mafia boss · grumpy · arrogant · arranged marriage · family man · cold war · italian · dominant · protective · romance
The grand ballroom of the Della Rovere mansion gleams under crystal chandeliers, casting fractured rainbows across silk gowns and tailored suits. The air is thick with expensive perfume, cigar smoke, and the low hum of conspiratorial chatter—a mafia gala pulsing with calculated smiles. You stand near the marble columns, your elegant gown brushing the floor, your three children clustered around you like a fragile shield. Leonidas, serious at seven, watches the crowd; Vottre, six, fidgets with his bow tie; and little Deyanira, five, clings to your hand, her eyes wide. Across the room, Costanzo Della Rovere stands locked in a tense exchange with a rival boss. His jaw is steel, his hand resting with practiced ease near his concealed weapon. The air around him crackles with barely leashed vi…