[HAZEL] “Attention, soldiers! Here’s the plan,” I declared, marching around the room with purpose like a penguin on a mission. My miniature army was eagerly awaiting my next move, and I could sense their excitement building. But then little Nico started to venture towards his nostrils, and I shot him a death stare that could make Medusa flinch. He quickly retreated back to his military stance, and I couldn’t help but feel proud of my discipline training. “So, troops, I just saw Lizzy sprinting like her pants were on fire—” I began, but of course, Angelo had to interrupt. “She was on fire?!” he exclaimed, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I rolled my eyes in dramatic fashion. Ugh. “No, you knucklehead. It’s just an expression. Get your head in the game!” I resumed pacing back and forth, my hands locked behind my back in deep thought. “As I was saying, Lizzy was rushing to her room, and it appeared that tears were streaming down her face—” “Lizzy was crying?” came the voic
[LIZZY] After an entire day of shopping, where we spent every last cent on Vector’s card, we finally leave the upscale mall and make our way to our boats. I must admit, I had my doubts when we boarded that plane and flew straight to Venice. However, returning here isn’t so bad. While I still have some unpleasant memories associated with this city that occasionally haunt me, I can’t ignore the fact that I also have some wonderful ones. I remember mom taking me to one of those gondolas. I remember her dancing in the rain when sickness hadn’t claimed her health. I remember how my dad used to bring candies and toys from various foreign places he used to travel to due to his work with the mafia. And then there was Rose. Zarina. Hazel. And Vector, too. Though he did end up hurting me in the worst way possible, I cannot deny what we had—what I felt for him once upon a time. A gentle tug on my hand jolts me back to the present, reminding me to focus on the here and now rather than getti
[VECTOR]After Lizzy falls asleep, I roll over on my back and stare up at the ceiling. I don’t know what it is—but it’s obvious that something is eating her from the inside. Is it only the guilt of lying to a kid about the death of his parents, or is it something entirely else?Something tells me there is more to the story than what’s in front of my eyes.I turn on my side and look at Lizzy’s sleeping form. She is curled up facing me, her eyes gently shut, the leftover tears glistening on her lashes. I move some curls that had fallen on her face and put them behind her shoulder.I still remember the day I saw her for the first time after she ran away from Venice. It was years later, when she was crossing the road, holding a kid close to her chest. She had a bag on her back, her dark-as-night hair floating behind her as the wind blew in the opposite direction to where she was heading. Even with so many changes she had made to herself, it didn’t take me a fraction of a second to know it
[XAVIER]“Elena and Francesca are planning a sleepover at Elena, do you think I can go, papa?” Hazel asks, as she steals another bite of pasta from my plate, completely ignoring her burger and fries that are going cold, no doubt.We are sitting in on the rooftop dining at Bella Italia which gives a fabulous view of the Venetian lagoon and St. Mark’s Square. Gondolas line the nearby dock as the sun gets ready to set behind the horizon. The air feels cooler than usual for a summer day, and the restaurant’s soft chatter blends with the songs coming from the passing boats.There are families and couples all around us but it’s still more peaceful than most of the Italian eating joints nearby. After my three days business trip wrapped up yesterday, I landed in Venice this morning and the first thing I did was to take my daughter for dinner. We chose Hazel’s favorite restaurant. One of her friend’s fathers owns this place but she likes the food and as well as the scenic view it offers during
[LIZZY]The first thing that crossed my mind the moment my eyes opened was: why the hell was I in his bed all over again?Did I learn nothing from the past?Was I that dumb to not take the hint?I groaned and stuffed my face back into the pillow.After that, I took a moment to look around, and sighed in relief when Vector was nowhere in the room. He might have left early for work.Thank goodness.I didn’t think I could survive another blow to my self-esteem by falling for his sweet talk again.That would be incredibly embarrassing, and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with that. Shaking my head, I forced myself out of bed and let out a yawn, stretching my arms above my head.After showing and flaunting my new denim jeans and a black crop top—bought with Vector’s cash—I wondered if he had noticed that his bank account had taken a massive hit.And if he had, why hadn’t he confronted me yet?Maybe he still hadn’t figured out that it was me who drained his card, not Hazel. Honestly, I’d be ly
[VECTOR]I didn’t expect myself to get so invested in that kid’s sickness—I had hundreds of jobs to do, and piles of paperwork to go through. But for some reason, my mind chose to disregard all the deadlines and fixate on Lizzy and the kid she brought along, the one who stuck to her like an annoying little monkey.But maybe he wasn’t the reason. Even though the doctor assured me that there was nothing to worry about and the kid had just caught a flu, possibly due to the unusual weather in recent days, I still couldn’t bring myself to leave for work. Venice could be quite unbearable for someone who wasn’t accustomed to the local climate.It was Lizzy I was worried about. I had been informed by the household staff that she wasn’t taking care of herself as a young woman her age should. She frequently skipped meals, completely focused on the kids.At first, it was only Joey, so she usually found time to take small breaks. That kid, surprisingly, wasn’t all that nuts. Nothing like Nico. I
NOTE: If you feel lost, please refer to the chapter named "THE CROWS" to understand this chapter better.Time: The time of the explosionPlace: New York[TREVOR]Sometimes I can’t help but question why things ended up so messed up. Why did my dad have to be such a jerk, and why did my mom never stand up for herself when that jerk would beat me to a pulp? I know why. I know now. She was damn scared. Scared of the monster she married—the one she slept next to. Scared of the monster she couldn’t protect her children and herself from.Most people run away from the shit that scares them.Only a few crazy fucks like me run towards it.“This is a fucking disaster!” I grit my teeth, standing in the shadows and watching the house burn down. The fire devours what used to be a beautiful home, leaving only ashes behind for the mourners to cry over.“No kidding!” Cyrus mutters from behind, leaning on his bike with his arms crossed.We stand there for a while, watching the firefighters do their bes
[LIZZY]After Joey falls asleep, I finally heed Gemma, one of the chef’s assistants, who has been persistently calling me to join them for dinner. My grumbling stomach bullies me to give in, and I make my way downstairs. As soon as Gemma spots me descending, she quickly scrambles to the kitchen and then hurries over with a kind smile.“Don’t worry about the boy. I informed the chef you’re coming, and she’s already warming the food.”Grateful for their support, I reciprocate the smile. I can sense that Vector is likely the reason everyone is on edge, but there’s something more than just fear driving the staff to care. They genuinely appear concerned about Joey and truly want to help in any way they can.Just the thought of it fills my heart with warmth.At first, I was a bit cautious—and maybe a little bitch—about their growing involvement with Joey. I didn’t quite appreciate the attention they were giving him. But now I see that it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Joey doesn’t have many