"Please tell Billy I received the maid of honour's dress this morning," I spoke into my phone while putting on my earrings, "and that I'll try it on tomorrow. She's invited over for that and champagne."

"How lovely! I'll be sure to deliver the message," Mr Capra Sr chuckled through the speaker, "and which earrings did you decide to go with tonight?"

"The small gold ones," I smiled, loving that he had offered to help me choose while chitchatting with me as I got ready.

He had been resting inside today, already feeling much better after yesterday. I had told him about Ben and I meeting Tony for dinner at ours in a short while, and found out that he had already been informed about this and found it to be a good idea. It was nice to see in practice how Mr Capra Sr's and Ben's relationship was growing for the better.

"Sofia," I heard Ben call my name from down the hall.

"I need to go now," I told Mr Capra Sr, applying a final additional coat of red lipstick.

"Alright, much love and update me on how it goes!"

"Of course," I grabbed my phone and began walking out of the wardrobe, "love you, bye!"

I ended the call and left my phone to charge in our bedroom. I went to find Ben just having left his office, his fully black suit and dress shirt making my heart skip a beat.

"You look very good," I mused, taking him in as I neared him.

"You look too good," he chuckled, hand finding my waist the second I stepped up to him, "poor guy won't be able to concentrate."

"Oh, shush," I smiled, "you told me to wear this."

Since the first times I had had contact with Ben, I had quickly come to realise my black satin high-leg split Versace dress was a favourite of his.

"Always forget how well you wear it," he kissed my cheek as I had on lipstick.

After last night, just being close to him I felt electric, yet almost shy. The power dynamic had shifted for a moment into one I really found myself liking, and I was excited to find out where it coud lead.

"Tony's almost here," Ben checked his watch, "are you ready?"

"Yes."

Ben's chefs had set up a lovely dinner for the three of us in the grand dining room. I was to sit next to Ben, while Tony would sit opposite us.

Despite some misjudgements, such as thinking that working with Winston Horan was a good thing, Tony wasn't stupid. I was certain he knew exactly why he had been invited over, and therefore had taken great safety precautions. If Winston had snipers on hand, so did Tony.

In a few minutes Tony was escorted in by Ben's security team, Vinnie leading them.

"He's all clear, his men are waiting outside with ours," Vinnie told us as we stood at the foyer, waiting to greet Tony.

"Good," Ben gave him a nod.

I watched Tony straighten his suit coat after the pat down he had experienced, before clearing his throat and stepping up to us, his eyes on mine and a polite smile on his lips.

"Thank you for having me over, you look amazing," he spoke, and I felt Ben's hand on my lower back, "I'm starving."

I heard Ben quietly chuckle and shake his head to himself, and I knew he was holding back a snarky comment.

"It's lovely that you could make it," I smiled when he leaned in for a hug which I accepted, Ben's hand never once leaving my back.

"Good to still have you in one piece," Ben then spoke quite coldly, shaking Tony's hand, "Sofia hasn't received a promotion yet?"

The front door of the apartment closed, leaving only Tony, Ben, Vinnie and I in the apartment. It was planned that Vinnie would stay in the living room, just incase.

"Almost," he chuckled, "she's a great asset for us."

"I bet she is," Ben muttered underneath his breath, but Tony hadn't heard as we had begun walking him further into the apartment.

We entered the grand dining room, with floor to ceiling windows. The way we were seated, it wouldn't be difficult for a sniper to target Ben.

"Should I close the curtains?" I decided, walking up to their button, "it would make this more intimate."

"Fantastic idea," Ben sent me an understanding nod, before focusing back on Tony. I pressed a button and the curtains began slowly closing.

"Have a seat," he spoke, and Tony did as instructed.

Before, Ben had been polite to Tony for my sake, but I understood and supported why he now wasn't.

Only once the curtains were closed, Ben sat down opposite Tony and I followed suite, sitting next to him.

"How's the business?" Ben began, leaning comfortably back in his seat and gaze challenging, making Tony slightly uncomfortable.

"It's good, yes-"

We were now being served our dinner by the staff, and none of them batted an eye when Ben pulled out a handgun and casually placed it on the table, pointed at Tony threateningly.

"Any new investors?" Ben cut him off, and I could see the panic in Tony's eyes as they glanced over at me and he gulped silently.

"I came for dinner, not to be intimidated," he cleared his throat, shifting in his seat awkwardly, "Sofia, what is this?"

The staff left the room and closed the doors behind them. I tilted my head at him and smiled sweetly, before taking a sip of my red wine.

"Someone shot my father," Ben continued slowly, "did you know about that?"

"No, of course not," Tony quickly shook his head, "that's horrible, I'm sorry. I'll do anything to help you find who did it."

"We know who's behind it," I spoke up, and Tony looked at me with confusion, this cold side of me very new and strange to him.

"Don't you recognise the gun?" Ben raised his brows, placing his napkin on his lap and taking his utensils into his hands in preparation to eat.

Tony looked at the gun and gulped again, silence falling over us.

"The gun your father was shot with?" he then guessed. Ben chuckled and shook his head.

"It was a sniper, and taken care of," he replied, still very cool, calm and collected, "this is the gun one of Winston's men tried to murder Sofia with."

"What?" Tony's voice raised and eyes widened in shock, "I swear to you, I had no idea."

His eyes were darting between mine and Ben's, and I noticed tears filling in them.

"I would never want someone to hurt her."

"We're on the same page, then," Ben began eating, so I followed his lead, "you've chosen a bad partner to work against me with."

"I'm not—" he began, but cut himself off and sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out shakily, knowing he was caught and in deep trouble with us.

"You can cut the crap," Ben spoke eerily calmly, definitely not having to prove to anyone who had the upper hand now and in general, "you have a choice here, make it quick."

He slowly placed his utensils down and laid a hand over the gun, as if ready to take it into his hold, eyes never leaving Tony, who suddenly sobbed out a small, "I cant."

I placed my utensils down as well, brows pulling down in confusion at him all of a sudden breaking down like this. With his elbows on the table, he leaned his face into his hands and cried.

"Jesus, pull yourself together..." Ben muttered, smoothly cocking the gun to gain his attention back.

"Sofia, I'm so sorry. It was specifically in our agreement that you wouldn't get hurt and—" his puffy eyes met mine, hands running through his hair to ease his nerves.

"The next time you talk to her will be your last," Ben cut him off casually, raising the gun but still resting it against the table, aimed at Tony, while he leaned back in his seat. His free hand rested on the back of my chair, thumb lightly brushing against my back.

Tony shook his head to himself and somehow managed to gather himself. He sniffled and cleared his throat before he began explaining.

"Winston got ahold of documents regarding two of my overseas accounts, you know, laundered money. He threatened he'd hand them over to MI5 if I didn't help him gain Capra Corp."

Ben let out a dry and humourless laugh, "that's your excuse? Pathetic."

"I'm not lying to you, Mr Capra," Tony assured, eyes genuine but terrified.

"I control the MI's, police, the fucking Interpol. The best men from Mossad work under me. You know this," his voice remained calm but turned increasingly more threatening, scaring even me, "what stopped you from coming to me? Winston threatening you with a few overseas accounts is nothing compared to what I would and will do."

"Because you got her—"

"You never had her," Ben had been prepared, as it didn't take a rocket scientist to work out the real reason Tony was in this, working with Winston.

Tony sighed in defeat, "I guess I didn't. But I hated you for having her."

I rolled my eyes as the weird narrative of me being 'had or owned' continued, wanting to butt in but deciding to instead remain silent and follow along. Ben had noticed this from the corner of his eyes and a quick glance, but ignored it.

"If you were gone, Winston would get your organisation and I would have a chance again," Tony continued, clearly feeling shameful to be admitting all this not only to Ben, but to me as well, "of course I would he paid a handsome share, but—"

"You're a pathetic weasel," Ben cut him off, "deranged as well, to think she'd even look at you again if I were gone."

Tony opened his mouth to speak, but Ben continued, no longer sitting back comfortably but focusing more on having the gun aimed more and more intimidatingly at the crumbling man in front of us.

I did agree that it was quite pathetic, Tony working in cahoots with Winston against Ben only because he was jealous. Tony and I had ended things and agreed to stay friends before Ben and I did anything. This was surreal. I felt pain at the fact that people have had to die and hurt because of this.

"Winston will be dead tomorrow at eight. Do you have a preferred time, or should I ask Sofia to leave the room and get it over and done with here?"

I turned to look at him, extremely confused and shocked. This was not what I had been expecting. I had been under the belief that this dinner was to gain Tony's loyalty and respect, not kill him. Ben's jaw was slightly clenched and his dark gaze looked menacing.

Tony breathed out shakily and slouched back in his seat in true defeat, "I'll have to inform my men first, call them off.."

"Ben..." I begged for his attention almost silently, shaking my head in protest of this situation.

I knew Ben had always disliked Tony, but killing him was going too far. It brought me back to when Ben had had me seduce Tony as an attempt for me to tell him that I indeed had had a relationship with him. He had been jealous too. He had also been very against me working for Tony, and only made an effort to be polite for my sake, yet deep down we all knew he still disliked him greatly.

"I'll have your men taken care of, Tony."

"Please, they have families..."

I reached my hand over to Ben's thigh, body turning more to face his side. I gained no reaction, and I grew more and more agitated.

"Ben, stop," I told him firmly, earning a quick and nonchalant glance.

"Stay quiet," he muttered, brushing me off rudely.

"Excuse me? No, I will not," I fired back, "nobody is shooting anybody. Give me the gun."

Both men looked at me, Tony in confusion and Ben with intimidating frustration. I raised my brows at him and motioned for him to hand me the gun.

"Sofia, this is between him and I—" Tony tried.

"What did I tell you about speaking to her?" Ben's head snapped back to him, silencing him.

"I'll never forgive you if you harm him," I promised, voice softening, "please, give me the gun."

He looked back at me, "he shot my father and tried to kill you. Ten of my men are dead because he can't get over you."

"Winston is the root of the evil here," I deflected Ben's almost manipulative reminder. I knew he just disliked Tony enough to want him out of our lives forever, despite the reality of people having been killed.

"You're not going to kill Tony."

I could tell Ben was growing angry at me for speaking to him like this in the current situation. When I realised I would get no reply or gun from him, I looked away from his challenging eyes and at Tony.

"You'll sign over half your assets to Capra Corp and limit your business according to our regulations," I began, not knowing exactly how this would end but having enough experience from working for Mr Capra Sr to know how to choke a competitor, "for your cooperation and respect, we'll make sure you live a comfortable life and trust when you vow never to cross us again, and instead work for us."

Silence fell over us. Tony looked like he wanted to answer, but was too afraid of Ben's reaction. I was concerned of Ben's reaction as well, but since I could see him slowly lowering the gun back to lay on the table, I figured I had succeeded.

Tony's eyes moved hesitantly between Ben and I, as the silence stretched on.

"Don't be disrespectful," Ben then spoke, much more calm again but tone firm as he leaned back against his seat, "answer her."

I held myself back from rolling my eyes again at the double standard, but knew Ben and I would talk about this later, in private.

"I.." Tony began, still trying to decipher Ben's reaction.

"She speaks for me too, dimwit."

"Right," Tony cleared his throat and offered a small smile, visibly relieved of how this had turned out, "yes. Yes, of course. As soon as you have the papers to sign, I will."