Chapter 4

"I'm going to get something to eat," Josephine was too ravenous to even say something snarky; she needed food fast. Madia grabbed her by the shoulders and practically spat at her.

"There is no way I am letting you stay in my house alone on a night like this. People will say that I am mistreating you when it is you who is acting like a fool on your own." As Madia looked Josephine up and down, Josephine pushed her away quickly. The feeling of someone touching her was disgusting.

"Oh, mother, you should make her go like that. Won't it be a total riot?" Valentina smirked while hissing over her mother's shoulder. "We can tell everyone it's a new type of fashion; pauper chic!" Valentina started cackling, but her mother hushed her.

"Hold your tongue immediately, child! Unfortunately, we are plagued with this girl, and you should know that her poor upbringing will look bad on our entire family. Valentina, give her one of your old dresses; it can be plain for all I care, she must wear something that isn't covered in stains."

Valentina moaned and grumbled at her mother's order; she knew she would have to throw away her clothing because she would rather die than wear something that Josephine had worn. However, her eyes soon twinkled with a coy plan.

"Sure mother." Josephine treaded up the staircase. After a while, she returned with a dress, which she tossed right at Josephine. "Wear this and feel free to keep it. I won't be caught dead in something you've worn,"

Georgia parted her lips to speak, but Valentina stepped on her pink satin slipper to shut her up.

After moments had passed, Josephine was unwillingly dressed for the ball; some casualties included 3 bitten maids and a very sullen servant boy.

When she finally stepped out of her room, she felt like a bird in a cage; her ribs hurt from the corset cinching her waist, and she scratched at the lace that rubbed against her legs.

"She looks like a drowned cat in all that fabric," Madia rolled her eyes. "Did you give her your sister's dress? Lord knows, that gown looks positively enormous! So it has to be Georgia's," She turned to Valentina, who had an expression of confusion on her face.

Georgia scowled and crossed her arms.

"Oh really? I thought it was mine. Georgia must have placed it in my closet by accident," Valentina innocently batted her long lashes at her mother, who turned back to Josephine.

"Well, It's much too late for you to change that tent for a dress. Besides, the most important person in the room will be Valentina...so do try your very best not to get in her way as she captures the prince's heart and finally brings glory to our family name," They followed after each other, piling into the carriage like sardines wearing fluffy petticoats.

The ride to the ball was nauseating; Each sway of their carriage sent Madia bumping into Josephine, crushing the petite girl. The small carriage was also permeated with the strong scent of powders and perfumes, mixed with the earthiness of sweat; this plus the incredibly tight space made it hard for Josephine to breathe.

When they arrived at the palace, Georgia and Valentina nearly trampled Josephine while getting out of the carriage. The front garden of the palace was filled with debutants all done up in the latest fashion and luxuries. Gentlemen, giddy for the event, lined up in an orderly file to escort each fair lady up the endlessly red carpeted front stairs. To Josephine, they all just seemed like excitable little boys and all she still wanted to do was eat some food.

Josephine stared at the lawn in front of the elegant palace; even in the dim moonlight, she could see its luxurious green shade and how perfectly manicured it was. And of course, it was complemented by beautiful trimmings of flowery landscapes that rested at the boundaries of the property. Josephine wondered who the gardener behind it all was; whatever he was paid, he wasn't getting paid enough. Her sights drifted to couples that walked side by side; they all seemed to giggle at one another as some light coming from the entrance bathed their shimmering dresses and perfectly noir suits. Josephine gripped her skirts anxiously; As Luca Torello, she grew up typically going to fancy events such as this. As Luca she had to be the perfect son, but being the perfect son to Don Torello was as possible as pigs flying. Nothing Luca did was ever good enough to him, so when he coldly shipped Luca off to boarding school with no explanation, Luca decided to become the monster Don Torello always wanted him to be.

"Are you going to keep standing there like a fool? Get moving girl." Madia stood a few steps away, staring back at Josephine in confusion. Josephine let go of the dress she had in her fist and stepped towards her step mother. Madia leaned close to her and hissed with malice, "Do not embarrass my family...and stay out of Valentina's way tonight, am I clear?"

Madia let out a silent grunt of irritation and walked ahead of Josephine into the palace hall through its entrance. Inside the building, the floors were made of polished ivory marble, the curtains were held up by what seemed to be a rod of braided gold, molded into a bow shape, and the guests had already arranged themselves all over while chatting together. Some waiters moved around the room holding golden and bejeweled trays in a rehearsed and skillful fashion, appearing where and when they were needed.

Josephine was deeply drawn to these luxuries; something deep inside her wanted to take it all, preferably by force.

Grumble!

Josephine looked down at her belly. She wasn't sure when she had eaten, or precisely when this new body had eaten. Luca had eaten before bed, right before being killed by the woman in red. Josephine trailed around clusters of bodies dressed in whites, golds and light blues; some busy talking about their days and their dreams, some gossiping about friends and lovers, and some gents bowing and offering their gloved hands to blushing beauties. Josephine wondered where the food was stationed; a giant ball such as this had to have a meal table. She continued to slip between perfumed women and polished men, her spacious dress slightly slipping off her shoulders and dragging on the ground with each step. A man stepped on her gown and bowed apologetically- if Josephine wasn't so hungry, she would have kicked off her dress there and then and used it as a noose to strangle the man. She waved him off and traveled round the room till she bumped into a line of servers holding trays with vast amounts of food. Before a server could hand Josephine a devilled egg, she grabbed the entire tray and started scarfing them down.

"Excuse me, you can't do that!" one waiter yelled at her as he reached to grab the tray from her. However, it was all in vain, as Josephine pulled away from him and grew livid.

How dare he treat her like that; did he not know who she was? If he obviously couldn't recognize The ruthlessly notorious Luca Torello, couldn't he recognize that Josephine was a duchess? Josephine lifted the tray over her head to slam it on the server, spilling its contents on the floor.