The Agreement のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 51 - チャプター 60

"What matters most is how well you walk through the fire" ~Charles Bukowski "We are getting married." "What!?" I shriek, Alessandro puts me down on my feet, he quickly intertwines our hands. "Lo hai fatto indagare?" (Have you had him investigated?) He asks the guards, ignoring my baffled form, one guard steps forward to answer. "Sì Capo" he nods his head. Alessandro doesn't seem satisfied by his answer. What investigation? What is he talking about? I look up at him, asking him through my eyes. He just pulls me closer to his side. "Come here" he commands the priest in his dark voice, the room is surrounded by his dominating aura making everyone feel on edge including me. The priest looks visibly shaken, he takes slow timid steps towards us. "Are you a real priest?" Alessandro asks skeptically, his burning gaze studying the priest's attire, I gape at him shocked. Did he seriously ask that question? That's disrespectful! The priest looks offended, "yes" he answers straightening him

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple" ~Unknown Third person P.O.V Somewhere in Italy… "What news do you have Gary?" The boss asks impatiently, Gary straightens up his already rigid posture. He seems well composed this time, compared to the last time he barged inside the bosses office like a headless chicken. "Boss, I am working on the details, what I have gathered is that Capo was already aware of his uncle's intentions. He was playing along with his game until Antonio confessed to everything himself" he informs. The boss nods his head, telling him to continue, "No one knows where Antonio is, the last they saw him was being dragged by the Capo towards his warehouse" Gary visibly gulps, being dragged by the ruthless don towards his warehouse is never good. "Is he alive?" The boss questions unfazed, he isn't scared of the big bad Capo. "I'm still trying to find it out, it's hard to get access of the warehouse. Not many know what actually goes inside that place" he shivers

"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies" ~D.S. "Valentina?" Gloria whispers doubtfully in a hoarse voice, her eyes squint as she stares in my direction, her eyes widen in realisation when it is confirmed that it is in fact me, "Oh Valentina!" She cries, slowly getting up from her place on the floor. I cannot help but stare at the groaning person tied to a chair behind her. I found Gloria laying her head on that battered man's lap, she was wailing loudly. A sudden force has me stumbling back a few steps, Gloria's unexpected hug pulls me out of my thoughts, I gaze at her, she tightens her grip around me, I encircle my arms around her as well. She is murmuring something accompanied by her cries making it hard for me to grasp on her words. The situation, the battered man and a crying Gloria, everything is clouding my judgements. How did she get here? Is the first question that pops in my head, I try to calm her down. Did Angelo kidnap her too? But why?

"You were a risk, a mystery, and the most certain thing I'd ever know" ~Beau Taplin, "A certainty" Alessandro's POV "Tutto è coperto." (Everything's covered.) Antonio informs me, taking away the file that I had just signed. I give him a nod, he knows I am grateful, I need this break. I go over a few more things with him before heading towards the mansion, I couldn't go there directly when I arrived back from my business trip, I first had to get some work settled in the warehouse, now it's all taken care of. I have handed over my responsibilities to Antonio for a few days, I need some time away from work so I can spend time with Valentina and maybe also convince her to marry me. I know she's stubborn and she's not going to stay here not until I give her a good reason to, I know I haven't been straight with my feelings with her but I am done playing around. I won't admit it out aloud but I am afraid, afraid to let someone into my life, afraid to commit, afraid to believe in love agai

"We've got to live, no matter how many skies are fallen" ~D. H. Lawrence "Tina was always the ugly sibling, look at this, her runny nose in this picture" Everett cackles, pointing at one of my pictures in which embarrassingly enough I do have a running nose. "No! I was the cute one. You resembled a grumpy grandpa when you were born. Dad tell him" I look at dad, giving him a 'please take my side' look. He looks at me nervously then back at Everett, I follow my gaze only to see Everett making the same face. Dad clears his throat, "none of you were ugly or resembled a grumpy grandpa, be-" both Everett and I groan, "–cause both were beautiful children, all thanks to me, your handsome father's genes" he points at himself proudly. Mom scoffs, rolling her eyes, we all chuckle at dad's expense. We are currently sitting around the center table in the living room, going over our old pictures. It's been 5 days since I came back, I feel like as if I have been freed but there is still somethi