AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And I found out that Dumbo was looking for a human wife, and I was thinking of volunteering as tribute,” I continued trying not to laugh.
“Mm-hmm,” she murmured again.
I cleared my throat and then continued. “So should I do it?”
She looked up then, her dazzling blue eyes clouded with confusion as she gazed at me. “Do what? Sorry, I missed that.”
“Marry Dumbo.”
“Who?” She frowned, and I started giggling. “Sorry, I was a bit distracted,” she admitted. “Elisabetta shared a photo online with her and Alessandro, and I was just wondering why.”
“Elisabetta?” I asked as my head tried to remember where I’d heard the name before.
“She’s Luisa’s daughter… Luisa, the housekeeper for the Marchesis.”
“Oh yeah.” I nodded. “I think I saw her at the pizza place with Antonio and Alessandro.”
“Weird.” Gia licked her lips. “I wonder what’s going on there.”
“I don’t know, but talking about the Marchesis…” I segued into what I’d been meaning to say earlier. “I still don’t know how Don Roberto knows my mom.”
“He researched her right, ’cause of your dad?” Gia asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Maybe.” I didn’t believe that was it, though. “But then how would he know the song she sang to me as a kid to comfort me?”
“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “Maybe it was a coincidence?”
“I don’t believe in coincidences anymore.” I shook my head. “You know what Deepak Chopra said once?”
“I don’t know.” Gia shook her head. “The sky is blue and so are you?”
“No, he said I do not believe in meaningless coincidences,” I continued, my brain working overtime. “There’s a reason Don Roberto knew that song. And I know it has to be important.”
“Oh, why do you think that?”
“Because Antonio was surprised himself… shocked even.” I thought back to being in that room. All the candles. The dark purple velvet drapes. And Antonio’s face. He’d looked pissed and murderous and darker than I’d ever seen him.
“So how do we find out?” Gia asked as we made our way out of the store without purchasing anything.
“I need to get back into that house,” I said, my heart thudding. “I need to have a personal conversation with Don Roberto.”
“Are you crazy?” Gia’s eyes widened, and she shook her head. “You do not want to mess with the Marchesis. Every single one of them is crazy and undeniably cruel.”
“I know that,” I said softly, my heart thudding as I thought about the plan that had been formulating in my mind all morning. “And they think I’m some sweet, innocent little fool. I can let them keep thinking that. I can pretend to Antonio that I understand why he did what he did, that I still want him, that I want to give him another chance, and then I can investigate and figure out what’s really going on.”
“I don’t know, Callie.” Gia looked thoughtful as we made our way down the street. She let out a deep sigh. “I hate to say this because I don’t want you to think I don’t think you’re strong, but isn’t it too soon for you to be back around Antonio? You really did like him, right?”
“I mean… kinda…” I swallowed hard as I thought about the connection I thought we’d had. He’d been my first. And I’d thought we had something special. I thought he could be the one. However, I wasn’t going to admit that to anyone.
“I’m just worried if you try and go in there with this deepfake persona that it might start becoming real and then you fall again and he breaks your heart…” Her voice trailed her heart. “He’s a wolf. All he cares about is himself and the famiglia. That’s how it is. You’re an outsider, and he sees you as the enemy.”
“I’m not the enemy, though.” All of a sudden, a wave of sadness hit me. “We’re just two people who are connected through two selfish people. I don’t want to hurt him. I just want answers. Real answers.”
“Can’t you get them from your dad?”
“My dad that’s been lying to me my entire life?” I raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you really think my dad is going to tell me the deep, dark truth about everything?”
Gia stared back at me for a few seconds and shook her head. “I wish I could say that it can’t be that bad, but I know my own father, and I know he’s done countless bad deeds toward many people.” She sighed. “I guess we really can’t choose our parents.”
