ONLY HIS

Past

≈Angelica≈

"It's okay, it's okay" Serena repeats softly as she escorts me upstairs into mine and Franco's bedroom

"He can't find out" I cry

"Franco?"

I nod

"What can't he find out?"

"I- I can't-"

"Angel, you can tell me. No matter what it is; if you don't want me to tell, I won't"

I let out a shaky breath "I don't know how he found me, I-I changed everything. My name, my house and I didn't tell him who my family was...ever. I m-mean the only thing that was the same was my last name but I checked and there are thousands of 'Monroe's' just in the state. I-I didn't-"

"Hold on, hold on. Your name isn't Angelica?"

"W-well it is now but not since birth"

"What is your birth name?"

"Petal"

"What the man called you?"

I nod

"Okay, okay. Who was he?"

"Iván Petrov, he-"

I get cut off by the door swinging open to Franco who is breathing heavily

"Please Angel, please tell me he is lying"

"W-what did he tell you?"

"Drugs and attempted murder"

"Oh god" I whisper looking down

"Please baby, please tell me you are not involved with a Russian drug dealer, please tell me you didn't try and kill someone" he begs

Dante comes in as well, everyone looks confused, shocked

"It's not that simple Franco"

"Fuck" he runs a hand over his face

"Can you just explain everything to us? Let us understand" Serena rubs her hand softly over my back

"I-I um- my real name isn't Angelica, it's Petal. My parents always called me Angel that's why I chose Angelica for it to be changed to.

It started when my parents died when I was 14, I was in a really bad way and tried to kill myself but Iván, the man, found me and stopped it. He gave me molly and said it would make me feel better so I took it. I was only going to do it once but I couldn't help myself, after a while he started showing me different drugs like cocaine and heroin and some others and I paid him every time u-until I got deeper in.

He said until I paid him back I had to work for him but no one was going to buy drugs from a 15-year-old girl so it was either prostitution or I-I would have to um- kill one of the men who went against him so I would be tied to him, he said that if I was found out by cops I could use the 'self-defence' card and since I was a minor he said I wouldn't be punished badly if anyone believed I even did it.

I believed him and chose the second option but I saw the man tied to the chair and I couldn't do it. I told Iván that anyone who went against him should hurt as they die and he agreed so I shot the guy's stomach so he would have a better chance at living before getting away as quickly as I could and calling the police.

I said that Iván kidnapped me and I saw him shoot someone; they believed me and saved the guy in time. I told the police everything except I said that Iván was the shooter; there was enough evidence so he got arrested. I told my family what had happened and they changed my name to Angelica and we moved houses for safety; my grandfather paid my debt and we were done with everything. I-I don't know how he found me or Alex or why he was brought here. I left school and I've been clean for 5 years. I don't touch alcohol, nicotine: anything."

Everyone is silent for a moment; just taking in all the information

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Franco breaks the silence

"I-I don't know" I whisper "I'm sorry"

"Can we um-" he clears his throat "Can we have a minute"

"Yeah," Serena and Dante stand up to leave "We'll be downstairs"

"Come here" Franco opens his arms once they left and I crawl onto his lap

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" I cry into his shoulder

He keeps his hand on the back of my head as he holds me tightly to him

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to do, I was 15 and- and-"

"I know, I know baby"

"I'm sorry"

His head drops to my shoulder which shakes with each of my sobs

"Please, I don't know what he wants, just please don't leave me"

"Hey," he pulls back and holds my face in his hands "I'm not leaving you, ever, I promise"

"You're not mad?" I sniffle

"I wouldn't say that, I just wish you would have told me but I know why you didn't. Whatever happened doesn't change anything for how much I love you, okay? "

"Okay" I nod "I love you"

"I love you more" he kisses my cheek

"Why did Alex bring him here? I-I thought he liked me now"

"I don't know baby, I'll sort everything out though, I promise"

"No, I'll fix it. It's my mess"

"Angel-"

"-I'm not letting you get involved with Iván, Franco"

"Why would I let you?" he asks

"Because I've already been involved with him, I know what he's like and what he's capable of"

"He said he wants his debt? What is that?"

"I don't know, I already paid him everything I owed years ago but I can handle it, promise"

"Why don't we handle it together, hm?"

"Together?" I think for a moment "deal"