Chapter 56 (Aliyana)


    Puffing my chest, I straighten my back as I put my hand on the gold handle and twist.


    My father’s head lifts from hisptop. His desk is full of paperwork. A frame of his children and one of


    my mothers sit on the far-left corner. A snow globe Guilia got for his birthday and a few other trinkets


    make up the top right side. A family man.


    I want tough at how stupid it all seems as I round his desk to kiss him on the cheek,


    “Yes, Papa.” I say to him with a small smile as that familiar scent of his surrounds me.


    “How’s the pool?” He asks, as he pulls off his sses, “I was hoping to enjoy the sun with you and


    Guilia but too much to do. Your sister tell you she racked up a bill at one of those boutiques owned by


    Marcello’s daughter?”


    “The pool was great. So, I heard, Guilia has been gripping about it since yesterday. You know she’ll just


    get Filippo’s credit card, right?”


    “No, Filippo already told her no. I pity the man she marries; he’ll be bankrupt by the first month.” I snort


    as my father’s burlyugh lights up my day. But I say nothing in response, because I know Filippo told


    my father one thing but always did what he wanted. And giving Guilia money was something he’ll want


    to do to make her happy. The two had their own secrets, and I never made it a priority to find out what


    shaped them.


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    In return they never made it there’s to find out too much about me. I preferred it that way.


    “I need to leave and get the twins settled. I wanted you to do something for me today,” He asks.


    “I’m not babysitting. Anything else, sure.”


    “It isn’t babysitting. You shouldn’tin about spending time with your siblings.”


    “I’m notining, but they fight like they are sworn enemies.”


    “They get that from their mother.” I frown at my father’sment, because we both knew that wasn’t


    the truth. They fought because of my Papa’s absence.


    He smiles, choosing to be oblivious to the look I am giving him.


    “Before we talk about why I stripped you of your morning, I have a few minutes. Come sit down.” I do


    as he says, knowing my ass is going to leave a butt imprint once I get up. I can already feel the


    wetness of the towel. And inside I am smiling knowing my father will not be impressed but it would


    make him smile and shake his head.


    “How are you doing with everything since the funeral? I worry about you.”


    “I’m fine.” Sort of. I thought about Ren often, but my thoughts weren’t of the sweet kind! No, they were


    tainted by the things I would soon find out about his killer.


    “Fine? You don’t resemble my fine daughter. Where’s the mischief, the raised brows? Something must


    be wrong.”


    "Yes, Papa, there is a lot that’s wrong. Ren is dead and we don’t know who killed him. It’s not easy but I


    am your daughter. So, I’m fine.” My fatherughs before his eyes dig deep into my soul. My father is


    perceptive like that.


    “You should let Deno and Marco handle it.” Easier said than done.


    Deno and Marco needed me to handle it. How did I tell my father that one of my friends could very well


    be the person that killed Ren. I couldn’t.


    My father would make sure that I never saw them. And if my father dug deep enough, he’d know what


    we were up to and what led Ren to his death wasn’t something he could just let slide.


    “They are.” With my help.


    I say nothing but his querying gaze says more than enough. He knows.


    “You are so much like your mother.” His eyes settle on the picture of her on his desk, and I watch his


    utter longing. A tug in my chest pulls me in when I think of ria and how she must feel.


    I can’t see myself with a man who loves his dead wife so much, there is no room for him to love me.


    But, I wonder, if he loved my mother so much why cheat? Why would this powerful man, who is my


    father betray his wife? The same wife he imed to love even after he buried her.


    He senses my observation, he always does, and when he stares at me I sometimes, like now wonder, if


    he knows, I know his secrets. I’m aware of the faults which made his perfect love story not so perfect.


    Yet, I love my father and I will kill to protect him. I already have


    "There''s been a problem at Azure. The guy who handles Deno''s books is missing. He needs someone


    to do his financials and get it handed in."


    He was dead.


    I knew this as I knew that the guy who killed him was alive! He wasn’t just alive but he was probably the


    real reason I’m sitting in this chair across from my father right now having this conversation. Marco


    I smile, but it is a tight smile the man sitting across from me knows all too well.


    "I''ll sort it out."


    My father looks at me for 9 seconds. I know because I count it in my head. I wonder if he is seeing me


    or the shadow of who he wanted me to be.


    "Matteo will meet you outside! Go shower and I''ll tell Matteo to take the Vantage.”


    Not again. Matteo Di Salvo is a pain I couldn’t get rid of.


    "Why can''t Romero join?" I get up as I ask this, my towel loosening.


    "You''ve been spending a lot of time with him."


    "He''s my friend papa." That was one of the reasons I wanted him to join.


    "I know but he is my soldier first. And you are my daughter, no?"


    I purse my lips but say nothing. My father can change his mood as fast as a shark can bite and spit you


    out. Only once have I been the center of his anger to the extent, he hit me. I learned after that to listen,


    ask a question and then shut up and ept his answer.


    "I''ll let Deno know to expect you." I walk out of the office, my mind working per the second.


    What did Deno want? Or better yet Marco. We agreed to take our time figuring this stuff out.