A Favor To Fulfill (MAFIA MYSTERY ROMANCE)

Chapter 4: The Invitation

Lei had been visiting the manor every single day for the past two weeks, spending time with Stefano.

Stef had become a friend to her, after the bakery visit. He had insisted that she come every day so they could have dessert.

Lei had also met Alfonso, the eldest brother, in the manor one day. 

She thought Alfonso was colder and even more sullen than Alejandro...

Lei pushed open the door to Stef's office.

"Stef?" she called out, stepping in.

Nobody was in the office. 

Lei took off her heavy coat. There was a small sticky note on a table.

'Sorry Lei, I received a letter and I might not be able to spend time with u today. U can eat any of my snacks and read! I will miss u! See u tomorrow :)   -Stef'

Turning to her right, she went over to the bookshelf. 

Stef had a whole collection of the rarest books that Don Alejandro bought for him. 

Lei wrinkled her brow, trying to select a book.

"Need help choosing one?"

She turned around quickly, and faced a man in a dark green suit. A pretty shade of emerald green.

He was shorter than Don Alejandro and Alfonso, about the height of Stef. He had silver-rimmed round glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. Same brown hair as the two Corleone brothers, same blue eyes, same jawline...

"I like your suit," she blurted out, and the man chuckled.

"Thank you, miss," the man in a green suit smiled.

The man leaned forward even more. He took a book off the shelf.

"Here, 'To Kill A Mockingbird.' One of my personal favorites."

"Harper Lee. I've read that one before actually," Lei replied.

Book after book that the man offered, Lei shyly shook her head. She had read all of them...

"This one?"

He held a book with a blue cover. 'The Great Gatsby'.

Lei shook her head.

"Really?" The man's blue eyes widened, "For someone who reads such a wide variety and amount of books, you surprise me." 

"I'm Alfredo, second brother out of the four. I'm Capo of the mafia. My brother Alberto just came back from Italy with me. Pleasure to meet you."

Lei smiled at the man, "you have good taste in books."

"Might I ask what you are doing here? It's rare for us to have guests."

"I'm not a guest," Lei smiled, "I'm Stefano's friend. And I have business with Don Alejandro."

"A favor, I presume?"

"Yes."

"My brother is, taking after our father. All those favors..." he chuckled.

Alfredo went over to the couch, Lei following, and they sat.

Alfredo gently inquired her some more, as Lei shared how Stefano became friends with her. Without mentioning the favor.

"Well it sounds like Stefano made a nice friend," he grinned, "ah well, he'll finally have a date to the ball this year."

Ball?

"What ball?" Lei echoed..

"The masquerade ball. Didn't Stefano tell you?"

Lei shook her head.

"Huh..." Alfredo frowned, "He should have gotten his invitation already."

"Right," he smiled, "well the masquerade ball is in December, hosted by the Barzini mafia."

"The main five mafias are all invited, along with mafias from other countries. It's more of a...business association, for us to drink and talk about business," he chuckles, "but the ball is grand and beautiful though."

Lei pondered for a while. A mafia ball...

An idea hatched inside her mind.

"This ball," she questioned carefully, "how do we make sure nobody fights or gets into some sort of conflict? It is a mafia ball, after all."

"Barzini doesn't allow any weapons, the reception guards check all the people going through."

"And, besides," he smiles, "the main focus is entertainment. Everyone dresses up and dances the night away. It's also for mafia business associations."

"So it's possible for enemy mafias to talk and associate with us?"

Alfredo gave a confused look and answered hesitantly,

"Yes...I suppose it's possible."

Lei talked with Alfredo some more politely. He then excused himself, saying that he had to see Don Alejandro.

Bidding her a warm goodbye, he smiled and left. She gathered her things and shut the door behind.

The walk from the manor to the bus stop was chilly and quiet, which gave her time to think. The clouds were shadowing over her, the November air circling her cold self. She hugged the ivory coat around her tightly, her bare face exposed to the icy air, and she drew in a breath.

This ball...it'd be the perfect opportunity to meet up with Tattaglia safely, wouldn't it?