THE LIES BENEATH

After a while, dinner got ready and Marco personally delivered my own portion of the meal to my room door.

"Here take, eat". He said setting down the tray before me.

"I am not hungry, get away with your filthy meal"! I said with a loud voice almost screaming.

He looked at me sternly and grinned then he shook his head and turned to leave, his hand on the door knob.

"Why did you do that? Why the look and the wicked smile"? I asked with a frustrated tone and a frowned look.

Because you don't know what you are in for. The more you try to be stubborn, the greater the hatred you'll get from Luca. He said looking away with an I - don't - care attitude.

I smirked. "Hate me for all I care! Go away with your pig feed". I screamed at him.

He just took a glance, focused on my eyesballs and walked away.

Uh! I exhaled and slid down gently resting my back on the door.

Your woman rejected your food. He told Luca as he shrugged his shoulders and sat opposite him. She doesn't like it? He asked curiously.

I don't know, you just check on her. She's too pompous and she has nothing. He said with a coarse voice.

She has everything Marco. He said to her.

Don't you think you are wasting your time on a fruitless mission?

You've got the wrong person, the wrong twin with a wrong personality. Macho emphasized.

Let's see how it plays out but I know she has with her my values. He looked away like trying to calculate something.

Your values? What values? Marco asks confused.

Wait and see. Luca stands and walked gently towards Sienna's room.

He knocked gently. I didn't answer, I thought it was Marco. I was too tired to answer the door. The food staring at me on the table.

Ragazza?

The door creaks open a little and Luca peeps inside seeing me watching my food like a movie.

He steps inside staring at me and then at the food.

Che cos' hai? He asks. What is the matter? He steps closer.

The matter? I ask. The matter is that I don't need your animal feed!

What? He said looking so embarrassed at the nourished meal I had called an animal feed.

Let me go! I rise to my feet, taking the food and pouring it over his face.

I had to do all I could to make him let me go.

Che cosa fai? What are you doing? He screams wiping the food off his face. I became terrified at what I just did. I didn't know what else he could do to me.

The two guards rushed in. Marco follow behind.

Their mouth wide opened and their palms on their cheek.

You damn little thing! Marco screams in anger. You are finished.

He took my hand and twisted it to the back. I let out a loud scream.

Stop! Luca screams at him. Marco let me go of my hand. I writhe in pain as I sat on the edge of the bed.

Away! He screams angrily at the two guards and they disappeared immediately.

He was too embarrassed to even look at me in the face. I felt like a conqueror but within me, fear creeps in.

He locks the door immediately behind him and steps closer with a defined look of immediate revenge.

Outside The Room

"What the hell is wrong with this girl? She must be an unremorseful drunkard who doesn't learn lessons". Riccardo, the first guard says.

"No one dares try such with me. I'll chop off her head immediately".

Many people don't learn until their fingers get burnt". Tommaso, the second guard responds.

People like her needs to be taught a great lesson. What an audacity!

The fact that the boss didn't allow us treat her to hell where she comes from is enough reason to depict his weakness. Riccardo says again.

The least available weapon of a man is his highest weakness. Shit! Tommaso says and spits away.

Luca steps closer staring down at my face. He breathes heavily as he steps closer. "What - did - you - just" -...

"I did what I had to do"? Let me go. I screamed.

"Now, eat up"! Eat the food you poured on my face? Now! He speaks in a calm and violent way.

What? I can't .... I tried to protest raising my hands.

"You will" now, lick up the food ok my face, kiss the food away.

No way, I'll never do that! You let me out of here. I screamed back at him.

You don't deserve my kiss. I said turning away from him.

Why? He started grinning.

Because kisses are for special people.

Ragazza. He said smiling and comes closer to me maintaining eye contact.

I looked away, he put his hand on my chin and turned my face to look at him.

I saw something in those eyes. His gaze alone makes me weak and makes my stomach churns.

I shifted my eyes away from him but he turned my face again.

I felt the emotional wall I had built around myself cracking like they will collapse.

La mia ragazza. Tienes mi carazon - my heart is yours. You are special to me so I'll kiss you here and now.

He smiles as he lifts his chin to mine.

Never! You are lost, go and look for your heart elsewhere.

This one (pointing to my chest) belongs to no one. I moved back and looked down.

Tears filling my eyes but I shook them away immediately, not wanting to see me as weak.

He didn't speak, he moved closer with his eyes on me devouring every part of my body.

My heart skipped then he steps back. I'll be back in twenty minutes. Decide what you want!

He opened the door and stepped out.

I sigh in deep relief. The cleaners came in to clean the mess on the floor.

I stepped outside the room, quickly looked around and saw no one was present.

I tiptoed and walked towards the main door leading outside the mansion.

A hand grabbed me from behind hugging me and pinning me to the wall.

He turned me around and a dark, fierce face stared back right into my eyes.

How dare you make my Boss cry? He asked.

"What"? Cry? Why? I had expected Luca to hit me or bully me for what I did but he did the other way round. I thought.

You bullied him and he didn't fight back, rather he went to his room and cried.

What and who exactly are you?

I have been with Luca for fifteen years and I have never seen him shed a tear.

He is a very hard man who has no feelings and blood to him is like water. He said.

"You are hurting me, let me go"! I wriggled my waist for freedom.

You go no where till I have an answer to my question. He tightened his grip.

I can see you are just like a stubborn fly that won't repent until it sets its ass on fire. He said.

"And you are just like your boss who is as stone headed and hard hearted as anything I can imagine". I said furiously.

What? He screamed looking like he would strangle me.

He lifted me up and carried me to where Luca was standing in his room with his back turned to me.

Away. He ordered.

Then he kept silent again.

I learnt you were crying. Did I beat you? I mocked him.

Truly, you are not serena. He said not facing me yet.

"I already told you and you know so what else do you want from me"? Leave me alone.

My Serena will never make me cry, she will never dishonor me, she will never speak ill to me or speak low of me.

So what does your Serena do to you? I raised my chin and smirked.

"Maybe if I can pretend to behave like her, I can find an escape route. He will let me go". I ponder within me.

Serena speaks softly, she doesn't scream like you and she's not a street cat. She doesn't hit me like you do.

How she behaves to you is none of my business! Let me go! I screamed.

Sienna! He called sharply. You are not serena but as from today, you become Serena.

What?

The chef brings in a tray and sets it down on the small dining table in his room.

Luca turns around to look at me, I thought he was going to hit me back or let the guards take me.

Sit and let's eat together, you are hungry. He said smiling.

He face was as fresh as the roses in his garden I had seen earlier through the window curtains. He had cleaned up the mess I created on his face.

He wears a calm look as if nothing had happened.

Why didn't you hit me? I asked curiously.

I already told you, If I start it I won't stop. We have a long way to go. He stole a glance at me expecting a reaction.

I paused and asked so "why didn't you punish me"?

You are special ragazza. Eat.

He shoves some spoonful in his mouth and munch noisily.

Is this how you eat? Like a lion devouring a prey? I frowned a little while reading his reaction.

He drank some water and use the napkin to wipe his mouth.

Serena will simply say "munch quietly my dear" He said looking at me.

"But I am not Serena that baby sits your immatured attitude. A grown up man should have coutersy, manners and morals".

Then you teach me! He munch noisily again, drank more water and stood up.

I'm done eating. Eat up, we need to talk.

I began to eat.... "I have nothing to say to you Tesoro mio - my darling". I said pretending to comply with becoming my unknown twin sister.

He looks at me a little shocked. "No, you do ragazza"!