Ethereal

Greek

VERITY'S POV
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Today was the day. I woke up this morning to French toast and eggs with strawberries on my bedside table, still hot. I guess this is Derek's and Maya's way of saying "Please don't kill us, here's some food! Love you!"

I dislike them. Very much.

The second I got ready for the day, I beelined my way downstairs into the living room, where I knew they were hiding out. As soon as I made it downstairs, I saw them there -- sitting there with sheepish smiles on their faces with my favorite snacks everywhere and my favorite movie about to play on the television screen.

"Seriously? Trying to bribe me?" I snarled, hands on my hips.

"Is it working?" Derek asked.

"Maybe...Are those turbos?"

"Yep. The biggest bag we could find."

"...Hand them over."

"Not so fast! Do you forgive us?" Maya asked, teasingly holding up the bag in the air.

"...What's the meeting even supposed to be about?" I asked, plopping onto the couch next to them and eyeing the bag of turbos hungrily.

"They're proposing an alliance between the French and Italian Mafias. They're giving you the reasons why, how it would go, the shares, etc." Derek stated, "Now, will you forgive us?"

I sighed, thinking about it. "Fine. I forgive you, but I'm still mad at you. I mean, are you out of your mind?! An alliance means I have to see them on a regular monthly basis. That's horrible. Why do they want an alliance so badly out of nowhere anyway? I mean, we've never interacted or even paid any mind to them -- ever." I snatched the bag out of Maya's hand, opened it, and ate the spicy chips hungrily. These are the best things ever to exist.

"You're the second-best mafia. Why do you think? They're the first. They want to become even more powerful if that's even possible. Them and the Russians have already collaborated and are practically one mafia as a whole, but they want to mutually take over the Spanish mafia. They're quite upset about the don of the Spanish being given the throne to the Mafia King. It's angered them -- the Italian's son was meant to get it."

I hummed in understanding, my heart slightly wrenched. Nicolas. My brothers. My parents. The memories flooded through my mind, making me overwhelmed. I hated thinking about it. I hated thinking about the fact that I chose to leave them that night, instead of fighting for them. I hated the fact that they think that I'm dead.

FLASHBACK
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I watched as Caine told my family about the death of their sister and daughter. I watched as they shrieked and cried, some stunned and simply just standing there. My father asked to see my body, no - he demanded to see my body. Caine told him it was currently under examination and they would inform him as soon as the doctors were done.

I clutched the large duffel bag, full of money to start a new life. I watched as Nicolas stood there in shock before angrily walking out, destroying everything in his way. I watched as Caine walked back to the door, opening it and I backed away -- done with seeing my family in such pain.