leads by example. What she would not do is what we would not do. And what she executed was something she would have never done.
So for these girls to stick their neck our like that was out of character.
"Oh yeah Noemi's cousin knew a guy who knew a guy and that guy got us in contact with this woman. We paid a pretty lofty sum considering how high profile the wedding was slated to be but it was worth every penny."
Rachel had a vindictive look in her eyes which was mirrored in Noemi's face. As to why they looked that way I did not understand.
I knew my beef with Sol and Felix but they really had not much to do with it on a personal level. "Wait what even prompted for your guys to do that? Don't get me wrong I am very much touched but this isn't like you guys."
"Well if we really spill all the beans....Sol had met up with us prior to the wedding to beg for us to come. She slammed a file down with basically a whole rundown of the disaster that was the bachelorette and bachelor party which would have gotten a lot of us in trouble. So we agreed to come and not cause a scene." Noemi spit out.
She what?
"Honestly we could have taken care of it but much like a dog we decided to play with our prey for a bit. After all, I dislike being threatened even if the supposed threat is not even one for me to worry about." Rachels eyes darkened as her mood dipped from her anger.
"So we came up with this plan. We left some red herrings to dissuade us from being suspects but made sure we kept every other part of our agreement. From what we have been hearing Felix is convinced Dean did it."
Rachel reapplied some lipstick while Noemi patted her nose with some packed makeup powder. Neither girl looking anything like the venomous women they just moments ago were acting to be.
A deep feeling of satisfaction spread from my chest to the rest of my body. Warming me up completely.
"Honestly before knowing all this I was unsure of what to think when you guys went. I understood business sometimes needed to come first. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you." I was pulled into a hug and after we replayed the video of the wedding a few times. I have never laughed as deeply as I did that night.
The next few days after were unfortunately more hectic.
My grandparents from Italy were informed and unlike how my parents reacted they did not take it well. Well at least my grandfather did not take it well.
"Is this some type of punishment? I am deeply sorry for setting you up with the Medici family but for you to betray us like this? Betray me?" He was hurt and angry. My parents tried to stop me from answering his call but this conversation had to happen one way or another.
"Papa Benito. This is not about betrayal or hurting people. The heart wants what it wants and I want him. He treats me well and unlike others he does not vie for my family name or assets. He loves me."
"Loves you? Listen if he were from any other family I would agree with you. But do you get why he cannot be in our lives? Why that family needs to never intersect with our own? It is not even simple politics, it is more complex than that. His family do things in a way we do not. Its fundamental morality."
That was a fact I could not refute directly.
The Cortez family has deep ties to various crime syndicates. Apparently some of the branch family members are active in this scene which is why when it came to their values they are far more traditional.
That image is not really a public fact but hearsay to them. For us who are closer in money and relations, it was a universal tidbit but again not really something that is confirmed or denied.
But based on what Dean has shared with me about his family. I leaned more towards it being true. As to why that is an issue with my family, it was because of the main core value our family held in 'brand image'. As a family, my ancestors did not want to associate with any crime as once the blood is on your hands, it stains.
It stains so deep that no matter how hard you scrub the blood is as bright red as it was when it first seeped into your hands.
Personally, I have always felt that you cannot choose your family. It was not Deans fault to be born a Cortez as it was not mine to be born a D'Angelo. The actions of our family do not define us. Especially as while it is common knowledge amongst insiders of who is related to the Cortez family is it equally noted that Deans father and mother have not partaken in any activities at all.
But by that same vein I understood that people have been seriously hurt by those involved in that life. It was not glamorous and the struggle of survival is ever apparent.