Chapter 7

"Beneath the Mask"

Lorenzo's POV

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Family dinners were always chaotic. Not in a bad way—never in a bad way—but in the kind of loud, disorganized mess that came with having three brothers who were all varying degrees of lunatic.

Marco, the self-declared comedian, was currently performing an impersonation of my mother. His voice went high-pitched and dramatic as he mimicked her telling off one of the twins.

"Marco, stop wasting time, and do something useful with your life!" He planted his hands on his hips, pulling an exaggerated pout.

My father chuckled into his wine glass, while Mom, unimpressed, arched a brow. "I don't sound like that."

"You absolutely sound like that," Luca said, his twin, Leo, nodding in agreement.

"Betrayal," Mom muttered, shaking her head, but the corner of her lips twitched in amusement.

Dante leaned over and nudged me with his elbow. "They're going to drive her nuts before we even make it to the gala."

I grinned. "That's the plan."

The dinner table was a battlefield of overlapping conversations, clinking glasses, and bursts of laughter. It always was when we were all together. I didn't take these moments for granted. Not anymore.

The ball tonight was important to my parents. A yearly tradition, the charity gala was their way of giving back—a night of glitz and generosity meant to bring attention to causes they cared deeply about. This year, it was funding scholarships for underprivileged students, a cause close to my mother's heart.

"Ren, honey, make sure you're ready on time tonight," Mom said, her sharp eyes cutting through the chaos to land on me.

I saluted her playfully. "Yes, ma'am."

She rolled her eyes. "And wear the black tux. The navy one makes you look like you're about to storm a boardroom."

"Noted."

The twins burst into laughter, Marco egging them on with some comment I didn't quite catch. Dad shot me a knowing look from across the table, the silent bond of two men who knew they'd never outnumber the rest of this crew.

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The gala buzzed with carefully measured chaos. Every clink of a champagne flute, every rehearsed laugh, every perfectly enunciated compliment formed the rhythm of the night. I moved through it all like a conductor, shaking hands and trading polished smiles, knowing exactly how to charm and disarm.

And then I saw her.

She wasn't playing the game. Not even pretending.

Leaning against a pillar, her dark green dress hugged her figure with a quiet elegance that defied the ostentatious sparkle of everyone else in the room. She held no drink, carried no fake laugh, and wore no mask of feigned interest. She was alone, radiating an unapproachable air that should have warned me off.

But I never did like being told where I didn't belong.

"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, stopping beside her with a practiced ease.

She turned her head slowly, her sharp, calculating eyes catching me like a blade. The kind of look that said, Why are you here? Her lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile.

"That depends," she said smoothly. "Are you about to launch into a lecture on the importance of donor generosity?"

I tilted my head, letting a cocky grin stretch across my face. "Why? Are you the type who needs convincing?"

Her brow arched. "More like the type who doesn't tolerate pretentious conversations."

Interesting.

"Well, lucky for you," I shot back, "I'm only slightly pretentious."

She gave a low, unimpressed laugh, the kind that seemed to mock me just for trying. "Good to know."

"You don't seem like the kind of person to be here willingly," I said, studying her. She wasn't mingling. She wasn't working the room like the rest of us. She was just... watching.

She shrugged, the movement nonchalant, as though this entire event was beneath her notice. "Maybe I just like watching people squirm under the pressure of being interesting."

That laugh escaped me again, unbidden and real. "Then you're in for a treat tonight. Most of these people wouldn't know 'interesting' if it walked up and shook their hand."

She gave me another one of those assessing stares, her gaze lingering a moment too long. "Including you?"

I leaned in slightly, letting my smile take on a devilish edge. "Oh, I'm the exception."

Her eyes narrowed. "Cocky much?"

"Confident."

"Annoying," she corrected, but there was a flicker of amusement in her expression, like she couldn't quite decide if she should be insulted or entertained.

"Ren," I guessed, cutting through her verbal parries.

She blinked, startled. "Excuse me?"

"My name," I said, extending a hand. "I'm Ren. Short for Lorenzo."

Her hesitation was almost imperceptible, but I caught it before she shook my hand, her grip firm. "Vee."

"Short for something?"

"Maybe."

I tilted my head. "Let me guess. Veronica? Vivienne? Valentine?"

Her smile tightened, though her eyes sparkled with something sharp. "It's just Vee."

"I don't believe you."

Her laugh was short and cutting. "You'll live."

Leaning against the pillar, I studied her openly now, letting the silence stretch. "You're really good at being unapproachable. Is that a skill or just a reflex?"

"Depends. Are you really this persistent, or is your ego just bruised because I didn't fall for the act?"

This time, her words landed like a jab, and for a second, I felt the sting of it. My smile faltered but returned quickly, stronger. "You're assuming it's an act."

"Isn't it?" she shot back.

I stepped closer, closing the space between us just enough to make her posture stiffen. "You're right. It's all for show. But you're still talking to me, aren't you?"

Her lips parted, a retort clearly forming, but then she stopped herself. Her gaze flitted across my face like she was recalculating her approach.

"Maybe I'm just waiting for you to prove me right," she said, her voice softer but no less cutting.

"And maybe you're just waiting to be proven wrong," I countered, my voice dipping lower.

That caught her off guard. For just a second, her composure cracked, and I saw something beneath it—curiosity, maybe even intrigue.

"Good luck with that," she said finally, pushing off the pillar and brushing past me.

I turned to watch her go, unable to stop the grin tugging at my lips. Whatever game this was, I wasn't done playing yet.

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As the night wore on, I found myself gravitating toward her corner of the room more than I'd intended. Vee wasn't like anyone else here—unapologetically sharp in her observations, refusing to blend into the polished perfection everyone else was so desperate to maintain.

She caught my gaze again from across the room, her eyes narrowing slightly, almost like she was daring me to come closer. I accepted the unspoken challenge.

"Enjoying the view, darling?" I asked smoothly as I approached, letting the word roll off my tongue with just the right amount of teasing arrogance.

Her reaction was immediate—a sharp inhale, followed by a narrowing of her eyes. "Don't call me that," she said, her tone clipped.

"Why not?" I asked, leaning casually against the nearest pillar, my smirk deepening. "It suits you. Strong, confident, a little bit..." I let my gaze sweep over her deliberately, "...untouchable."

Her jaw tightened, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "You think you're charming, don't you?"

"I don't think—I know," I shot back, letting my grin widen. "And it's working, isn't it?"

"Not even a little," she said flatly, but the slight flush rising in her cheeks told a different story.

"You're blushing," I pointed out, tilting my head in mock innocence.

"I'm annoyed," she countered, her voice low but steady. "Big difference."

"Keep telling yourself that, darling."

Her eyes flashed with frustration as she stepped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Are you always this insufferable, or am I just special?"

"Only for you," I replied, my voice softening just enough to make her falter.

She let out a huff of laughter, though it was clear she didn't want to. "You're impossible."

"And yet, you haven't walked away," I pointed out, my gaze locking onto hers. "That says something, doesn't it?"

Her lips parted as if to retort, but she snapped her mouth shut, her fingers clenching at her sides. "You're insufferable, Ren," she muttered, almost to herself.

"And you're intriguing, Vee," I replied, my tone softer now, dropping the cocky edge for something more genuine. "Tell me, why are you really here? You don't seem like someone who enjoys playing these social games."

For a moment, her guard slipped, and something vulnerable flickered across her face. "Maybe I wanted a distraction," she admitted quietly, then seemed to catch herself. "But not from you."

"Liar," I said, taking a step closer, invading her space just enough to make her tilt her head up to meet my gaze.

She didn't back away. Instead, she held her ground, her lips curving into a slow, dangerous smile. "You think you're the distraction I need?"

"I think I'm the distraction you want," I said, my voice dropping to a near whisper.

For a moment, the air between us shifted, the teasing falling away to something heavier, more charged. Her gaze flickered to my lips, and I saw the conflict in her eyes—curiosity warring with defiance.

Then, just as quickly, she stepped back, putting distance between us. "You're trouble, Ren," she said, her voice steadier now.

"You're not wrong," I said, shoving my hands into my pockets and grinning. "But I'm fun trouble."

Her laugh was short and exasperated, and she shook her head as if to clear it. "This conversation is over."

"Only for now, darling," I called after her as she turned to leave, letting my voice carry just enough to make her pause.

She glanced back over her shoulder, her expression caught somewhere between irritation and amusement. "Goodbye, Ren."

I watched her disappear into the crowd, my grin fading into something softer. She was unlike anyone I'd ever met. Frustrating, sharp, impossible to ignore.

And I was already looking forward to the next time I could make her blush.

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˗ˏˋ Author's note ˎˊ˗

Heyy (✿◡‿◡)

Woops, they met! What do you think? Anything I should change so far? Any suggestions for the future?

Your vote and comment makes another person's day!

Question of chapter:

Who's your favorite actor?

Louis Partridge. Sir!!!! Like stop being so damn fine!! 

Comment ><

See you next Sunday!

you are amazing <3

Izel

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