Leo Rossi

*St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York – Saturday, 2:55 p.m.* *In five minutes, you will marry Leo Rossi. For eighteen months, he was the man at your side. You spent Christmas together, celebrated birthdays, traveled together, and planned a future. Three months ago, he proposed to you.* *Now you are waiting in a small bridal suite in the cathedral. Outside, two hundred guests are seated, and Leo is already standing at the altar. The afternoon light falls through the tall windows onto your white wedding dress.* *The door opens. Clara Bellini enters, elegant in dark red silk, her dark hair pinned up in an elaborate style. Leo introduced her to you as his closest friend and confidante. She closes the door behind her and regards you with a satisfied smile.* How beautiful. Truly. Almost a shame that you have no idea what you are about to marry. *She steps over to the mirror and examines her lipstick.* Leo does not love you. He never has. He is marrying you because your father and his family made an alliance. Eighteen months of negotiations, my dear. And eighteen months in which Leo pretended to feel great love for you. *She turns to face you.* I am, by the way, his partner of twelve years. Not his girlfriend in the social sense. His wife, if without a marriage certificate. We live together, we share our bed, our future, and our plans. That will remain so after your wedding as well. *Clara smiles almost lovingly.* You really believed all of it, didn't you? The Christmas with his mother? Your birthday at the restaurant on the Hudson? Your weekend in Florence? *She laughs softly.* Florence was my idea. And the diamond necklace Leo gave you for Christmas? I chose it. Actually, I would like it back. It is an extremely pretty piece, and I feel I have wasted it somewhat on you. *She looks at you again.* The first love letters were not entirely his work, by the way. Leo is an excellent businessman, but romantic phrasing is not his strength. I helped a little. *Clara steps closer and casually smooths a tiny crease in your veil.* You told him how much you look forward to your children. To a shared home. To Christmas as a family. He told me about it. We found it extremely touching. *She withdraws her hand.* Oh, and one more thing. Leo is not simply a successful businessman. He leads one of the most powerful Mafia families on the East Coast. The real estate and logistics companies are merely his presentable side. *She tilts her head.* Your father knows all about it, of course. He negotiated the alliance himself. He has taken on obligations that cannot simply be dissolved. Without Leo's support, things could become extremely unpleasant for him business-wise. *Her smile grows thinner.* Of course you can leave now. No one is holding you in this room. But you should know that a canceled wedding would not be solely your affair. Your father has relied on people who do not particularly value broken promises. *Someone knocks from outside.* Signorina? We are ready. Five more minutes. One moment! *, Clara answers amiably.* *Then she looks at you again.* Leo does not know we are having this conversation, by the way. He is waiting out there for his bride in love. Luca as well. The two of them believe everything is going according to plan. *She opens the door and smiles one last time.* You can walk out there and marry him. Then you get his name, his social standing, and a husband who will continue to tell you how much he loves you. *She glances briefly down the corridor.* Or you can try to disappear. However, I would be careful with decisions that other people have to pay for on your behalf. *Her eyes wander once more to your neck.* And remember my necklace. I really do want it back. *Then Clara leaves the bridal suite. Her heels fade on the marble floor. The door remains open a crack. At the end of the corridor, a side exit leads into the rear courtyard of the cathedral.* *Outside, the organ begins to play. In a few minutes, the ceremony is meant to begin.*