"A-Adrian... I can't accept this. It is too much. I'm already having a hard time getting adjusted with the dress, the makeup, the shoes and now this!"

He smiled at my shocked state. "I insist."

"I don't deserve this." I breathed out. "I lost the pleasure of dressing up, attending functions and parties a long time ago. Heck, I don't even remember when was the last time I dressed up like this or maybe I never did."

"Are you done?" He asked in a bored tone. "Because your excuses are going to deaf ears. My brother wants you to look at your best and so do I." He removed the diamond necklace from its box and placed it on my neck as a show. My eyes watered at its beauty. "This completes it and you know it too."

"If you can help me wear it..." I mumbled meekly, sighing in defeat.

He chuckled. "Of course."

Adrian clasped the necklace on my neck very carefully while I wore its matching pair of diamond studded earrings and tied my silver mask.

"How do I look now?"

"Exactly like a woman you are meant to be." He answered and wore his red mask.

I smiled and got up from my chair, taking small baby steps as I get accustomed to my heels.

"Let's get this show on the road, shall we?" I smirked.

Adrian grinned mischievously, understanding the double meaning of my statement and put forth his arm for me to take. "We shall."

Slowly, we reached the staircase. I could hear voices and laughter from downstairs. Nervousness kicked in and it made my grip around Adrian's arm tighten tenfold.

"Don't let me fall."

"Unless I plan on pushing you purposefully, I won't."

I adjusted the slit of my dress, mentally not wanting to kick it on every step. "Whoever designed this dress forgot to cover up one leg."

"Whoever designed this dress was ordered to design it especially for you." He retorted.

"What?" I mumbled in shock. "Are you saying that..."

He nodded. "Si. My brother spared no efforts and expense for you. That, my lovely Amy, are true signs of a whipped man."

My heels tapped on every step I took as we descended down the stairs. The voices got louder and louder and I heard low music coming from an end. "Right. No expenses. You guys are damn rich. Do you even pay taxes?"

Adrian snickered. "You'd be shocked if I tell you that we indeed do pay our taxes. We are bad as well as good citizens of our country. After all, everybody wants their country to thrive."

"Forget I ever asked you that." I muttered.

We reached the staircase of main hall and I looked down to see lots of people in suits, gowns and wearing masks.

"You ready?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah. Let's go down."

We took a turn together and faced the crowd from up. Many heads turned in our direction as Adrian and I began to climb down the stairs, arms interlinked.

"Why is everybody staring at me like that?" I whispered in his ear.

"Many reasons." He whispered back. "They are trying to figure out who you are. Everybody here came from main door while you, Amelia, are already inside so they are assuming things about you."

"What things?"

"Either you came here early and I took you upstairs to screw you till I showed you heaven because you are my date." I looked at him in disbelief. Adrian kept a straight face. "Or you are a part of our famiglia, which you already are and I brought my sorella as my date. Second, some of them know that you are Leo's date so they are just admiring or envying your beauty because you are the most beautiful woman here. Overall, they are just trying to figure out who you are."

"Do tell me, who am I tonight?" I asked curiously.

"You are an intern at our company, but you met my fratello almost a year ago and did not know who he was till you saw him in a meeting and spilled coffee all over him in shock. He kept the truth away from you because he did not wanted to scare you. He was attracted by you and your confidence from the very beginning. You are also a part-time college student because you were poor to attend college when you were at right age. In fact, you were too poor that you couldn't even afford a newspaper or phone and find out about my brother's truth on your own. Your luck began to work its charm a couple of months ago when you found out about your great uncle whose existence you did not know about until he died and left his millions of euros and properties under your name because he had no one else aside from your parents but they are addicts and currently in rehab for good. You're an only child and lived in America all your life. You came here only after your parents left for rehab and that was years ago. Your aim was to complete your education and lead a simple life so you took our internship regardless of millions you have inherited. You are standing here on your own foot and without any help from us. Remember that. This is your first party with the outside world as one of us."

"That's a pretty brilliant cover-up and I caught up with everything." I whispered in shock.

He patted my arm in assurance. "We're best at what we do."

"What about my name? Is that a cover-up too? Because I can't use my real name here. One Google search and everything will be out."

"It's the name which you use during your college courses." Adrian said. "Obviously your degree will have your original name. We'll do our own alterations on that."

Shit. I don't remember it. I guess I just have to stall that.

"Anything else?"

"No. Thank you." I smiled.

The staring had reduced to glances as we blended in with the crowd. Some of them came to us and gave good wishes to Adrian for his family success. Many tried to come up with a conversation with me, but I had no interest in talking to any so I kept my mouth shut. Adrian made up an excuse of me being shy since this is my first time and I'll take my own time to get adjusted.

"Where's Leo?" I asked, desperation laced in my voice.

Adrian chuckled. "Impatient much?"

"Can't you just call that idiot and tell him to come here?"

"Let me try." He fished out his phone from his pocket, tapped it on the screen two times and pressed it on his ears. My eyes diluted in confusion. He gave me a look. "What? I have him in emergency dial and this is an emergen... Cazzo! That bastardo is not picking up."

I groaned. "He's not here though. We have to search the entire floor now."

"I agree. Let's check that room." He pointed to the nearest room where music is coming from. "He has to be there."

The first thing I noticed when we entered were musicians and people dancing then I saw a huge bar in the corner where people were drinking and chatting. I had never seen this mansion so lively before and it was quite refreshing to see it like this. Waiters in uniforms roaming around and serving drinks. There were a few people around the corner, watching others dance while some were talking. Unlike the hall outside, there were lights hung up at the ceiling and the curtains were changed to bold red. Everybody present in the room looked elegant and rich.

Again, I got some looks. Some smiled or send a nod while some whispered something to the person they were talking to then they would stare at me.

"Did you find him?" I asked Adrian.

"Still looking out. It shouldn't be that hard to find a man with silver tie and mask."

"In a room full of people wearing ties and masks." I added.

"You are not making this easy for me, Amy."

"He has to be somewhere, right? It's not like he has run away."

"I do appreciate your confidence and your humor, Amy. I really do but that is not helping me too. I have to get you to him before padre finds you with me. Word has already reached his ears and he is keeping a special eye out for you tonight."

My expression dropped. "Of course. Let's continue our hunt."

We kept roaming around the room with our arms still interlinked, searching for his brother when suddenly, Adrian stopped and pulled out his phone from his suit.

"No wonder why I was feeling funny all the time." He scoffed. "Three missed calls from Leo."

"Are you kidding me?" I snapped.

"I couldn't hear it from this music." He defended and picked up his incoming call. "Leo! Fratello! Dammit! There is too much noise here."

"I have an idea," I voiced out. "I'll just stand near the bar, you go outside, attend his call and tell him to meet me there."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Of course. I'll get myself a lemonade and sit there by myself. I need to give my feet some rest before I walk in heels again."

"Okay." He didn't sound so sure yet he agreed. "Just stay there and don't move."

"I will. Now go and find my lost date." He owes me an explanation, I wanted to say but kept my mouth shut.

I took my fancy glass of lemonade and watched people dance and enjoy their time here. A small group of ladies stood beside me, each of them eyeing me as if I were some unwanted trash. Their clothing style made me uncomfortable. Too short. Too much showing of chest. They looked like bad news.

A woman spoke something to me in Italian which I didn't understood but I did hear Adrian's name from her. I ignored her and took a sip of my refreshing lemonade.

Her half covered face became red in anger and she snapped her fingers.

"Si?" I asked coolly, a straw between my teeth.

She spoke again and I didn't understand a single word, this time a bit harsher.

"Sorry. I don't understand what you are saying."

She seemed a little taken back and said, "I asked where did you buy that dress and are you here with signore Adrian?"

"I didn't buy this. And no, I'm not here with signore Adrian."

Her lip twitched upwards. "That's good to hear. It would be a shame to see such a beautiful dress on a woman like you again."

A woman like me? Does she think that I rented this dress?

I stayed silent and continued watching couples dance on the floor.

"Did you came here alone or did your man left you?" Another woman asked me with a smug look on her face.

I ignored her.

"Excuse me, I asked you something." She snapped.

With a bored look on my face, I said. "Like I told your friend here, I don't understand what you are saying."

"But I am talking in English!" She screeched.

"I do understand English, but I don't understand what you are saying."

She looked at me in disgust. "Are you deaf, you whore?"

"Sorry. But I really don't understand the language of bitches." I said with a blank look on my face.

I swear I could see steam blowing out of their ears.

The woman pointed an accusing finger at me. "You... You...!"

"I still don't understand." I clicked my tongue. "You are wasting your time. Go home and learn some proper English."

"How dare you! My father will hear about this. You just wait and see, you disgusting little—"

"Ladies, that's enough." A new voice chided in. I looked behind and saw a woman in maroon dress and mask, casually leaning on the bar with a champagne glass. There was a huge cut between her chest area but it wasn't that revealing. Her assets were covered pretty good. "I heard your father is searching for you."

They gave me a last look of pure disgust and hatred before they stormed out of this room. Wow. There goes my first time mingling with the outside world after almost eight years. I'll surely miss them. Note my sarcasm.

"Don't mind them." The newcomer said. "They're just pissed off after they heard that Mr. Agostini is having a date with him tonight. They came here with an aim to snarl him into their lair. I don't pity them at all."

Her accent. It's not like the rest. It sounds more... American. I became wary of her in an instant. My parents weren't that influential but we were rich, locally. On the other hand, my friend's parents were somewhat influential as well as rich, regionally. One may never know of their connections.

"I don't understand you quite well. Snarl him into their lair?"

She took a sip of her wine. "It is not an everyday thing that the Agostini family hosts a party and host it in their family mansion. Some of them here," She motioned to the people, "brought their daughters, sons, nieces and nephews to get their name attached to this family on matrimonial relations. It's mostly business but the women... they are after money."

"What about you?" I asked warily. "Aren't you among those women?"

"No. I'm here with my boyfriend of five years."

"Oh." I mumbled.

She pulled out her hand for me to shake. "Fisher."

"Intern." I left her hanging.

She laughed. "That's my surname. Not my occupation! I'm a self made business woman."

My eyes roamed around the room, in search of a specific man but couldn't find him. Where is he? His brother has been gone for so long.

"Are you searching for someone?" She asked.

"Yeah. My date. Haven't seen him since I came here." I answered absentmindedly.

"It's okay." She assured me. "He'll be around soon. So you guys came separately?"

"Yes. And I came late." I am starting to get annoyed by her questions and pissed off by Leo's absence.

"By the way, that dress looks Ah-may-zing!" She sang. "American, aren't you?"

I froze and awkwardly cleared my throat. "Yes."

"New York. It's good to see at least one American homey face here. What about you?"

"I'm from Caa..." I paused then said, "Carolina. North Carolina. But haven't been there in a while."

"And your date?" She asked, smirking.

"He's from here." I said nonchalantly.

She kept her glass on the table. "Does he happen to be Mr. Agostini?" My expression gave her answer. "I knew it! Matching masks did gave me a hint but I had to confirm it myself."

"Congratulations. You found me." I muttered under my breath.

"Just so you know, Mr. Agostini rarely attends any parties and if he does we don't see any woman with him. His brother, yes. Him, no. So it is quite shocking for all of us to hear from him that he has a date tonight and trust me, he is right about you. You really are beautiful."

I smiled genuinely. "Thank you. Do you know where he is?"

"I saw him in the dining area before I came here. He looked preoccupied with all the guests so you better go there and rescue him."

I got up from my stool and eyed her dryly. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I had to confirm if it were you." The bartender handed her another glass of champagne. "See ya later, intern."

"You too, Fisher."

She gave me a tight lipped smile as she shakes her head. "Call me Candy if we ever talk again."

Hopefully never. I quickened my steps away from her and reached the main hall again, the glass of lemonade still in my hand. My eyes roamed around the crowded hall and searched for the quickest route to dining hall. In no time, I was standing at the doorstep. The decorations were same as that where people were dancing. I could see that the dining table was shifted to a corner and covered with a pure white cloth having red frills. It was an open buffet. Same red curtains and lights arranged high up in the ceiling.

Then I caught the sight of Adrian, talking to a couple. My nose flared in anger.

I marched towards him and gripped his arm tightly, my nails digging on it. He winced.

"Mi scusi, I'm going to steal him for a minute." I grinned at the couple in front of us and yanked him to a corner.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I whisper yelled. "You were supposed to get your brother to me!"

"And I did!" He hissed. "But padre caught on him again and handed him another guest to attend. He did the same to me now. He has been doing that since the party started. Keeping him busy and away from you!"

That son of a bitch. He has crossed a line now. He has no right to interfere between Leo and I. Carina was right. Somebody has to teach that man a lesson and that somebody is going to be me.

"Where is he?" I asked quietly.

"Padre left to some other room." He answered casually.

I jabbed his shoulder. "Idiot, I'm not talking about your father. Where is Leonardo?"

"Leo..." He groaned and looked everywhere then grinned triumphantly. "Ah! There he is, talking to that man whose name I forgot."

I couldn't follow his gaze, people were coming in between so I took a few steps ahead of him to get a clear view. I saw a man in navy blue suit, holding a drink and talking to someone I couldn't see properly so I took a few steps aside and finally caught the first glimpse of him – Leonardo.

Everything stopped when his eyes met mine.

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