The devil [UNEDITED]

▪️Do you know who you are▪️

IVY
I was lying on the bed crying in my Manhattan apartment when I heard a knock. I dragged my self to open the door. It couldn't be Ryan because he wont be here for another hour.

It was my dad. I hugged him on seeing him. Just what I needed.

"Hey Kiddo." He said hugging me back.

"How are you here dad?" I asked more than happy.

"Well, I had a meeting. It just got over. Thought I'd stop by." He said.

He came in and sat it one of the couch.

"Do you want anything to drink dad?" I asked.

"Vodka?" He asked.

"Coming right up" I said.

I went into the small alcohol cabinet we had. I got him a vodka bottle and glasses and got myself some bourbon.

"So, how was the wedding" he asked.

"It was good. Talia loved the Chandelier" I said managing a smile.

"Okay. I am going to ask. Why are you crying?" He asked.

"Leo" I said wiping the tears that threatened to escape my eyes.

"I thought you would come back with him" he said giving a light chuckle.

"Well, he's an asshole" I said sneering.

I was so pissed, if Lucifer was here, he would be dead.

"So, what are you going to do?" He asked.

"I don't know dad. I kissed Leo. A lot of times. But that's no it. I never felt guilty. Not once. On the contrary, whenever I touch Ryan, I am basically bathing in guilt. Not to mention, Ryan showed up yesterday" I said

"What?!?"

"Yeah. It was the perfect moment. Leo had just kissed me and he went down and cane back up with something in hands, but on seeing Ryan, he went back down without showing it to me" I said super pissed. If Ryan hadn't been there, I would've gotten him.

"Ivy, dear, its not Leo or Ryan. Right now, its you. Where can you be you? Remember Walt Whitman always. 'I exist as I am, that is enough' always hold him close. Whitman will guide you. Ryan and you have a very toxic relationship. I know you know that. Maybe you get security and a simple life with him. But love is not that Ivy. "

"We rarely fight dad. Its much more pleasant with him."

He smiled at me and took a sip of his vodka.

"The course of true love never did run smooth" he said

"Shakespeare" I said

"Yes. Look for wisdom from them Ivy." He said.

The quote dad said reminded me of my personal favorites- Andre Aciman

'From this moment on, I thought, from this moment on—I had, as I'd never before in my life, the distinct feeling of arriving somewhere very dear, of wanting this forever, of being me, me, me, me, and no one else, just me, of finding in each shiver that ran down my arms something totally alien and yet by no means unfamiliar, as if all this had been part of me all of my life and I'd misplaced it and he had helped me find it.'

He helped me find myself. He helped me become me. I will always be thankful for that. But meeting Ryan, I lost me self. I wanted to ask what Elio asked himself. Where have I been? Or better yet. Where were you, Lucifer?

"Ivy, just make sure if Ryan is the right guy for you. You have time. Don't be with someone who doesn't make you feel like your best self. Remember one thing. If you feel like your losing your self even one bit because of the relationship, you have to get out of it. Because , marriage would just make it worse. Lucifer or Ryan is not the question. Its-"

"Stop stop stop" I said.

"What?" He asked. He was drunk. And he just spat out something he shouldn't have.

"You said Lucifer" I said. My heart was beating so fast. He knew?

"What no. I didn't" he said

"Dad. You can't lie now. How did you know?" I asked in a threatening tone. He tried t cover up but was lost. My dads not  a very smart drunk.

"I'll tell you the truth. I promised your mom I wouldn't. But I feel like I should. Maybe, its because I am drunk. But anyways." He said and gulped an entire glass of vodka and poured himself another.

"Your grand mother sent me to boarding school in Florence after your grand father got killed. I was the odd one out. The American who didn't know anything. Not even communication. They all mostly spoke Italian. Alessandro was welcoming. He was Alex king there. We both became friends instantly. After a few years, he invited me to his home. The one you stayed at in Florence, The same one. He introduced me to his family. The DeLucas. His mom, immediately welcomed me to the family." He smiled saying that.

I was just trying to process all this information. Lucifer's dad and my dad were childhood friends.

"So they introduced me to the Mafia. I was not thrilled, but they offered to protect my mother if I work for them. I was mainly hired for hacking and other things. "

"You can hack?!" I asked

"Yeah. So, they did keep their promise. They protected my mother. She did not know about me joining the Knight Kingdom. I went to college in the USA where I met your mother. She soon came to find out about that. She was not very happy about it. So when I proposed she made me promise that I wouldn't work for them. But, coming out of Mafia isn't that easy. I was still with them, but did backhand work. Alessandro and I talked very often. We were close friends till the moment of his death. He was brutally killed. Lucifer as a kid had to witness it. He was just 13. When I did the backend work, the camorras figured that and came to kill you. Thats when I decided I had to end all ties with the mafia. Alessandro was reluctant but so was I. He let me go. Your mom was furious. She almost murdered me" he said chuckling.

"But does Lucifer know all this?"

"Yes" he said looking down.

"He didn't tell me?"

"I made him take an oath"

"Why"

"Because, I told your  I would never drag you into this."

"How did Lucifer know?"

"Remember you brought him over for Christmas? Well, he recognized me" my dad said.

"Woah."

"Does mother know?"

"She didn't when you were dating. But now she does"

"Woah. That's why she's for me dating Ryan"

"Yes. Ivy, remember one thing. The KK are very good at hiding themselves and they don't appear unless and until they want to be seen. Lucifer wanted you to know he was here. He wanted to win tou over. I know that. Because, He called me as soon as he came to NY.  He loves you. But I am not forcing you into him. But you need to find your self again Ivy. Do you know who you are?" He asked.

"No dad. I lost myself." I agreed. Leo found me, but the moment he left, I lost myself again.

"Well, find yourself again. Do whatever it takes" he said before leaving.

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Enjoy