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“You have twenty-four hours. Meet with Buccini and force him into an alliance. I don’t care how you do it as long as he works for us. You can marry the girl if it means we gain the North.”
I became paralysed by those words. I zoned out of their conversation, my head just swarming with his statement on repeat. You can marry the girl. No. No. How could he even suggest that? Why would he even want that bitch to be a part of our family? To be associated with our enemies! How could he force Alessio to do that?
I slammed my hand over my heart as I slid to the ground, my legs giving way beneath me. This was always my biggest fear. That Alessio would be forced to marry someone. I had never worried too much because I knew he wasn’t the marrying kind. He was too ambitious. Too driven to concern himself with finding a wife. But her? No. I couldn’t let it happen. I would do anything to protect Alessio from this. If papi had only just decided this, if he had only just come up with this threat to Alessio, then he wouldn’t have included it in his will or told Elio yet. I could still stop it.
I stood up from the ground with conviction and made my way back inside the house just as Alessio exited the bedroom. He locked eyes with me and my heart fluttered. He always had that power over it.
“You’re still alive then?” I smiled fondly, trying to make him laugh. His eyes cast away from me as he sighed and rubbed his hand over the top of his cropped hair.
“Just,” he replied. “Isabelle. Things are going to get really fucking complicated around here soon and I think it’s best you go back to the North. I promise you; Giovanni won't be a threat to you. You will be safe with Lorenzo.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I agreed, nodding my head. “It’s depressing here anyway. And you have to focus. I know how important gaining the North is to you Alessio and I only want to help. If you want me to go back to the North for a while, I will. I will do anything for you. And I know you’ll always protect me,” I smiled, walking up to him and hugging him. I felt his arms slowly wrap around my body as he held me loosely. I closed my eyes and cherished the intimate moment, before he pulled away.
He nodded to me and stormed out the front door, skipping down the steps towards his car. I watched him go; my mind more focused than ever. I knew what I had to do. I glanced towards the soldier, who was patrolling the ground floor, and waited for him to turn his back. Sneaking into my papi’s room silently, I closed the door behind me.
Making my way over to his bedside, I stared at the frail shadow of the man he once was. He looked pathetic. Unable to even breathe on his own without the help of an oxygen tank. How the mighty had fallen. Karma is a bitch. If only mamma could see him now. I removed the mask from his face when his eyes focused on me.
“Isabelle?”
“Si, papi.”
“I am glad you are here. I wanted to talk-” he started coughing violently and pointing to the glass of water on the side. Before sitting down in the chair, I picked it up and passed it to him. Once he had recovered, he turned his head to look at me. Everyone always said we had the same eyes. Brown with caramel speckles around the edge. One look from him used to have me quivering. But in this moment, I felt nothing but hate.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he continued. “It is obvious by now that I don’t have much time left. And laying here hour after hour, alone with my memories and thoughts, is pretty fucking shit,” he tried to laugh, but I continued to stare blankly. “Well. It has given me time to think about you. And how distant we have become.”
I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief, “Distant? You neglected me. You have always ignored me. You have never once shown me an ounce of fatherly love.”
He swallowed painfully, his face scrunching before he nodded. “That is true. And I am sorry. I threw myself into work when your mamma left then as you grew up and looked more and more like her, I couldn’t stand to be around you. But I should not have taken that out on you, Belle.”
“You want my forgiveness? Now that you are dying and finally realising what shit excuse of a father you have been to me, you want my forgiveness so you can die peacefully?” I hissed, leaning forward so I was closer to his face. “Go to hell, papi. I will never forgive you for how you treated mamma or how you have treated me.”
He held my gaze with a small smile, “There. There it is. You are the image of your mamma.” My nostrils flared with rage, but my eyes started to sting with unshed tears. “You do not have to forgive me, Belle. I just thought you should know that I am sorry. And I hope you find happiness with Lorenzo. Arranged marriages can be a blessing if you let them.”
I started to laugh as the tears fell from my eyes. He watched me with confusion as I slapped my leg and struggled to control my hysterics. It was all so ridiculous. He was so fucking clueless. He had no idea. I was a complete stranger to him. He didn’t know the first thing about what made me happy.
“I have only one thing to thank you for when it comes to my happiness, papi,” I smiled at him sweetly as his bushy eyebrows furrowed. “Alessio.”
“I’m not following—” he started, but I stood up abruptly, glaring down at him.
“I know he is not your son. Not by blood anyway. I have known for years. Which makes me hate you that much more. Maybe I could have understood your choices and actions if he was in fact your bastard heir. But he’s not. You threw away your real family for a fantasy one.”
His eyes had widened at my confession and for the first time in my life, I saw worry in them. “Isabelle, I don’t know where—”
“Don’t bother. I don’t need to hear more lies. I know the truth. And I agree with you. You didn’t make a mistake with him. He is the only good thing in both of our pathetic lives. But guess what papi,” I smirked as I leaned over his body so my face was close to his. I held his confused gaze, feeling power over this man for the first time. “We are in love. And once you are gone, we will be together.”
“Who?” he breathed, his eyes darting between mine.
“Alessio and I. It’s been going on for years behind your back. That boy you killed… it wasn’t him. Alessio was fucking me under your roof!”
He started shaking his head in denial. “No. You’re lying. You’ve lost your mind. Don’t do anything stupid, Isabelle. There is too much at stake…”
“Shhh,” I pressed my finger against his lips as his pupils dilated. “Alessio is mine. And I won’t let you take him from me. I will not let you force him into a marriage to Elenora Buccini.”
“Belle—”
I grabbed the pillow from behind his head and smothered his face, pressing it down with all my might. He thrashed against me, the small amount of strength he had left taking me by surprise. I climbed onto the bed, straddling his body and pinning him down as I continued to suffocate him with the pillow until his body started to give up. I didn’t move until I was truly convinced he was gone. It was only when I lifted the pillow to stare down into his empty eyes that I realised my cheeks were soaking wet. I had been crying silently, though he didn’t deserve a single one of my tears.
Wiping my cheeks quickly, I climbed off, lifting his head and placing the pillow back. I looked around the room to check there was no other sign that I had been in here. I was about to make my way to the window to climb out when I heard a slow clap behind me. I spun in my heels and stared open-mouthed at my cousin Dante as he closed the door behind him.
