𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3

SIXTEEN YEARS AGO my only daughter was born, she was beautiful. The day she came into my and my sons' lives she became our everything. The only girl, the Italian Mafia Princess. She was the light in our dark world.

Her smile, her eyes were mesmerizing. She was too perfect for this world, ethereally beautiful. It was impossible not to love her. Her laugh could make a bad day turn into the best day ever.

My line of work comes with risks and consequences. Every action comes with a price, and they can be good or bad. One mistake can kill you or the ones you love.

My wife, I loved her. Amelia Marino. She was the mother of my children and the love of my life. Never in a million years would I question her love for me or my children. She was distant, but a good mother.

But everything changed when Aurora was born. Amelia was jealous of her own daughter. She was jealous of the attention Aurora was receiving from me and my sons.

She was sick in the head. And we didn't notice until it was too late. No mother in her right mind would be jealous of their own child.

So when Aurora turned 2 years old, Amelia took her away from us. It was the worst day of my life. She took my everything because of jealousy.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.

flashback

14 years ago

Today is my principessa's 2 years old birthday. Her mother insisted on taking her to the park while my sons and I prepared everything for her party.

Me and the boys are trying to make everything look perfect. It's a Disney themed party. 3 hours later we were done. Now the only missing part of the party is the birthday girl.

"Papà where's Rory?" my 10 years old son, Giovanni, asked.

"She is coming with mamma in a couple of minutes." I answered him.

We've been waiting for 30 minutes until my cell phone rings showing one of  Aurora's bodyguards. Just seeing his name on the screen makes me scared that something happened to my principessa and her mother. I don't waste time and answer right away.

"Ciao?" I say to the bodyguard throught the phone trying to not sound as worried and scared as I really am right now. (Hello?)

"Capo, we were guarding them when Mrs. Marino told us she needed to go to the toillet with Aurora. We waited 10 minutes and they hadn't come back yet so we decided to go check on them. When we entered the bathroom neither of them were there but there was a letter saying that Mrs. Marino had take Aurora with her and runned away. We searched everything and couldn't find them." He informs me. I was livid, how could she take my bambina away from her father and her brothers. (Boss)(child)

I told the bodyguards to search everywhere and told my search team to start searching for Amelia and my daughter. I had to tell my boys that their mother took their sister away from them but that I would do everything in my power to get my principessa back.

flashback over

It's been 14 years. We never gave up on finding her. It's like her and her mother never existed. Her disappearance affected everyone.

Giovanni became a workaholic, drowning himself in work trying to avoid his emotions, the ones that he has been suppressing for so long. He barely spends time with his family. He is not the same, none of us are. He doesn't smile or laugh anymore.

Luca turned into the "mom" of the house, he's there for everyone, he cooks and help with whatever you need.

Matteo shutted down, he barely talks with us.

Lorenzo became angry with the world and everyone for taking his sister away from him while his twin, Leonardo, is the opposite and tries to stay positive no matter what situation.

Antonio is another story, he didn't just lose his sister, but his twin, his other half. He tries to stay positive and make everyone happy but you can see in his eyes that it saddens him that his twin isn't with us.

I'm currently in my office taking care of my legal and illegal business. It's quite tiring but needs to be done.

I hear my cell phone ringing and answer it without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello, I'm Officer Davis from LAPD, is this Vincenzo Marino?" the officer says from the other side of the line.

"Yes, this is him. How may I help you, Officer?"

"I would like to inform you that your daughter's foster dad died in a car crash. Aurora now has no one to take care of her. We did a DNA test that confirmed that she is indeed your daughter. We would like to know if you would like to take custody of her, if not she will be going back to foster care."

I was beyond shocked. After years and years searching for her all it took was her foster dad dying so she could come back.

"Yes, I would love to. I'll get her today. Would it be a problem for her to stay in your care until I can go get her?" I asked as I started to send a message for my private pilot to prepare my jet.

I start to walk to the dining room where I know everyone is, waiting for me.

"No problem Mr. Marino." he replied shortly.

"Thank you, Officer Davis." and then I hung up.

On the dinning room were my sons, my wife Ashley and her daughter Brittany. They all looked at me like I've grown two heads. Probably because I'm smiling from ear to ear since the officer told me my pricipessa is coming back home.

"Papà are you okay?" Asked my oldest son, Giovanni, worry all around his features, probably thinking I've gone crazy.

"I am feeling perfect! Never have been better! Perfectly okay!" I answer, almost jumping in joy like a little girl on Christmas morning opening the presents. That only made my sons more worried about my well being.

"I received the best news today and I'm going to say this just once so listen and listen well. Today Officer Davis from LAPD called me informing me that Aurora is alive and has nowhere to go. He asked if I would like to take her in and I said 'yes'. So Giovanni and I are going to get her. I already got the plane ready for us. The rest stay here. Now let's go!" I continue.

Some of the boys have shocked faces, others are crying while Ashley and Brittany looked like they just heard the most boring thing in the world. Me and Giovanni don't waste more time and started going to the garege so we can drive to the airport and then go get Aurora.

Principessa we are going to get you...

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