MASSIMO'S ISLAND

Ariana's POV~

“I heard footsteps approaching and I quickly ran into the room just adjacent to the one holding Serena, I heard it stop, and then a knock followed.

“still alive in there daughter?” I heard a voice belonging to my father call, but Serena didn't respond, and then I heard a loud kick on the door with his cane.

“You should have come straight to me instead of running to Mateo, you traitorous bitch, have I taught you nothing?” he said, and more silence followed. 

“ you know I knew sooner or later, that swine would fuck one of you, with Ariana away I thought you could seduce him the day of the boat party, what? He didn't find you appealing enough? You know this is crucial, and now the useless daughter I can't control is the one holding all the fucking cards” he continued.

My heart broke, not for me but for Serena, all this while I had judged her so harshly when all the while she had been doing our father’s doing.

My eyes started to water, and I felt ashamed, for leaving my baby sisters when they needed me, is luna also this way? Have I been blind all this while?

“You are a horrible man and I wish you were dead, and I hope you die soon” I heard her reply faintly, he rattled on the door angrily.

“Not if you die first! you ugly bitch, by morning you will be leaving for Massimo’s island” he finished and clanged his can on the floor with a thud.

My heart sank, no! Not Massimo’s island.

“Father, don't do it! I don't want to go back there!” I heard Serena’s loud voice, “You should have thought about that before you ran to Mateo when you should have come to me!” he exclaimed. 

“Isn't that too much though,  massimo’s island surely is too steep a punishment” I heard another voice say as he approached, it was Silvio.

“Serena is no concern of yours, you have Ariana now, and whatever debt I have is cleared, it would insult me to hear otherwise any longer, and I can finally return to the inner circle, don't fuck with me Silvio, Mateo is dead now, I do not need any more fuck ups,” my father said.

I froze where I stood, I quietly leaned on the wall and held my hand to my mouth as I tried to hold back the scream, I was furious, I wanted to pick up the sword hanging in the corner of the room and slice my father in half.

“Is he? we didn't find his body after the smoke cleared up, and you were nowhere to be found either” Silvio said, my palms started feeling sweaty, does he suspect Mateo is still alive?

“don't be stupid Silvio, no one can survive that, he is not made of steel, you blew a fucking hole through his back, I'm sure one of his henchmen picked up his carcass, he is long gone,” my father said, there was silence then Silvio replied.

“He is called the shadow for a reason,” Silvio added.

My father laughed. 

“Even shadows disappear when the light comes on, stop worrying about that yellow head of yours, just marry the damned girl,” my father replied tapping his shoulders, I heard his footsteps recede into the hallway but not Silvio’s.

“Why did you come back? What are you trying to achieve?” he inquired, all we heard was Serena’s sobbing.

 “I can get him not to send you away if you tell me the truth, did Mateo put you up to this?” he asked again, I heard Serena laugh.

“you think you can get my father to change his mind, then you truly do not know who my father is, I saw you put something in Ariana’s drink, I had to stage that fight to save her from gulping down the whole shit, you are just as worse as my father” she finished.

Tears started flowing down my face, she tried to save me.

I fell to the floor sobbing softly.

 “Maybe a summer at Massimo’s will recalibrate your thoughts,” he said with a grin.

 “fuck off Silvio,” she said.

 “I'm sure you are dying for it, I saw the way you looked at me, I know you want me,” he said, I felt my throat tighten in disgust and I clenched my fist in anger, 

“I wouldn't fuck you even if you were the last man on earth, you disgusting pig, I've heard about the things you like, you are a true monster” she responded.

He banged his fist against the door angrily.

“I could break down this door and take you right now and no one would give a shit! Be careful the kind of lies you spread Serena Rinaldi, you should have run back to your father when you had a chance” he responded.

“I need to clear the air with my fiance, make sure she’s not having any wild thoughts,” he said, I quickly sprang up.

No! I'm about to be caught! 

“Hey, brother! I've been looking for you all over'' I heard light footsteps running towards him, 

“Sophia, stop running, what if you fall? What’s the matter?” he asked, calming his panting sister.

“Stop being icky” she laughed.

 “you know I can take care of myself” she added.

 “Dad needs you, he is in his study, mom and I have been looking for you, what are you doing here?”’ she inquired. 

“Nothing, let's go, he must need my thoughts about something,” he said.

 “ Ohh let me guess, it's another secret sale I can't EVER know about,” she asked. 

I heard Silvio laugh.

“You are too snoopy, come on let's go,” he said. I heard their footsteps recede into the hallway.

I peeped out of the door, and ran to Serena's door, “I'm bursting you out tonight after the party, tell Mateo I'll be waiting for him” I said and bolted out of the east wing, careful not to be spotted.