DEAD?

Aria's POV.

I couldn't speak, I was shaking terribly from his words. He was indirectly telling me to betray my cousin.

'How could he? And why? Wasn't he satisfied with her? Was that why he killed her? So many questions ran through my mind, ones I didn't have an answer for.

His hand was still stroking my face, and I prayed in my mind for anyone to come in and save me because I couldn't save myself, I was too scared to.

I was weak and I hated it. My parents have raised me far away from the mafia world for years. I had a normal childhood, and Don Luciano just ripped everything away from me in less than 24 hours.

Why did I agree to come to this banquet? I even had to miss Michelle Blaze's concert for it, and now, I was in hell or about to be.

"Speak up, Bambina mia." He whispered, his fingers on my lips and I shivered.

Did he just call me his baby in Italian? I was so damned.

As I was about to look for something to say, a knock sounded on the door and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Come in." He frowned, stepping away from me and I adjusted myself on the chair.

The door opened to reveal Kelvin and I was about to burst into tears of gratitude as I got up to run to him.

"Sit back down." His voice came sharply and I obeyed instantly, bowing my head as I prayed for Kelvin to be able to take me out of here.

Don Luciano was too scary.

"What is it?" He asked and my brother bowed to him in respect, his hand on his chest. He had to, because Don Luciano was at the top of the chain while we were just below.

"My father wants my sister, Don." My brother replied and I smiled, making a mental note in my head to appreciate my father properly once I was out of here.

"For?" Don Luciano raised an eyebrow at Kelvin who was now standing upright.

"We need to say goodbye to Ria, Doctor Philip confirmed her death a few minutes ago," Kelvin replied, his eyes filled with sorrow.

As soon as I heard his words, all forms of happiness disappeared from me as I sat there, frozen in shock.

Ria was dead? The gunshot really killed her?

I pressed my lips tightly together as I saw the happiness that flickered in Don Luciano's eyes.

"Oh wow!" He muttered, running a hand through his hair as tears rolled down my cheeks.

How could he? 

I wanted to get up and scream, reveal all his evil doings because Ria was my cousin, she was family, and we, the Delucas, took family seriously.

But seeing the sharp, warning glint in his eyes, I could only swallow back my words like some coward and cry silently.

"May I please be excused?" I questioned and he nodded, thankfully.

I got up from the chair without gratitude because he did not deserve one, he was a monster. Kelvin placed his hand on my back, about to lead me out of the study when;

"Don't forget what we have discussed, Cara Mia ( my darling)." Don Luciano said, and Kelvin flinched upon his use of words, while I dug my nails into my palm.

I wanted nothing to do with either him or this family so there was no way in hell I was going to marry his son, Lucien.

"Are you alright? Why would he call you his darling?" Kelvin furrowed his brows at me in confusion but I just hugged him, wetting his shirt with tears.

"Is she really dead?" I hiccupped and felt Kelvin stroking my hair.

"Yes." He answered and I wailed, crying my heart out as I knew this was all my fault.

If only I hadn't trusted that monster and drunk the wine, if only I had woken up earlier to escape before Ria found us, then she wouldn't have run out and ended up dead.

"She is dead because of me, Kel. How do I ever face Uncle and Aunt, knowing that I killed their child?" I questioned as I sniffled.

"No Aria, don't ever say that again. You have nothing to do with Ria's death." Kelvin corrected me as he disengaged from the hug and cleaned my tears.

"But I...I made her run out. If she d-didn't catch me with Lucien, she would still be alive." I yelled and Kelvin shook his head sideways.

"You are being silly Aria, none of this is your fault. Uncle and Aunt know this, everyone does, so don't blame yourself." Kelvin pecked my forehead, wrapping his hands around me tightly.

I was grateful to have his warmth at the moment and contemplated telling him everything Don Luciano told him but I knew Kelvin.

He was too protective of me, like Ryan, so he would probably confront that monster, which might lead to his death.

I do not want to lose another member of my family, especially not my brother, I would die before anything happens to him.

"Can I see her?" I asked and he led me towards their bedroom where Lucien refused to let anyone in to carry away her corpse.

"No, she is not dead. Do something." He punched Doctor Philip in the face, breaking his nose.

I yelped as blood splattered everywhere, my legs wobbling.

Doctor Philip collapsed to the floor and Lucien turned at the sound of me, his blue eyes darkening with rage.

"You." He pointed, veins bulging out of his arm as he stormed towards me.

"You murderer, you whore, you killed her." He roared as he kicked Kelvin who tried protecting me from him in the balls.

I gasped as Kelvin dropped to his knees, groaning in pain, and barely had time to react when Lucien grabbed me by the neck and slammed me against the nearest wall.

I choked, my throat burning as I tried to breathe, clawing at his hands so he could let me go but he refused, his grip tightening as he glared at me.

"You will meet her in the afterlife, Aria. I will make sure I end you." He screamed at me, his face so dangerously close to mine as he blocked my airway.

"Oh my God!" My mum shrieked as she walked into the room, going pale as she saw Lucien strangling me.

"Roberto, do something." She screamed, pushing my dad and Ryan who looked like they had been punched in the guts and tried getting Lucien off me, but it was too late. My vision grew blurry as

my body fell limp, and slowly, I gave in to unconsciousness.

'Ria, I am sorry.' I thought within.