Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The truth.

The cars in front entered through a black gate into an enormous compound. The car drove past a really big fountain down to where the rest of the cars were. Armani stepped out and gestured for us to do get down. All the armed men stood salute. The house was painted white, flowers filled the area and there was a fountain feet away from where the building was. I knew from the moment I saw the fleeting cars that these people had more power and wealth than I could ever comprehend.

It felt like entering the Whitehouse or even grander. The armed men got out and stood, salute. I didn't care about all of that, I just wanted my family. A man of average height whose grey hair was slowly overtaking the black shiny ones with a pot belly wearing a white shirt with loose buttons exposing his chain and tattooed chest, accompanied by two armed men stepped out of the house. He took a puff of his cigar and smiled at Maria and I.

"Come." She gave me her hand to hold.

She waltzed towards him. "Raffaele." She placed her hands over his chest and kissed him.

"My love." He kissed her back. He looked down at me with a questionable look and I felt intimidated.

We entered the house and I was immediately bothered about who I had just partially followed.

"Stay with her." Maria ordered Armani and pulled Raffaele aside. My arm was still hurt from the way he harshly grabbed it earlier.

"Come here." He took me into another room with chairs and a round table in the middle. It looked more like a meeting room. I saw a book shelf and a chandelier in the room. The chairs were brown and the glass table was black. I saw a cigar in a small plate on the table. I guessed someone had been there before I came in.

Maria and Raffaele returned with a middle-aged woman. Her brunette hair was braided pig tail style and her blue eyes dilated at me.

"Take care of the little girl," Raffaele instructed her.

"I want to see my family first." I turned to Maria. "I want to see my family. You said they were here."

"Calm down feisty one, I never said they were here."

"No!" I cried." You lied to me! Where are they?" I dashed toward her and began pulling the hem of her shirt.

"What a rude little bitch. How dare you disrespect her?" Armani spat.

"I want my parents!" 

Maria shoved me harshly. "They're six feet below EARTH! Or better still, you could imagine them as dust now." Raffaele didn't say a word. He looked at me like I was amusing. I staggered and the middle-aged woman caught me.

"Do not let her out of your sight." Raffaele told Armani and Grace, the middle-aged woman.

"Murderer!" I screamed. "I want to leave, let me go!" I screamed till my body became weak. I kicked and punched anyone who tried to come near me. Armani carried me in my weak state to a room and threw me on the bed with force and locked the door.

I ran to the door and kept hitting it until I gave up. I no longer had the strength to push further. 

Grace came at night. "It's time for you to bathe. Your milky skin is tainted from dirt."

"Leave me alone." I muttered angrily.

"What a stubborn child you are. I understand you're grieving, but you need to be strong for the sake of your late paren-"

"Leave!" My body trembled in trepidation.

"Don't you want to avenge them? Do you not want to destroy those who killed them-"

"They're not dead." I sobbed. "Mamma and Gia, they said they'd come back for me. I know they're alive."

"The sooner you accept the truth, the better. If you want to get back at those who have ruined your family, it starts with taking this bath, cleaning up, having a meal and a talk with Ma'am Maria. I'll be back tomorrow because at this point I know you won't eat a thing. If you have not decided to brace up. I would assume Federico and Bianca raised chicks for children."

"You know my Mamma?" I looked at her, teary.

"Everyone here knows the Marcellos. Your mother, she was kind." Saying that Grace left.

I couldn't bring myself to accept it. I decided to speak to Maria, but I knew no one would come for me no matter how much I knocked because they'd think I wanted to make a fuss. The night came and left so fast. Maybe I was because for the first few hours I tried to sleep, I saw were dead bodies, guns and blood.

Grace came back like she said she would. 

"I'm ready." I bit my chapped lips. I felt so dehydrated. Grace helped me bathe and gave me a short black dress to wear. Apparently, I was mourning.

"Ma'am told me your name is Aria. It's a beautiful name," She said as she braided my hair into two.

"Yes," I simply said.

"You look really small for a nine-year-old. I almost thought you were seven, but I realized you were more intelligent. You couldn't be a seven-year old." I didn't reply.

"Got nothing to say?"

"I just want to meet with Maria as soon as possible."

"I'm sure she wants the same." Grace brushed the edge of my hair. " All done. You're a beautiful girl, you look just like Bianca."

"Thank you." I smiled faintly.

She took me to Maria's office and knocked.

"Yes, come in." We heard from the other end.