For the entire twenty years of my life, I have been known as the innocent young miss of the prestigious Moresi family.
My family is widely known for two things. The first is the Grand Moresi auction house, which stands at the pinnacle of all auction houses, carrying only the most lucrative items.
The auction house was established by my great-great-grandfather, who I was always told was an incredibly ambitious man. In his youth, he built this empire from the ground up, crafting a reputation of unparalleled refinement and exclusivity.
As the years passed, the Moresi name grew synonymous with wealth and sophistication, drawing in the wealthiest one percent of the world to conduct their transactions.
The house now stands not just as a business, but as a symbol of success. Everyone in the upper circle of society knows our name and most of them try their best to get into our good graces.
The second is the Moresi reputation for being extremely conservative and pure. Along with the founding of the auction house, the patriarch of the family created a hard set of rules for the family and its future generations.
We call these the Moresi tenets and they are as follows:
Prudence in Decision-Making
Embrace Purity of Heart and Mind
Honor in all Interactions
Strong and Unwavering Faith
My family has always been very serious about upholding these tenets, strictly following them without question.
My parents are even the type to pray before they have sex, although I've never actually witnessed it, thankfully...
Even now, these tenets bind me like shackles, preventing me from taking even a single step out of place. If I made so much as one mistake I would immediately be sold off to be a bride of my worthless, distant cousin.
The only thing shielding me from that fate was my pristine reputation, which made my parents believe I could be used for a better transaction—to a wealthier man.
Over the years, I learned that my place in this world no longer mattered. My thoughts, opinions, and desires… none of them mattered. Only my father's words did, without exception.
"Leslie, hurry up! Make sure you cover your shoulders properly!" my mother's high-pitched voice rang out from the foyer.
I quickened my pace while lifting the black velvet shawl over my bare shoulders.
If you didn't want me to show my shoulders, then why did you chose a strapless dress for me?
When I arrived in front of my mother, she looked me over, searching for anything out of place. A deep frown formed on her face and my heart pounded, afraid of being scolded.
I wasn't sure what she found that made her frown, but it wasn't enough for her to voice it. Glancing down I looked at the stunning crimson silk gown hugging my body.
The design was more fitted than what I was normally allowed to wear, so I suspected she disapproved of how it accentuated the natural curves of my figure.
Having been lucky to receive the Morsei genes from my father's side of the family, my figure was exceptional--perfectly curated to plaster over the cover of any and every porn magazine out there.
It was a feature that my mother loathed, constantly trying different methods to cover me so that I could continue to fall into the 'angelic innocence' category that she tried so hard to push me into.
Her scrutiny was nothing new to me. She had done this to my sister and me since childhood. Everything—from what we wore to what we ate—was meticulously decided by her, ensuring that we appeared proper on every occasion.
Appear… That was all that ever mattered—how others perceived us as a family.
Today was a very special day for our family. My father had finally managed to finally secure a meeting with the wealthiest man in our country, Christian Vittoria.
He's said to be the youngest self-made billionaire in the history of our country, leading ahead of the rest of the top businesses... by a wide margin.
Though I'm not sure of the exact specifics, his business empire is said to span across multiple industries, making him well known all across the world.
My father's been trying to get into his good graces for months now, so today's affair demanded a whole new level of perfection.
After taking a few minutes to check me over, my mother finally gave me her silent approval and turned to my sister, who had just arrived.
"Morgan, remember what I told you. You need to be on your best behavior; this dinner is an incredibly rare opportunity for your father!" she said sternly and with great authority.
Morgan walked over and stood in front of me, subtly pushing me to the side.
"Mother, you really don't have to worry so much," she said, turning to me with a soft, almost pitying smile. "Leslie and I both know our roles tonight. Of course, I'll do my best to make a good impression—for the family's sake."
I returned her look with a gentle smile, pretending to be oblivious to her provocations.
One of Morgan's favorite pastimes was to flaunt her status and authority over me at any opportunity she possibly could, trying her best to get under my skin.
As the eldest daughter, she was naturally entitled to the best resources and opportunities, which were clearly displayed as priceless gemstones that were plastered all over her body. Mother must have spent a small fortune to buy this dress for her for today's occasion.
Personally, I couldn't care less. Our family was wealthy enough to fund a small country, so even the second-best things were what others could only dream of having.
Morgan, of course, didn't see things like this. She was either starved for attention or just naturally obsessed with it. She always required the best of the best, flaunting it at any possible opportunity.
I think she got this trait from my father, who spent his days obsessively trying to secure even more wealth, even though we already had more than we knew what to do with.
"Is everyone ready? We need to start making our way over," I heard my father's deep voice sound from behind me.
"Greetings, Father," I said in unison with Morgan. As the patriarch of the family, we were required to formally greet him, even inside our own home.
He glanced at me and Morgan, maintaining the stoic expression he always had when dealing with people he deemed unimportant. I watched as he scrutinized our appearance momentarily before walking over to stand beside my brother.
"Remember, this is a pivotal day for our family. We must ensure that Christian Vittoria signs this business deal!" he said with a strong, authoritative voice.
"Yes, Father," I said in unison with Morgan once more, keeping our heads lowered and eyes on the floor.
"Good. Remember, this is for the good of the Moresi family," he said, then, with long strides, walked over to the front doors.
The servants lined up and bowed as he walked past. My elder brother walked one step behind, with my mother following closely.
Morgan quickened her pace to ensure that she walked out in front of me and casually brushed against me, pushing me out of her way.
The only thing on my mind was getting this meeting over with so that I could finally have some peace and quiet back in my room---he only place in the world where I felt like I could breathe.
Quietly, I stepped into the family limousine, taking a seat by the window.
As the limousine drove through the gated neighborhood and into the city, I couldn't help but watch the world outside with envy.
Through the window, I could see many people walking the streets of the inner city. Families, couples, and kids were running around. Some were laughing, while others were crying, but they were all living their own lives.
This was something that I always craved—a chance to live a life of my own, to make a decision of my own, whether it be right or wrong.