Lahat ng Kabanata ng Death Between Your Lips: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

I stood in front of the mantel where the jar that held mum's ashes still sat, my vision blurry with angry tears, my breath held as each second ticked by. I was fully aware of the presence of my father sitting behind me on his favourite rocking chair, slowly sipping tea, like he hadn't just ruined most of the image I had of him from since I was a little girl. The silence was deafening, and I was sure it would have been the same had we shared the same ride back home. I slowly turned to him, my anger only heightening even more with his perceived nonchalance. "You said she was the one who brought back the light in your life after your first wife cheated on you. You said she was the only one who..." "She is dead," he said, leaning forward to drop the cup of tea on the saucer. "You do not know her enough. You do not know her more than I do. She would have wanted this, too. She knows how much I sacrificed for the cartel." I blinked, unable to believe that this really was my father. The

I wasn't sure which one felt worse. The fact that he never even needed Andrew's opinion and just wanted to assert dominance in the cruellest way possible, or that he somehow knew my ring size, and designed a dress himself three months ago."Happy?" I asked, my voice laced unapologetically with venom. It wouldn't be news to him how nuch I hated him."That would be a stretch," he said, then turned to the assistant. "Pack it up.""Where is Andrew?" I asked, standing my ground. "I am not leaving here until you tell me where Andrew is."He shrugged. "I would have told you anyway. He is waiting for you right outside."I started to walk towards the door, but before I could get to the door, Leone was blocking it, his eyes cold and emotionless."Not with your dress."I took in a deep breath, then turned and immediately ran back into the smaller room. I eagerly changed out of the dress, and the assistant promptly packed it up and handed it to me.I cursed under my breath as I collected it, the

"Are you ready, Ginevra?"I closed the door to my room, then slowly walked down the stairs. "Yes, dad."My dad was standing right below the stairs. He was wearing a tailored suit, his hair slicked back, a gold watch resting on his left hand.He turned back to me, and for a moment, he simply took me in. I could see his eyes go from happiness to a dawning realization of what I had done to the dress Leone had gotten me, and then, finally, horror."My dear Ginevra," he started, and I knew that tone. I knew exactly what he was trying to ask. "Tell me you have a shorter version of the dress Leone got you for the wedding.""I do not," I said, my voice low. "I just happened to make one earlier.""Ginevra!""What?" I asked, taking a step forward. "You took away my right to choose who I marry. Are you going to take away my right to choose what I wear too?"His eyes were wide, filled with anger, but I knew my father. He was calculative and cunning, and he knew that if he pushed any more buttons

Tears immediately stung the back of my eyes, and I broke eye contact, my chest slightly heaving. My fingers grabbed a handful of my dress, and for a long while, the silence stretched.What does anyone say to that? It is just as he had said ten years ago. I am pretty good at sweeping everything under a carpet in my mind.And it seemed it was exactly what I did. I buried the thoughts of the man who used to look at me like I held galaxies in my eyes being the same man who looked at me like I was the second worst thing after death."What do you want me to say to that?" I managed to say, lifting my eyes to meet his. He was leaning back, a glass of wine dangling elegantly on his fingers, his eyes cold. His eyes held mine, and he let out a small sigh before turning away."It was ten years ago," I said, pushing my hair back. "Forgetting might be the act of the brave by now."He laughed. Not a chuckle. Not a smirk. A deep, dark laugh that spoke more of danger than humor, one that made fear ru

My gaze flew up to Leone, who was watching my dad now. He was unarmed, but between the three of us, we knew he was just as dangerous either way. "Leone," I said, barely able to get out of the trance.'My wife.' His wife. Fuck."This is my father. I don't know how you know what...""Don Matteo!" Leone said, turning into the still open car fast.Before I could say a word more, my father stilled, his eyes wide, as the round barrel of Leone's gold plated gun rested right at the back of his neck."Now."I froze in place, my eyes leaving Leone to settle on Dad. He never apologizes. Not to me, not to anyone. Not even to mum. Would he really do it now?Despite the strange circumstances, I felt a bit of curiosity. The rain pelted down on all three of us, and Leone took a step further, burying the gun in my father's thinning hair."I am sorry, Ginevra," my dad suddenly said, the words tumbling out of him like he was coughing them out, his eyes focused on the floor. "I am sorry. Please come hom