Chapter 1

Prologue

Annamaria’s POV

“Maria, Vivian.” Dad's panicked voice reached our ears immediately. “Get inside now.”

My gaze wandered to my sister and I didn't miss the confusion in her voice.

“Anna.” She called out to me. “What's going on? Why is Dad yelling?”

“I have no idea.” I shook my head slowly. “Come on, let's go and find out.”

I looped my hands around my sister as I led her inside. With each corridor we passed, I didn't miss the maids and father's men scuttling about.

What was going on?

“Dad?” Father turned to me the moment I called out to him. He gasped, before running towards me and my sister. “What's going on?”

“What are you doing here?” He yelled, his voice a panicked whisper. “I told you two to hide.”

“But Papa…”

“Go!” He cut us off. “Take your sister to the hideout and no matter what happens, don't come out. Your mother will be with you soon.”

I stood, confused, but father wasn't having it. As gently as he could, he pushed me and my sister in the direction of our secret hide out. Without so much as another choice, I led my sister towards our hideout.

“Anna, is something wrong?” Vivian asked as I steered her in the direction of the hideout. “Why is everyone running around? Daddy looks scared and where's mummy?”

I didn't have any answers to her questions, but how could I explain that to a six year old? I had questions of my own, with no answers either.

In less than ten minutes, we arrived at our hideout. It was a secret room hidden behind one of the bedrooms in the house and if you explored closer, it could take you all the way to another outlet in the garden. Father never allowed us to get that far though.

“Come on,” I nudged Vivian inside the room. “Go inside.”

“Where's mummy?” Vivian whined. “I'm not going in there till I see mummy.”

“Didn't you hear what Dad said?” I shook my head. “Mummy’s coming, but we have to hide.”

“No!” Vivian was stubborn and she had just picked the wrong time to show it. “I want to see mummy first.”

“Why don't I get her for you?” I gave her a small smile. “So just wait in there and I'll…”

Vivian dashed out of the room before I could get any more words out, screaming and calling out for our mother.

“Come back here!” I screamed, before trailing after her. As I ran in the direction she did, something caught my eyes from the window.

Downstairs, I watched a black vehicle pull into our compound. Mum and dad had a million visitors every day, but this was different. While I stood rooted to my spot, I watched two people come down from the vehicle. An older man, and a young looking boy.

I was only ten years old, but I knew the duo had to be father and son, and they looked dangerous.

Only when they had disappeared into our mansion, did I leave the window to continue looking for Vivian. When I got to the living room though, I met the most bizarre thing.

Mum, dad and Vivian were all kneeling in the living room, fear written all over other faces.

I watched as Vivian clung to my mother, tears streaming down their faces. Father on the other hand, had a stoic expression on his face.

“Where is it, Angelo?” The man from downstairs yelled in father's face. “Where are the damn documents?”

Dad said nothing. Instead, a small frown sat on his face.

“Are you deaf?” The man yelled again and dad flinched. “I'm talking to you. Where are the damned documents?”

“I'd rather die than tell you.” Father spat. Literally too. “Just forget about it.”

“You dare talk back to me?” The strange man sneered. I watched as he stalked towards father before pulling out a gun. “Don't you know who I am?!”

“I do and you're not of any importance to me.” Mum always said Dad's stubbornness would get him into trouble, did she mean it today? “So the earlier you get that into your thick skull, the better….”

A loud groan filled the room as dad toppled to the ground. Blood rushed out the side of his head and I realized he had hit him in the head with his gun.

“Dad!” Vivian cried. She wanted to run towards him, but one glance from the strange man was all it took to have her clinging to mum again. “Mummy, is Dad okay?”

In fact, none of them knew I was standing behind one of the couches in the living room this whole time.

I wanted to scream, but before I could, dad's gaze locked on mine.

“Don't say a word, mi amor.” He whispered. “Go back inside. Go to the hideout”

I couldn't believe my eyes. Suddenly it all made sense. I finally understood what was going on. My family was being held captive, that's why father wanted us to hide.

Oh no.

“You have one more chance, Angelo.” Dad turned to the man again. “Tell me where the documents are and I'll let you live”

“We both know that's a lie.” Dad coughed out loud. “If it's so important to you, you can wait for me in hell.”

Dad's statement must have infuriated him all the more, because the man grunted.

“Ares!” He called out to his son. From where I stood,I had a good view of the living room and I froze when I realized what was about to happen. “You know what to do.”

With wide eyes, I watched as the strange man shoved a gun into his son's hands. Ares' eyes were wide with fear and I figured he wouldn't do it, until he did.

A loud bang filled the air and I pressed my eyes shut immediately. More bangs rang around the room, but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. Instead, I hid and crouched, until the shooting had stopped.

Even after the shootings had died down,I waited a few more seconds before I opened my eyes and the moment I did, I was shocked.

I'd never seen so much blood in all my life. The red liquid pooled around mum, dad and Vivian and even soaked up the huge carpet in the centre of the room.

Their eyes were hollow, and I watched their life slowly slip out of their bodies.

The man and Ares were long gone and I rushed towards my father.

“Mi amor.” He was breathless. “Whatever happens, don't let anyone know where those documents are. Promise me.”

My vision blurred as tears cascaded down my cheeks,but I nodded anyway. Before he could say anything else, I watched his eyes flicker shut and his body go limp.

No. No. No.

There was no way this could be happening. There was no way a peaceful morning could have ended in a bloodbath,

I stole a glance at mum and Vivian and they laid unmoving. I wasn't close to them, but I just knew they had suffered the same fate as day.

I wanted to scream, but no words came out. I couldn't speak, not even a squeak.

As I stared at the gaping holes in their chest, I realized I couldn't speak. That night, I made two promises to myself, to honor father's last wish and to make sure I killed Ares with my own bare hands.