Chapter 5 Alex Spanos

• Alex Spanos
• The chapel doors are closed, and I’m called to walk my mother down the aisle. I offer her my arm, and just remembering the year she had the accident and couldn’t walk due to multiple fractures sends a shiver down my spine from the desperation I felt. Today, having her walking beside me, I feel incredibly happy.
• We walk slowly, I do it on purpose to tease my best friend, who’s clearly anxious. As we reach the end of the red carpet and take our seats in the section reserved for the bride’s family, I feel my heartbeat quicken at the sound of the wedding march beginning.
• I smile as I see my sister entering arm in arm with our father, who lets a few tears roll down his cheeks. My sentimental best friend is already falling apart in tears, and honestly, I understand him. This moment has been awaited by all of us in the family, and seeing them finally so close to saying the famous “I do” makes even the coldest hearts like ours feel moved by the happiness of those we love.
• My gaze drifts and finds Carolina’s brown eyes. I release a more controlled breath and recall the time I wished to be in this very position with her, a love that grew only within me, and in the end, I realized it wouldn’t be right. I learned to love her like a sister, and I’m grateful to her for giving my mother the motivation she needed to fight for her recovery and walk again after the accident she suffered.
• Now, seeing her smile at me, I wonder if I’ll ever be lucky enough to find a woman I’ll want to walk down the aisle and say “I do” to.
• The ceremony began as soon as my father gave Selma’s hand to Demetrius, who responded with an embrace full of emotion, and above all, gratitude. Everything was beautiful. Once they were declared husband and wife, we headed to where the party had been set up.
• I'm certain the celebration will last until the early hours. Their flight is scheduled for the middle of the night, and they’re heading to Canada to enjoy their honeymoon and go skiing in the winter.
• I enjoyed the party and approached some friends I hadn’t seen in a while. I greeted Carolina and Bruno, who have become part of the family after all the events we went through years ago.
• "Hi, Bruno, how are you?" I greet him and glance beside my friend. "Where’s Carolina?"
• "We’re doing well. She went to the bathroom," he says, pointing toward the restroom doors. "She was uncomfortable with her breasts full of milk and needed to relieve some pressure."
• "And where are the kids? Didn’t you bring them?" I ask, looking around for our little popcorn.
• Laís, their daughter, is my goddaughter, and I’m completely in love with that mini version of her mom with her dad’s identical eyes.
• "Do you really think we’d be allowed into this party if they weren’t here? Maitê would absolutely kick us out, maybe even out of the country."
• We start laughing because I’m sure my mother really would do that. She’s crazy about Carolina’s kids. They built a beautiful friendship ever since Carolina came to Santorini to hide at Bruno’s request while he sorted out the problems they were facing.
• "Bruno, I’ve got to go. I need to check on a negotiation that’s happening, and also on an auction my father decided to contribute to with some private family artwork," I said, glancing toward some guests greeting my now brother-in-law and my sister. "Stick around and take part, it’ll be happening in a few days."
• "I’m not sure Carol will want to, Alex. Ever since she opened the restaurant with Juliana and Tânia, she barely leaves the place. You know it was tough enough for her to come, your mom had to blackmail her."
• We both smile at the memory of the day my mother had to go full drama queen to convince Carolina to come, and especially to bring the kids.
• "I can tell you’re talking about me!" I hear Carolina’s voice from behind me.
• "Speaking of the devil, look who decided to show up," I say to tease her a little.
• We hug, and I extend the invitation again, but she says they’re only staying for two more days.
• "I can’t leave Suíça now!" she says proudly.
• Carolina clings to my arm and pulls me back to the table where they were sitting earlier. I see a rare excitement in her eyes. Since becoming part of the “First,” Carolina and Bruno have already done some jobs. In a way, they’ve become the enforcers and interrogators for everyone on the council. But judging by her look and my friend’s calm demeanor, I’m sure she doesn’t want to talk about what we do.
• "So, Alex, haven’t found ‘the one’ yet?"
• Carolina asks. I keep my eyes fixed on her face, and something in her gaze catches my attention. It’s like she’s probing for some kind of information, something she’s very good at.
• "If only... Maybe I never will..." I let the sentence trail off.
• She knows my father pressures me to get married because of my position in the mafia. I also know that soon the “First” council will start doing the same.
• "It's time you started paying more attention to what's around you. Who knows, maybe you'll find someone," Bruno said, and I found their behavior a little odd.
• "You both know I haven’t found a woman who interests me. And honestly, I’m not attracted to mafia women."
• That bastard Bruno laughs in my face.
• "Alex, cut it out and just get married already. Have your heir, and when our kids are older, we’ll marry them off."
• I like the idea, especially with the dagger hanging over my head. Carolina and Bruno are great friends. The thought of a marriage between our children isn’t a bad idea.
• "You two need to stop!" she scolds us. "You can’t promise our children like that, especially since you have a little problem."
• I can hear the sarcasm in her voice.
• "What problem?" I ask, crossing my arms.
• "First, you need a woman. And second, you’d need to be lucky enough for our kids to actually like each other. So I think it’s better not to make that kind of plan," she says thoughtfully.
• "Love, it’s not like Matheus or Laís would refuse something I ask with love."
• "Sweetheart, Laís is only four and Matheus is two months old. Of course, they’d do anything we asked right now."
• I start teasing my friend. I can tell she didn’t really like the idea that much, and it’s better to wait. But what’s the harm in irritating a woman who just had a baby? Carolina closes her eyes, and I know she didn’t like what I said.
• "Let’s change the subject. When you get married and your wife is pregnant with your first child, then we can come back to this conversation," Carolina said, nodding firmly.
• Bruno and I both smile at her because we know that when Carolina gets irritated, there’s no stopping her.
• "Will you be staying at the mansion or at the hotel?"
• "Maitê Spanos gave us the option of either the left-side room or my old one…" Bruno said, laughing.
• My mother adores Carolina, just like my father does. There was a time they thought we’d get married, but I always knew her heart and mind belonged only to Bruno.
• I stood up, hugged my friend, and said goodbye to Bruno.
• "Well then, welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast. I need to head to that meeting and finalize the arrangements for the auction."
• "Alex, before we go, I want to talk to you about business…" Bruno says to me.
• "Don’t worry, before you leave, we’ll have that talk."
• I walk over to my parents and say goodbye to them. I do the same with my friend and my sister. I give them a tight hug and leave the party. I call my security team and driver to take me to the nightclub we own in Santorini.
• Honestly, I wanted to head over to the other island, maybe pick one of the prostitutes to satisfy me tonight and ease this restlessness in my chest.
• As I walk into the nightclub and head to the private room, I see that the city officials organizing the auction are already waiting for me for the meeting.
• Right away, I spot Murilo. He’s a great friend of my father’s and ended up becoming one of my business partners in marketing for our companies.
• I see him smiling among the city representatives. He just secured another government contract for his company to handle their marketing. I know he’s been dealing with some personal issues, his only daughter doesn’t want to work in the family business, and to be honest, I barely remember her.
• "How are you, Murilo? I missed you at the wedding. I only saw Paula!"
• "I was there, you’re the one who wasn’t," he says with a laugh.
• "So we must’ve missed each other, I just came from there."
• "Too bad we didn’t see each other. I had to get here to attend to the city officials."
• I looked around at everyone, and we started the meeting, one that would significantly boost my family’s name across the country.
• We may be mafioso, but I want the public to see us as benefactors, not just killers.