The Hidden Pain

17. Fighting Over Me?

Bella's POV

We all reached home. "Bella, go inside, we all have some work okay?" Leo said. Okay I mumbled and went inside. I was about to go inside my room when a voice stopped me. "Hey! Stop there." I turned to look at the owner of the voice to see a tall guy around 6'3 in his late twenties. He is so bulky; his hands are covered with so many tattoos. From his body language he's so scary but not for me because I have seen plenty of men like him while working in the mafia still I will not goanna lie he's the scariest person I have ever seen. But am I scared? Nahh I'm not.

I looked in his eyes which are reflecting so many emotions like longingness but the question is who is he? I never saw him in the Romano mansion. I don't think so I do know you, who you are? I asked him. After listening to me his eyes reflect hurt. But why is he hurt. As he realized something, in a blink of an eye all the hurt or any type of emotion is gone from his eyes replaced with a blank face but he's late as I already saw everything.

Uhm... he cleared his throat. "I'm Dante your second older cousin brother" he said. Second, older cousin brother, Dante? I tried to remember this name but I didn't get any clue or a memory of this name. Then it hits me oh he's my cousin brother and the underboss of the American mafia once Alessandro told me about them. I don't remember you I said to him. In return he only sighed and shook his head.

After a few seconds he said "but I do remember you completely in fact, not only me we all do remember you." We all? I asked him. "Yes, we all, let's go to the living room everyone is waiting for us" he said and started walking towards the living room. What do you mean by everyone? I asked him. "You will see" he said.

In the living room

As we both reached the living room I saw many new faces sitting with the Romano brothers. "I thought you both were never going to come" a voice came which literally sent shivers in my spine. Damn...I looked toward the owner of the voice to see a man in his seventies. If I'm not wrong he is my grandfather. Damn at this age he is still giving the vibes of a mafia boss. He doesn't need to prove why, he was a mafia boss or why he has the worlds biggest mafias. His body language is enough. His aura is freaking scary and the long slit mark of injury on his left eyebrow is making him scarier, the way he's still fit at this age, in short he's perfect in all aspects. And if I say I'm not scared of him it will be a lie I'm scared of him not completely a little but I'm.

"Bella?" He said sitting on the couch like a king. Yes?. "Alfonzo Romano, your grandfather," he said while making an eye contact. I know what he is trying to do; he's trying to read me. But will I allow him? Nahh! I too look in his eyes with the same intensity; in return he just smirks at me. Strange!

"Sit here" he ordered me to sit on the couch in front of him and look towards his right, where a man is sitting, I guess he is one or two years older than Dante. "Zion, 27" he said shortly and once again he too is looking at my body language. Oh boy! When I don't let your grandfather read me so you think I will let you I say to myself.

"Hey!" An excited voice came. I looked towards the source of the voice to see a boy around 18 or 19 years. He has light ash brown hair. Only I, Alex and Dante have copper blonde hair, otherwise everyone has ash brown hair. Not to forget he has blue orbs like me. I just noticed only my grandfather; Zion, I and this unknown boy have blue orbs and the rest of them have amber orbs.

"Heyy Bella I am Ace your sixth older cousin brother." He then suddenly hugged me; I stiffened on the sudden touch. Noticing my discomfort Ace broke the hug. "Uhmm- I am sorry I just missed you a lot so hehe..." he said with an awkward look on his face. "It's okay" I said to him. I don't like physical touch or you can say I am not used to it. Unless it is Sandro, Jaz or Ron.

"Sir the lunch is ready" a maid came and said it and returned back to the kitchen, I guess. "Let's go and the rest of you introduce yourself on the table" grandfather said and leave the room. After him we too all started moving towards the dining table. Once we all settled on the table, grandfather motioned for the rest of the boys to give their introduction.

Oh ! Did I tell you all I'm sitting at the right side of my grandfather, not by my choice though. On his left Zion, beside him Alex then followed by Xander, Ace and the rest of the boys. And beside me Dante then Xavier and the rest.

"Hi I'm Asher 21" he said with a warm smile. Hlo I greeted him back. "Heyoo Bella I'm Enzo and I'm 18 and your coolest brother among these rats and workaholics" he said with a wink. "No you're not I'm the coolest brother" Xavier said. "No I'm" this time it is Ace.

"No, I am" Matteo and Ethan said at the same time. "Definitely NO" all of them said at the same time. All of them started fighting with each other. Idiot they all are fighting over you. My subconscious mocked me. Fighting over me? Woah this is something new. They are fighting over me? But why I mean I never saw someone fighting over me. It feels so unreal.

"Quiet you all" grandpa said with that whole room fell in silence. "Bella can you pass the bowl to me?

"Yeah sure", I bend over the table to pick the bowl and gave it to him. "From where did you get this ring? Grandpa asked me gaining everyone's attention on me. I look towards him in confusion than I saw my ring which I am wearing as a pendant. This is a special ring which is given to the most trusted and best assassins of the Spanish mafia. It indicates Spanish Mafia. But there is no need for them to know this.

"Oh this, my friend once gifted me on my birthday" I said with a shrug. "Ohhh..." everyone looked convinced expect grandpa but he didn't say anything further.

"Which friend?" Alex asked me. Oh god why does he always have to ask so many questions ughh.

"The one who slapped you in front of everyone" again the whole room fell into silence, grandpa and all the cousins were showing different reactions, some were curious to know whole matter, some were shocked to the revelation and grandpa was looking amused.

"Well, I have seen this ring somewhere else before" grandpa said. Now everyone is looking towards me, waiting for my answer. I twisted the ring between my fingers and said

"There are pretty much rings like this out there, so it's not something unusual." I replied with a deep sigh. No one said anything after that.

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" Grandpa, you called me?" I went towards him. He was sitting on a chair in front of the pool.

"Yes, I know there is a lot of things you are hiding from us but it's fine take as much time you want " he said without looking towards me.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm old that doesn't mean, I'm stupid nor are you. It's not like this if I'm not pointing out all the things I don't understand them, same goes with you" he said slightly chuckling.

"Are you there real grandfather or had you picked them from somewhere else???" I asked him curiously.

"Hm? What do you mean? About whom you are talking?" he said confusingly.

"Alex and Xander, the way they both behaves it's completely opposite from you" I said like it's a matter of fact.

"Oh them", he said while laughing a little. I nod my head in yes.

"Its not like that just give them a little time than everything will be fine, they maybe don't show but they care a lot about you. It's just they missed you a lot, your absence brooked all of us. Just give them some time and trust the process. And if they will create any issues so just come to me okay?"

I didn't say anything to him just hummed in response. "Let's go inside it's getting cold here" he said to me while walking inside the mansion.

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So sorry for keeping you all waiting for a long time but yaa I was so busy past months rn also my pre boards are going but on tuesday my exams are finally ending. So, I will try my best to give you an update every week.

Do vote and comments and tell me how the chapter was in the comments.
Hehe, till then take care guys 🫶🏻✨