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Chapter Ninety Eight
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2024-11-22 04:31:39Related chapters
Re-Arranged Prologue
Time. It was a funny thing. Confusing and scary, dreadful. For some, it was much more positive than that. They found hope in time. "Time heals all wounds." They looked forward to the next day ⏤ the next week ⏤ month ⏤ year, and so on. They anticipated getting older and the change that time would bring them. The wisdom and knowledge ⏤ the experiences they would have in that time, the ones you're told to enjoy because they happen in the best years of your life and time flies, so you're supposed to enjoy it while it lasts. Liviana never knew what the hell those people were talking about. "Time flies," yet her days dragged on until she gave up and ended them early, crawling into her bed at merely 6pm just to make it feel like the day was over and she had made it. "Time heals all wounds," but why hadn't it healed hers? She still sat in pain, waiting for it to lessen with each passing day, but it never did. If anything, it only hurt worse. Time is something Liviana hated. She loath
Re-Arranged Chapter One | Sacrifice
"I can't do it Livi. I have to go ⏤ I have to run." "No, you can't!" "I do." Emilia says, cupping her little sister's cheek, a sad smile gracing her lips. "And I need you to let me." "But what about me? A- And Tino?" Liviana stutters out excuses, trying to find a reason for her sister to stay. "You can't leave us here. We won't make it. We need you." "You don't need me." Emilia assures. "You never did. You're strong Livi, you always have been. The only thing I did was remind you." "And I need you to keep reminding me." "You don't." She shakes her head, pulling the girl into a hug when the tears start to fall. "You don't need me, Livi, you never have. If anything, I needed you." "Then why are you leaving me?" Liviana cries, burying her face into her sister's shoulder as she holds onto her tightly, as if it was the last hug they would ever have. As far as she knew, it was. "I'm not leaving you. I'm leaving them." She corrects. "I can't marry a man I've never met. I can't marry s
Re-Arranged Chapter Two | To Start A Life Built On Lies
"He's here." The words Liviana Santora had been anticipating all week, ever since she made the deal of marrying Blaze in place of her sister, just so Emilia could be free. Livi had spent the past seven days preparing for this moment, the moment she would meet the man she was to spend the rest of her life with. But despite all the time she took to in convincing herself everything would be fine, she still couldn't help but panic at her brother's words. He was here. Blaze Castelli ⏤ her fiance ⏤ the man she was marrying in only a few days, and the one she hadn't met yet. How was she supposed to marry a man she's never even met? Well, she figured they had the rest of their lives to get to know each other. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe Emilia was wrong and this wouldn't be the thing to end her life ⏤ maybe it was the thing that would finally start it. "Take a deep breath." Tino advised, placing his hands on her shoulders, trying to comfort her in any way he could, though he wasn'
Re-Arranged Chapter Three | The First Dinner
The two families sat at the large dining table together, Liviana placed between Leona and Tino, sitting across from Blaze, who still refused to acknowledge her existence. Silence surrounded them and so far, no one dared to break it. Liviana sat nervously in her seat, lip pulled between her teeth as her eyes traveled over the new faces surrounding her, anxiously awaiting to see who would speak first. She didn't have to wait long. "The food is lovely." Elara compliments, looking over the Santora's in question. "Who made it?" "The chef." Alonso answers. Elara nods. "Well, they did a wonderful job." Drusilla nods with a smile, quietly agreeing with her, though says nothing else ⏤ about to allow the silence to return. But Elara wouldn't let that happen. "So, Liviana, tell us about yourself." She says, asking a question when Livi draws a blank. "How old were you again?" "I'm twenty-four." Comes Liviana's answer, still clearly uncomfortable as she only glances up at her, focusing her
Re-Arranged Chapter Four | Officially Engaged
Dinner ended soon after that, when Elara brought up the possibility of Liviana becoming the next mafia queen.Conversation died down and as soon as their dishes were empty, everyone rushed off in desperation of getting away from the tension that just kept getting thicker with each passing second, suffocating them all slowly.“Blaze, Liviana, could you follow us up to the office, please?” Alonzo requests, his respectful side coming out for their guests. It was a tone rarely heard within the four walls of the Santora’s home, not unless there was someone Alonzo and Drusilla wanted to impress.Liviana ducks her head, giving a curt nod as she pushes out of her seat, following her parents and the three Castelli’s out of the dining room, leaving the rest behind to mingle.“You have a lovely home.” Elara compliments as they walk the halls leading to Alonzo’s office.“Thank you, Elara. We try our best to keep it perfect.” Drusilla says, glancing back at her daughter with a judgemental glint in
Re-Arranged Chapter Five | Nearlyweds
One night. Ten hours. Six hundred minutes.The amount of time left before Liviana would be walking down the aisle and into the arms of her new life, when she would say “I do” and kiss the lips of the stranger she would spend her life with, building a life together for nothing more than their parents’ businesses.A marriage being built on lies.But it wasn’t just the marriage, it was her whole life. How was she supposed to live in a world where nothing was real? Nothing is true or significant. Not even now.Her entire life she had been hiding behind a curtain of perfection, hung by her parents, who would flash their pretty smiles to deceive everyone and distract from their flaws and the secrets hidden behind their dazzling eyes.That has always been her life, and she was tired of it. Tired of living behind the curtains and witnessing all the horror they’ve managed to hide for too long. She was tired. And she wished she could have escaped the false world they painted, but instead, she t
Re-Arranged Chapter Six | A Night Of Worry
The evening was spent sipping on fancy champagne glasses and complimenting the expensive booze while picking at the platters of fruits, vegetables and cheese the waiters carried around to serve the room full of people who were practically famous, and not all just for business reasons.It was a room full of dangerous people, one’s known to be involved with crime and others simply suspected, but there were very few guests with a certain innocence, who were either clueless or reckless enough to have befriended these people. It was hard to spot a guest with that title of innocence, though. Next to impossible, really. Which is why a good number of people in the room were also dressed in uniforms that read “security”, standing out from the sea of women dressed in lavish dresses with faces full of makeup and jewelry to match, and the men in dapper suits who sported just as expensive accessories as watches and rings.Everyone was trying to outdo the next person, showing off how much they had,
Re-Arranged Chapter Seven | This Morning Marks
Today was the day.The day that everyone has been looking forward to all month ⏤ that was everyone expect the bride and groom, who couldn’t possibly dread the day ahead of them anymore. The day they would join their lives and tie souls together forever, giving their hearts away and promising “till death do us part”, as if they had a choice.The morning was pure chaos. Liviana, who hadn’t slept a wink, was forced out of the safety of her bed at merely six in the morning to get ready, welcoming Leona and Violet into her room after they had nearly taken the hotel door down with their fists, pounding until they woke the whole floor and succeeded at getting inside to Livi, who was less than pleased at their arrival, despite how fond she has grown of the two women.“Well,” Leona whistles, taking in the girl’s zombie-like demeanor. “Someone is not a morning person.”“You are not a morning person.” Violet points out, giving her a look before turning to Liviana. “What’s wrong, hon? And I mean,
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Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Eight
Strolling through the hedges was difficult - awkward - and the Santora siblings couldn't handle it. They absolutely hated this heavy feeling hanging between them. Never have they ever felt so detached."Where are we going?" Tino asks, glancing around at the tall rose bushes that kept them secluded. "And why is it so freaking far?" He complains, quickening his pace to catch up to that of his nervous sister, who remains silent. "Liv?""Uh," she mutters, glancing over her shoulder at the young man. "Just... follow me," she says, insisting he not question it. Right now, she was only doing what was best for the both of them, and she needed him to trust that. "We need to get away for this, okay? It's important that no one overhears us."She couldn't risk their parents finding out about her betrayal. They would behead her at the first opportunity."Okay..." he trails, eyes narrowing at the back of his sister's head. "But why?""Because..." she shrugs it off, admitting in a whisper, "it's saf
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Seven
Liviana didn't know what to do with herself.After her argument with Tino, it was as if the thoughts doubled in tenfold and her mind couldn't - wouldn't - stop. All night she was forced to sit with herself, overwhelmed by her endless thoughts and memories while she retraced every inch and wondered, where did it all go wrong?She would look back on her life, spending hours sorting through all the memories, and it was as if every time she did, she could spot a new lie. It didn't take long for her to have a mental list going, and the more she added, the more she wondered, was any of it real? Where did the lies stop? Where did this act she perfected end? When was enough, enough? Nothing was ever enough for Drusilla and Alonzo - Livi scoffs at the thought, turning over where she lies in her bed. And then came the dreaded thought. What about her siblings? One was dead, one disappeared, and the other seemingly despised her. Her eyes water at the thought, and she pulls the blanket over her
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Six
The moment Liviana left the restaurant that night, it felt as if she was walking into a world void of air. It was as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the planet - if not just her lungs - and she couldn't breathe for days afterward. It was all too heavy, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. How does one go about their life knowing that nothing was as it seems? Knowing that, at any God given moment, it could all be taken away from her? How was she supposed to go about her day knowing that each second could be her last? She just couldn't.Liviana was no stranger when it came to living her life in fear. She knew paranoia all too well, almost like an old friend she was introduced to by none other than her parents. Childhood was rough, and Liviana could say with confidence that she was raised in fear. It surrounded her. It became her. She was scared of everything. And that was always her biggest problem.After dinner with the detective, Liviana only grew all the more paranoi
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Five
A younger Liviana wrung her hands together as she climbed the stairs, following her mother's bellows all the way to her bedroom door. "Liviana?!"She flinches at the screech of her name, taking a step back to compose herself. "Breathe," she reminds herself, stilling for that of second before she's startled by another shout of her name. "Shit," she curses, rounding the corner into her mother's bedroom and asking, "yes, mom?""Finally!" Drusilla throws her arms up. "Where in God's name have you been?" She demands, asking what had taken her so long. "Didn't you hear me calling?""I'm sorry, mom," Liviana apologizes. "I was outside with-""I don't care to hear your excuses, young lady!" Drusilla scoffs, scolding the girl for her lack of responsibility. "What if I was hurt, hmm?" She questions. "What if I was in danger? Or worse, dying? What would you have to say for yourself then, huh?""I'm sorry-"Drusilla scoffs once again. "Your apologies mean nothing to me, Liviana. Do better!" She
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Four
Blaze could practically feel his heart tie itself into a knot in his chest at the sound of another distraction. Would he ever get the timing right? He sighs at the thought, turning around to greet the man, whose voice he recognizes immediately."Bryce," he greets, pushing out of his chair and offering the man his hand to shake. "There you are! We were beginning to think you got lost.""What can I say? I run on my own time." Bryce shrugs it off, giving Blaze's hand a shake before he rounds the table to take the seat across from the 'happy couple.'"That would have been something to mention days ago when we arranged this meeting," Blaze points, and the detective rolls his eyes. "I specifically asked for a time that suited you-""I'm here, aren't I?"Blaze only hums, narrowing his eyes at his 'old friend', and Liviana coughs."Uh- Blaze," she murmurs, reaching to take his hand in hers and giving it a gentle tug with a silent demand- if not a gentle ask for him to sit. "He's here. That's
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Three
"Are you sure about this?" Liviana asked, sparing a paranoid glance over her shoulder in worry. She couldn't believe they were doing this."Yep," Emilia nods, marching through their parents' garage with a determination Livi had never seen in her sister until now. And in all honesty, the look in her eyes scared Liviana, and she couldn't help but disagree."I don't know about this," she says, slowing to a stop and looking back at the elevator they had come from, scared of who could follow. "I think we should just go back-""Livi!" Emilia throws her head back with a groan. "Come on, it's fine! Just come look before you leave-""But what if-""What if we live a little?" Emilia cuts her sister off, spinning on her heels to face her sister with the question. "What if we do this and it's the best night of our lives?"Liviana frowns, arms crossing over her chest as she ponders the thought. Would one night be worth it? "What if it's not?""But what if it is?" Emilia stresses. "We'll never know
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety Two
"I hate them!"A young Liviana startled in her seat when, out of nowhere, her bedroom door is thrown open and Emilia storms into her room with the complaint. "I hate it here," the older sister pouted, kicking the door shut behind her before collapsing onto her sister's satin sheets, climbing into the bed with her to vent. "I can't wait to grow up and leave. I need to get out of here!"Livi frowns, reaching over to gently pat Emilia's back, watching as she takes a moment to bury her face in a pillow and scream. She couldn't help but chuckle as she observed the action, asking the dreadful question only after her sister quieted. "What did they do now?"Emilia pushes herself up, propping herself up on her elbows to face her sister, who frowns at the sight of tears glistening in Emilia's eyes. "They lied," she says. "Again."Head tilting in her confusion, Liviana asks, "what?" She questions softly. "What did they lie about?""The car," Emilia answers, watching as her sister grows all the
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety One
It was as if the moment the words left her mouth, the world around them changed. Life was different. Liviana couldn't explain how, as it was a mere feeling- a pang in her heart every so often as she becomes painfully aware of her situation.The realization hit like a truck when the thought first crossed her mind. She didn't want to believe it, but there was a nagging feeling in her gut that told her something was wrong, and she needed to look deeper. It was over the course of a week, after days of trying to ignore that unsettling feeling stirring inside her, that Liviana's demeanor began to crack and the thoughts she had tried so hard to ignore became all she could think about. They consumed her, and soon, they were the only thing on her mind. She should have known it would have come spilling out of her sooner or later- she never had been good at secrets of her own.Liviana hoped that telling Blaze would help. She wasn't sure how as there was nothing he could do- he was a mere listene
Re-Arranged Chapter Ninety
The question plagued Liviana's mind, and it didn't take long for the fear and worry to join it.She couldn't stop thinking about it. Why would Emilia run away when it seems as though she already had everything worked out? She had a plan, and Emilia had always been strict with her practicality. What would be grave enough to have her abandoned it all completely? What could possibly be so bad that it would make Emilia abandon her family? Her siblings? Liviana didn't understand. It was all so sudden, and yet, that night, she never thought to question it.Liviana cursed herself for being so thoughtless, though she couldn't hold herself at fault entirely. Back then, she had no reason to question her sister - who had mentioned running away more times than she could remember during their youth. In all honesty, Livi believed it was only a matter of time before Emilia snapped and finally went through with it. And though she missed her sister dearly, she could never blame or resent Emilia for he
