“No. There will be no engagement between Chiara and me. No marriage. I’m not marrying your daughter.”
“Why?”
“Do I need a reason?” I asked.
I wasn’t one of the foot soldiers. I answered to no one but my brother. And even Massimo wouldn’t have forced my hand into this. Did he really think I would have agreed?
“Chiara is a wonderful girl. And she would make the perfect wife for anyone.”
“Then you won’t have any trouble finding her a husband,” I said, turning away from him. I was done with this conversation.
Aldo sputtered something unintelligible, but Massimo cut him off.
“Well, we have our answer, then. I hope Chiara didn’t have her heart set on this agreement. But it is as Elio said. I’m sure you will be able to find a more suitable arrangement for your daughter.”
Aldo’s face turned red, but he didn’t say anything. Beside Massimo, Matteo grinned. I shook my head at him. He was enjoying this far more than he should have been.
He couldn’t argue with Massimo, not outright, at least. It would be taken as a sign of disrespect. In the end, he nodded curtly.
I turned to Joseph and Valentino. I doubted they came here to hear my answer to Aldo’s proposal. It didn’t help that Valentino’s face was dark with anger.
He didn’t want to be here.
But he had to be here.
And there was only one reason why he would go anywhere with his father. Isa.
Joseph wasted no time getting to the point. “I want control to set up Isa’s future marriage.”
I tensed.
What the fuck?
Massimo’s eyes briefly strayed over to me.
I worked hard not to react.
Valentino ran his hand over his face. “I am in charge of the Gambino household. I took over my father’s position, and I have done it well.”
Joseph’s face reddened from the slight jab.
“Everything in the Gambino house should be under me, like how it has been so far, including Isa’s marriage.”
“And when are you going to set that up? When the girl is over thirty and no longer able to have babies? She’ll be useless by then.”
I nearly jumped on him. Romeo placed his hand on my chest and shook his head, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Aldo. I clenched and unclenched my fist.
Valentino’s face darkened before he forced an easy smile. “I think it's been a while since you’ve been around another woman, Father. You seem to have forgotten how their biology works. Isa can still have babies past the age of thirty.”
Joseph looked over at his son with pure hatred in his eyes.
Matteo laughed, and Massimo shot him a pointed look.
“And even if she can’t have children,” Valentino gritted out, “it doesn't make her useless.”
Valentino looked at Massimo. “I request that nothing change except for one thing. For me to take full guardianship over my sister. I want to move her out of our father’s house.”
“You can’t fucking do that!” Joseph yelled, standing up. What a strong reaction to have to a daughter he viewed as nothing more than a broodmare leaving him. I narrowed my eyes at the fucker. Something wasn’t adding up.
