Ava's Blues

Chapter 1

Ava's POV

I always knew that dark days were ahead of me, but I used to have hope. As the years passed on my hope dwindled. I thought that I could surpass her. Learn from her and be the better version of her but how can you be better than someone you barely know? You can only attempt to be the things that you've heard. Surpass the tasks that you've heard about. But what about all the things I didn't hear about? All the things that were so bad, the underground kept them hidden so deep that only the underground knew about the deeds dealt. People were so scared of her they literally went white when they heard her name. But not me, I wanted to be her. I wanted to be a woman I'd never met, I didn't even know her name, let alone what she looked like. 

When I was 17, I heard this sorry about a woman my mother knew.  But she would never speak her name. She was the Queen of the Underground, a Business tycoon, Mother of all mothers, and Queen of the Italian Mob. My mother never showed me pictures of her; she only told me stories. My mother was Mrs. Aleksander Yulian Semenov better known as Isabella Leilani Hampton-Semenov. My mother's mother is Aaliyah Daniels-Arden business tycoon. Nonna Liyah was the only person I felt overly connected to. I never understood why my grandmother and I were like two peas in a pod until now.  I never understood why my mother told me the stories about the woman who was so bad no one spoke her name until now. 

Let me just give you a little background.... I am Ava Delanii-Isobelle Semenov better referred to as Inmate 1745223. Yes, I am in prison. Why?  

Well, that's a long story. Let's begin at the beginning, shall we? 

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"Ava, I don't know why you keep getting yourself into so much trouble." My mother fussed after bailing me out of jail. 

"I guess, I 'm just a delinquent." I shrugged as she sped back to the house. 

"I didn't raise you as a delinquent." 

"No, you didn't. Mom, I'm 20. I'm responsible for my own actions. Me and Me alone. So, please don't stress." I attempted to soothe her. 

"Let me tell you a story about the woman who no one will speak her name. I know I've told you quite a bit about her, but I saved this story for a particular time like this. Her daughter and Son had just graduated college and she had flown them out to Italy for their graduation gift and that particular night when the two children had gotten to the estate home, she and her husband had a shipment come in. They told them all they had to do was collect and count. They would be home within the hour. Well, the hour passed, no parents. The next hour passed and still no parents. So, the daughter, the son, the brother of the father, the bodyguard of the children, and the Mob Doctor all went to the docks because the Donna and Don were never late.  When they got to the bottom of the ship, they'd walked into a massacre and even though the parents were on the brink of death; they had caused a lot of death themselves. They got out within an inch of their lives.  The mob doctor told them if they didn't get out this time that he wouldn't be able to save them next time. Their bodies had been damaged so badly from years of being shot at and almost dying. So, they agreed to get out. They've been out ever since. See, they were very lucky. They got to live. But that isn't the outcome for everyone. Just look at your uncle Viktor, Dead because of his bad dealings. Please, don't make this your story. Don't make me have to bury my only daughter." 

"Mother, I'm fine." I lied through my teeth. I wasn't okay. Most of the time I stayed in trouble because it got me the much-needed attention from my parents. They didn't understand that though. Most children act out because they aren't getting the attention they need. So, they'll do anything to get some type of attention even if it's bad. 

"Can you drop me off at Nonna's?" 

"Why? So, she can coddle you?" She snarled. 

I never understood why my mother hated Nonna so much. My mother had some type of resentment towards my Nonna that I never understood. And although she played nice to my Nonna when they were in person, she still talked about her like she hated her behind Nonna's back.