Semua Bab Re-Arranged: Bab 71 - Bab 80

For as long as she could remember, Liviana had always had a complicated relationship with her parents. The Santora’s, in general, were a very complicated family full of complex dynamics, as their family was tattered with years of abuse and generational trauma. They were an enigma that not even they could figure out.Ben, as the oldest, was automatically his parents’ favorite. He was their first heir and the next king of the Santora business. And though Drusilla and Alonzo absolutely adored him for those mere factors, they could never show it. Instead, they showed their affection through work, whipping him up into a fine young leader, and turning him into the best man they could ever help him be. It was too bad he never got the chance to be anything more.Tino was the difficult child, often left to his own devices, and his parents’ neglect was their love. They didn’t pay him mind and so he often missed out on all the abuse tactics his siblings faced. Up until his big brother died, at l

The in-laws sat quietly, scattered across the Castelli's family room under a thick blanket of tension, just waiting for the moment someone would be brave enough to break the silence that had fallen upon them. Though, no one seemed to have the guts with the way Lucius and Elara loomed over them, supervising them as they stared down at the family like two disappointed parents who were just waiting for their children to give them a reason to punish them. And no one, no matter how upset they were, wished to be the reason.The Castelli siblings - Armani, Blaze, and Leona - all stood in a line behind the couch, continuing to bicker amongst themselves as they had grown used to their parents intimidation and those disappointed looks they wore, having grown up watching them."This is your fault," Leona had muttered to Blaze, who stands between his siblings with an ice cold expression, glaring across the room at his in-laws, both of whom don't hesitate to return his nasty glare.Forcing his eye

It was only the late afternoon when Liviana and Blaze had arrived home after such a grueling lunch full of arguments and confrontation- nothing new with either side of the family. And, after walking in only to find themselves being faced with another drama, it was safe to say they were tired and well over the day. So, they put it to an end.Blaze had bravely put his in-laws in their place and pulled his wife away and, like the end of all those fairytales, the two rode off into the sunset and they locked themselves in their bedroom as they were sure it would be the only way to avoid Drusilla and Alonzo, who's sour moods had dragged down the entire homes atmosphere. They always did know how to rain over a parade. Liviana wanted to do everything she could to avoid having her day ruined further, and so she followed Blaze's lead and his shocking idea of turning their master suite into a haven for the night. After all, it was their supposed bedroom. At least, that was what they told her

Liviana and Blaze were consumed.Consumed by themselves and each other - by each and every moment they spent together, locked away from the rest of the world as they spent their day wrapped up in one another. The conversation never seemed to end as, from the moment they woke up to the moment they went to bed, they were talking. Discussing and dissecting, the two had never felt more comfortable. It was just them, their thoughts and their words, and nothing else - no one else mattered. It was as though the second they had stepped through the thresh hold of their new shared bedroom; they had entered a safe zone. The haven they had always craved had come to life, and now, they lived in it. And they never wanted to leave. They had spoken about nearly everything that went through their minds, never wasting a second in sharing a thought as a quick sense of trust began to form. It was as though the moment they cut off the rest of the world; they had cut off their problems, too. Everything

Dinner was dreadful - as expected by every soul unlucky enough to attend. The night was long, dragged on by awkward small talk and questions that could either heal them or hurt them worse - and it did. It hurt worse as the hours went by and the families found themselves running out of topics they could use to save themselves from the silence - something that seemed to do more damage than one would think. Usually it was their words that cut like knives, if not actual knives. Never had a Castelli found silence so daunting until this one dreadful dinner. They couldn't wait for it to end. And when it finally did - when it ended after an endless chain of meaningless conversations, Elara had finally caved and dismissed four of the ten people who had joined, while the other six had excused themselves to chat. It was time to get down to business. "Alonzo, Drusilla," Lucius nods, pushing out of his seat and asking them to follow behind him. "Blaze, you of course know the way to my