As they navigated through the crowded hall, the murmurs and whispers grew louder, like a gentle hum of curiosity. Mia's heart raced with each step, her eyes fixed on Jonathan's cold face. The black velvet diamond dress shimmered in the light, drawing admiring glances and envious stares.
"Oh my god, isn't that the velvet dress!" a voice whispered. "I heard it was supposed to be unveiled in two months!"
"I know, right? She's so lucky," another voice chimed in. "I've been waiting for that dress for ages! Áloura will have to answer to me," another voice whispered with envious stares.
"Who is she anyway? I thought Bianca was the overlord's mistress," another voice whispered as Bianca, who was behind the voice, turned towards Jonathan and Mia. Her face was a mixture of pain, anger, jealousy, and feeling used.
"Hold up, Bianca, didn't you say you had the overlord wrapped around your finger?" a girl asked, waiting for Bianca's response. But instead of answering, Bianca poured her drink on the girl, her face twisted in anger.
"That's why he sent me off the last time we met, because of that bitch," Bianca muttered, storming towards them. But someone held her back.
"What are you doing? That's Blacksmith you're dealing with. You just want to walk up to him and talk shit? I see you don't value your life. But if I were you, I'd calm down and strike later. I mean, you don't even know who the bitch is behind that mask," Clara said, as Bianca glared at her forcefully, freeing herself from Clara's grip.
"Don't you ever touch me again. Next time, I'll make sure to cut those disgusting hands off," Bianca said angrily, storming off to get a drink.
On the other side of the hall, a man stared at Jonathan with a sinister, deadly smirk worn on his face. "His Royal Majesty has arrived, and I see he's not alone," he said finally, his face turning dark as he began a slow, deliberate stride towards Jonathan. The tension in the air was palpable, as the two men locked eyes, both aware of the dangerous game that was about to be played.
Mia's grip of Jonathan's tighten as the man drew closer, Mia could see the calculating glint in his eye, the cruel curve of his smile. She felt a shiver run down her spine, a sense of danger emanating from him like a palpable force.
"Ah, Jonathan Maurizio Blacksmith," the man said, his voice dripping with malice. "I see you're alive and well. I was starting to think you didn't get my present."
"Fernandez," Jonathan muttered, his voice low and deadly. "What are you doing here?"
Jonathan's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed intently on Fernandez.
Leonardo, looked sideways and back, pretending to be oblivious. "Oh, you mean me? I got invited to the party, just like everyone else. Wouldn't say no, would I?" His words were laced with sarcasm, and his face darkened with a menacing glint. "Mi hai reso la vita un inferno( you made my life a hell) Thane. Brace yourself for what's coming."
Jonathan's expression turned dark, his eyes flashing with anger, all he wanted was to end him right there, "Se non te ne vai da qui subito, giuro che ti ucciderò! (If you don't leave this place right now, I swear I will kill you," he growled in Italian.
"Oh, boo hoo, I'm so scared!" Leonardo mocked in a dramatic flair, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Quando mi hai esiliato, mi hai bandito dall'inferno e hai congelato i miei beni, ricordo che hai firmato per questo, dando ordini severi che nessuna anima doveva toccarmi - e questo include anche te, Jonathan. Quindi, vai avanti e uccidimi. (When you exiled me, banned me from the underworld, and froze my assets, I remember you signing off on it, giving strict orders that not a single soul was to touch me - and that includes you, Jonathan. So, go ahead and kill me), I dare you" he ended glaring deadly at Jonathan.
Mia felt confused, sensing the tension between Jonathan and Leonardo but unable to understand why. She didn't speak Italian, and the exchange had lost her. She looked at Jonathan, hoping he would explain, but his expression was dark and foreboding.
Jonathan's face darkened, his eyes flashing with fury as they fixed intently on Leonardo. "Che stai pianificando, Fernandez?" (What are you planning, Fernandez?) Jonathan asked, his voice low and deadly.
Leonardo's smile grew even wider, his eyes glinting with madness. "Non sto pianificando nulla, Thane(Oh, I'm not planning anything, Thane). Just enjoying the pleasant party I was invited to," he said, then turned to Mia. "What a masked beauty you've got here. Is she your new toy?" Leonardo asked in a sinister way.
"Lasciala fuori da questo(Leave her out of this)," Jonathan spoke in Italian, his voice firm and protective.
"Why don't you take off that thing hiding the beauty you've got?" Leonardo said, gesturing to Mia's mask. "didn't say it was a masked party in the invite." He said as Mia looked at him then backed at Jonathan who whispered to her. "Go get us a drink." But earlier in the limo, he had given her strict orders not to eat or drink anything offered at the party, which confused Mia. She thought, "Is he trying to send me off?" as Jonathan released his hands from hers as she hesitated for a while before walking away.
As soon as she was out of sight, Jonathan turned to Leonardo with a deadly stare. "I may have given orders not to touch you, but I'm still the overlord, your master, and I can choose to change it."
Leonardo sneered, "And prove to the world how much of a coward you are. You may be the overlord, the ruler of the underworld you but banned me, Thane. And when you did, you cut me off from every activity, so there's no way I'll bow to you. You may have been a boss to me, but not anymore. I'm free from your control, and I'll do as I please. I'm back, no Longer on the wanted list, and I get to do whatever I want, and the first thing in my to-do list is to take everything you ever had, and when I say everything, I mean including you life", Leonardo paused, then continued in a maniacal way, "Enjoy the party, blacksmith. It was so nice to see you."
As soon as Leonardo walked away, he placed his hand on the comm device, "I want information on who the masked girl is," he said, his voice cold and dark. "Find out everything about her. She was masked for a reason."
Leonardo's eyes remained fixed on Mia, who was at the bar, his gaze piercing through the mask she wore.
***
At an unknown location, a man sat, his face hidden in the dark, smoke-filled room, his eyes fixed on the ID lying on the table. "And you're sure she's the one?" his rugged voice asked, as more smoke puffed out from his nostrils.
"Yes, boss, she looks just like her mother," the man who brought the ID replied, as the man in the dark chuckled.
But his amusement was short-lived, as his demeanor darkened and he muttered, "Emilia Annalisa Salvador."