”Oh, sorry if I interrupted something” The guy apologized with a small smile.“What the hell? I asked you to leave” Bianca said lowly through gritted teeth, almost as if she didn't want Louisa to hear.Louisa straightened her poise as she watched them. She knew she’d heard voices earlier; she hadn't been wrong.“I’ll just go inside and give you both privacy” She interrupted their brawl and pushed her shawl into Bianca’s hands.“You’ll need it to go back in” “No, we’ll go in together” Bianca held her back and turned to the guy “Leave before anyone else sees you” The guy hesitated for a bit. His eyes moved from Bianca to Louisa and then paused on her baby bump before returning to Bianca’s face.“We weren’t done talking, Bibi. She’s willing to give us the space- -just let her go in” he pleaded.Louisa looked him over as she took in his appearance—tall, lean, with a muscular build, tousled black hair, and a good-looking face.“Who’s he?” she mouthed to Bianca.Bianca Palmed her forehead
Louisa tossed and turned on the bed as her eyes flashed to the wall clock ticking away. Five o’clock it said and she hadn't heard a word from Alessandro since he stormed out. Her chest tightened.She got up to her feet, grabbed a shawl from the closet, and slithered out of the room, dragging her feet down the hallway and descending the staircase, until she was outside the house.The heavy wind slapped her face like a warning and she shivered in response, throwing the shawl over her shoulder as her legs took her anywhere but that suffocating room where she had just argued with Alessandro.She walked into the shadows of the estate garden. Darkness had begun creeping in but a little glow of daylight still lingered in the environment.Then she heard voices—arguing, muffled sounds. She veered around in curiosity but dismissed it as it was probably one of those gossiping aunties whom she had zero energy to deal with at the moment.She took her seat on the swing bench, propping the torch in
In an underground chamber beneath the Estate, as cold as a crypt, and wall lamps nailed at each edge of the pebble wall. The oak door groaned open ushering Vivienne in as her heels clicked on the marble floor with two guards flanking her side—no touching, no pulling, just walking her in like she might escape if they slipped, but there was no escaping this room.When they finally got into the room, her eyes fell on the long row of tables and twelve heads present with the old Don sitting at the apex, Alessandro at the far edge who didn't even care to spare her a glance.Not even once.“Bring her in” Alejandro announced, a parched glare on his face with a gravelly voice distorted from long nights of smoking Nicotine.Vivienne walked in fully, designers, expensive perfume, and her shoulder held high as she tugged off her glasses to look properly at the people present. She stood in a little circle as heat from the wall lamps clashed with the cold tickles running through her Veins.Emilia
Nico stormed up the staircase, his little legs making loud thumps on the ground from his shoes.“Wait up Nico, let’s get you out of your wet clothes” The Nanny ran after him, chest heaving heavily.“I want my mama! Where’s Mama!” The boy wailed, running off into his room and slumping into the bed despite how soaked his clothes were.The door pushed open and the Nanny strolled in.“You shouldn’t have done that to your aunt! That was so rude!” she scolded.Nico kept wailing as he curled himself under the duvet even more.“What did I teach you about manners?” The Nanny drew closer to his bedside with a huge frown on her lips but her steps died quickly when the door opened and Louisa walked in.“He’s just a child, don’t yell at him that way,” came her voice.“He just lost his mother, you know nothing. so either talk to him calmly, or leave” Her voice rose a few more decibels at the nanny who immediately wore a sullen look.“I’m sorry, ma’am” The Nanny apologized and moved aside. Louisa d
“May the angels lead our beloved Nina into paradise” The priest's voice rang out and faded to the background as Louisa stood next to Alessandro, her hands locked into his in a tight hold. Her mind wandered back to an hour ago when he had approached her. “What were you saying to Alaric that had him holding you that way?” She’d looked at him with astonishment, not missing the way his face cracked so hard into a stoic frown with a voice that carried a silent wrath. “N..nothing” she swallowed, her mouth running dry “It’s just Nico…” “Is there something you aren’t saying?” his arm curled around her waist possessively and pulled her to close the distance between them while tucking her hair in place softly. She opened her mouth to speak but someone else interrupted. “Signore Alessandro, the priest is here already and the funeral is about to start” It was a maid who broke the growing tension in their midst. “We’ll talk about this later, hmm?” He took her hands into his and
Sicily, Italy. Louisa finally braced up the courage to walk out of the room she had kept herself hidden in since her arrival with Alessandro. The Estate was different from what she’d expected. It wasn’t the quiet kind back in Vegas that harbored just her, Alessandro, and Vivienne—This one had more family members than she could count, from the cousins to aunties and little nephews and nieces who were all around for Nina’s funeral. The estate was bustling around with weird eyes and gossiping lips that had gaped at her like an unwanted specimen from the moment she walked in clutching Alessandro’s arm as tho it were her lifeline. The Old don had glared angrily on seeing her and stormed off, Ever since then she’d locked the door to the room Alessandro had left her in to prevent unwanted guests from trooping in unannounced. Now she was on her way down the stairs, in a black tulle skirt and satin top, her hair in a slick ponytail. If she was going to fulfill Nina’s last wish and