Ethereal

Apologies

We walked out the door and I noticed nobody was there anymore, but rather low chatter was heard from the living room. I braced myself as I walked through the doorway, and everybody's heads snapped towards me.

Enzo's hair was disheveled and his tie was loose around his neck. Emilio was nowhere to be seen. Matteo was sitting calmly on the couch, legs crossed. Leonardo was typing furiously on his phone and Lorenzo was staring blankly at the wall. Valentino was staring at me intensely, making me frown. My parents were sitting with defeated faces and the girls were nowhere to be seen, either. Derek and Maya were talking amongst themselves quietly, and got up as soon as they saw me, coming to my side.

"Anastasia," Enzo acknowledged, motioning for me to sit.

I did.

"I want to apologize for my wife's actions. It was completely out of pocket, she was completely out of pocket. Please try to understand the situation she's in." Enzo pleaded, rolling up his sleeves.

"I made it clear that I would work with you if you kept my privacy here. Tonight, my privacy was invaded in a way that I don't think can be forgiven, Enzo. My men will have a house ready for me and my friends tomorrow night, for the rest of this night going on tomorrow we will stay in a hotel I own not too far from here." I revealed, and Enzo ran a hand through his hair, messing it up more.

"V...Anastasia. Just listen to me. I am sorry." Enzo repeated. Matteo scoffed.

"Why is it such a big deal her mask came off? I mean, yeah, Celeste and Amara are totally wrong for that, but I don't blame them. Somebody staying in their house, where their children are -- or will be -- and not even knowing what they look like. I know that none of you would tolerate this, tolerate her if Verity was here." Matteo expressed, leaving many people in the room dumbfounded.

"If that person was somebody who could've saved Verity, who could've assured she'd be alive right now? Yeah, you know what, I would have tolerated it. I would have offered it." Enzo snarled at him, laughing lowly. "You can't be serious, Matteo."

"But does she assure you? Does she guarantee you that your unborn child will be safe? That Primo will be safe, that your wife will be safe?"

Enzo paused for a moment, looking at me, assessing me. Then he turned back to Matteo, straightening his back and narrowing his eyes. "She doesn't need to. I know that her and her team are fully capable of protecting my family. Our family."

Matteo scoffed, his calm demeanor leaving his body completely. He got up and marched out of the room, slamming things on his way.

Just like the old days.

"I apologize again, Verity. It's not a..." Enzo paused again, laughing as his eyes glazed over. "I'm so sorry. It just keeps slipping out. You're so much like her...it trips me up."

Everybody in the room was tenser than before, including me.

"That's fine, but I would rather you and your family works on that mistake that all of you keep repeatedly making. It's beginning to become a problem, making this personal, and as I said -- I like to keep my business professional."

Enzo nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, you are right. I will apologize for the last time now. I'm going to have a talk with my wife, as Emilio is doing with his at the moment -- because I understand how inappropriate her actions were."

I nodded and scanned the room until my eyes fell on Mrs. Moretti. My mother.

"And her?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She sat up, her chin wobbling slightly. "I'm so sorry, so so sorry my dear, I truly did not know what they were planning -- if they told me, I wouldn't have allowed it!" she sobbed, tears coming to her eyes once again.

I panicked, not wanting her to cry. Today I dealt with enough of that. "It's okay, it's fine, just don't cry, I seriously forgive you, honest! Jesus..."

She squeaked a thank you and apologized once again before going back into her husband's embrace. She's been so different since I 'died'. 

"Are you leaving?" Enzo asked. I nodded. "That shouldn't be necessary. Please, stay until you get your housing sorted out -- I can assure you nothing will happen like this again."

Valentino spook up for the first time. "She's not our sister, Enzo. Stop treating her like she is. She wants to leave, so let her leave."

Enzo's mouth dropped, and so did Lorenzo and Leonardo's. 

"Our sister is dead, Valentino, so don't even pull that shit with me."

"You aren't acting like that's the case."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"It means --"

Their banter was cut off when Emilio came into the room, clearing his throat loudly.

"Anastasia wants to leave. Let her leave. She is just a business partner, nothing more, Enzo. Get over it."

Enzo took a deep breath, ticking his jaw before nodding slowly. Me and my friends got up and left to pack after some more conversation.

Looking back at that night, I realize how much trouble I could've saved myself.

And how much opportunities I had to save others.

WC: 881

Fill-in chapter while I try to think of wtf I should be writing LMAO