“That birthday party?”

Theodoro continued, his gaze still fixed on Carmine as he handed over a handkerchief.

“What was the name again. The daughter of some judge.”

“Judith, the only daughter of Andrew Witmore. For what it’s worth, I think it would be good for you to go.”

He slowly nodded his head, as if he had just remembered.

“Ahh… right. Judith Witmore.”

“Just go, show your face, make a donation, and come back.”

“That’s exactly what the person next to you said.”

Liliana, suddenly referred to, flinched as she was wiping her mouth with the handkerchief.

It wasn’t an incorrect statement. 

 

When they heard the news about that birthday party, she was the one who had persistently explained to Theodoro, who found it bothersome, why he had to go.

And she had quite valid reasons for it.

 

Theodoro and Liliana had not jumped into any new businesses over the past few months. 

 

This was because Luciano had firmly insisted upfront that no other ventures were to be undertaken for the time being.

His purpose wasn’t simply to keep Theodoro in check.

They needed to observe the progress of the endeavors they had already started. 

 

Only when clear results emerged… then they could consider trying something new.

Presented with such logical reasoning, the two had little choice but to accept Luciano’s decision, finding it reasonable in its own way.

 

Instead, Theodoro’s side focused on the reconstruction of the West Peal district, the expansion of the wired communication business, and the acquisition of the defense contractor. 

 

Of course, that wasn’t all.

“How about we start working on legalizing the existing illegal operations? You said it yourself during the initiation ceremony, that it’s time for us to step into the light.”

Theodoro had no reason to refuse that. As she said, it was exactly what he had wanted.

 

And it was certain to be a good opportunity for Liliana as well. 

 

By digging into the Benedetti family’s illegal businesses, she would be able to steadily gather materials to later hand over to the FBI.

 

And so, she began diving into the business of legalization… 

 

The problem was that the work was truly daunting.

 

Finding loopholes within the tightly woven laws to prevent any seed of illegal activity from sprouting—in other words, coming up with groundbreaking and ingenious ‘tricks‘ was no easy task.

 

At times, it seemed better to just completely liquidate all the existing dirty businesses and run only fully legitimate enterprises.

 

But from the family’s perspective, that was impossible, so she had been racking her brains together with Vincent…

 

Amidst those days, news of Judith’s birthday party arrived.

 

“Theo, you’re going, right?”

 

“Since when do I have to drop by a girl’s birthday party?”

 

“…You know how difficult it is to legalize the family’s businesses. Then we must prepare alternatives in advance.”

 

Andrew Whitmore, a judge in the Gilligan County local court, and his beloved only daughter, Judith Whitmore.

 

Attending her birthday party couldn’t possibly be about sincerely celebrating her birthday. 

 

It was meant to solidify ties with Andrew Whitmore while they were at it.

 

In reality, colluding with a local court judge didn’t have a direct connection to business legalization itself.

 

But wouldn’t it be helpful if problems arose for Theodoro’s side, whether from illegal businesses not sufficiently disguised as legal or from various criminal acts, and they needed assistance?

 

“We’ve poured so much money into the local judges. There’s no need for me to attend such an event.”

 

“Until now, we would have expected Mr. Luciano to handle that matter, wouldn’t we? Now that we’ve parted ways with Mr. Luciano, it’s hard to expect the local judges to continue watching our backs forever. And it just so happens we have the pretext of a birthday party. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to go.”

 

There was a reason Liliana was pleading so earnestly.

 

Just consider, if by some chance Theodoro were to face legal problems before the FBI’s arrest operation. If he were to end up in prison while opposing Luciano and Gasparo… 

 

It would be a truly terrible situation for her.

 

And it wasn’t just Theodoro she was worried about. 

 

Lately, her efforts had borne fruit, and she had cultivated many helpers within the organization. 

 

But what if they faced such problems…? 

 

At a time like this, when every branch manager is important, it would inevitably be a significant blow.

 

“I’ve really seen it all now…”

 

Theodoro clicked his tongue as if thoroughly displeased, but ultimately, worn down by her persistent pleas, he accepted the proposal.

 

Perhaps remembering that reluctant decision, he let out a sigh and pressed his temples as he faced Carmine Lombardi.

 

“Anyway… I’ll go.”

 

“Good, you should listen to your woman. It’ll do you good.”

 

“…”

 

And Liliana, hiding her embarrassed face, bowed her head deeply. 

 

Given what had just happened in the dance hall, how must those words have sounded to Theodoro?

 

‘…I’m sure that sounds just wonderful to him.’

 

💫

 

Thick, curly blond hair swaying by her ears. Full lips and thin, arching eyebrows. 

 

Haughtily upturned outer corners of her eyes, and a sensual figure to match.

 

A woman who was the recipient of the sticky gazes of many men, casually swinging her crossed leg.

 

She was the star of today’s birthday party, Judith Whitmore.

 

It was her birthday, which comes only once a year, so she should have worn the happiest face in this place. 

 

Yet, she was so uncomfortable that she felt like screaming at the top of her lungs and throwing everyone out.

The bones on the back of her hand, clutching the champagne glass, stood out white. 

 

What filled her eyes was a man and a woman standing in a distant corner, whispering to each other.

There was no need to look closely at the man.

Where had he thrown that fedora he always wore as if it were glued to his head? 

 

For some reason, he had neatly combed his hair back, but his gloomy attire and his annoyingly bland face remained the same.

‘Theodoro Benedetti…’

But the woman standing with him.

‘Just who is she…?’

Skin that glowed transparently like flowing moonlight and dazzling platinum blonde hair. 

 

A bare-top pink dress that harmonized with her pale white skin. The slender calves revealed beneath the voluminous skirt.

That woman was so lovely that it made her want to take everything she had.

She didn’t know her name or what she did, but she knew one thing for sure. She was the woman Theodoro, who had never been seen with a woman before, was publicly showing as his lover for the first time.

‘On my birthday party, of all days and places… he brings his lover?’

Judith gritted her teeth and stood up from her seat. Then, with steady steps, she began walking toward them.

Theodoro Benedetti. She had first seen him probably about six or seven years ago.

Late that evening, she had almost entered her father’s study before belatedly realizing he had a guest. When she peeked through the crack in the door, what she saw were two men dressed in black suits.

She could instinctively guess their identities. 

 

So, men from the underworld had come again.

 

Many mafia members had been coming to see her father for a long time, so there was nothing to be surprised or hesitant about.

 

But their voices… 

 

Just by the sound of their voices, she could tell they were around her age.

 

Having only ever seen middle-aged men much older than her, it was only natural she’d be curious about the two young mafiosi.

 

She pushed her head through the door crack and observed them thoroughly.

 

From what she could gather from their conversation, the man who kept speaking was the boss, Luciano. 

 

The man next to him was said to be Luciano’s brother, but he didn’t say a word and just sat there silently. 

 

Because his back was turned, she couldn’t see his face.

 

‘Ah, I’m so curious, why can’t I see him? If he looks like his brother, he’s probably prominently handsome too.’

 

She was in the middle of that thought.

 

Then Theodoro, whose name she didn’t even know back then, suddenly turned his head towards her.

 

“…!”

 

The moment their eyes met in mid-air. Judith, forgetting she had been peeking, froze solidly on the spot. She probably sensed it then. 

 

That she would suffer within that man’s gaze for some time to come.

 

They were truly desolate eyes. 

 

What could a man who was, at most, in his early twenties have gone through for such deep loneliness and bitterness to linger in his eyes?

 

And that stirred an indescribable desire within her. 

 

A strange desire, the wish that she could be the one to fill the emptiness in his eyes.

 

Furthermore, she felt a strange conviction that her brightness could erase his darkness.

 

But it didn’t take long for that conviction to crumble.

 

It was when the two brothers finished talking with her father,they  were leaving the Whitmore mansion.

 

“…Wait a moment! Wait, look at me.”

 

“…”

 

“You.”

 

Both brothers looked at her with unreadable expressions, but Luciano soon gestured to his younger brother with a chin nod, signaling him to follow her.

 

Theodoro, a cigarette dangling from his lips, had followed her in silence.

 

It wasn’t until they reached the back of the mansion, bathed in haughty moonlight, that she stopped and turned to face him.

 

“I need to make a good impression on my father, right.”

 

Theodoro didn’t answer, merely narrowing his eyes slightly and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke.

 

She knows now how utterly ridiculous that statement was. 

 

No matter how much money they paid, Andrew Whitmore was never his superior.

 

“Go out with me.”

 

She said it boldly, without a trace of shame.

 

What she got in return was a light, scoffing laugh. Theodoro took another drag from his cigarette and let out a low, smoky voice.

 

“Princess…”

 

“…”

 

“Why don’t you meet some guys who are more your speed?”

 

What he did next was an act of rudeness she could never have imagined. He stubbed out his cigarette right on her house’s wall.

 

“Someone with class.”

 

“Wh-what…!”

 

But it was so strange.

 

Was it because of that embarrassing title, ‘Princess‘? Or was it because of that crude, unrestrained behavior, the kind she never saw from the men who persistently courted her?

 

Even under that cutting rejection that stripped away all her pride, her heart was pounding fiercely.

 

Mercilessly, Theodoro just threw those words at her and then turned and walked away as if she were someone he’d never see again.

 

“Huh…?”

 

That was the first time in Judith’s life she saw someone’s back. 

 

Before then… no, even after that, no one ever turned their back and walked away from her first.