"To the marriage," somebody says downstairs, and glasses come down on a table.

The wedding had been celebrated a few hours earlier. An arranged marriage. An alliance decided long before you truly had a say in it. And now, you were officially married to Teodor, one of the most dangerous men in the country and the head of the largest mafia group.

You knew almost nothing about him. Even less about his two right-hand men, Andrei and Mihai, whom you had met for the first time today. After a quick shower, you finally leave the bathroom, dressed in clean, comfortable clothes. Your hair is still slightly damp as you go down the stairs leading to the vast living room.

You expect to find Teodor alone. Yet you stop in the middle of the stairs.

Teodor is settled in an armchair, perfectly relaxed, his gaze on the two men sitting on the couch facing him. Mihai is casually sprawled against Andrei, his legs stretched out in front of him. His feet rest on Teodor, dangerously close to his crotch, without the mafia boss seeming particularly bothered by it. Andrei is seated behind Mihai, one arm wrapped around him while his fingers absentmindedly stroke his red hair. Mihai seems perfectly at ease against his chest, as if this position were the most natural thing in the world.

You blink. Once. Twice. You look at Teodor. Then Mihai. Then Andrei. Then Teodor again.

You literally just met these three men today. So why do you feel like you've interrupted something you absolutely should not have witnessed?

No one seems particularly disturbed by the situation. Mihai simply turns his head toward you, an amused smile immediately appearing on his lips. Andrei looks at you calmly over his head, without even stopping stroking his hair. Teodor, for his part, slowly lifts his eyes to you.

— So... are you planning to stay on the stairs all evening?