𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔞𝔠𝔶

P R O L O G U E

3 Years ago- Valeria(12 years old)

If felt as if my heart was being clawed at as I watched my sister's grave lower into the ground. The sobs infused with the tensed air made my heart clench in pain, wishing upon every star that this was just a figment of a sick dream. I could hear Aurelia crying in Julien's arms as he himself tried not to break.

Luciana was the older sister everyone wished to have, despite her sour and bitter personality, she could make someone's heart stop just by a single glance at them.

I wiped away a tear and continued to rub Milan's back as he let out all his emotions. We were both crouched on the ground infront of my sister's burial site, mud all over our shoes due to the coincidental rain.

It was supposed to be sunny today.

"Why did they take you away?" Milan sobbed in my arms, his hands firmly clasped around the hem of my black dress. His head rested on my shoulder and his body was slumped on mine, his raven hair damp from the rain.

His mourning began to quieten down and I took this as a chance to look around. Since the graveyard was on a small hill, the main road was a few yards away but I could still make out my father's figure, his back pressed again the car and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Surrounding him was my uncles, all trying their best to comfort him. I knew it wouldn't work though. It didn't work when mother died, when grandmother died, what do they expect this time around?

"Let's get you guys home." I raised my head and met Angelo's teary gaze. His hair was unkept and he hadn't shaved. He pulled Milan to his feet, gently caressing the back of his head and Milan embraced him. Me and Milan weren't that close,Milan and Angelo were closer. But everyone knew that Milan and Luciana were closest. When mother died, Luciana took it upon herself to raise Milan while father was busy raising me, but since he didn't know anything about raising a newborn baby girl, he had hired a bunch of nannies to look after me.

I got up from my position on the floor, wiping my hands down my dress.

"Lucian already left and the others are going in separate cars." Angelo informed me, turning away and walking Milan to the car. Me and Angelo weren't close, in fact none of my siblings were ever close with me. After all I was the reason for mother's death. They didn't hold a grudge against me though, I guess it just pained them that my mother had to give up her life in order for me to live mine.

I followed quietly behind them, not sparing a single glance at her grave. If I did, I wouldn't guarantee that I wouldn't start crying all over again.

"Valeria?" I stopped walking when I heard my name being called by a soft voice. I turned around and came face to face with Aria, a close friend of Luciana. Her skin was paler than usual and her eyes were rimmed with red, a few tears stains coating her rosy face.
She was clasping something in her hand with so much force that her knuckles were turning white.

She looks at me with pity, something that I hated people for doing.

"Um, I know that we aren't close, and that you and your sister weren't close either, but she told me to give you this when the time comes. I've already given Aurelia hers." She opened up her hand and showed me a small gold brooch, resembling a star of some sort. It was loosing its colour on the edges which meant it was a quite old, I'm guessing it was a family heirloom.

She grabbed a hold of my hand and placed the brooch in my palm, "I'm so sorry for your loss." She pulled me into a hug, her hand caressing the back of my head. It reminded me of Luciana on rare occasions, where she would be comfortable enough to hug me. I melted into her, wrapping my arms around her and trying my best to not let my emotions get the best of me.

"It's okay, you can cry." She said gently.

And I did. I sobbed into a stranger's embrace who had provided me with the warmth I needed for so long.

"Valeria." The voice made me jump a bit, and I immediately let go of Aria. I looked over at Lucian as he stared at Aria, Aria doing the same back.

"And who may you be." He questioned, narrowing his eyes at Aria. I could've swore I saw something flash through Aria's eyes, something like disbelief.

"Aria," She cleared her throat, "Aria Arminiya. I was close to Luciana."

"So you say," I could tell Lucian was making her uncomfortable, the way she lowered her head when she met his gaze, and the slight stutter in her sentence I noticed when she thought no one did.

I couldn't blame her though, Lucian made a reputation for himself. He was infamous for his rise in the economy and the amount of companies he had put out of business. To top it off, he has a menacing scar penetrating his right side of the face, from the space between his nose and top lip down to his jaw, adding to his ominous appearance. I have no idea how it got there, and I really don't want to know.

"You should be on your way, Aria. It's getting dark, you don't want to be wandering around at this time, do you?" He cocked his head to the side, "The burial is over, go home."

Aria glanced at him before at me, pulling out a card from her Saint Laurent's bag, "Call me if you need anything."

She handed it to me and left, the faint scent of Lavender lingering in the air.

I hadn't seen Lucian the whole day. Although everyone was saying he was present at the burial, I hadn't seen him.

"Get in the car." He made no room for excuses and began to walk away.

I did as I was told, following behind him but not close enough for him to hear my footsteps.
We made our way to his Chiron Bugatti, the colour of the car definitely not fitting the theme of today. Once I was inside the car, I began to put the card Aria gave me into my purse but Lucian stops me, "Give that to me." Lucian demands. I hesitate for a second, but that seems to rile him up more.

Rather than giving it to his outstretched hand, I place it ontop of the glove compartment. He roughly grabs it, takes a picture of the card before ripping it into shreds.

My eyes grow wide, "Why wou—"

"Don't you ever contact her again. If she comes up to you, tell me straight away. Do you understand?" He throws the ripped up card out the window before speeding off onto the highway.

What the heck?

I was a bit confused on his behaviour, since it was a horrible day for all of us, I thought he would have been a bit more kind. And I was also confused on why he was playing dumb, I went to his old school and so did all of the other de Vinci's creating a legacy at that school. Word goes around quickly about new and old things, so why was he acting like he didn't know who Aria was when he dated her back in Highschool?

And why did Aria play along?