Faith [Donati Clan #1] [Complete]

Chapter 16

MATTEO

Rushing through the stairs, I stood at the front entrance of my mansion feeling frustrated and paranoid.

Huffing harshly, I found another reason for my anger. The antagonizing conversation with Luciano seemed to ignite annoyance, as well as, the interruption of their heart-to-heart that I just witnessed. I couldn't even look at Zack at that moment because I was afraid that I would break his bones, along with our bond.

Blood still boiling, my orbs met a familiar navy-blue automobile that I had gifted him. Rage lit; I squinted my eyes at the car's owner. A kind of fight seemed to press his features as the driver got out of the car and swiftly dashed towards my direction.

Irritation clear as day, I uttered, "Not now."

Clear intention written on his face, he said with an emotion that I had never witnessed from him, "It is important, Matteo."

Green hues shining brightly as they reminded me of many memories, good memories. Since we were children, he had always found a way to get himself into trouble by being careless because he knew that I would save him from any harm. It had been my duty to protect my siblings as they were unaware of the dangers, yet now it had been different...

My little brother repeated, "It is really important."

I yelled in a single word, trying to reign my anger, "No."

Shoulders dropped from my answer and I wondered if he knew the real reason that I was erupting with rage. Defeated, finally, he turned around and began making his way to his blue car, but his stubbornness seemed to win the inner battle.

Turning around once again, more confident, he returned to the position that he had previously been. As he finally reached me, a familiar melody began playing around our surroundings. I took the mobile out of my pocket as it was ringing and saw the lid screen.

Before I could see the caller, Zack uttered loudly, "Matteo, this can't wait until tomorrow, or in a week. It has to be now."

I put the mobile back into my pocket and gave my full attention to Zack.

Focused on his stature, I said calmly, "Zack, it can wait. You have tomorrow to give me a brief. Luciano and ---"

Worry was written on his face, he utters, "Matteo, we can't..." I was about to continue, but Zack announced, "It's about her."

Her.

A single word, a single woman that had consumed my thoughts. At that very second, my previous feelings seemed to evaporate as I stared at his worried eyes. I asked, coyly, "Her?"

He chanted, "Dahlia. It is about Dahlia."

I knew.

Instead of being worried as well, I was enraged that he knew something that I didn't. I couldn't take the fact that I had been the other person to find out. So, I took a different approach instead, "You seem to know a lot about her lately."

Taken aback at my words, he said surprised, "Matteo..."

I continued, "I have been out for few days and you started to --"

He interrupted me in a serious manner, "Enough. Just because you are my Boss, that doesn't mean that you accuse me. You are my brother, Matteo, you know me. I know that you are in..."

... in what?

I asked, "What?"

Sighing heavily, he spoke with conviction, "You won't believe me even if I told you."

Rigid, I tried to deflect, "What did you find about her?"

He gathered his thoughts and courage to speak the next words. Afraid for some reason, he started, "Dahlia was alone her whole life, since birth."

I said, eagerly, "I know."

Zack sighed deeply, "Right." However, he continued explaining, "The foster parents she met have not been kind to her. She has... has been through a lot from what I could find."

Hands began to shake as I heard those difficult words from Zack, but to hide I turned my hands into fist forcefully. Clearing my dry throat, I exclaimed, "This is nothing new to me, Zack. We do know this."

Nervously, Zack uttered, "That is not all." Taking a deep breath once again, my heart seemed to leap rapidly each second to pass. I was not sure what I had waiting on, but Zack regained his posture and said cautiously, "When I tell you this, you need to remain calm."

Hiding my emotion like a second mask, I demanded, "Out with it."

He finally revealed, "When Dahlia was 16, she relocated to Colorado because her new foster parents moved there. Andy and Abigail Ridge, her foster parents, were known as the kindest people, saints even. Laila had been living with the Ridges before Dahlia moved there. I found Laila and she told me the rumors about them were untrue. They used to mistreat them daily from verbal to sometimes physical abuse."

Zack peered at me, waiting for a reaction, but I had none to give. When Zack realised this, he continued, "She also told me about the night that everything changed. Andy got drunk and had a fight with his wife, the wife left with Laila and left Dahlia alone. The next day, Andy was found dead and after a month, the wife committed suicide."

I asked, concerned and confused, "What about Dahlia? Where was she?"

Zack declared, "She wasn't." Before I could ask once again, he exclaimed, "Andy was found dead alone, and any traces of Dahlia had disappeared. If it wasn't for Laila, then it was impossible to find it out."

I asked, "Are you accusing her of killing someone?"

He tried to explain, "Someone helped her to flee, that is the only..."

I suggested, arrogantly, "It is always the wife. She had reasons to, and when she regretted, she committed suicide."

Zack uttered, "Then why did Dahlia leave? And --" But before Zack could utter further, I continued, "How did you find this information?"

Zack seemed reluctant to answer this question, but I gave him room to find me a suitable answer. I could see his wheels turning and trying to find exact words to not anger me further. However, he was unsuccessful when he uttered, "Castillo helped me."

Interrupting him with rage, "Castillo?"

Zack tried to calm me down, trying to explain, "Matteo, you have to understand. I tried everything in my power to find the answers, and I know you have to. But we weren't finding anything, and Castillo has connections."

I commented, "He is playing you. How could you trust him?"

I reminded him and pleaded, "You don't trust him, but trust me."

Gazing at Zack deeply, I tried to find the lies within him, but as heartless that everyone seemed to make of me, I did trust him. Deep down, I knew his loyalty towards me was intact and he would not jeopardise it. Not even for our father.

Breaking from my illusion, Zack announced, "I want to be wrong, Matteo. I want to be paranoid because the woman that is inside is not a monster like us. She can't and if she is..."

Our words had been replaced by the echoing silence that surrounded us. The deafening pitch inside of me seemed to grow larger. Zack tried, "I – I..."

However, his words were left unsaid as he turned around and got inside of the car. There wasn't a hesitation when the engine started and when it left the premises. Everything around me seemed to stand still as the moment was made of glass, while I stared at the oblivion.

Turning around, I saw the entrance where Dahlia gazed in a rigid posture, crossed arms, and a solemn expression.

After being held trapped for few seconds, Dahlia sighed quietly and went inside.

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