"Tesoro, wake up honey. We're here" said Lorenzo, waking me up.
I groaned in protest , but opened my eyes.
I looked at Lorenzo confused, "We are here, the ball remember." He spoke gently, pulling me into his warm embrace.
Everything came back, so I nodded my head before breaking the hug apart.
I quickly looked into the mirror to see if my hair and stuff was still okay, luckily it was.
"So everyone knows how they will come out on the red carpet?" Dad asked.
Everyone nodded but me, "red carpet?" I asked unsure.
"Yes, so for the normal people, they all think that this is just a yearly Christmas party for rich famous people. There is a red carpet where we will all walk on in a minute just like all the others. We are going from youngest too oldest inside, except for you Val. You will just stalk beside me on the red carpet because it's your first time and we don't want to overwhelm you with all the paparazzi." Dad spoke, clearing up my confusion.
"Okay" I said.
"Okay we are after the car that is now walking out on the red carpet." Xavier said while looking outside.
I quickly open my purse and take one of my anxiety pills, I was already freaking out and then the paparazzi in a minute will not help.
When I closet my purse again, Xander and Xavier already stood up and started walking to the door of the limousine.
The car came to a stop and a few seconds later, a bodyguards opened the limousine door.
Xander and Xavier put their emotionless face on and walked outside together.
Right after them, Blake also went out, he too setting that emotionless facade on his face.
After him followed Antonio, Lorenzo, Elijah and then Allesandro.
Dad and I were now supposed to walk out.
I knew that word still wasn't out about me being back with the Hernandez family.
No one knew about my returning except for my family and our mafia's.
I nervously looked at dad who gave me a comforting smile.
"It's going to be okay" He said before also putting the emotionless face on which I followed.
Dad walked out of the limousine but not before giving me a kiss on the head.
When dad walked out, I walked out right after him.
He reached his hand in front of me which I took and then helped me out of the car.
I quickly fixed my dress and linked my arm with dads' before we started walking on the red carpet.
Immediately all kinds of paparazzi's started firing questions at us.
My heart was going faster and faster the longer I was being asked all these questions and the blinding lights from the camera's were being flashed in my face, luckily I had taken an anxiety pill before because if I didn't...let's not think about that shall we.
"Who is this girl who's walking with you?!!"
"Is this your lost daughter?!!"
"Who designed your clothes for tonight, madam?!!"
"Is it true that-..!!!"
I blocked all the noise out and walked together with dad to the entrance of this building.
Neither dad or I answered a question and before I knew it we were inside.
When we were out of sight from everyone else and were seated in a different room than the ballroom did all the faces return back to normal.
"You did good principessa, I'm proud of you." Dad said hugging me.
We all sat down on some chairs and not long after the rest of the family walked in the same room.
Again all kind of compliments were fired after each other before we again settled ourselves in the chairs and couches.
I was snuggled up in one of the couches against dad who had a protective arm wrapped around my shoulder, holding me close.
"When do we go inside?" I asked.
"When all the other mafia's have arrived, we're making a big entrance at the end since we organised this ball again and to show our power and stuff. So that is probably in about 15 minutes." Aunt Adira said.
I gave her a smile in return for her answer which she gladly accepted.
"Do we walk in the same like before or not?" I asked.
"No, First we will go-" Said grandpa, gesturing to him and grandma. "-then they will announce your uncle Alfa and aunt Valencia, then your cousins will go in age order from oldest to youngest after them. Then will your uncle Carlos with aunt Adira come with their kids. And at last will your father come and then your brothers. Then to finish everything, you will come. You will hear your name being called and then you will walk inside like you own the place, we will be in eye sight. When you see us, just come to us okay."
"Okay" I said in a soft voice.
I snuggled further into dad for a while before we were told by some bodyguards that the other mafia's had all arrived.
My nerves started to build up again, which I think dad noticed.
"Just breathe, you will be fine baby, nothing bad is going to happen." He said in a calm voice while caressing those familiar circles on my arm to comfort me.
I just nodded, taking a deep breath and smiling at dad, thanking him.
He just shrugged it off, saying that that is his job as a father and that he loves me.
"I love you too" I say, standing now up too.
He again gave me that kiss on my temple before we all emerged into the great hall, waiting for the announcements for us to walk inside.
Everyone encouraged me and gave me hugs and all before we all walked and stood in the right order to go inside.
You could hear a faint but a loud enough to hear voice from inside the big double doors.
Everyone's private bodyguards were here too and always walked in together with the person who was announced.
Soon enough grandma and grandpa entered while everyone clapped.
Before I could even register what was happening, dad already walked inside.
Soon enough Allesandro and Elijah were gone before Lorenzo and Antonio now both were inside too.
Now just Blake, the twins and me were standing here waiting to be called in.
I could feel a lump in my throat forming from the stress.
I quickly take another pill, to stop my panicking.
I hate being the center of attention, just like I hate talking or presenting things for a big group of people.
You know those presentations that you need to give in school or when you have to answer in class?..I hate those, I always get panic attacks from those. And then from the stress, I make all these mistakes and because of that I then get bad grades, which result into beatings.
"Val" Xavier snapped me out of my thoughts.
I looked at him alarmed and then quickly noticed Blake walking inside.
"You will be fine, it's okay. We will be standing right at the end of where you will walk too, sort of I don't think I explained that well. When you walk in just immediately look in front of you, we will stand there. Just focus on us then, don't look at the others. Make them fear you,show all the power you have, show how strong you are. You can do this sorelina." Xavier said.
He quickly pulled me into a hug before he and Xander, both too walked inside.
I took deep breath, focusing on myself but also listening to the speaker man thing.
"Now at last, the missing mafia princess from the Hernandez family finally found after being missing for 13 years. Daughter of the capo from the American mafia, granddaughter of our boss Giovanni Hernandez. Please welcome Valentina Hernandez!" The announcer spoke, the joy clear in his voice.
Maxim and Oliver were both standing at my sides, giving me comforting smiles before opening the doors and then walking inside, holding the doors wide open for me to step in too.