AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She’s playing you to see if you’d come to me and tell me that. She wanted you to flush me out so she can kill me. Just like she’s done to so many others.”
Sienna shook her head, confused.
“Why would she make up a story about killing your brother? Who does that?”
“A very smart woman.”
“I just don’t see it.”
“That’s because you’re so naïve.”
“Wow.” She pulled her sunglasses out of her purse and tugged it over her shoulder, preparing to leave. “As always, Mother, this has been a warming experience.”
Oscar stepped forward to stop her, but I shook my head. “Where is Elio in this whole thing?” I tossed at her. “I thought at the very least he was protecting you from them.”
“We’re not together anymore.” She looked away and cleared her throat.
“I thought you loved him.”
Her gaze snapped over to mine. “Imagine his surprise to find out that I’m the daughter of their sworn enemy. Thanks for the heads up on that, by the way.”
“You think I’m proud of who your father was?”
“Proud?” She scoffed. “I don’t care if you’re proud or not. You played puppet with my life, while you ruined yours.”
“Excuse me?” How dared she make light of the fact that I’d given her life?
“Mama,” she took a deep breath, “you’re living in the past, dwelling on things you can’t control anymore. You’re letting the man you’ve loved your entire life walk away because you don’t want to see the truth. You hold a grudge over Piero for something he didn’t even do, and now your only daughter is standing right here in front of you telling you I’ve been forced to find out about myself in the only way I can.” She paused and took a step closer to me. “And when I’ve figured out all I want, I’ll dig deep and rip out the very heart of the syndicate that hurt you and everyone else around me. There’ll be nothing left but bone dust.”
“Sienna,” I grabbed her arm as she turned to leave, “it’s not safe. There’s a—”
“Mama,” her tone made me snap my mouth shut, “do you still have copies of your father’s cooked books?”
“What?” My head rocked back in confusion. How did she know about those?
“The books,” she leaned closer and lowered her voice, “the ones your father kept for his company, do you still have them?”
“No,” I lied.
“If you did, I’d really like to see them.”
“Well, I don’t.” I hated that she knew that about my papa. I’d never forgiven my parents for what they’d done, but nonetheless, they were my parents. She never knew them, so what right did she have to cast judgement? “Need I remind you that what you’re hearing there isn’t—”
“The time to play my mother has passed. Please, just be supportive of this decision.”
I licked my lips, feeling outraged that we’d gotten to this place, but I caught Oscar’s face and slowly released her from my grip.
“Mama,” she pulled on the collar of her jacket to put it back in place, “I must know, is there anything else I should know about you, my father, or anything that might come up that could blindside me?” She stared at me as if reading my mind. “I’m begging you as your only child, spare me any more pain and let the truth come from you. Please, Mama?”
Images flashed in my head, but I couldn’t put them into words. How could I when she was in love with a Capri and living at the Coppolas’? “I wanted to give you the world, Sienna, and look what you did with it.” Her face stretched as if my words cut her like glass. “You decided to be a part of both the worlds that brought your mother the most pain.”
“And you, Mother, just chose your own hate for them over your only child.” She shook her head in disappointment. “Please don’t contact me again.”
“Ugo,” I sneered once she was out of hearing range, “if anything happens to her, I’ll kill you.”
“I know.” He nodded, standing a little straighter, then he left behind Sienna.
I tapped my fingers on the table as I felt the lack of control fester inside.
