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Chapter 68

Valeriana's pov

My brothers were all having lunch. They were loudly talking amongst each other. Giana, Miss Wells, Gioventino, Alvaro, and Camelia were here. Many conversations were happening. The Vales and Matteo were shouting at their friends. They were arguing about a moment they were reminiscing about but all of them have different stories about the event. So now I don't know who to believe.

Not that I was purposefully listening into their conversation, it was just happening so loudly I couldn't help but hear it. I was in my room since I had already eaten. With a deep sigh I head into the dining room.

"I'm starting to regret moving downstairs," I grumble while glaring at all of them. Aurelio looked at me.

"Put earbuds in and listen to music," he states. I shook my head.

"When have you ever seen me listening to music?" I asked. Trey shook his head.

"We weren't allowed to listen to music," Trey states while shoving noodles in his mouth and slurping it loudly. Matteo shoots him a glare. Trey smirked at him before doing it again.

"You never turned on the radio in the car?" Santino asked. I shrug my shoulders.

"Never thought about it," I mutter.

"You threw Trey a party. There was no music there?" papà asked.

"Someone else played it. Besides I was outside getting stoned," I state like it was obvious. Trey starts laughing while nodding his head.

"She was so high I doubted she knew what was going on around her."

"Anywho. Do you all have to be this loud? You live with an assassin. I have sensitive ears," I whined. The vales rolled their eyes at me.

The front door opens and Devyn and Kian walk into the house. I glance over at them with a raised eyebrow.

"We got her," Devyn smirks. I blow air out of my mouth. My jaw tightened before I relaxed. I've come to the decision to let Damien and Kolton go. In order to move one, I need to be free of them. Let them go so I don't have to deal with them. Let myself feel lighter without their weight pulling me down.

"Alright I'll be here soon," I mutter. They nod their heads before walking away. My eyes stayed on the spot they stood. Finally I tear my eyes away and back to my family. "Seems I have other business to attend to. You're lucky I'm leaving. With my threat lingering in the air I walk over to Verena. I grab her hand.

"You are coming with me. I'm sure my brothers can argue without you," I mutter. Verena chuckles before pushing herself up from her seat.

"I go?" Janessa asked. She had chunks of noodles stuck to the side of her face. Some noodles were scattered around the edge of her plate.

"No," I state. Janessa frowned. Her arms crossed over her chest before she looked down. I roll my eyes at her. "You can't come right now. But I will come back and we can go do stuff," I offered. Janessa smiled before nodding her head.

"What stuff?" she asked. I purse my lips.

"Anything you want." Janessa's eyes widened and she squealed. I wince from the noise.

"Shopping!?" She shouted. I squinted my eyes slightly as I watched her.

"Sure," I say before pulling on Verena's hand.

~~~

Verena's eyes bounce around the building. I shut the car door behind me. Verena follows me into the building. She laced our fingers together.

"So what is this place?" Verena asked. I glance at her. Her eyes were jumping from everything in the room.

"My playhouse," I mutter with a cringe. It's sickening that I have a whole building dedicated to hurting people. After today this place won't be standing. Kian will tear the place down. We all will be starting over today. Devyn and Kian already bought a house. They are moving out of their apartment. They found great jobs in town and are thinking about starting a family. They may be young but they have loved each other since they've known each other since they were kids. I don't think there will be a day where they won't love each other.

Verena's thumb rubbed my hand gently. Devyn appears in front of me. She offered me a smile. I raise an eyebrow at her curiously. She was extremely happy right now.

"What?" I asked. Kian wrapped his arm around Devyn's waist. His hand rubbed a small circle on her stomach. My eyes narrow on the action. Sure he loves wrapping his arms around his girlfriend and has done it plenty of times. But he has never rubbed her stomach. I smile at the couple while shaking my head. Devyn is pregnant. I release Verena's hand and wrap my arms over both of my friends.

Devyn laughed lightly when she realized I figured it out. Was this the reason they were trying to leave this life so urgently?

"So wanting a clean life?" I asked.

"Was because of the baby," Kian chuckles. I pull away and nod my head.

"That's good," I mutter with a light smile. I take a deep breath. "Ready to end this?" I asked with a light smirk.

"Even if you leave this behind you will always have a part of Echo in you. You might need that with the life your brother and girlfriend have. Don't go too soft. You neve know when you might need her," Devyn says. I laugh lightly. My stomach was twisting. It was true. I could leave this behind me but it will always be a part of me. I don't like that thought. Being able to run away from this but for how long?

My legs carry me to Damien and Kolton's cell. Eliza was back in the cell with them. They weren't talking to her. Their backs were turned to each other. Eliza had a glare on her face.

I unlock the cell and step aside. Damien and Kolton watch me carefully. I raise an eyebrow. I motion for them to step out. They don't.

"I'm letting you go. Now get the fuck out and don't ever show your faces again," I snapped. Eliza was the only one to run out of the cell. I smirk lightly. I had a plan for her.

"We don't deserve to be let free. We hurt you V," Damien says.

"You don't deserve to be tortured either. I am giving this all up and moving on. That means you can be free. Live your lives away from me. Because I may not hurt you but that doesn't mean my brothers or father won't. I'm turning over a new leaf. Living a life my father and brothers are giving me now. A life where I am happy. One where they don't have a hidden agenda for me. To hurt me in the future. After all, they are my real family. A family who searched for me the whole time you guys were fucking up my life behind my back," I mutter.

After a while Damien and Kolton finally walk out of the cell. We followed them out of the building. Eliza walks over to Kolton.

"Where are we going to go?" Eliza asked. My hand reached for my gun. I aim the gun and pull the trigger. Her body fell to the ground. Damien and Kolton froze. They stare at their daughter's lifeless body. They look at me with wide eyes.

"You let my mother ruin my life and did nothing about it. To protect her. A life for a life," I smirk before putting my gun away. "I hope it hurts knowing you should have been more worried about what I could have done to her. Not Chris and my mother. Now you don't have her," I state before patting their backs asi push my way in between the two. Verena follows me to the car and gets in. I start the car and pull away from the building.

Verena offered me her hand and I clutched it with my own. My heart was hammering in my chest. Even hurting them emotionally is something I hate.

"I love you," Verena says while kissing the back of my hand. I glance at her with a smile. She leaned over and kissed my cheek as I returned my gaze to the road.