Loud gasps filled the room as everyone watched in awe and astonishment at the deviant show Sophia was putting on.
"Are you alright, Sophia?" One of the female guests asked out of concern, and I snickered inwardly.
She's certainly not!
"Do I look like I am?" She threw out of frustration, her right hand moving to her neck scratching as hard as she could while her other hand tried to move to other parts of her body.
Papa watched annoyingly, one thing he hated most was embarrassment, and the look he was giving Sophia was so satisfying. "What the hell is going on with you, Sophia?" His deep voice exuded demand as he marched over to her, with a hint of annoyance running through them.
"I-I don't know," she stammered, and her movement turned frantic, her gorgeously styled hair came undone falling to her back." It mu-must be... must be the dress," she tried to say, her fingers clawing so hard at her skin that it turned to angry red welts.
I leaned against the counter of the bar, taking a sip of wine before swirling the glass in my hand as I watched Sophia make a fool of herself in front of everyone.
She totally deserved it and more. The witch had added flea to the birthday dress she had gotten for me in my past life. And this was how she made me a jest in front of everyone and I could still vividly remember Papa's disappointed look he gave me and that would have been the same fate I would have shared again if I hadn't changed the dress but not again. From now on, Sophia will surely be her own victim, knowing the fact she had a hand in betraying my family.
I will have her taste the tea she brewed firsthand before she ever thinks she could serve me.
"Someone help!" she groaned in discomfort, crouching to the floor as she almost peeled her skin with her own hands and dragged her hair like she was running mad.
"Where are the servants?" Papa inquired furiously, and three young women clad in black and white uniforms ran to him.
"Get her out from here and strip her out of that dress," Papa instructed, and the servants responded immediately with a 'Yes, sir,' bowing their heads slightly.
A smug look appeared slightly on my face as the three servants dragged Sophia out of the hall before I drifted my gaze away and my eyes landed on Rachelle who looked like she had a lot of questions to ask as she stared at me but knew best to keep her mouth shut. I gave her a sinister smile then brought the glass of wine to my lips, hiding the smirk that curled up at the corner of my lips.
"Nice move, dear sister, you shouldn't look too happy about your mischief, you would give yourself away," someone said beside me and I turned my head immediately to the side, knowing that voice too well.
Rosaria!
I creased my brows at her, "Huh?" and what the hell was with her deadbeat outfit? She was putting on a black short leather skirt, black leather jacket, and black net pantyhose paired with black boots. Her lips were coated with black lipstick, and black eyeshadow even her eyelids were drawn in black, and about seven piercings each on her earlobe whereas it was supposed to be four.
She looked scary and different from in my past life. What happened? Isn't she supposed to be the same as in the past? Besides, I didn't see her in my past life on this day.
"Why are you dressed like you are about to kill someone?" I asked, squinting my gaze at her.
"And who knows if the person I'm about to kill is right beside me," she sneered, her green eyes looking like nothing of the one Papa and I shared.
I raised a brow at her, and she spilled a small laughter when she saw I was taking what she said seriously, "Come on, sis, I was just teasing," she smirked at me amusingly.
That was not a joke! I could easily take her as an enemy... coming back to this life could only mean one thing— to be careful of everyone and play my cards right.
"By the way, Happy birthday," she smiled half-heartedly at me and began to walk away.
"Are you not staying for the party?" I questioned, stopping her in her tracks.
Rosaria glanced over her shoulder, her black hair swaying as she tilted her head slightly. "You know parties are not my thing, I'm heading out to do something worth my time," she scoffed before striding off.
Something was definitely off with her, but I couldn't pinpoint what exactly, it was as if her aura had changed in an unusual way... I know Rosaria is a troublemaker who loves causing trouble to get attention but nothing serious of the sort, so, I didn't pay much details to her in my past life almost as if I ignored her. Rosaria was Papa's bastard child, a few years younger than me, and she was brought in to live with us at the age of six when her mother passed away.
I watched as she walked away, disappearing among the guests, when Papa's voice distracted me and there was a loud applause.
The party still went on and Papa was already on the podium. "I have a special announcement to make, but first I want the celebrant to meet me on stage." He said.
The spotlight shined on me and I could feel the long stares I got from people. I put on my strongest facade, a smile plastered on my lips as I made my way to the stage.
"She's really pretty!"
"She is gorgeous."
"Is she seriously going to be the next Boss of the PHOENIX?"
"She doesn't look capable to me," I heard some ladies whisper and I stopped in my tracks, shooting a terrifying glare at them while I balled my hands into a fist.
I wasn't the same weakling I used to be, and it's only a matter of time before they find out soon enough.
"Gina," Papa called to me, and I made sure to give the two ladies the sweetest smile ever as they cowered.
I kissed my father on his cheeks upon reaching the stage, and he smiled at me, his grey eyes twinkling at me. He took my hand in his and brought me forward to the stage, the limelight where everyone could see me, properly.
"As I said earlier, I have some special announcements to make regarding my lovely daughter, Gina Bianchi, who is soon to take after me," this caused a slight stir among the guests and I scanned through their faces immediately. This news didn't sit too well with most of the made men, annoyance written clearly on their faces, while to the ladies' jealousy was on theirs. Only a few looked contended with what they heard.
"Hmm hmm," Papa cleared his throat and everywhere grew silent. Papa was feared by many, he was ruthless, cruel, and merciless to the outside world only that he was a family man. Anyone who dared to defy him and wasn't family would be gone in seconds.
'Be there for your family and always protect them. Family is everything,' he used to say to me and that was what came to his downfall.
"Now, that Gina is of age, it's time to find a potential suitable young man who would be her fiancée," he announced and there was a round of applause.
As I was coming down the stage, I clumsily stepped on my dress and tripped, just when I was expecting my face on the floor, two strong arms grabbed my waist, and I hit my face on a sturdy chest.
"Careful, Carina," a voice said to me, and a slight gasp escalated my lips as I recognized the voice immediately.
And only one person could call me 'Carina',
I raised my face to meet his gaze, his honey eyes staring softly at me, and I turned pale. "Dominic?"
He c****d a brow at me, his thin lips having an edge as they curled up slightly at the end amusingly. "I didn't realize I was quite well-known for the mafia princess to know my name," he smiled charmingly.
Oh, right? This is probably our first time meeting... so, I shouldn't make it obvious that I knew him. In our previous life, our first encounter was in the garden before my birthday party started.
I fell hard for Dominic in my previous life, he was my fiancée and my love for him didn't let me notice his deceptiveness, lies, and scheming ways. He's sinner number two and the next in line I was going to deal with.
"Oh, that must have been a sharp guess then,"
I faked a small laugh as he helped me straighten on my feet.
"Mm, then your guess is correct, what are you? A witch?" He chuckled and I stared bemusedly at him.
Dominic's charisma and humor were what got me attracted to him in the first place, not to mention his looks and physique. He was tall about six feet three, handsome, and his eyes were a warm, golden honey color that melted each time he smiled. He had a sharp jawline that added to his rugged charm. His hair was dark brown and messy.
"You can say," I taunted, but right now what I felt for him was nothing but hate.
Dominic and I walked through the crowds, eyes on us and people wondering what kind of man he was, which meant the status he held for him to be walking side by side with the Boss's daughter immediately after the announcement.
I wanted to teach Dominic a little lesson, just a chip off the iceberg, before I dwelled on the main course.
I managed to lure him with me into one of the guest restrooms, and I pushed him inside while closing the door behind me as I stepped in.
"Wh-what are you doing?" he questioned, his eyes studying me suspiciously.
I could decide to do this the easy way, take the pocket knife strapped to my thongs underneath my dress and stab him to death, or...
Make life a living hell for him. I picked the latter.
I smirked, closing the distance between us, I placed my palms flat on his chest, and I could feel the tension rising within him. His gaze perplexed.
"Will you be a good boy for me?" I teased, leaning closer to him. My face barely an inch away from his, and I purposely brushed my lips against his, taunting him.
"I-I..." he hesitated. I caressed his n*****s through his shirt, knowing it was his carnal weakness, and he let out a grunted sound.
Fool! I sneered inwardly.
Biting on my lower lips seductively as I pressed my body against his, I could feel his bulge rising in his pants.
I fluttered my lashes at him, he was looking at me, his face having a tint of red. "Will you?" I demanded in a low, sexy voice.
"Yes!" He finally gave in.
"What do you want me to do?" he questioned huskily, falling into my little games of trap, snaking his arm around my waist and pressing my body tighter against his torso.
I looked into his eyes, seeing the lust filled in them and how turned on he was. In my past life, Dominic never loved me, instead, he manipulated and brainwashed me just so he could get his hands on my family's wealth while teaming up with my witch of a stepmother.
A very vicious bastard, I would say. Well, I'm here to turn the tables around.
I dropped a kiss on his neck and he groaned, "I want you, so would you mind taking all of your clothes..." My right hand traveled all the way from his chest slowly to his boner. I rubbed teasingly, watching him through my lashes as he closed his eyes.
"...for me?" I squeezed his d**k through his trouser.
Taking the final bait, I moved back while Dominic pulled off his clothes, leaving his boxers on.
"Everything," I smirked, running my hands through my breasts and cupping them to entice him.
"I don't like being teased, Carina," he sighed, he pulled off his boxers in a go and his c**k sprang out hard and long. I swallowed.
"You like what you see?" He smirked, closing the distance between us and wrapping his hand around my neck.
I smiled, "Yes, moron!" I kneed him hard in the balls, and he let go of me immediately, least expecting what I wanted to do.
"Fuckkk!" He winced in pain, scrunching to the floor. I packed all his clothes as fast as I could and ran out of the restroom, not leaving a single piece.
"Hey! What are you doing? Give me back my clothes!" I heard him shout furiously in the restroom.
I was almost about to exit the door when I bumped into someone and stumbled backward as a result.
I looked up to throw a glare in annoyance when my blood drained off my face. My knees grew weak, and my knuckles turned white.
I staggered, his icy stare not leaving me for a second. All the hair on my body stood erect.
H-how?
Wh-what is he doing here?
Carlo DA'mico.