Julian stares at his mother for a moment as the woman sips on her wine like nothing happened. His face betrays nothing, but his silence speaks a thousand words. His mind is racing, but he doesn't show it. His mother's words echo around his head like a ping-pong ball bouncing around his skull.

"Excuse me?" He grumbled, wondering if he had heard her right.

His mother hummed and pulled her glass away from her lips, putting it on the table. She picked up her fork and knife and dug into her steak, somehow elegantly, but with the grace of a vulture. Her men are stationed by the door to the restaurant she had bought out for the night to talk to Julian as she visited from America. To check on how things were going with their associates and dealers and such. She spoke again. "You're getting married."

He feels something sick boil up in his gut. "To who?"

"Child of one of my associates," She explains around a mouthful of steak. She swallows it with a sip of wine. "A drug and weapons dealer in Europe. We've been working together for years. He wants his child married off, and I offered you. An alliance." She explained. "Honestly, it's just business. You don't have to act like they even exist. I've invited them for dinner tonight. They should be here any moment now... late as hell."