I wake up in a room filled with light. There's someone slapping my face gently. My vision is blurry at first, but as I blink it clears. I feel like throwing up as I move to a sitting position and my head is spinning. My grandfather is peering at me, I see him first. The next person I see is Lia. I get dizzy again, and my nausea returns. I clamp my hand to my mouth and look for the nearest wastebasket. I heave until there's nothing left. He's watching me with concern. He asks, "Would you like me to call a doctor?" I ignore him. Lia is watching me with her arms crossed across her chest. Her eyes are cold, so cold that I don't recognize her. She doesn't say anything, so I do. I can't believe she's here. She looks so different. "Lia? You're alive? How are you alive?" She doesn't answer me right away. I look back and forth between her and my grandfather. I think I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming. She then looks at me in the eyes and says, "I'm not Lia, not anymore. I go by Amalia now."
Two days have passed. All I can think about is getting out of here. I went from being Giotto’s prisoner to Russo’s. I've stopped referring to him as 'grandfather' because I refuse to acknowledge that we share the same blood. He's even worse than Giotto.As for Lia...I can't say that she's my sister. I look at her and I don't recognize her. It's all his influence. He transformed her into someone she's not. She treats me like I'm beneath her and she rarely ever talks to me. I mourned her death for so long. When I saw her, I thought for a split second that everything would change, that my life would make sense again, that a part of it would return to normal. I was wrong.It's strange, but I look at her and I don't see my little sister. I see a stranger. So, in my heart, nothing has changed. It's as if Lia is dead, because in a way, she truly died that night. She said so herself. My heart crumbles to pieces whenever I see her, with that short blonde hair that doesn't suit her, those cl
This was all Enzo’s idea?I can't begin to wrap my head around this. If I thought he was using me before, I have no doubts now. He fooled me so well. I feel horrible, and there's a hole in my chest that will never be refilled. I'm drowning in this revelation, and there's no coming up for air. "Chiara?" Gustavo says, kneeling in front of me. "I know how you feel, I know what betrayal feels like."Of course he does. His father was having an affair with his wife. But this is different. Enzo destroyed my family for his benefit. He was cruel and selfish. "I need to be alone," I say dismissively. As much as I'm glad that he came to pay me a visit, I want him gone. I wasn't expecting to feel worse, but I do. He's brought me this terrible news and I can't look at him right now, even though none of this is his fault and he just tried to warn me. Am I becoming Enzo, blaming everyone for my mistakes? Because I made the mistake of trusting him. A grave one at that. He nods. "Of course. Here’s
"Chiara?" The voice sounds so distant. It's like I'm in a tunnel and there's someone shouting at me from the other end. I try to open my eyes, I really do, but I can't. I feel like I'm floating, for some reason. I try again, but my eyelids just feel so heavy. I could be in trouble, but even that isn't enough to get me to open my eyes. Have I died? Is this what death feels like? "Chiara? Can you hear me?" I can't open my eyes, but I could at least try to speak. The problem is that my mouth is so dry, it's like I've swallowed a mouthful of sand and grit. I lick my lips, but there isn't any moisture in my tongue. I need water, but how to ask for it when I don't even know where I am? "Where am I?" I ask in a faint voice. "I'm Dr. Pettito, you're at St. Lucia's Clinic." Clinic? I'm not at Russo’s house? This gives me enough strength to crack my eyes open. The light above stings my eyes, though, so I scrunch them before trying again. I wish I could use my hand to shield my eyes, but th
"Your mother was born in the beginning of winter. She was our firstborn, we—your grandmother and I—were ecstatic. We had been married for less than a year and we would be parents. It was both frightening and exciting at the same time. She was loved, our dear Vivia. She was a quiet baby, rarely threw tantrums. She was satisfied simply by being fed and bathed. No one had ever seen a sweeter baby. "However, as the years passed, she grew wild and unruly. She refused to obey us, and she preferred boy's clothes over dresses. She played with dinosaurs and wooden cars instead of the numerous dolls we bought her. She had entire collections, something other girls her age could only dream about, yet she never paid any mind to them. It's like she hated everything feminine, and no amount of disciplining could change her mind. "When she turned thirteen, we threw her a birthday party. We invited all our friends and it was meant to be a surprise. She was supposed to come straight home from school,
I know what Russo is trying to do, and he won't fool me.I don't know how much longer I'll have to stay here. I hate being debilitated more than I hate being dependent on him. I realize now that my plan was destined to fail; I'd never succeed. I didn't know who I was dealing with, but I know now. He's manipulative, rancorous, and cruel. He left her to die, all because he didn't want her to marry my father. She was a grown woman, and she could make her own decisions. He claimed to be so concerned about her safety, because my father was a 'criminal', but he allowed Giotto to hunt her down and shoot her in her home. There's something wrong there. He isn't telling me the full story, or rather, he's painting himself as the perfect father who loved his daughter and couldn't stand to watch her sign her life away to a dangerous man. Frankly, I don't know what all the fuss was for. They all do the same things; kill, steal, launder. The only difference is that some families were doing this for
Gustavo is in the office with him. I thought he left. I try not to show how annoyed I am that he's here. I don't know when I started feeling this way towards him, but at the same time I do. He's taking Russo’s side in all this, as if he doesn't know who Russo is. I can blame Giotto as much as I want for my misfortune, but if he had intervened and protected his daughter, none of us would be here right now. "What do you have to say to me?""No need for all the aggression. I'm only trying to be kind to you." His voice is as smooth as the marble floor of his office, but he can't convince me."You're trying to make me feel guilty, but that isn't going to work. You're not going to change my mind. You're not the loving man you're trying so hard to portray." He doesn't fool me for a second. This might have worked on Lia, but it won't work on me. I've been through far too much to let that happen. I'm not going to be gullible and naive anymore. I'll expect the worst, always. I'll become a tru
Russo?Dead?I climb out of bed and follow the maid outside. My heart is in my throat. There's got to be some kind of confusion. How is he dead? I spoke to him a few hours ago and he was fine. Is it possible that there is a misunderstanding? She turns to face me, as if hearing my thoughts. "I found him in his office. Oh, miss. It's a gruesome sight!" "Have you called the police?" I ask. "Yes, they're on the way." I wish she would elaborate. What does she mean by the gruesome? "What happened? Are you sure he's dead?" "There's blood everywhere," she says, quickening her steps as we near his office. "He's been murdered!" I hold her back before she opens the door. "You can't go in! If it's a crime scene, none of us can venture inside. We're going to have to wait out here for the police to arrive. And an ambulance." I'm surprised by how calm and nonchalant I appear from the outside. Inside, I'm a knot of nerves and panic, and her confession has only made matters worse. Murdered? How
I put my favorite pearl earrings on. What I love most about them? They go well with everything. I bought them when I visited Paris. I fell in love with the pair as soon as I set my eyes on them. They reminded me of a pair my mother had but never wore. They sat at the bottom of her jewellery box, but sometimes I'd catch her staring at them. I never gave it a second thought; I never thought that they were valuable. Where would she even get the money to buy a real pair of pearl and diamond earrings? Now, I figured that they were probably gifted to her by my father. So much has happened since I left Italy. I settled down in Lisbon, until I decided I could no longer stay. It was a beautiful city, and I loved the food more than anything. But there was something missing, and that was something Lisbon had in common with every city I traveled to. They were marvelous in all aspects, but they just didn't feel like home. That all changed when I met Eric.He was an American living in Vienna. We
I glance at the time on my phone. It's almost time for me to embark. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I can't believe I'm finally doing this. The last couple of weeks have been absolutely horrible for me, with everything that happened the night Enzo died.He was dead before the paramedics arrived. If they'd been even a minute later, he wouldn't have been able to make it. They reanimated him with a defibrillator. I watched in shock as his body lurched. It was the worst ten seconds of my entire life. I couldn't go with him to the hospital. I had to explain to the authorities why there were three dead bodies in my front yard. I went with the obvious explanation; I didn't know who they were. I said Enzo was my boyfriend, and we were going to spend a few days here, but when they showed up, he had no choice but to shoot them. I never fired my gun, only he did. I remember these officers. They'd stop by sometimes for coffee and cake whenever they were in the neighborhood. I went to
She fires the first shot. I realize that this is the second time in a matter of hours that someone has tried to kill me. Only, something isn't right. She isn't looking at me, in fact it's almost as if I'm not even here. She's staring at the person behind me, Enzo, and I realize that her gun is pointed at him.She's trying to kill Enzo. But why? No, that's a stupid question. It isn't hard to imagine why. The way I feel about him is the same way she must be feeling, only ten times worse because she knew about what he did all along, and I didn't. I fell in love with him before that, and my love for him cushioned the blow of his betrayal. "No, stop!" I exclaim. She isn't listening to me. She fires another shot, and he falls to the ground. For a breathless second, I thing that maybe she hit him, that he's going to bleed to death on this patio. But he wasn't shot, he's fumbling with his own weapon. Her gun is poised, she's ready to fire another shot. Each step she takes brings her close
I can't bring myself to walk inside just yet. The last time I was here, I was dragged out by Enzo himself. He's standing by the entrance and is watching me as if he knows what I'm thinking. I'm too deflated to be angry, all I can do is look around. My mother's garden is destroyed. Weeds and birds got to it. There are still some flowers I recognize here and there. My hands are itching to fix them, to restore this garden, but I know that that won't ever happen. It won't be the same without her. She spent years and so much effort on this small piece of land, but that has all gone to waste. I settle my eyes on the front door again. Enzo has the keys with him. I don't ask him how he has them. It doesn't matter at this point. He probably got them from one of his men, after they finished the job. "Aren't you going to come in?" he asks me. I shake my head. "Why did you bring me here?" "This is your home," he says. "I thought you'd want to spend the night here instead of some motel."He
I look at Enzo.He's breathing heavily. His eyes search my face and body to make sure I'm safe, that no bullet hit me. We both look at Gustavo, who's lying on the ground. Dead. I place my hand over my mouth. I can't believe that has happened. I can't believe that he was going to kill me, after everything we've been through. This night has turned out to be a nightmare. An absolute nightmare."We need to go," he says to me, as if he didn't just kill his own brother. I'm being unfair, I know that. He was going to kill one of us, and all Enzo did was try to keep us both safe.But he's dead.Enzo lifts me off the ground when I refuse to move. He shoves me inside the vehicle and slams the door in my face. I stare at Gustavo’s body through the window, at the pool of blood around his torso. I'm seeing it, but I can't quite believe my eyes. He gets inside the driver's seat and starts the car.We speed away from the bloody scene. I wonder briefly if anyone will ever find these people. This cab
Gustavo is furious.I don't think I've ever seen him like this. I barely recognize him. Why is he holding that gun? And why does it seem like Enzo expected this? I feel like an outsider once again. I have no idea of what's happening right now.He says, "Come with me, Chiara. You," he points at Enzo with the gun. "You stay the hell away from her."Enzo stands up. "You don't tell her what to do. And who do you think you're talking to?" Gustavo ignores him. He turns to me. His brow is furrowed and his lips are in a snarl. For the first time since I met him, I'm afraid of him. I've never seen him like this. He says, "Come, Chiara. You have no business being here with him. I'm going to take you back home, someplace safe." I don't like his tone at all. He's been using it on me for some time now. I'm not a child, yet he keeps treating me like one. "You didn't keep her safe to begin with," Enzo interjects. "You can't keep her safe. She would've been killed tonight, if it weren't for me."En
Flavia finally stands and faces him. "What are you—" He pulls out his gun and shoots her right there. I gasp and watch as her body falls with a thud. I look at him, he's looking at me. I can't believe that this has happened. Flavia de Luca is dead? He just shot her. Right in front of me. A few more men enter the room. I only recognize Vito amongst them. Enzo tucks his gun back in his coat and says, "Untie her. Make sure you don't hurt her. One yelp and you'll meet your maker." He doesn't look at me as he gives those orders which I'm partly thankful for. I'm shocked that he's here, but I push that to the back of my mind. For now. They cut at the ropes and tape, a little too carefully, and I'm freed. Finally. I sit up and my head spins. When I open my eyes, Enzo is no longer in the room. Vito is helping me to my feet. Someone shoves a bottle of water at me. I fumble with the lid, but I manage to open it. "Easy, miss," one of them says. "Take slow sips."I do as I'm told, because my
They tied me down with ropes, like an animal awaiting slaughter.I knew that this would happen, yet I don't regret my decision. I wasn't going to give up without trying, even if that attempt got me here. I'm so thirsty it's like I swallowed a mouthful of sand. With all the dust here, maybe I have. I just need a sip of water, but I guess there isn't any point in wasting water on a dead person. How long will I have to wait? Not being able to move is torturous. I don't know at this point if I should hope for the best or just give up. I've been here for a long time, if anyone had to find me, they would've already. I'm at the mercy of Flora and her brother, and once again this is all Enzo’s fault. It's getting darker because the room is pitch black at this point. Maybe one of them will light this kerosene lamp. My head is starting to hurt, either from dehydration or this stressful situation. I need to sleep, but at the same time, I can't close my eyes while I'm surrounded by people who m
I'm filled to the brim with a feeling of utter despair. I try to move my hands and feet, but they've been bound with rope and duct tape. I'm in a dark, cramped space. Moving car? Again?I’m overwhelmed with the strong sense of deja vu. This cannot be happening to me. I thought I was finally free. I wasn’t expecting something this absurd to happen to me. What am I going to do? How will I escape? Is this punishment for not caring about Russo’s death as I should or the price I'm paying for getting involved with Enzo? Caio is going to use me to get to him, to hurt him. He doesn't know how he's wasting his time. Enzo won't care about that. All he wanted was revenge, and now that he has it, he doesn't need anything else. He won’t care about me. He won’t sacrifices his new wins and achievements because of me. Let them have me. He disposed of me along ago. He won’t care now, that I know. How long have I been here? What I can't believe is that after everything I've been through, I'm back to