𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗 - 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞

I ease out of the loving Adriano conversation with a leg to spare. I never knew my parents could be so ruthlessly passionate about something but I refuse to accept that.

I had ignored the curiosity boring a hole in my gut for too long, father's time is up.

"How did you get here?" The mood of the room switches as tension builds up once again. My parents let out a visible sigh at the same time as if choreographed, they knew I wouldn't let them project anymore.

"Just start from the top, mi amor," my mum says to my dad as she makes a light movement against his back.

"Bueno, this might be hard to understand unless you pay close attention Estimado. Everything is not as it had seemed," the texture of my skin is rough as my father's words send immediate goosebumps to me. I heed to his instructions as I adjust into a comfortable position and deliver him my full attention, excitement notable in me.

This is about to get interesting.

Hopefully, in a good way.

"I never went on a business trip three months ago," my father begins.

"What do you mean? I thought Adriano held you then?" Instinctively, I interrupt my father.

"As I said, all is not as it seemed," my father pays no mind to my giddiness and impulsiveness as he provides me with an ambiguous answer.

"What really happened then?"

"I went to see my brother. I made that dumb mistake again. He reached out and I rushed into his arms once again like the fool I am," my father speaks of himself in scorn and my mother makes her movement rougher as if communicating to him to calm down and stop blaming himself

I have no words this time so I'm silent as I wait for Dad to continue.

"It all started well but suddenly, he shifted. He snapped. I thought the asylum had done him good and he'd changed significantly but all in a matter of seconds, he had become him again."

'Asylum?' I want to ask but it seems my words are constricted. I don't put in more effort to get it out because listening at this moment is more important to me than speaking.

"He became aggressive and made jokes about getting you back but knowing him, I knew they weren't mere jokes. He didn't have the upper hand, he was placeless in any mafia but I didn't undermine him or think for a second he couldn't get backing if he wanted to which was why I reached out to the first good man I could think of, Adriano," my father pauses briefly and I place my hand lightly on his, urging him to proceed.

"I reached out to Adriano the second I left the cafe, leaving behind my beat-up brother on the floor. In my defense, he attacked first, with his fists and his words and I was left with no option but to make the retaliatory move. My mistake was not taking him hostage then. I don't have the heart he does so I left him there hoping he'll pick himself up, get the message and transition back into the changed man he claimed he was."

"Adriano was uninterested in the whole marriage thing and refused my offer. I guess I had in a way undermined your uncle as he bounced back almost immediately and got backing from the Colombian mafia in under twenty-four hours. He had it all planned out right from the beginning and we were all puppets in his game moving as he had predicted and unknowingly for his favor."

"He had taken over the Colombian mafia already, he let me believe he was a nobody and the next day announced himself as their new don. He was aware I had reached out to Adriano and he played the opposing move, he joined hands with a small gang led by Adriano's former best friend and biggest enemy. He forced my goal to work so he could break it down himself. Your uncle always loved a good fight so he found me, held me hostage instead, pretended to be me, and did to Adriano what I told you had been done to me. He made me lie to you guys to protect you all but in actuality, he was the one who held Adriano hostage and reminded him of the time I had saved his life. He threatened to not only hurt him but to make him witness his family being hurt as he breathes his last breaths, unable to save them. You know how Adrianio took that. His family is the most important thing to him."