The Mafia's Flower ( #2 in the Mafia Series )

seven

{ Reia's POV }

It's been two months since I've been gone.

Turns out the person my mother had waiting for me was Michael Gray. He was a father figure to her and her trainer.

I've been living with him and his wife Greta.

She use to be the maid for the Italian mansion but ran off to live her happily ever after with none other than Michael.

My mother considered them her parental figures, like if she ever had a god father and a god mother it would be them.

Michael is younger than my grandfather Val but he's still fairly older however he's still in good shape considering.

Michael has even took it upon himself to train me, and teach me the ins and outs of the mafia— in case I decide to return or just in case I'm pulled back in somehow.

Greta tells me her tips and tricks of the mafia—- including her recipes. Which I appreciate.
Because I'm only good at cooking a few things.
I need to improve my seasoning skills.

They're teaching me how to live a normal life. Well at least a somewhat normal life. We do have to keep a low profile just in case someone ends up trying to track me down.

I'm allowed to go out shopping or to the club as long as I tell them before hand. Just so they can have my back in case someone who could be potentially dangerous finds me.

I'm finally free and as close to normal as I can possibly get and I'm soaking it all in.

I still miss everyone but I'm enjoying every minute of this season of my life..

However it's not all fun and about self discovery....

<{🥀}>

There is the pressing issue of the files my grandfather Val instructed me to get.

I got my freedom. Check! It was he's dying wish and I've granted it with the help of Michael and Greta.

Only now I know I'll have to go back home..
I just don't know when..

The files he gave me had secret information.
That's why they were locked away.

It had the full back history with the Italians and the Russians and even a bit about the Americans. Catching me completely up to what everyone else knew, and apparently hid from me. Even things my mother had to go through that I didn't know. It explains so much.

There was a file with my medical history in it and a journal my grandfather kept about me.
He said in the journal that the day I was born he knew he would call me the mafias flower because I was far to innocent, delicate, and beautiful for this world. He wrote about the troubles I had as a baby, and how everyone dealt with it. It explains so much.

He also wrote that he was greatly upset and angered that 'they' apparently forced Cristian and the others away from me.

He even wrote that he knew that Cristian and I would always find our way back to each other ; because we always just knew were each other were. He said that we seemed to complete each other in a way he had never seen. My grandfather wrote that he had never seen a love so pure.

I think he might've read a little to much into things considering the fact that we were just young kids. I did have a crush but I'm sure everyone has them...and yes, we happened to be each other's first kisses, but I would hardly call it true love.

True love wouldn't have left me alone.
True love would've lasted.

Or so I thought until I read the last file...

Which taught me that my grandfather Val, Uncle Alex, and Michael were the only men at that time to never lie and deceive me.

<{🥀}>

According to the file it all started when my grandfather Francesco started now to like that the Russians were over in Italy. Apparently the more time I spent with them the more he spread his dislike around.

Making my uncle Marco hate it that whenever I was around Cristian, Annika, and the guys that
I was bolder and voiced my own opinions.

My grandfather Francesco fed off of my father's fear of losing me, and placed ideas of control in my fathers head in order to protect me.

Of course this is all according to my grandfather Val's files and journal.
He observed it all.

Francesco had in fact become paranoid in his old age.

My grandfather Val, had documents of my fathers writing, along with Stefan's signature saying in order to keep peace ; the Russians would go back to Russia, and not return until it was time for Cristian to take over for both sides of the mafia. Agreeing to tell everyone not aware of the deal that it was for strict and hardcore  training.

My grandfather Val even had letters from Cristian when he was younger.

The first letter said 'Rei, I'm sorry this has to be in letter...but I'm no longer allowed to see you anymore until I become the boss, I'm suppose to be. I tried to give it up to stay there with you, but our fathers wouldn't allow it. Your father and mine made some kind of deal to keep us apart. I overheard heard them talking about it...but I don't know the reason behind it. I just want you to know that not seeing you isn't my choice, and if I could I would always be with you, because after all you are my favorite person.'

The second letter said 'Dear Rei, it's been a few years, and to be honest I don't know if you got my last letter, or if you'll get this one but it's been hard. Training and preparing myself for a role that means nothing to me, but stress and pain without you by my side. I've tried leaving but they won't let me. I can feel myself starting to rebel—but now the only way to see you again is to become the boss, the ultimate Don. I just hope you won't be scared to stand by my side when I see you again. Because I want the honor of having you by my side until death. I don't care how many people I have to push aside to make it happen. I'm fighting for us.. "

<{🥀}>

After gathering all of the information that I could... I learnt that everyone didn't just leave me, they were forced to. It wasn't that they didn't care, it's that they didn't have a choice.

I've learnt a lot over these past two months but I only seem to have more questions.

Why was my grandfather Francesco so paranoid all of a sudden?

Why did my father and Stefan make a deal in order to keep peace just because of a friendship between Cristian and I?

Who killed my grandfather Val? And why?
Was it someone related to Anatoly and Adrian? And if so how did no one know they had a relative? And how did they get that close to do so much damage, and then back out of the mansion without being detected at all?
Why can't anyone find his murder?

It's not adding up right now.. None of it is.

I keep trying to make sense of it but I can't seem too.

The more answers I get the more questions I have...