LV1. Wolf's Wife

11. Romero - The penthouse

The next day we went to the mentioned penthouse, and I was shocked speechless again. So far everything was beyond luxurious, but I didn't even hope that I would get my own penthouse. I thought that the term was covering some two-bedroom apartment or something like that. This place was huge, the furnishing fantastic and the view from the floor-to-ceiling window above everything else. I could totally imagine myself drinking some fancy whiskey, lounging on the sectional and watch the city lights for hours.

I darted a few sideway glances at Alexandra, to gage her reaction. She was more or less mute these past days. I heard her playing her violine when she was alone in her room. It was the only thing she seemed to do. I was a bit concerned about her, but didn't know how to crack open that train of conversation.

At some point Gabriella showed up, too. She was wearing one of her deep red pantsuits with impossibility high stilettos.

"I have some strongly nostalgic feelings toward those windows." She told me with that sarcastic tone of hers, that I started to associate with her. It was a strange comment, so I decided to let it slide.

"Anyway, if you want to change anything, feel free to do it." She shrugged. I couldn't imagine that there was anything that needed change. This place was already beyond perfect.

"The beds are already replaced." She added with a wink and a nervous laugh escaped me and I had to look toward Alexandra. She had to hear the comment to, since her otherwise pale skin became blotchy with red dots. Until that moment I didn't even consider what I meant that we were forced to live together for a year. I really didn't want to be that creep who scarred for life, not that I had that high opinion of myself that I had any power over anyone.

That was the moment when my phone buzzed in my pocket and I already knew without even looking at it, that it was my twin sister. From what I knew about her situation at her work, it was not easy for her to call me, so I had to take that call without hesitation. Still, it was not that simple. The phone buzzed and buzzed in my hand the G for Giulietta's name on display. I looked around indecisively.

"Girlfriend?" Gabriella leaned closer with a huge smirk on her face. I knew that my face turned into molten lava, or at least it felt like it. "Boyfriend?"

I shook my head.

"I have to take it." I muttered. Miraculously she didn't say anything just showed me into a room that seemed to be an office.

"Gia! You won't believe what happened!" I spoke so fast, that the words all jumbled up on my tongue. "I found our real, biological father. And I got married."

"Romero. What kind of drugs are you on? I thought that you are wiser than that." Her sigh was so deep and long suffering that I had to laugh at that. The craziness of the last days were taking their toll on me.

"I swear, Gia, it's all true. I'm in Vegas right now, in an amazing penthouse. I would send you pictures, if you didn't insist on this outdated burner phone thing."

"Hey, hey. Slow down. I don't understand a word you are saying."

"I know." This time it was me who sighed. "It's so hard to believe, even like this, that I'm living through it."

"Isn't it some kind of scam? Are you safe? Please tell me, you didn't sign any papers." Gia always sounded like she was ten years older than me. All our childhood it was me who diverted the attention of our father to stop him from hitting her, but it was always her who acted the most sensibly.

"Listen, you should come to Vegas and meet him. It's a crazy story, but he looks just like me only a little older."

"I don't think that would be wise." Giulietta sighed again. "Listen, I have to go back to work."

"No, wait. At least let me send you some money. You told me that you can't leave them because of the debt you accumulated from attending their curse. I can pay it now." I pleaded with her. After years of being away from each other, I desperately wanted to see her. We spoke every week, but it was not enough.

"It's more than 3 hundred grand." Gia sounded as bitter as I used to feel. Our life was one bad decision after another, and it always ended up with the sentence that we didn't have enough money. Never enough however hard we worked.

"I'll send you a check to that PO Box. Please take it and leave that awful place. I promise you it's not a scam. I beg you, Gia!"

"Okay, then. Send that check. But I really have to go."

"Bye, Gia. And please call me, or at least just text me whenever you have time."

No one said a word to me when I joined the others. On the surface it seemed that they all accepted that I had a previous life, but somehow, I couldn't read the undercurrents of the room. Every single one of us were thrown into this situation one way or another. I was most determined to make it work and I had a feeling that it was the same with my father. I thought that Gabriella couldn't care less weather I was there or not. She didn't seem to be bothered by my appearance or that I was threatening her inheritance.

And there was this innocent looking girl. Alexandra. She gazed at my direction a few times, but then looked away every time. She didn't say a word, and I was most curious about her thoughts. Soon, I told myself. I will be able to talk to her like two adults. Until then, silence it was.