“This is an unannounced visit, Marchetti.” Enrico said, signaling his men to leave them two in the room.“Pardon. I have an important matter to discuss with you, Mr. Giordano.” Leo sat on a single sofa like a king. He doesn’t mind how intimidating Enrico’s presence is. He is not called Marchettis’ Mafia Boss for nothing.“What do you want?” Enrico asks while lighting his cigarette. “Your daughter Mariella…” “Mariella?” Enrico creased his forehead. He didn’t expect his daughter to be involved with—wait. “Haven’t you moved on yet, Marchetti? My daughter forgot about you. Leave her alone.”“She signed a contract with me.”“Signed a contract? She’s just a f*cking twelve-year-old girl. How can she sign a contract with you in the first place? She’s under my custody—”“But never prioritize her. I get it,” Leo sarcastically said. “I’m just informing you, Mr. Giordano. In exchange for teaching my little sister in academics, I will start the renovation of her old villa which is within your pr
"Mariella!""Mirabella, what on earth are you doing here?" It surprises her to see her twin sister tied in the basement. No one's around so she easily gets inside the room."Your husband! He... He will kill me. Please... Help me!""W-What? He'll never do it. He has principles. He will never hurt women or children." She knows her husband, his principles were proven and tested."Have you already forgotten what he had done to our mother? He killed her! He killed her in front of you!" Fear... the expression shows on Mariella's face. "Untie me! Faster!"With trembling hands, and with fear that Leo, her husband, will kill her sister like he did to her mom, she immediately unties the rope around Mirabella’s wrists and makes her free."What the fuck are you doing here?" Leo's baritone voice echoes inside the room that makes shivers down her spine. Mariella hides her sister on her back and fiercely faces her husband."I am the one who should ask! Why is my sister here? What has she done for you
"I'm excited!" Marcella gently touches her belly. "Oh! The baby kicked. Feel it." She holds her husband's hand and puts it on her belly. His face brightens as he feels that the baby kicked again."I'm happy to see you happy." He smiles and kisses Marcella's palm. "Thank you for enduring everything, mia amata.""I'm really excited to know our baby's gender." Enrico carefully guides his wife to go downstairs. Her pregnancy is quite sensitive so he gives her extra care and attention especially that she is carrying his heir."I hope it's a girl." The curve on her lips is constant and her eyes are twinkling as she imagines herself carrying her little one."I want a boy." Enrico utters unconsciously that makes Marcella stop."But I want a girl." Her eyes become teary and emotional."Don't... Don't cry, mia amata." He is used to her sudden changes of emotion since she conceived their first child. "I would gladly accept our little one no matter what gender he or she is.""Really?""Yes. Shh."
Five years later..."Mariella? Mariella?" Marcella just enters a small villa, meters away from the mansion. "Where are you, piccolina?""Mamma!" A little one behind hugs Marcella's legs."Piccolina!" Marcella lifts her four-year-old daughter who is giggling. They faces each other and lightly hit their noses."Good morning, mamma!""Good morning! How's your sleep, hm?" Marcella sweetly asks her daughter who is still wearing her pajamas."I'm good. I dreamed about fireflies, mamma!" Her little eyes are twinkling while talking about her favorite. "They're so beautiful, and I want to see many, many fireflies!""Aw... There are no fireflies here, piccolina." Marcella lightly pinches her daughter’s cheek."Hm..." The little one's face saddens. "I will find one."Marcella just smiles and looks at the servant who has just arrived to serve breakfast."Let's eat.""Okay!" Mariella goes down and runs toward the dining table where the food is served."Mamma, when will I see, pàpa? Can't he visit
Everything’s not okay in the first place. Mariella turns her back to them and just walks away as if nothing happened.“I’ll accompany her—”“Don’t Elmo. Just let her.” Enrico said before turning his back too.“But…”“Elmo.”“Yes, uncle.” Elmo sighs in defeat while watching Mariella go. He can’t understand but the first time he saw Mariella, there’s a strange feeling inside him. He wants to know her.Marcella wants to watch her daughter until she reaches the borders but her husband calls immediately. She can’t disobey him or else they will argue again. Mariella, on the other hand, looks back when she steps outside the borders.Little Mirabella is looking at Mariella while her arms are wrapped around her father’s neck. It is their first encounter, Mirabella’s shocked and confused because of her young age. ‘I don’t like her.’ Words pop in Mirabella’s mind before looking away and tightens her grip on Enrico.+++“You promised that she will never step inside the borders no matter what!”
To protect oneself is to first know how to fight."Focus on the target." Marcella positions herself and closes her left eye to focus the other one on the red dot at the center of the target board. "Hold the trigger and once you're sure, pull it."Marcella pulls the trigger, without sweat, she smirks while looking at the hole she made. Mariella looks at her mother with amusement in her eyes before diverting her gaze into the target board."Wow…" Mariella runs toward the board and checks on the hole. "You're amazing, mamma." She smiles at her mother."Do you want to try?""Of course. Of course!" Marcella is about to hand her the gun but she withdraws before Mariella could even touch the dangerous thing. "Careful, okay?"Mariella nods, looking at the gun in front of her. "Look at me, piccolina." Marcella wants to see the eagerness in Mariella's eyes. She wans to know if she really wanted the thing Marcella loved the most. "Piccolina…""Yes, mamma. I will be careful." She said with hon
"Mariella, you shouldn't have been entertaining them." Marcella is stressed out when she finds out what happened between the twins. “Between you two, you should have understood it the most. You’re more mature than your sister, Mariella.”"You too, mamma?" Mariella looks at Marcella with teary eyes. "You will scold me like papà do?""Piccolina, mamma isn't scolding you." Marcella closes her eyes and makes up the right words to tell. "I'm just saying... you shouldn't have to uhm... God this is too complicated to explain." She mumbles."Papà..." Mariella stares on the ground while reminiscing the moment she pointed her sword unto Mirabella, ignoring her mother's words. "He doesn't like me...""What?" Marcella immediately looks at her and feels the heavy atmosphere around her daughter. "Mariella. Don't say that---""He doesn't love me like what you've said. You lied mamma. You lied!""No... Piccolina. Please have patience. Understand your papà, hm?" Marcella holds her shoulders and asks e
Happiness… easily appears, same as when it disappears. “Are you ready, piccolina?” Marcella enters Mariella’s room to check on her.“Am I pretty with this dress mamma?” Mariella is giggling while playing with the blue gown she is wearing. She’s like a princess in a Disney movie.“You’re always pretty whatever you wear, piccolina.” Marcella sweetly smiles at Mariella while caressing her cheek. “Really, mamma? You're not lying?” Mariella asks while looking at her mother in the reflection of the mirror in front of them.“Mamma isn’t lying, piccolina.” Marcella’s heart slightly breaks because Mariella seems to start doubting everything she is saying. “Mamma?” “Yes, piccolina?” “Don’t leave me, hm?” She presses her lips into a thin line. “Mamma won’t leave you until you can stand on your own. I promise.” Marcella gently makes Mariella turn to face her. “Please, piccolina. Don’t doubt me, it really breaks my heart.”“Breaks your heart?” Mariella asks with widened eyes. “Hm…”“Oh… don’
“This is an unannounced visit, Marchetti.” Enrico said, signaling his men to leave them two in the room.“Pardon. I have an important matter to discuss with you, Mr. Giordano.” Leo sat on a single sofa like a king. He doesn’t mind how intimidating Enrico’s presence is. He is not called Marchettis’ Mafia Boss for nothing.“What do you want?” Enrico asks while lighting his cigarette. “Your daughter Mariella…” “Mariella?” Enrico creased his forehead. He didn’t expect his daughter to be involved with—wait. “Haven’t you moved on yet, Marchetti? My daughter forgot about you. Leave her alone.”“She signed a contract with me.”“Signed a contract? She’s just a f*cking twelve-year-old girl. How can she sign a contract with you in the first place? She’s under my custody—”“But never prioritize her. I get it,” Leo sarcastically said. “I’m just informing you, Mr. Giordano. In exchange for teaching my little sister in academics, I will start the renovation of her old villa which is within your pr
CHAPTER 24“Then… You’re hired.” “Hired?” Mariella asks in disbelief. “I haven’t agreed yet. No, scratch that, I already refused so…” Mariella grabs the box of her half-empty Cannoli, and is about to leave when Leo talks again.“What do you want for you to accept being Luna’s tutor?”“I don’t want anything.” Mariella firmly uttered.“Money? Own a car? A piece of land? A renovation of your villa? Name your price.” Leo starts negotiating. He does not want to let this opportunity slip away from his grasp.When Leo mentioned the villa, Mariella was tempted. She misses the old times, especially her mother. She sighed heavily, her thoughts were fighting whether to accept the offer or be firm on her first decision, ignore it. “I will… think about it.” Mariella said before leaving the bread shop. Leo, on the other hand, followed her using his gaze. He doesn’t know if there is a higher chance that Mariella will accept the offer because her back was on them when she answered.“I really hope t
The night is deep and it is time for Mariella to sleep but she first ensures that the door and windows are locked. Even if she uttered words like she’s ready to die, as a twelve-year-old girl, fear still seeps throughout her well-being that someone might enter her room and hurt her or at worst assassinate her. Mariella heard heavy and in a rush footsteps, and also muffled voices on the ground floor. Seems like they are having a chaos. When she looks through her window, many men in black, probably Giordano's men are going inside the vans. Despite the curiosity, Mariella just let it slide because it is definitely none of her business.The next day came, Mariella’s ready to attend her classes when she heard two of the family servants talking in the hallway.“Are they dead?”“I heard they are in a critical condition but still alive.”“For sure, the family will be thrilled and threatened. It’s an uproar to the Giordanos.”“You’re right. We might get involved if something worse happened.”
One afternoon, Mariella arrived at Giordano mansion after school. She stares at the mansion for a moment feeling a bit uncomfortable since she felt living in a strange house. Noise from the field not so far from the entrance caught her attention. Mariella's cousins are playing around with guns and other dangerous equipment. Mariella's day was disturbed when one of them saw her. "Hey, b*tch! Come here!" Mariella ignored."I said, come here!"She walked faster."Get her!"The man in black grabs Mariella's arms and drags her until they reach the open field. "Let me go!" Mariella tries to free herself from their grip but what can a twelve-year-old girl do against those strong muscled men? Nothing.They throw Mariella in front of the five young Giordanos who are older than her. She's the youngest among their generation. "You," Elio, the eldest and Elmo's older brother, grabs Mariella's collar and pulls her to stand. "Don't look at me like that."Mariella does not notice how her eyes
“Good morning, senorita.” The servant gets inside Mariella’s room and puts the tray of breakfast meal on the round table near the glass door which is connected to the balcony.It’s a usual day for her, waking up in the morning, one of the servants delivers her food whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner, then prepares for school, and a guard assigned to her drops and fetches her at school. It’s been a dull cycle in her everyday life since she stays in the mansion.Mariella usually spends most of her time inside that room for the fear of her family members who aim to slay her. She always feels anxious and cannot sleep peacefully at night.“Hi,” Mirabella is all smiling while peeping at Mariella’s door. She doesn’t even knock but Mariella ignores it and just focuses on eating her breakfast.“Can I join you?” Mirabella asks while holding her tray. She puts the tray across Mariella’s without waiting for her permission as if she’s not asking but just informing her.“Papa’s went somewhere
“Whoa…” Amusement dances in Marcello’s eyes while scanning his niece from head to toe. Mariella’s just wearing a simple knee-length peachy dress, bought by her mother a month before her death. “You look stunning tonight.”“Uh… Thanks.” It feels like she was complimented by Marcella because for the record, Marcello looks like a boy version of her mother.“Let’s go?” Mariella nods and follows her uncle to the back gate where his car is parked. “Hope you like what I’ve chosen for you. Not good at picking perfect restos.” He laughs at his own thoughts. “Just doing this for the sake of your mother’s wish, ugh… didn’t know it’s her last though.” Marcello gives Mariella a quick glance before turning his sight on the road. She’s not talking and just looking somewhere, nowhere but she’s listening.“Wishing her to be here.” She whispers but enough for Marcello to hear her.“Not good at comforting but… yah know, at least… she’s still in your heart, right? Don’t miss her too much, kid. It will
“Mamma…” Mariella touches Marcella’s gravestone. Tears keep running down her cheeks and she doesn’t bother to wipe it. She is left alone with her uncle in the cemetery since the rain starts pouring so hard as if the sky feels her sorrow, and wants to join Mariella’s grieving heart.“Let’s go,” Marcello said while holding a black umbrella to cover Mariella who was kneeling on the mud. He ignores the fact that he starts getting soaked. “Get up. You’ll get sick.” He pulls her and with lifeless eyes, Mariella just stares at the gravestone. She lets her uncle pull her away until they get inside the car.Silently, she watches the rain sliding through the car’s glass window. Due to the heavy rain, the surroundings got kind of foggy. Marcello doesn’t utter a word while driving. He knew his niece. She needs quiet time to think. She just lost her mother.“Let me live with you, uncle.” She said while still looking outside, silently hoping that her beloved uncle would agree to her wish.“Sorry, k
“Run.” “Ah!” —“Ahhh!” “Señorita! Señorita!” Two of the servants immediately ran when they heard Mariella’s scream. “Mamma! Where’s mamma?” She’s out of control. “Let me go! I don’t need you! Where’s mamma?!” “Señorita, calm down! Señorita!” “I said, let me go!” Mariella snatches the bread knife on the tray beside her and sways it into the air. Out of fear, the servants step backward while shockingly looking at Mariella. They gulp and beads of cold sweat form on their foreheads. “Get out!” They almost stumble to rush outside the room. Mariella’s fuming mad and throws the knife and it jabs into the wooden frame of a large portrait inside that room. Her eyebrows furrow when she stares at the portrait in front of her. It confuses her, is it she or her twin sister Mirabella? Her eyes look around and the room is very unfamiliar. She sets her feet on the carpeted floor and begins to walk but she falls on the ground when she feels her knees weaken. Mariella’s sight doubles so she sh
"Your birthday's around the corner. What do you want?" Marcella asks while having breakfast with Mariella. She's turning twelve and she can't think of the gift."Just a simple celebration, mamma." She responds since Mirabella will celebrate too and it will probably be grand because she's the heir."Sure, whatever you want." Marcella smiles at her daughter before finishing her meal and leaves Mariella to take care of.Mariella always wonders if her mother doesn't get tired of taking care of the two of them."I'm gone for a week to do business stuff." Leo suddenly appears in front of her and speaks. She just got outside the campus after a long tiring day.Mariella just raises her eyebrow, looking at him who is waiting for her response, while her arms are crossed on her chest."You might think I ditch you—""I don't have to know your whereabouts.""You might miss me, you know?""As if." She slightly scoffs and starts walking but Leo follows her."Wanna have some Cannoli?""No thanks.""C