The King Killer | Mafia dark romance | ✔️

23. Kingdom that destroyed fairytales

Valentina

Sofia's captivity had become a point of debate in the family. Maria, Agustin and I were at loggerheads with dad, Alejandro and Antonio. Family dinners were marred with mockery and heated exchanges. It reminded me of those times when I sat with dad at his business meetings as a child. 

Yelling and blaming had become a routine in this household too. From the outside, the Moralez seemed to be united. They always portrayed the domestic bliss picture quite beautifully, until now. The crack was visible on their perfect family portrait.

It was the right time for me to act. There was nothing in this family that would keep me loyal to them. After Antonio's setup for me in Spain, I knew they only cared about themselves, their blood. I was and would always be an outsider. An outsider who would take down the empire. The kingdom that destroyed my fairytale childhood.

Sofia's room was in a different corner of the mansion. I went around the place twice before arriving at the right door. The room was ill lit. A balcony which streamed light and air was the only source for it in the room. Devoid of anything good, this place seemed to siphon the happiness out of me. The plain cream paint peeled off the walls whenever the door was opened. Pile of chipped paint on the floor indicated Sofia's struggle to break open it from the inside.

When I walked in, I noticed an empty bed and a chair. I walked over to the balcony which invited me with its fluttering grey dusty curtains. I looked down slowly, scared to discover Sofia's bleeding body beneath who might have jumped off to escape this tyranny. Instead, I saw bushes of roses.

Walking back, my vision fell to the corner of the closet. Knees to her chest, Sofia clutched her wrists hard into a fetal position. She shivered, making eye contact with me before her head flinched back to hide.

I felt a pit in my stomach, seeing her condition. I knelt near her, patting her head. Her body shivered like an autumn leaf, ready to let go any time.

"Hey," I called out. Her head rose up. Only lifted till her eye level, the rest of her face was still buried beneath her knee walls she placed as security. "Are you hungry?"

She let out a soft "No."

Think Val.

As a gesture, I pulled her food tray towards me. Unwrapping the cellophane, I patted her head again. She looked over, slowly unclutching her wrist. "Don't worry. Nobody will hurt you." I whispered.

After a few minutes, Sofia curled up her legs and straightened her back. She still refused to eat when I forwarded the spoon full of porridge. Her bobbled throat muscles confirmed she was hungry, thirsty. Her eyes never left the tray. I scooped up a spoonful of cereal and munched on it, even emitted fake noises. An ache emerged in my chest. It was encouraging a woman with the theatrics used for a child. 

I felt like a bad person trying to cheer up the kidnapped kid. Sofia's lips curled up, emitting a half smile for me. I would take that as a win for the day. Upon pushing the tray towards her, she grabbed the spoon and chomped up on the cereals floating in the milk. Her eyes rolled back into her head and the paleness of her face faded, brightening with bloodrush.

She smiled some more, leaning forward to grab the fruit bowl. Nectar dripped through her chin but she continued her attack on food. Some dead part inside of me stirred at her innocence. I wanted to protect her against the demons in this house. The demon who decided her fate and the one who took her.

"Do you want something else?" I asked. She nodded before scanning me from top to bottom.

"Why are you nice to me?" her question was valid. She was apprehensive about me. After all, I too was a Moralez by name. Her words plunged a knife in my gut.