I shook Mrs. Bardoni’s hand with a polite smile, or at least I hoped it looked polite. Her expression was as if an untalented sculptor had tried to carve a smile into a statue. The smile of the ice angel outside had been warmer than hers. When Mr. Bardoni turned to me, I had to suppress a shudder. He reached for my hand but while he’d barely brushed Aria’s skin, his lips pressed firmly to my hand and then his tongue darted out and licked my skin. The accompanying leer he sent my way almost made me punch him. I quickly retracted my hand, only barely managing not to wipe it on my dress, and only because the silk was too beautiful to come in contact with that asshole’s slobber.
Matteo was in conversation with Mrs. Bardoni who was introducing him to a young woman my age. It was obvious that the old hag was trying to set Matteo up with her daughter. Anger bubbled up in me but I knew better than to show my emotions. When I finally turned my eyes away from the scene, I found Aria watching me with a worried expression. I gave a small shake of my head. Matteo tore himself away from Mrs. Bardoni and her daughter, and wrapped his arm around my waist. He scanned my face as he led me into the living room where the remaining guests had gathered. “You look pissed.”
I shrugged. If I told him what Mr. Bardoni had done, things would become ugly. “Looks like you have a fan,” I said instead, nodding in the direction of the Bardoni daughter whose eyes followed Matteo.
“Jealous?” he asked, smirking.
“You wish.” But was I?
We didn’t get the chance to talk more, because other guests approached us, and while most of them were acting polite, I could see in their eyes that they despised me. I had a feeling that they would show me what they really thought of me the moment Matteo wasn’t around. They soon got their chance. While Matteo and Luca joined the other men, Aria and I strolled toward the buffet. Of course we weren’t alone for long. Soon the bitch Cosima, Matteo’s stepmother Nina, as well as Mrs. Bardoni, and a few other women joined us. Aria’s presence still offered me some protection from direct insults, but none of the women bothered talking to me. It was as if I wasn’t even there. Even Aria’s attempts to include me in the conversation failed. I didn’t care. I hated these women, hated their fake smiles and nasty personalities. But the worst was watching Aria being polite to Cosima despite what that bitch had done.
Eventually I excused myself and headed toward the terrace door, which allowed a view into the small snow-covered garden. My reprieve was very short-lived however.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a high female voice said.
Nina Vitiello stood beside me, her mouth stretched wide in the imitation of a smile. She no longer wore black. Her husband’s funeral had been more than a year ago. She linked our arms to my utter disdain and led me outside despite the cold. I knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant. Even though she was Luca’s and Matteo’s stepmother, she’d never come to visit. I had a feeling she was scared of her stepsons.
The moment we were away from privy ears, she turned her back to the windows and faced me with a face devoid of any pleasantness. She reminded me of an ugly toad. “You might be parading around like you are one of us, like you belong in our circles, but if it weren’t for Matteo, nobody would invite you.”
I raised my eyebrows. Did she really think I gave a damn? I’d never wanted to be part of this world, that was why I had run away. It took immeasurable control on my part not to say what I wanted. Instead I tried to return to the party but Nina Vitiello held my arm, obviously not done. “A decent girl would have died from shame after being caught with another man. The only reason you’re still alive is Matteo’s good-heartedness. That boy is too dutiful. Although nobody would have blamed him if he’d discarded you like a dirty rag after what you did. If my husband were still alive, he’d have fed you to our dogs.”
Dutiful and good-hearted? That didn’t sound like Matteo.
Deep breaths, Gianna. Don’t cause a scene.
Again I tried to leave, but her fingers dug into my skin. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You’ve dishonored your family, and now you are bringing shame to the name Vitiello. Your mere presence is an insult to every honorable woman in this house. Your existence is sin.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sin? You want to talk to me about sin?” I pointed toward the windows, behind which New York’s worst criminals were gathered. “That room breathes sin.”
Nina Vitiello lifted her chin. “Do us all a favor and kill yourself.”
I wrenched my arm away, shocked. “I won’t ever do any of you a favor.” I turned and headed back inside. Matteo spotted me from across the room where he was talking with a younger version of Mr. Bardoni, Luca and a couple of other men. I quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn’t approach me. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him now. Aria was still where I’d left her, completely entrenched in conversation.
I crossed the room as quickly as possible, pretending I didn’t hear the whispered “whore” a couple of people called me. Despite my best attempts not to let those insults get to me, I felt relief when I finally left the living room and found myself alone in the front hall. I needed to find the bathroom to freshen up and clear my head before I entered that room again. I was seriously worried that I’d attack someone if I didn’t get a grip on myself. Taking a deep breath, I went in search for the restroom. I hoped I’d come across someone leaving the bathroom so I didn’t have to open every single door. I definitely wouldn’t ask Mrs. Bardoni to point it out to me. Unfortunately the only thing I found was Mr. Bardoni who must have been following me. The leer the bald idiot sent my way made me want to puke.