I did not remember there being this much ivy on the wall. Wither way, it was the best leverage for us to climb up the wall without struggle.

The point where we were at was a blindspot from all the cameras. I pulled myself over the top and sat up, y legs on either side of the wall as I looked down at Vittore who wasn't that far behind.

"We should go rock climbing," I randomly suggested, pulling my leg on the other side and reaching with my toe to get to the tree branch in front of me.

"I'll add it to the list of dates we have to go on," he grunted as I managed to cross to the tree and run along the branch just to hug the trunk for safety.

"Add going to the beach and maybe paintball or lazer tag," I said slowly rounding the tree trunk and walking across a large branch.

"We'll do it all. After."

"Definitely," I mumbled with a nod of my head, seeing my old window in my sights. I jumped, my feet landing on the wide ledge. I breathed deeply, looking down at the ground below.

Damn. That would be a bad fall. I squatted down and pulled a knife from my boot, placing the blade under the small gap in the window and using it to push the lock open. I slid the window upwards and tumbled into my room.

I pulled a flashlight from my pocket and turned it on.

I flashed the beam all around the room, just as Vittore landed behind me.

"Empty," I said sadly. "Like I never even existed."

Nothing of mine was there and the walls weren't even lilac and grey anymore. they were now painted a light beige, a colour I knew my mother liked. All my posters, wall stickers and belongings were gone.

Vittore grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door. I was digging my feet in, wanting to stay just a while longer.

"Tesoro we have to go ok," Vittore said, turning me to him so I looked in his worried dark eyes instead of my room.

"They removed everything. Like I don't even matter-"

"You do matter!" Vittore suddenly snapped. "You matter to me more than you would know. These people might have been your family once upon a time but they aren't anymore. You have me, you have my mamma too even if she's not here with us."

I looked down, my heart squeezing in my chest. "Remember when you told me the world doesn't deserve me amore?" Vittore whispered, hooking a finger under my chin to turn my head so our eyes met. "I didn't believe you, not one bit and you may not believe me either but these people didn't deserve you. Not in the slightest."

"You're right," I said after a beat of silence. "I'm way too awesome for these shit bags."

I smiled. I really did because even as my heart ached in my chest, I knew Vittore would stick with me.

I love you.

"Exactly now let's go sì?"

"Sì."

I opened my room door, not even surprised it wasn't locked and looked down the two dark hallways. My siblings rooms were right there but since they didn't live here anymore, the place was pitch black.

I led Vittore through the mansion, nostalgia hitting me like a truck with every rooms we passed or every painting I knew was there. I wasn't surprised when my father's study was empty.

Vittore entered and sat at my father's desk while I turned my flashlight back on and browsed through the books, thinking I would be able to find something.

"Tesoro," Vittore called and when I looked back at him, his face was illuminated by the light of my dad's computer.

"What did you find?" I asked standing next to him.

I looked down at my dad's emails.

"Hazel Snow..." I voiced softly. "I thought she was dead."

The messages between the two were about the will. My dad was trying to convince her to destroy it and she was insisting that she couldn't do it.

"Does this mean the next of kin is alive?" I asked and Vittore shook his head.

"At this point, I'm not sure."

"But who exactly is Hazel Snow and what does she have to do with all of this?" I asked and before my question was answered, the door was opened and the light was turned on.

He looked like the last time I'd seen him, maybe except for the extra wrinkles. He was in a suit, probably just got back from having a snack in the kitchen. His eyes, the same cold ones that left me with Matteo all those years ago started back at me.

"What are the two of you doing in here?!" he shouted and my heart skipped a beat, fear filling me faster than lightning. His voice was still that deep booming echo that rattled my bones with the same British curl as my own.

Fuck Dalia keep it together.

But I couldn't. I was trying but.... I couldn't do it.

Vittore must have noticed because he was up and gunning for my dad while I hesitated. I never hesitated... maybe around Vittore but that's because he was him.

I watched as Vittore pulled my dad to sit down on the couch in the room and pointed a gun at his head.

"I'm Andre Gates! Do you know what will happen if you hurt or kill me?!" my dad shouted and that's when I moved over, standing besides Vittore.

"If you're hurt, Logan will take care of all the business until you recover and if you die, he, Kay and Emily will inherit everything," I said, my eyes trained on his as he narrowed them at me. I knew I wasn't included in the will, even before he sold me.

"And who the fuck do you think you are?!" he asked.

"Oh come on," I said, my voice as emotionless as my eyes. "You can't recognize me dad? What about if I shouted something in the lines of 'Come back. I'm sorry'."

Andre's eyes widened as he leaned back in his seat. "You're dead."

"I am in a way. Mostly on the inside and I have you to thank for that," I said and crossed my arms.

"This wasn't the deal. Matteo said you wouldn't make it."

There was a quiver, a slight one in my father's voice and it was well placed.

"Yeah well Matteo is dead, all thanks to me and I thought I wouldn't make it either. Turns out Jordan liked the breakable ones."

"Andre whatever are you-"

My mother, the bitch of the hour appeared in the door and when she saw the situation, she wanted to back up but Vittore pointed the gun from my father to her. I pulled out my gun and pointed it at my dad because he had shifted, thinking to jump my Italian.

"Sit," I told my mother in a cold voice, my eyes still on my dad. I heard shuffling and then she plopped herself on the couch. She was dressed in a hot pink silky robe with a bonnet on her head but she was still the same.

You could see the similarities between us. The same small button nose, dimpled chin and large brown eyes.

"Would you look at that. The happy family, reunited," I said with a smile.

"D-Dalia?"

"Yep. Hello."

"I-It can't b-be you. Y-you..."

"D-did I-I stutter?" I mocked rolling my eyes. "I'm alive yes. I came to kill you for selling me off and yada yada but first... I want to find our dearest Uncle Antonio. Any ideas?"

The two looked between each other. Before my mother wrung her hands together, a look I'd seen every time she was worried.

"I didn't think you'd figure it out Dalia. I just assumed-"

"Wait wait wait. Figure what out?" I asked lowly, my eyes glaring at the two. The glanced at each other. "Enough of that shit! What are you talking about?"

"Antonio is your father," my father spat and my eyes widened. What the fuck?

"Impossible," I said lowly and my father scoffed with a roll of his eyes. Well not my dad anyways...

"You and I both know your mother never settles. All those frequent visits from my brother. He came to discuss business but always came more than I required his assistance. This bitch over here slept with him and I found out with a DNA test. You aren't mine."

My brain was running a thousand miles per hour. It made sense. Why it was me that was sold and not any of my other siblings. Why my parents didn't like me specifically. I was just a mistake. The aftermath of an affair. Good Lord.

I gulped. "Where is he?"

Andre's eyes filled with a fury I was so used to. "You fucking-"

"Where is he?!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "You tell me where he is right the fuck now or your exit from this life is going to be more painful that you can imagine."

My voice was strong and deadly, something I was grateful for. Good Lord this was something I hadn't seen coming.

"He's at our summer home at the coast," my mother said softly. I nodded and dropped my gun, turning to tell Vittore something when she spoke again. "I didn't mean to hurt you Mallory. I'm sorry-"

"Why the fuck do you call her that name that my brother wanted to give her-"

"Shut up!" I snapped. "Both of you just shut the fuck up."

Mallory. My... other name. I didn't use it at all. It was something my mother used to call me so long ago.

"You father Mallory, your real father. He really wanted to be with you. He talked about having kids a lot. A Mallory and a Malan, girl and boy, it didn't matter to him. I didn't tell him about you, how could I but I really am sorry. After.... after I saw what your funeral did to Kay and Logan-"

"But that's the thing isn't it," I voiced turning to her with a cold look on my face. "You are sorry for how my disappearance affected Kay and Logan but not about me who was SOLD, TORTURED AND FORCED TO DO AND SEE THINGS NO LITTLE GIRL SHOULD!"

My breathing was hard when I was done and I'd never felt so defeated in my life.

"So no mom I cannot listen to you spill anymore bullshit. I'll see the both of you in hell."

With that, I strode out of the room and closed the study door behind me. I went to the wall just by the side of the door and put my back against it, slowly sliding to the floor. There was a little yelling from the other side and then two loud gunshots.

A few moments later, Vittore walked out and stood above me.

"I'm just going sit here for a few," I said bringing my knees up. Vittore slid down the wall next to me and pulled me into his lap.

I placed my legs on either side of his hips and placed my head on his shoulder as he wrapped both arms around my back and held me close, his chin resting on my head.

"You still think we aren't fucked?"