CARINA

22: MEMORIES

Mackenzie's POV

"HOW do you..."

"How do I know her?" He finished my question when I couldn't find my words "I can't even tell you how many times I've cheated death. Sometimes I feel like my life would be ebbing out any moment now but I'm drawn back again. Maybe, just maybe this is why I still live on. To meet you. To tell you"

He had spoken so many words but none of them were clearing my dubiety "I still—still don't know how you know my mom" I told him a little about my parents but I never mentioned their names

"Samantha and I grew up in Houston"

Houston? That's where my family lives

That's where I've lived throughout my childhood and only moved to NYC with Jay due to schooling, four years ago

"My parents had just moved from Italy to USA and Sam was my neighbor. She always tried speaking to me even when I ignored her. My parents were always busy and I was left alone to bear the pain of losing my twin brother at a young age. She would steal some of the cake her mom baked and bring it over to my house. It continued that way and eventually, I was able to deal with the pain of the death of my brother to the point of forgetting it. We were friends until I asked her to be my girlfriend when we entered high school"

I opened my mouth in disbelief and shock

"We dated secretly and she would often complain about how sad she was because she couldn't brag about me to her friends. It was two and a half years into the relationship that my father found out about it. I was forced to break up with her because in his opinion, I'm supposed to date someone who would bring benefits to his company. So we did and for the few months left before we graduated high school, I ignored her because anytime my father saw me with her, he would beat me up until it was finally drilled into my head.

Of course, beating me up wasn't a new thing but he threatened to ruin her life if I was still seen with Samantha. Months came by and we had graduated from high school. That evening my dad came back to tell my mom and I that we'd be moving to New York. I didn't even get the chance to say my last goodbye and apologize"

How I wish that was the end of the story but the look on his face told me this was far from being over

"So life in NYC was pretty fine. I was happy, had big dreams and lived anyway I deemed fit. I had many friends because why not...? My dad's business was growing and he had made the name. I knew all the friends around me wanted anything but friendship but I met these two people and they defined real friendship. We were happy and we three made plans. Plans to build our own empire. I knew I'd inherit my dad's company but I decided I would make them my subordinates. The three of us always hang out in school together but anytime we were going to the club, it was just Aldo and I"

Aldo?

I've heard that name once. That was the man who I met in Dante's garage. Dante had told him I was his fiancée.

So that is Stefano's friend from back in the days

"So who was your other friend?" I didn't know why I asked but I got the urge to do so

"Edmund" he mentioned and my stomach sunk "Edmund Banni was my other friend"

"My dad?" I know he said his full name but I still asked just so it could be that I misheard

"Yes your dad" I submerged into the couch and I was sure many reactions were made on my face. I just couldn't settle on one "Edmund would always refuse to go with us to the club because he had met someone online and they had been dating for two years. Aldo and I always made fun of him about it but he didn't even seem bothered