𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟐

LORENZO

After our business class ended I convinced her to let me come over to her house so we could talk more about our project. This was probablythe worst idea considering that I trying to win this. Although her friends are pretty convinced that this is a bet. "Lorenzo Fucking Russo, I'm going to fucking kill you."

Speaking of her friends. I turned around to see two girls walking up to me. Sylvia looked like she was ready to kill me but then again she was quite a fiesty person while Claire, the one who yelled was staring at me with her deep green eyes "Claire, Sylvia. Lovely to see you two here."

"Can't say the same to you." Sylvia said

"Well someone's thirsty for blood aren't we Sylvia." I said

"Cut the bullshit Lorenzo, care to explain this." Claire said pointing at her phone screen. On someone's Instagram post there was a picture of Astoria and I watching a movie on her phone while she was lying on my shoulder. I stared at the picture before looking back at them. "All I see is someone falling for me."

"You better stay the hell away from her, you bullied her in middle school and first semester of freshman year, why the hell do you want her now." Claire said

"Why wouldn't I, she's pretty and smart."

"And a virgin." Sylvia whispered but I clearly heard her. "Yes, she's a virgin which is a bonus since they scream so much." I said while smiling.

"You have got to be kidding me. You better wipe that smile of your face of else-" Sylvia was ready to punch me till Claire pulled her back. As much as Claire acts like a bitch sometimes alteast she had standards. "What happened to good cop, bad cop."

"I say fuck that, it's bad cop, better cop." Sylvia said

"You do you, sweetie." Claire says before turning to me. "Now Lorenzo, were giving you two options, first one being you stay away from Astoria.

"And the second one."

"If you don't listen to us then things won't end well for you." Sylvia said. "So what's it gonna be?"

"Easy. I'm not leaving her, I don't want to and I don't plan on doing it. Now unless you have anything better to say I have plans with a certain princess. Are you to going to go after me?" They looked at each other for a bit before staring back at me and said nothing. "That's what I thought. I'd be careful if I were you Claire, we don't want your family finding out that your seeing their rivals son."

"Is that a threat."

"Maybe, you'll find out yourself." I said as I left.

—

I arrived at Astoria's house after my conversation with her friend. They were smart but they didn't realize that its the total opposite of what they are thinking, I never lost a bet and I don't plan on losing this one now. I rang her doorbell and waited a few second before she opened it. "Your late."

"Sorry about that Princess, I was caught up with something." I said getting inside.

"Well atleast your here because I want answers."

"About what." I said as I placed my bag on the couch before turning to her, she grabbed a book from the counter and threw it to me. "Why is my mother death connected to your parents death?"

Well, so much for keeping her away from this. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't play dumb, I want answers."

"Fine I'll answer but don't tell your dad anything. You might want to sit down for this."

"Alright. Start talking." She said as she sat down. "Ill start of by saying your mom used to work for the Lombardi Empire."

"I'm sorry what." Se said

"Confusing I know but it's true, before her and your dad met she was working along side with Ryder's dad. She was a detective and she was investigating someone's disappearance and found them dead but someone was holding a knife over the body."

"Who was it?"

"Your dad." I said, he eyes widened for a second than she narrowed her eyes to me. "Your lying, my father told me that they met in college."

"Sorry to break it to your Princess but your daddy doesn't tell the truth, he hid the truth from you for a reason."

"Ok, but how did they-"

"She was about to report him but I guess he bribed her." I said

"He bribed my mother, that doesn't sound right. She would never get bribed that easily."

"The reason why she let him go was because of her parents. They-" I stopped for a second before staring at her. As much as telling her this is a bad idea, I still felt sorry for her. "They abused her, to them she was a bad child, a disappointment so she was willing to do anything to get away from them so she agreed to it, she got herself an apartment and continued working."

"Until." She said

"Until, three years later she say him again with my uncle and my father."

"Wait back up a bit. How is he friends with your father." She said before standing up to get a drink. "Before my father died, your father worked with him so they were quite close. So they met again, hang out a bit, asked each other out, started dating then two years later she quits her job and left, then she had you but she was still in contact with Ryders father and a few other people from the empire."

"So what happened."

"Well from what I remember her marriage wasn't going as well as she thought. He was still killing innocent people and she found out he was helping with sex trafficking and stuff happened."

"What kind of stuff." She said.

"That's for you to find out but there is something else your should see, in the library there was a picture of your mom and someone else, so incase you found the truth I could give it go you." I said taking out the picture and giving it to her. "The date this picture was taken was on her graduation but who is she?" She pointed at the woman with black hair and green eyes.

"Check the back." I said. She turned the picture to the side and read out the names. "Cassandra Rose and Celeste Parker."

"Now I'm not sure who Celeste is but maybe you know." I said

"She-she is my dad's current wife."

—

This isn't the only twist that's coming up, wait until you see the next chapter.