Chapter 10 - The Arrival Of The Rios Mistress, The Act Over An Act

• The following day, Linda informed me early on about the schedule as well as my role. She was a bit nonchalant this morning, probably because I didn't sleep with her master, but I pretended to be unaware.
• "You'll be making your first appearance today, Madame Fallon. So I prepared this dress for you." She showed me an ivory satin knee-length wrap dress, with elbow-long sleeves and a bit of embroidered handiwork at the shoulder blades. "I hope the Madame doesn't mind sultry dresses like this. It was the master's order to get you a dress that will leave an impression. However, I didn't want the Madame's scars to be revealed, so I kept it as conservative as I can."
• "N-No...It's beautiful." I gulped. "Thank you, Linda."
• She bowed her head gratefully. "It is nothing, Madame Fallon. Would you like me to help you get dressed?"
• "Yes, please. Is it...Will the gathering continue even after sunset?"
• She nodded. "It is a formal business gathering in the casino's ballroom. You can just stay beside the Master all throughout."
• I faintly sighed. I'm barely given time to think about my next step. But if this gathering is business-related, I may have a higher chance of gathering information by staying beside the jerk than lurking in the shadows. I have to send a missive to the HQ as soon as I get a hold of significant information, but I'll need a few weeks to gather said information. I can't just tell them that the mafia is full of wild, jolly people who are mad during parties and the one leading them is a shameless grinning fool who has a wedding fetish.
• After helping me into the dress, Linda gave me long, jeweled earrings and a pair of white sandals with fairly tall heels. All accessories were white, probably to contrast my jet-black, pin-straight bob and eyes. My lips were painted pink and glossed, and applied light, natural makeup to the rest of my face.
• "I will change your makeup tonight, but during the day, a natural look is best," she said and I agreed.
• We finally left the room and Linda led me downstairs, where my supposed chaperone is waiting. And at the bottom of the stairs, I was surprised to see Ross Reagan impatiently tapping his left foot. As soon as he heard our footsteps, he looked up and exhaled heavily.
• "You got me worried for a hot minute there, Fall," he greeted with a grin. "I thought you'll finish when Jettie's erupting with impatience."
• Jettie? Is that his nickname for that jerk? I held back my laugh. Ross must be close to him to have the guts to call him with that nickname, either that or he's a total fool for messing with his boss. I still wasn't comfortable with him calling me Fall for that matter. Since I'm technically his boss too, I should be able to complain about the said horrible nickname. Maybe soon.
• "Good morning, Mr. Ross."
• He winced at the formality. "Oh, don't be so stiff around me, Fall. We'll be buddies soon enough! Call me Ross."
• "O-Okay."
• Ross took me to the courtyard, where a black van waited. He opened the door for me, where I repaid him with a grateful smile, and entered the van without much hesitation. However, after my first step, I paused when I received a murderous glare from the person inside.
• Quickly shifting into my character, I frightfully widened my eyes and took a step back out of the van in surprise. I was genuinely surprised, seeing his dark expression as soon as the door opened, but I pulled myself together perfectly before he even had time to suspect.
• "Huh? What? What happened?" Ross frowned and glanced inside the van, where that jerk's glare went to him. Ross shivered dramatically. "I think I just met the death reaper. It's a bright summer day and yet here he is freezing people with his cold glare like it's winter."
• I furrowed my brows to control the laugh rumbling in my throat. What guts Ross has to fan the flames of his boss's anger.
• "Shut up, asshole," he growled and turned to me. "Get inside already."
• "O-Okay..."
• I looked for a vacant seat at the back, or at the front. There was one at the shotgun seat, but the door opened and Ross sat there. Disappointed, I faintly sighed and sat in the middle beside the jerk. With us were more muscled and armed men, probably his bodyguards.
• Soon enough, the van roared to life and we headed out. He was surprisingly quiet beside me, only checking his tablet probably reading emails. It was awkward the whole ride. Everyone felt his sour mood and so everyone kept their mouths shut—of course, with the exception of Ross, who was ignorantly humming. Sometime during the ride, I recognized the song he was humming to was Jealous, a song by a famous western singer.
• I roamed my eyes in front of the building we stopped in front of. I was unfamiliar with it, but it looked like a golf club. The guards were the first to leave the van, and just as I was about to follow, he finally spoke.
• "Stop."
• I visibly gulped and turned to him with wary eyes. Is his little tantrum over now?
• Jett fixed the collar of his navy blue polo, which I just realized was a usual golf attire. It hugged his finely muscled, lean body but didn't suit his long hair which was attempted to be tamed by styling in a man bun. It was a half topknot. If a normal girl didn't know what his attitude is and saw him, she would surely fall head over heels for the gorgeous man. Unfortunately, I know his attitude and that alone is enough for me to know better than compliment him directly nor fawn over him.
• I didn't like his words last night. Especially how his tone was soft and gentle, but his words sharp and stabbing. Like he was a gentleman with a hideous personality.
• "You're to show a different personality in front of the people we'll meet today. Can you do that?"
• I quickly buried the surprise on my face. "Y-Yes, I will do anything you say, Mr. Rios."
• He stopped fixing his collar and looked up at me, frowning. "Call me by my name. Who will believe we're madly in love when you call me like that? Don't you call Ross by his name like he calls you Fall? Why don't you do the same to me?"
• This time, I let the surprise take over my expression. Why is Ross, who is unknowingly standing idly by outside, suddenly mentioned? Is he by chance grumpy that I'm closer to Ross? And he concluded that all because Ross calls me in a nickname? Well, we are closer, and I can't deny that I prefer Ross to him because the guy has a better attitude, but I dare not say that in his face.
• "Okay...Jett," I warily replied. "What kind of personality should I...?"
• "I told them a feisty woman caught my attention. She's the complete opposite of you, but she's not real. So you'll pretend you're a confident, prideful, and dauntless woman. That's what I told them my wife will be."
• My heart raced. He doesn't know that this is not the real me, and he wants me to pretend to be the opposite of this fake personality I created? So in other words, he wants me to be myself?
• I blankly stared at him for a while, grasping the situation, while he waited for my response. We remained to stare at each other until he raised a brow.
• "Well?"
• I cleared my throat, hiding my smirk. Feisty, confident, prideful, dauntless. What a task I'm given. "Okay."
• I can finally get back on him because my feisty attitude will be a great reason for my actions. Suddenly, I can't wait for the next events. If he tells me I have to act like this in front of other people, then that would mean every gathering from here on.
• He scoffed. "Okay? I should have just let Ross explain this. Maybe he'll receive a better reply from you."
• My head tilted in confusion. "W-What do you mean...?"
• "He will definitely be able to talk to you for hours. You even smile at him, yet you still stutter in front of me—really, who's your real husband?"
• He's just ranting at this point. How childish. Is this how he reacts when problems in the mafia arise? He just throws a tantrum and rants mindlessly?
• "I...I'm sorry, Jett," I apologized with as much sincerity I could muster. "I'll try easing up around you, too. I hope you can give me more time. Ross is just...nicer and more mindful with my difficulty in adjusting here."
• His mouth clamped shut, but his brows were still furrowed. I waited to hear yet another rant but he only said, "Let's go."