The hall was enormous and magnificent. The walls were painted with striking gold and the ceiling was white, with gold outlines. An extravagant chandelier hung from the ceiling, bright enough to illuminate the entire hall. The floor was tiled with marble, shiny as ever.

My eyes scanned the crowed of people, searching for my parents.

Enzo tapped my shoulder and pointed somewhere.

I trailed my gaze to where he pointed and spotted my parents.

Mom and dad.

Mom was wearing a blood-red gown and dad matched that with a smart, red suit.

I tried looking at them normally, but after knowing the truth, it was hard. I swallowed the lump in my throat and cleared my throat.

A huge smile broke out on my face and without skipping a beat, I ran to them. My heels clicked on the floor with every step I took.

Mom's eyes widened when she saw me, and she took me in for a bone crushing hug.

"Xen, baby, I missed you," she whispered, caressing my hair.

"I missed you too." I clung onto her more.

"Looks like someone forgot about me."

I chuckled and looked at dad. He had a small smile of relief on his face as he wrapped his arms around mom and me.

"I'm glad you're safe," dad murmured, kissing the top of my head.

Everything felt perfect.

"Ladies, and gentlemen! The ball is about to begin shortly!"

We pulled back from the hug.

"Honey, you look stunning," mom whispered in awe, scanning my dress.

"Not more than you. You look beautiful," I complimented back.

"Well, obviously she looks stunning. Whose daughter do you think she is?" Dad sassed, pointing to himself.

Mom rolled her eyes. "Please. The only genes she got from you is her height. The beauty and brains is all mine."

Dad chuckled. "I agree."

And then the moment mom turned around, dad mouthed 'I disagree' to me. I giggled.

Ah, I missed all this.

Just then, I noticed dad glaring daggers at someone behind me. I turned around and chuckled seeing Enzo's stoic face staring at my dad.

I walked towards him and dragged him towards mom and dad with his hand. He reluctantly obliged.

"Mom, meet Enzo Romano. Dad, I'm sure you already know who he is," I introduced.

Mom gave Enzo a half-smile, clearly not forgetting about the first time he kidnapped me.

Dad just gave him a curt nod.

"Let's begin the ball!" The announcer, standing on a stage in the middle of the hall, yelled into the microphone.

Everyone cheered and hooted.

"Let's start by thanking the hosts of this year's ball: The leaders of the Spanish mafia- Alejandro and Gabriela Lopez!"

We all clapped as the couple walked on the stage. Alejandro had worn a stylish blue suit, while Gabriela wore a long, green gown with a slit.

I grabbed a glass of champagne from a waiter, and so did Enzo.

"We now declare the start of the ball!" The couple announced, raising their glass.

Enzo and I raised our glasses, clinked it together, and then gulped it down.

Suddenly, a pair of hands covered my eyes.

"Guess who."

A smile formed on my face after hearing the familiar voice.

"Dimitri," I chuckled.

He chuckled as well, removing his hands from my eyes. Dimitri came into sight and wrapped his muscular arms around me.

"It's been so long," he said, literally suffocating me.

"I know," my voice came out muffled by his chest.

"Aye, move aside. I wanna hug her," Lydia whined, thwacking Dimitri with her clutch. He whimpered, rubbing the place she just smacked him, and pulled away from me.

I pursed my lips to suppress my laugh and hugged Lydia tightly.

"Darling, I was so worried about you," She said, patting my shoulder, "when Di said you were at a meeting with Enzo few days back, I thought he kidnapped you again."

Enzo huffed hearing this. "Not surprised," he muttered.

"Well, he did not kidnap me, as I told Dimitri," I clarified.

From my peripheral vision, I spotted my dad whispering something to Enzo.

"Is it done?" Dad mouthed to him.

Enzo nodded and mouthed something back.

Huh? Is what done?

When I couldn't feel more excluded, Enzo whispered something to my mom. She smiled and nodded at him.

I was about to ask them about this conspiracy of theirs, when I heard Alejandro speak.

"Thank you for joining us here today. We couldn't be more glad. Now, as we celebrate, I have a huge announcement to make."

Announcement?

"Today, we crown Xena King as the American mafia queen!"

My heart stopped.

Why didn't I know about this?

Applauds and cheers surrounded me but I drained them all out. All I could hear was the intense ringing in my ears.

The day I was waiting for all along.

My heart hammered thunderously against my chest and my hands were shaking as I fiddled with my snake-ring.

A warm hand clutched my shoulder.

"You got this," Enzo whispered, slightly pushing me towards the stage.

I almost stumbled but I covered it up gracefully.

Taking a deep breath, I stood tall and lifted my head high.

It was about me today.

I strode towards the stage with purpose and precise movements, my heels clicking loudly with every step I took. I stepped up on the stage and gave Alejandro a small hug.

"Congrats," he whispered, gripping my shoulders softly for second.

Mom and dad walked on stage soon after.

Dad gripped the microphone with shaky heads and smiled.

"I have been waiting 24 years for this day. And now that it's finally here, I can't believe it. Many people, from my mafia itself, have tried to convince Ryl and me to try for a boy. They don't think a woman can run a mafia well. Well, those who know Xena, know very well that she is more than capable of controlling the mafia.

Even though Xena is being crowned the mafia queen, she will still be my princess in my eyes. But for others, she won't be any less than a dangerous, lethal mafia queen. I am more than sure than Xena will exceed my expectations and will make me proud. I am now proud to declare Xena King as the mafia leader of the American mafia!"

Every word touched my heart.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd and people whistled.

Dad squeezed my shoulder. I noticed a lone tear roll down his face and I gently wiped it

Mom took off her black, dazzling crown which dad had given her almost 30 years back, when she was crowned the Donna. I had imagined myself wearing the crown as a mafia queen, and now this dream had turned into a reality.

She placed the crown over my head softly. I let out a slight gasp of disbelief. I touched the crown with my fingers, gently tracing the outline of the gems. Despite the tangibility of the crown, I still couldn't force myself to belief the plausibility of everything taking place.

I bounced from foot to foot and clenched and unclenched my fists, trying to steady my rapid breathing. I felt submerged in the ocean of overwhelming emotions.

Dad took out his familial, customized gun, and placed it on my palm. Just holding the gun gave a jolt of power down on me.

It was a black pistol, with real gold linings on the trigger and the barrel. Intricate designs were carved on the barrel and a design of a gold skull was engraved on the grip. King, our family name, was carved on the barrel with a lethal shade of red.

Just one glance at the pistol would exude the power of it.

The same gun I had begged dad to let me use when I was a kid was being passed down to me.

I gripped the pistol tightly and raised it in the air. I pressed my finger on the trigger and pulled.

BANG!

The gunshot rung through the hall.

Despite being old, the pistol worked as fine as ever.

I was finally the mafia queen.

My eyes locked gaze with Enzo's. He was standing right in front of the crowd, pride reflecting off his face. He didn't seem to be surprised, though.

Did he know about this before?

Then it clicked.

Mom, dad, and Enzo were whispering...it was surely about my coronation. Sneaky fellows.

Why did mom and dad inform Enzo about this, though? I thought they hated him.

"Congrats!"

I blinked twice and saw the excited faces of Dimitri and Lydia in front of me.

"Thanks. To be honest, I didn't even know this was happening today," I said truthfully.

"I know, we were surprised as well. But come on, you deserve it!" Dimitri exclaimed, punching my shoulder a bit too hardly.

"I'm sure you won't disappoint us. You'll control the mafia well, honey," Lydia said, placing her hand over my shoulder.

So this was how most of the ball went. People congratulating and shaking hands with me.

I still couldn't believe it.

Mom and dad were whisked away, chatting with the mafia leaders of other countries.

I finally sat down on a chair in the furthest corner and leaned back, shutting my eyes.

"Want a drink?"

I nodded at Enzo, and opened my eyes. I took the cocktail from his hands and gulped it down. Enzo sat on a chair beside me, his right arm lazily hanging around the back of the chair.

"Congratulations, Xena."

I smiled. "You knew about it, didn't you?"

"Well, there's no point in denying it. Yes, I knew about it."

"How?"

"When you were sleeping on the flight, your mom called me. She wanted to talk to you, but I said you were sleeping. She then told me that you would be crowned the mafia queen at the ball. I wanted to tell you, but your mom forbade me from doing so."

I frowned. "Why would my mom tell you that?"

He shrugged. "Maybe she really likes me.

Sureeeee.

"But on a serious note, you deserved it. I know, you have been waiting for this day all along. You will make your parents proud, tesoro, I know you will. So, don't pay heed to the haters and critics, you do you. Handle the mafia the way you deem fit, not the way people want. Got it? Trust me, I learnt it the hard way."

My eyebrows pulled together and I nodded.

"Anyways, how's Gianna?"

"She's good. I just called her. She feels terrible after knowing you won't come back to Sicily after the ball."

My breath hitched and I nodded.

Just then, a slow song started playing.

"Care for a dance?"

I looked up and saw Enzo holding out his hand with a glimmer of softness on his face.

"Why not?"

I placed my hand in his warm one, and he led us to the dancefloor.

Several other couples were dancing, but all I could focus on was Enzo. He grasped my hand and twirled me into his arms.

We fell in step, letting the rhythm control our movements. The people surrounding us dissolved.

It was him and I, alone.

His caramel eyes glistened and sparkled with an unknown emotion, a soft smile spread across his face. He drew me closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around my waist. I interlocked my hands behind his neck, pulling us even closer.

Locks of my brown hair fell over my eyes as we swirled around, like a curtain blocking the sunlight.

I was about to withdraw my hand, to brush the hair behind, but Enzo clutched my hands tighter, not letting go. Instead, he gently tucked the strands behind my ears, like he desired to see my eyes.

This was perfect.

It felt like the song lasted forever, yet I never grow tired of it.

The lights slowly faded, the music went even slower...

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

Enzo twirled me around, my gown flowing gracefully with the rhythm.

Our bodies moved effortlessly along with the music, not missing a beat.

Neither of us hurry, but simply take pleasure in being close.

Our gazes remained locked as we swayed together, not breaking intense eye contact.

Our feet were in perfect sync to the beating of my heart.

Enzo turned elegantly, his body in tune with the slow music. He moved smoothly, as if dance was a language he was incredibly fluent in. Every step he took, every move he did, every twirl he did...

He twirled me around, and within a blink of an eye, he leaned down with me, making me dip incredibly low. I felt my breath being taken away as I arched over, clutching him tighter.

His face was just a few inches away from mine as we remained in the dip position.

His eyes flickered down to my lips, and back to my eyes.

The passion grew stronger, more powerful, unbearable.

It was the moment between a glance and a kiss, where the entire world stops. The only thing between us was the anticipation of his lips on mine.

He leaned in, pressing his forehead on mine, our lips merely touching. I drew my face closer to his.

Our lips were about to touch...

The music stopped.

We remained in the same position for a few seconds, not wanting to let go.

Suddenly, as if we both got burnt, we straightened up and let go of each other.

Alejandro came in sight, with Gabriela beside him.

"How's the ball going?" He asked, passing Enzo and me a glass of whiskey.

"Pretty good. You managed the ball well," Enzo replied, sipping his drink.

I nodded. "You make a good host."

Alejandro smiled widely, however Gabriela still seemed to hold a grudge against me.

I don't really blame her.

She started talking to Enzo, while Alejandro came towards me.

"So, that was a nice moment with Enzo you had."

Fuck.

"What moment?" I asked cluelessly, drinking my whiskey.

He gave me a knowing smirk. "I'm not inexperienced in this, Xena. You guys like each other. It's pretty obvious-"

"Mom and dad! I have to talk to them! It completely slipped my mind. Sorry, we'll continue this conversation later, if you don't mind," I lied, giving an apologetic look.

Alejandro smiled. "Oh, we definitely will. Anyways, enjoy the rest of the ball."

I nodded and sighed in relief when he walked away.

"What did he say?" Enzo asked, eyeing the conversation I had earlier.

"Nothing, just talking about the alliances," I lied smoothly.

Enzo nodded.

The rest of the ball went by quickly. I had chatted with several mafia leaders, now that I was the queen.

"Xena!"

I squealed after seeing the face of my close friends- Sid and Amrita.

"Amrita!" I yelled back, hugging her tightly.

"Congrats bro, you deserve it," she said, punching my shoulder lightly.

"Boo!"

I shrieked and turned around, glaring at Siddhant.

"Fucker," I muttered, pulling him in for a hug.

"I can't believe you're the mafia queen now, you know. I mean, if a person can't handle themselves, how do you expect them to handle a mafia?" He teased.

I narrowed my eyes at him and smacked Siddhant on his arm.

He chuckled. "Okay, but seriously. You really do deserve this title. You worked hard for it. You will definitely cross our expectations. I'm sure you will."

"Aw, how sweet," I mocked, placing my palm on my chest.

He rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

They were close friends of mine, and also the leaders of the Indian mafia.

I chatted with them, and few other people as well.

It's funny how fast time passes.

I didn't even know when the ball came to an end.

I was standing near the exit beside Enzo, along with mom and dad.

"So, what now?" Dad asked, leaning against the door, "will you come back to Paris with us now?"

My heart dropped.

I completely forgot about returning to Paris.

Overwhelming emotions cascaded over me.

Enzo had his arms crossed over his chest, staring at me with a deep emotion.

"Let's do this. Why don't you guys go to Paris now? I will go back to the hotel, say bye to Serena and everyone else, and then come back to Paris with Ysaline," I proposed.

"Or, we can go back to the hotel with you, and leave for Paris together, with Ysaline," Mom continued.

I nodded. "That sounds good."

All of us went back to the hotel.

The moment I stepped into the room, Ysaline and Serena tackled me in for a huge hug.

"You're the mafia queen now!"

"Oh my god congratulations!"

They yelled together.

I chuckled, hugging them back.

"That makes me your official second in command," Ysaline said proudly.

Dante and Matteo congratulated me after.

Just then, Ysaline's eyes trailed towards mom and dad. Her eyes widened, in surprise, and then soon in fear.

Mom and dad glared at Ysa.

She chuckled nervously. "Uh, well, I can explain..."

Dad raised his eyebrow. "Really? Please do so."

"Look, I thought Enzo had kidnapped Xena, okay? She's my sister! I had to save her! That's why I came to Sicily," Ysaline defended.

"You went to Sicily even though we strictly told you not to," Mom scolded, narrowing her eyes at her.

Dante, Matteo, Enzo, Serena and I just stood there staring as mom and dad scolded Ysaline.

"We may not be your parents, but we still treat you as our daughter, Ysa. You could have gotten hurt-"

"But I'm fine!" She cut dad off, "look, I'm incredibly sorry for going against your words, but if I had to, I would do it again. As I said, Xena is like my own sister. I would do anything to protect her."

Mom and dad sighed and nodded, realizing Ysaline was right in her own way.

Aw, she would do anything to protect me.

Soon enough, mom and dad went in one room, Dante, Matteo, and Enzo with in another, and we 3 girls were in one room. I changed into a comfy sweatpants and a loose shirt, packing the gown and accessories in my suitcase. I still kept the necklace on.

I sat on the sofa with Ysaline and Serena beside me.

I looked at Ysaline with a smile. "You would do anything to protect me. Such a sweet friend- Ow!"

She cut me off by smacking a pillow on my face.

"Shut up, it was just one time. Stop being so cheesy," She rolled her eyes, making Serena and me chuckle.

"So, what's the plan now? Will you guys go to Paris tonight?" Serena asked.