Savannah’s POV
Matthiuos had put me up for an auction.
I wasn’t stupid enough to miss what was happening.
This wasn’t some harmless discussion about marriage.
But I was being presented as a negotiable asset.
A business arrangement.
I sat near the center of the long table while Matthiuos occupied the far end like the king he believed himself to be.
Along both sides sat the bosses and their allies.
And among them were the Salvador and Ciffarelli families.
Among them was Riego and Keegan.
The attention of the room rested on me.
Annoyance tightened my expression.
“Aiyannah, you can choose whoever you want to marry.” Matthiuos’s voice echoed through the room.
“You’re old enough to bear children, aren’t you?”
Disgust crawled beneath my skin.
As I simply rolled my eyes in annoyance.
Who the hell does this disgusting shit think he is?
What kind of useless father talks about his daughter like she’s livestock?
I forced myself to remain silent.
My gaze fixed on the wall in front of me.
“Dad, don’t you think it’s far too early to talk about marriage?”
My voice remained controlled, though disgust slipped through every word.
“I just got home, and you’re already trying to set me up?” I pushed my chair back and stood.
I was ready to leave.
“Stop disappointing me, Aiyannah!” Matthiuos’s deep voice thundered through the room.
My feet stopped.
For a second, everything went silent.
My hands slowly curled into fists until my knuckles turned white.
Then I turned around.
I pulled out my tactical knife.
Several men immediately shifted in their seats.
Without hesitation, I threw it.
The blade struck the table with a sharp—Thunk!
It buried itself between the polished wood.
My anger burned beneath my skin.
Matthiuos grabbed the knife and slowly stood from his chair.
His deadly gaze never left mine.
“Did Spain make you that stubborn and defiance, Aiyannah?”
His voice was cold and dominating.
As his jaw tightened.
“This is your fate.”
My jaw tightened.
“Women are meant to marry men. It’s our culture, my daughter.”
He’s literally trying to control me under his fingers.
“A culture?”
I let out a bitter laugh.
“What am I, then?”
My voice rose despite my attempt to keep it steady.
“A machine meant to give them heirs?”
Several people around the table shifted uncomfortably.
I didn’t care.
“Holy fuck, Father.” My eyes locked onto his.
“I am not some stupid piece of property that can be traded for another man’s power.”
His expression darkened.
The tension in the room immediately changed.
“Say that again.”
His voice lowered.
It was more dangerous than shouting.
“And I won’t hesitate to disown you, Aiyannah.”
Every boss at the table was listening now.
No one interrupted nor no one moved.
A slow smile curled across my lips.
“Better.”
The word slipped out almost too easily.
I turned and took a step toward the exit.
Bang!
A loud gunshot exploded behind me.
As my entire body froze and my hand trembled.
For one horrifying second, my muscles refused to move.
The sound rang inside my ears.
Matthiuos stood behind me.
The weapon was still in his hand.
“Aiyannah Sartori!” His voice echoed through the room.
“Get back here.” My stomach tightened.
“Choose which boss you’re going to marry.” His eyes hardened as it gives me chills and disappointment.
“This is an order.” My fingers curled against my chest.
My feet moved against every part of me that wanted to walk away.
I returned toward the table.
My hands remained clenched at chest level as my eyes moved from one boss to another.
Their expressions, their reactions and their interest.
Then my gaze landed on Keegan.
Something sharp passed through me.
For a brief moment, my face felt warm as I remembered my humiliating argument with my so-called father.
But I quickly buried the feeling and my expression returned to normal.
It was cold and unbothered.
Even though deep inside, I wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of that room.
“I assume you gentlemen are interested in my daughter?” Matthiuos looked toward the bosses.
“Then let’s get down to business.” His eyes shifted toward me.
Warning me with his darkening gaze that keep me silent.
“Aiyannah might not be cooperative, but we can discuss the arrangements in another meeting.”
His voice remained firm.
“Without my daughter.” I rolled my eyes.
“Why can’t you just do that in another meeting?”
I scoffed.
“Why did it have to involve me in the first place?”
Disgust crossed my face.
But Matthiuos didn’t answer and somehow, that irritated me even more.
Later, I found myself in the lobby of La Cosa Nostra.
The meeting was still happening somewhere behind closed doors.
I had been left alone.
Probably because Matthiuos assumed I would obediently wait until someone decided what to do with my life.
What a joke.
I slowly walked through the lobby, studying the paintings hanging along the walls.
Portraits of past bosses.
Along with the former Godfathers.
Men who had built this organization with blood, power, and fear.
I stopped beneath a massive chandelier.
My eyes lifted toward it.
A quiet breath escaped my lips.
“Where could I find him?” I pushed away from my thoughts.
Then— A hand suddenly touched me from behind.
My body immediately tensed.
I turned.
“You’re someone familiar, Milady.” It was Riego who stood in front of me.
His expression was serious, but his hand remained close to my back.
His too close.
I immediately stepped away, creating distance between us.
“Sorry.” My voice remained polite.
“But this is the first time we’ve met.” I turned, ready to leave.
Then a woman’s voice echoed from the first floor.
My brows creased.
I looked down.
A familiar woman stood there and I really remembered her face, it was Cassandra.
And the man walking in front of her was Keegan.
My eyes narrowed slightly.
Then they both walked towards our way and as the moment our gaze met Riego’s sister stood beside me with a grin on her face.
I shifted my attention back toward Keegan.
“Why are you here?!” Cassandra’s voice shook with anger.
“Answer me, Keegan!” She stepped in front of him.
“Are you terminating our engagement again? Are you abandoning me?” It was Cassandra who’s throwing tantrums infront of us.
Keegan stopped.
His expression remained cold and distant against Cassandra.
“Move.” His voice were cold and authoritative.
Riego suddenly chuckled beside me.
I glanced toward him.
“My sister.” His answer came immediately.
“His fiancée.” I looked back at Cassandra who was eyeing me with judgement as if I did something wrong towards her.
Then I shifted my gaze towards Keegan plus I noticed Riego studied my reaction.
“Isn’t it insulting?” He tilted his head.
“You’re engaged to someone, yet he suddenly appears in another woman’s marriage arrangement.” I smiled as I stated the word.
Resting my chin against my hand, I looked at him.
Cassandra was already fuming in rage as she tightened her hand into a fist.
“Isn’t it normal for men like you to collect women?” Riego’s brows lifted as he doesn’t expect that I would said it.
“Either for marriage alliances or personal purposes.” For a second, he stared at me.
Then he laughed.
A genuine laugh.
By the time I looked back, Keegan and Cassandra had disappeared from sight.
Riego stepped closer.
Then he casually placed his arm over my shoulder.
Irritation immediately sparked inside me.
I grabbed his arm as he twisted.
And forced it behind his back.
Riego dropped to one knee as my grip tightened around his wrist.
“Don’t cross the line, Salvador.”
My voice was low and sharp.
“You might be a candidate, but no man is allowed to touch me without permission—”
Suddenly—Riego moved and before I could react, he switched our positions.
My back hit the nearby wall as his hand gripped my waist, keeping me from moving away.
Our faces were only inches apart.
My eyes narrowed.
His expression didn’t changed as the playful look disappeared.
“You seem very defiant against the Godfather’s will.” His voice dropped.
“Why not use me, darling?”
I stared directly into his eyes.
“Shall we cooperate with each other?”
My fist immediately clenched and I was about to punch him.
Then—He suddenly kissed me out of nowhere that send my body froze that even my brain stopped working.
For a second, my mind went blank from shock.
Then he pulled away.
A grin appeared on his lips.
“See?”
His voice was teasing.
“You and I could be a perfect match, Milady.”
My eyes burned with anger.
Riego leaned closer.
His lips moved near my ear.
“I can stay silent, darling.”
His voice lowered.
“Or should I say…”
My breathing stopped.
“Savannah?”
Everything inside me went cold.
I immediately pulled away as my eyes widened while I look at him in the eye.
He was already chuckling and teasing me as it made my stomach tightened.
My heart began pounding violently against my chest.
What did he just say?
“W-What did you say?” My voice betrayed me for the first time.
I swallowed.
“I’m sorry… who was it that you mentioned?” I muttered again trying to convince and ease the tension I was feeling.
Riego stared at me.
His eyes were sharp.
Watching and studying every reaction on my face.
Then he slowly placed both hands inside his pockets.
“Nah.” A grin returned to his lips.
“Just kidding.” My breathing remained uneven.
“You really resemble someone.” He stepped backward.
“But think about my proposal.”
Then he gave me a playful wink as he walked away.
I remained where I was as my chest continued pounding hard.
My gaze stayed fixed on his broad back as he disappeared farther down the lobby.
Did he know something?
Or Was that a threat?
Would you let your father auctions you for an alliance?
Or money?