You Kept the Don’s Daughter Waiting and Now She’s Someone Else’s Chapter 03

You Kept the Don’s Daughter Waiting and Now She’s Someone Else’s Chapter 03

Once, those words would’ve worked on me.

But now? Nothing.

He didn’t think I mattered. He thought the outcome was already set—

that I was definitely marrying him.

So it didn’t matter if I got humiliated, if I lost face, if we missed the hour. None of it counted.

He wasn’t respecting the Conti family. And he wasn’t respecting me.

Coral finally dug out the black eyeliner from her bag. “Found it.”

She leaned into the mirror and swiped it on. Then she frowned. “Ugh, worse. It’s all smudged now.”

She grabbed a cotton pad and pressed it against her eye.

My mother snapped. “Coral!”

Her voice shook. “The hour is almost here! This is Nina’s wedding, not yours!”

Coral didn’t flinch. She actually laughed. “Auntie, I know. That’s exactly why I can’t just half-ass it.”

She glanced at me. “Right, Nina?”

I didn’t answer.

She was used to my silence by now. She went back to scrubbing her eye.

“Don’t rush me. I’ll wipe it clean and redo it. Three minutes, tops.”

12:23. Seven minutes to go.

I took a breath. “Luca. Are you coming with me now, or waiting for Coral?”

Luca’s face darkened. “Nina, can you not push me on this?”

Coral sighed as she worked her liner. “Nina, you’re really overreacting today. I get it, wedding jitters. But don’t take it out on me.”

I looked at both of them, and I heard my own voice, flat and calm. “Fine. Keep doing your makeup. I’m not pushing anyone. 12:30. I’m walking out that door on time.”

12:24. My father finally came up from the study. He’d been meeting privately with a few politicians who couldn’t sit in the front rows.

He walked in, and everyone parted to make way. His voice was rushed, confused. “Why aren’t you downstairs yet? The convoy’s ready.”

No one answered.

My cousin answered coldly. “The maid of honor’s eyeliner smudged. She needs to fix it. And the groom needs to wait for her.”

My father’s face went dark, inch by inch. He turned to Luca. “So you thought it was fine to keep Nina waiting?”

Luca pressed his lips together. “Dad, it’s just a few minutes.”

We’d agreed after the engagement to call each other’s parents “Mom” and “Dad.”

“Don’t call me that!”

My father cut him off like a blade.

The room went dead silent.

Luca’s face twisted.

My father pointed at the clock. “It’s 12:25 now. 12:30 departure. We set this date a month ago.”

“Invitations, convoy, hotel, emcee, everything runs on this timeline.”

“And you’re telling me it’s just a few minutes? Is this the Russo family’s idea of sincerity?”

Luca kept his voice low. “Dad, it’s not that I don’t care about Nina. But Coral is her best friend. On our big day, can’t we all just keep things civil?”

My father laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. “Civil? You’re making the bride stand here in her gown while waiting for the maid of honor to redo her makeup. You call that civil?

“You’ve got the whole family and every guest standing here watching this circus, and you call that civil?”

Luca had nothing.

Then Coral stood up. “Don, you don’t have to talk to Luca like that. I admit. I did take a few minutes.”

“But it’s for Nina’s sake, isn’t it?”

“I want to look perfect so her wedding is perfect.”

My father’s fists clenched. I knew that look. It was the one before he exploded.

“The Conti family’s daughter doesn’t need to beg for a husband. Today’s wedding…”