The Hidden Pain

23. Mission Accomplished

TW : mention of violence

Bella's POV

Past few days had been chaotic, to say the least. I regret opening my mouth before the mission, now, it wouldn't take a genius to deduce that I'm not just an ordinary girl. Clearly, I'm hiding secrets. My connection to Alessandro had already raised suspicions, but now it was even more glaring. It was surprising how easily they had brushed it off, but dwelling on it wouldn't change anything. Moreover, if it weren't for Alessandro, my true identity would have been exposed long ago. So far, everything seemed normal, which was surprising. No one had mentioned anything about my office outburst/revelation, and they were all acting as if nothing had happened. But I didn't have time to dwell on that now. Today was the day of the ball, and my focus needed to be on that. I have to think of a perfect excuse to get out of there. It wouldn't be easy, but I was willing to do whatever it took to complete my mission. I couldn't let Sandro down.

With determination etched on my face, I walked into the living room, where Luca, my grandfather, Ethan, and Matteo were present. Ethan and Matteo are busy playing some games on PS5. "Good morning, tesoro," Grandpa said, his warm smile greeting me.

"Morning, Grandpa. Morning, everyone," I replied, taking in the cozy atmosphere.

"Come here, sit, and eat breakfast," Grandpa said, patting the space beside him. I smiled and settled in. He served me a fluffy pancake and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The aroma wafting from the plate was irresistible, and I dug in with gusto.

"Where are the others?" I asked, my mouth full.

"Ace, Xander, Xavier, and Enzo are at college for some events," Luca explained. "And Leo, Dante, Zion, and Asher are out on business."

"But today's Sunday," I pointed out. "Do they really work on weekends?"

Luca chuckled. "Business emergencies don't care about weekdays or weekends, kiddo. Anyway, how's school going?" He set his book aside, giving me his full attention.

"It's going well," I said. "I've made a few friends."

Luca nodded. "Good to hear that."

I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Since it's Sunday, can I go to my friend's house for a sleepover?" I tried to sound casual, hoping to avoid raising any suspicions.

Grandpa's eyebrow shot up. "Sleepover? With whom?”

"Jaz, one of my friends," I replied, hoping to downplay any further questioning. But Grandpa's skeptical gaze told me he wasn't buying it.

"The one you went with a few days ago?" he asked, his tone laced with doubt.

I realized that he must have been informed about my previous outing. It seemed that the family's communication network was more intricate than I thought. A shiver ran down my spine as I wondered if Grandpa suspected anything.

"Yes, but there were two others with us that time. Today, it's just Jaz and me," I explained, trying to sound nonchalant. I added a pleading tone, "So, can I go? Please?"

Grandpa's expression remained unreadable. "Luca will drop you off."

I tried to protest, "I can go by myself."

But Grandpa's voice was firm. "Either Luca drops you off, or you're not going."

I reluctantly agreed. "Fine, let me grab my things."

I quickly cleared my plate and glass, washed my hands, and headed upstairs to my room. Locking the door behind me, I changed into a bright yellow sundress and texted Jaz to let her know I was on my way.