Betrayal | ✔️

23. The End

- E m m a -

I grab onto Vincenzo's arm as we enter my office. It feels like forever since I've been in here. I plop down at my desk, relishing the feeling of the soft padding of my chair on my battered and bruised body. It's been a rough couple of months. I lean my head back and let my hair cascade down my face as I put my feet up on the desk and close my eyes. Vincenzo lies down on the couch. 

"You know, these last few weeks have been fun," he murmurs.

I slowly open my eyes and look at him. If possible, he's in rougher shape than me. Valerio really beat him up, instead of me. A small smile crosses my face as I think of what he sacrificed for me.

"Don't you mean months?" I ask, sweetly, "What are we going to do about Pandora and Valerio?"

Vincenzo sits up. I copy him and take my feet off the table and back onto the floor.

"I don't know," he answers honestly, shrugging.

~

I glance at Vincenzo one last time before knocking on Valerio's door. It takes a few moments, but he finally answers.

"What do you want?" he asks, his voice hoarse from just waking up.

Vincenzo studies his brother up and down and frowns.

"You look like you've been through Hell and back," he says, walking inside.

I follow the two boys inside, peeking at Valerio's house from a different perspective. It looks new,  as it's in pristine condition.

"You don't even know the half of it," he mutters, walking to the kitchen counter and pouring a cup of coffee.

"Look," Vincenzo sighs, "this isn't a friendly visit. Y'know, since you kidnapped us."

"I figured."

As they're taking, I take my chance to look around. It reminds me of Olivia's house. Pretty. A few slashes and it's done. I turn to Vincenzo, watching Valerio's lifeless body drop to the ground. I grimace as the blood starts pouring from his open wound. Vincenzo grabs my shoulder and starts to steer me away from the corpse and towards the door when we hear a woman's voice.

"Valerio? Are you okay?"

I don't recognise it but Vincenzo sure does. I can feel him stiffen beside me, his grip on my shoulder tightening. We hear shoes clacking closer and closer to us, but we remain frozen. I can't move because of Vincenzo's death grip on my arm, and for some reason, he won't move, either. I hear the woman arrive at the kitchen, gasping and crying out at Valerio's corpse. She runs over to us, cocking a gun and putting it to Vincenzo's head.

"Vinny?" she exclaims, her eyes widening.

She takes the gun away from his head and throws her arms around Vincenzo's neck.

"Hey, Vanna," he gives her a half-smile.

I freeze - for real this time - when he takes his hand away from me to hug her. For some reason, jealousy is all I feel as I look at them. Her features resemble his. Perhaps-

"Emma, this is my sister, Vanna," Vincenzo introduces us.

Oh, thank God.

"Hello," I put on my best smile.

What else am I supposed to say? I was just an accessory to her brother's murder.

"Don't worry about it," she says, as if reading my thoughts, "Valerio deserved it anyway."

I just nod. Harsh, much. Vincenzo chuckles beside us.

"I have a feeling that you two will be the best of friends," he gives her a real, full smile this time and turns to me, "Now for Pandora."