Prisoner In The Mafia's Arms

It was a big night at the Kallistos family mansion, important guests were arriving, getting out of their expensive cars.

The event was important, it was the engagement of Ariadna Kallistos, with Leonidas Petros, an agreement that would bring together two of the richest and most powerful families in the city.

Inside the mansion, the main hall was luxuriously decorated, waiters with white gloves carried silver trays with champagne glasses for the guests, only the best would be served for the occasion, conversations and laughter could be heard throughout the place.

On the upper floor, Ariadna Kallistos was preparing to make her grand entrance, she was a beautiful 19-year-old girl.

She was standing in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection with great satisfaction and pride, she had chosen for the occasion a beautiful designer dress in pearl green, which clung to her slender figure, her long brown hair fell in waves over her shoulders, a gleam of arrogance stood out in her green eyes.

"Maria!" Ariadne shouted in an annoyed tone, "Where are my emerald earrings? I want them now!" A young maid ran in, looking terribly scared, her face pale.

"Miss, I believe..."

"Do you believe?" Ariadne interrupted her rudely. "I don't pay you to believe, I pay you to know, find what I ask you or you'll be on the street tomorrow."

Nervous, poor Maria nodded and hurried out, shortly after the door opened and her mother, Athena Kallistos, entered, the woman was 40 years old, but looked 10 years younger, she was a woman of classical beauty, and distinguished bearing.

"Ariadne, darling," Athena whispered softly. "Was it necessary to speak to Maria like that? The poor girl is doing the best she can."

Ariadne rolled her eyes in disgust, but didn't even deign to look at her mother.

"Mom! If we don't push them, they'll just play dumb and lazy, and anyway, they earn an easy paycheck, they just have to find my things."

Athena sighed and walked over to her daughter, putting a hand on her shoulder as her eyes met the reflection in the mirror.

"Child, tonight the most important people in the city are gathered here, please try..." she hesitated, searching for the right words, "to be kind, after all, you are a Kallistos."

Ariadne brushed her mother's hand off her shoulder in annoyance and looked at her haughtily.

"I do this precisely because I am a Kallistos, we are better than them, mom, we must show them their place in life, it is time for you to understand that."

Before Athena could answer, Maria came rushing back carrying a small jewelry box in her hands.

"Miss Ariadne, I found them," she gasped. "They are in your traveling jewelry box."

Ariadne snatched the jewelry box from Maria's hands and opened it, inside was a beautiful pair of emerald earrings.

"Then maybe you are finally doing something right," she muttered sarcastically as she put the earrings on. "Now, get out of my sight," she said in a haughty tone.

Maria quickly retreated, once again leaving mother and daughter alone. Athena looked at her daughter with a mixture of love and concern, her daughter did not really understand what life was about.

"Ariadne, I only wish for your happiness, and true happiness comes from..." She tried to explain.

"Save the lecture, Mom," Ariadne interrupted. "Tonight is about me and Leonidas, about our future, about the empire we will build together, that is what makes me happy." Athena nodded slowly, gave a last long sigh, and then headed for the door.

"Okay, then we will be waiting for you downstairs, don't make us wait too long."

When she was alone, Ariadne turned to the mirror again, her reflection showing her the image of a beautiful young woman, at that moment she felt powerful and in control of herself.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Nikolaos Kallistos, a silver-haired man in his sixties, impeccably dressed, moved among the guests with the grace of a king among his subjects, his laughter echoing above the murmurs, greeting politicians, businessmen, and celebrities.

"Theodoros!" she shouted as she approached a stern-faced man. "Where is your son? We have to toast the bride and groom!" He asked while laughing.

"Any minute now Nikolaos, Leonidas will be here, youth always makes you wait, you see they are not very formal, not like us" said Theodoros, Nikolaos laughed again and gave him a strong slap on the back.

"Ah, youth! Well, waiting never killed anyone, now let's talk a little about that merger, with our children united, we will create an entire empire, we will be a single family full of power and dominion, we will crush the competition, and our enemies."

Hearing this, Theodoros' eyes shone strangely, but Nikolaos seemed not to notice, they moved away from the other guests and concentrated on talking about their business.

Suddenly, the music became quieter, the voices died down and all eyes turned to the marble staircase, at the top was Ariadna Kallistos.

Ariadne had planned an extravagant entrance to attract attention, and she had succeeded. She slowly walked down the stairs, wearing a wide smile, the flashes and stares focused on her, as she looked at them arrogantly, feeling that the world did not deserve her.

Nikolaos, leaving Theodoros for a moment, approached the foot of the stairs, extending his hand towards his daughter.

"Princess," he said, pride evident in his voice, "you look stunning."

Ariadne took the hand her father offered her as he led her to the center of the hall, the guests making way for them, surrounding them.

"Thank you, daddy," Ariadne said softly, "it is perfect, just as I dreamed it would be." Nikolaos kissed his daughter's forehead and turned to the assembled guests, raising his glass.

"Friends, tonight we not only honor the engagement of my daughter, Ariadne, to Leonidas, we also celebrate the blending of two families who are united as one from this very day, let us toast, Cheers!" he said raising his glass.

The guests began to toast, but soon whispers could be heard. Where was Leonidas? Guessing quickly began, thinking that he might not make it.

As if answering the murmurs, Leonidas Petros entered, a man over six feet tall, with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes, the tailored black suit fit him so well that it highlighted his athletic build, while his charming smile hid his boundless ambition.

"Sorry I was late," he said, feigning embarrassment, approaching Ariadne and taking her hand. "Traffic was terrible, but I made it." Ariadne looked at him adoringly, she was very much in love.

"You're here." She squeezed his hand, smiling.

Before everyone's expectant gaze, Leonidas knelt down, and took a small velvet box from his pocket, everyone fell silent, waiting for what was happening.

"Ariadne Kallistos, you are the most beautiful and brilliant woman I have ever met, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" She immediately opened the small box and revealed a ring in which a large diamond shone, Ariadne's eyes reflected a mixture of love and triumph.

"Yes, Leonidas. Yes, yes, yes!" She answered completely excited, although he had already asked her before, what he did now was just for show.

Leonidas placed the ring on Ariadne's finger, they kissed passionately, while the crowd erupted in applause. The intensity of the camera flashes tripled, stealing the moment for the next day's covers.

Among the audience, there was a woman who watched them with mixed feelings and a serious face, while she automatically applauded. It was Melina Kallistos, Ariadne's older sister.

At twenty-two, Melina was the opposite of her sister in many ways, while Ariadne was slim and elegant, Melina struggled with her excess weight and preferred comfort over style; Ariadna was brash and confident, Melina was shy and insecure, as the guests returned to their conversations, Melina approached the couple.

"Congratulations, sister." Melina's voice trembled slightly. "Leonidas, officially welcome to the family." Ariadna barely noticed Melina, dividing her attention between her new ring and those who came up to congratulate her.

"Thank you, Melina," she said absently. "Isn't it wonderful?" Melina nodded and turned to Leonidas, for a second they looked into each other's eyes a wave of tension passed between them.

"Leonidas, could we talk? I need to tell you something important." Leonidas frowned, but kept his smile.

"Of course, sister-in-law. Ariadna, darling... I'll be right back."

Without turning to look at him, Ariadna nodded and let herself be led by a group of friends who surrounded her, saying compliments about her ring, making her big ego grow, Melina took Leonidas to a secluded place, near one of the large windows that looked out onto the garden.

When she was sure that no one could hear them, she spoke.

"Leonidas, listen... you can't do it, I know that Ariadna is my sister, but, you and I..."