SOPHIA GOES OFF

Ariana’s pov~

“I know you let it happen! I know you are the reason Serena got sent off to Massimo’s island! I couldn't get here fast enough to convince your father to send you instead! The horrors she will face! My poor child” my stepmother yelled, she clenched Tomas’s hand too roughly, and the child winced in pain, I smiled at my uncomfortable baby brother.

“Mama” he called weakly but his mother didn't hear him, she was enraged, I gathered myself from the floor and faced her. “You are hurting me mama” he called again.

She turned to him, “How did I give birth to a weakling like you! Get out of my sight, you disgust me!” she yelled at the boy, she let go of his hand and he ran out of the building.

 one of the bodyguards took hold of him before he could cross the road.

“Hello to you too step-mother, I didn't know you would be coming to the wedding, seeing how you missed the first one,” I said, straightening the gown Silvio picked out.

Liana and Sophia looked at each other and said nothing, they sat back and relaxed while the drama unfolded.

“Serena always had this annoying soft spot for you, and now she has colluded with her father’s enemies to try and save you! What does she get? Fucking Massimo's I can't believe it” Luna started, she set the dog she was holding down and watched it prance around the fitting room.

“She knows now that you are a waste of time, you do not deserve her, she saved you for nothing, you are just a brother fucking whore” Sophia said under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Liana sipped from her wine glass and focused on the magazine in front of her, “maybe when she finally becomes an argento she will learn some manners, after the child is born I may yet convince Silvio to let her spend some time at Massimo’s” she interjected.

“She’s still pregnant? You want her to give your son a bastard to raise?” my stepmother inquired, facing Liana.

“My child is not a bastard, he has a father and he won't be raised by any other” I retorted, everyone turned to look at me, shock evident on their faces.

“Mateo is dead? Isnt he? Or is there a third party you have been hoeing yourself to?” Luna inquired moving closer to me.

My lips trembled, how could I have made such a calculative mistake, “I don't care, he is not a bastard and he will never call Silvio father” I replied.

Liana was visibly upset, she got up and walked to where I was, she splashed her remaining wine on my face, it trickled down and splashed on the gown her dear son picked out for me.

“You should be proud to be a member of my family! We are as ancient as the country itself, the argentos were there at the origin of Italia, and we will be there till the end! Your bastard son would be lucky to be raised in the ways of true argento men!” she yelled.

“I never wanted to marry your son, nor did I want to be married to my dead husband, you all can't even see how empty and miserable you all are, succumbing to the will of these old pathetic men, teaching your sons and your brothers how to use you to their advantage” I started, there was silence in the room.

“I know what father does to you girls, and I'm sorry I didn't see it on time,” I said facing Luna, whose face was lathered in shame, “and you” I started facing Sophia.

 “you think Silvio is going to protect you when your father marries you off to clear his debt, but you think wrong, I can assure you, your brother and father already have your life planned out, they are just waiting for the right person to sell you to” I finished, her eyes were watery, the truth hurts but it is what it is.

“How dare you! My brother loves me and he would never! You are just bitter because you wanted to be free and you got the short end of the stick” she yelled back in response.

 “Mother, did you hear that?” she asked turning to her mother, liana sat back on the couch, picked up the bottle of wine and poured herself another.

She was quiet, she knew it was the truth.

“Mother!” she called again, she was still silent as she sipped from her glass.

Sophia‘s face lit up in realization, and then fury, I knew she would never accept the truth, so she lunged at me, I jumped out of the way and she crashed into the flower vase behind me.

Everyone rushed to help her up, “you fucking bitch!” she screamed, as she tried to grab me again but her mother pulls her back.

 “Enough! You can't harm her your brother will get upset, and you know how he is!” her mother cautioned.

She bawled her eyes out on the ground where she sat for a few minutes, my stepmother and Maria stood there quietly watching.

 “I think it's my cue to leave, I can't continue to see your disgusting face, I saw you come through here and we thought to say hello before the wedding,” she said before gesturing to Luna, both of them walked out of the shop, with luna and her dog following closely behind.

“Well this dress is ruined” I said turning to the attendant.

 “you can run along and tell your madam that I'll be picking out another dress,” I said giving her a weak smile, she nodded and left the room.

“Let it go, Sophia, you can have anything you want, but you need to let it go” her mother cautioned her, sophia got up and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

“Fine!” she replied facing me, “you know what I want Mother?” she started, I looked away from her, I was done exchanging words with an immature adolescent.

“A circus” she answered, I grinned to myself, “a circus at the rehearsal dinner” she finished, II turned to look at her, I was taken aback by this odd request, “you can't be serious?” I interjected, 

clowns? Is she serious? I hate clowns! how did she know that?

Liana looked at me, a smile creeping on her face, “it is done”

“What!” I screamed.