Chapter 53

"Papa!" Angelina glared at her father who scouted away from her as he flinched from her voice.

Why was her mother-in-law in tears? Why was her father comforting her? Why did Aunty Sally look at her differently? why?!.

She was waiting for an explanation…. They were waiting for an explanation. Nathaniel and Nickolas looked composed while they sat looking at the elders - jasmine, Aunty Sally, Leo, and Richard while Angelina was freaking out. Bell being Bell just munched on popcorn, ready for drama while Hayden was on his phone yet his ears perked up to listen.

"Denike mi '' her father called softly, "Being agitated is not good for the baby," he said worriedly while Angelina scoffed mockingly, "baby indeed" muttered under her breath.

"Papa" she gritted her teeth, "The questions I want to ask you now, I want nothing but the truth" she raised her brow, even the bigger being became small in her gaze while Richard nodded automatically.

"Words Papa!" She glared at him.

"Yeah ma'am" her father saluted.

"No joking!" she reprimanded.

"Okay".

"What the hell happened earlier?" she inquired, staring at her father.

"Don't curse, it's not good for the ba…" She raised her brow and Nathaniel shut his mouth immediately.

She looked so fucking hot and intimidating when she was mad.

"Sincerely" a pregnant pause, "it was a..…" Richard started but was interrupted by Angelina hitting the table.

"You better don't give me that excuse" she bellowed, "Papa, don't give me that shit!" she yelled, "I know you more than you know yourself" she scowled. "Whenever you want to dodge a question, you start your sentence with 'sincerely''' Angelina air quoted.

"Oops."

"Do you guys…," she pointed at them, emphasizing her words, "Know one another?" and systematically they nodded their heads.

Angelina rubbed her temple, knowing that she was in for drama and history, "So how did you guys meet?".

"We met at a cafe Richard worked as a waiter and fortunately we clicked" Jasmine chimed.

"Papa!,".

"That's the truth, I met Jasmine and her squad some years back when I was in the State before going back home" Richard responded while Leo nodded in agreement.

Aunty Sally stood up, her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her hands trembling as she walked to Angelina slowly.

"Is she?" Aunty Sally asked in a teary voice. Her face looked unsure like she didn't believe what her eyes were seeing, touching Angelina's face as if she was afraid she would break or fade away.

"Yeah" Richard swallowed the blockage in his throat.

Richard stared at his daughter - the gift that life gave him and smiled sadly as memories took him back to years before when he just finished his chef school at one of the big prestigious schools. He was given a scholarship and he did everything he could to help himself in the state he knew no one. He remembered the day clearly as yesterday when the elite - jasmine squad called themselves.

Well… they were elite, wealthy, reserved. Elina, Elena, Jasmine, Leonard, and Travis. Everyone around knew who they were, they were untouchable. But the quiet and gentle being among them - Elina called him like a siren. He was gobsmacked by her beauty, intrigued by her calmness, and lost by her smile.

Richard became their friend when he was able to make Elina laugh for the first time in five years. Real laughter, not the facade.

Love danced in the air between Elina and Richard, it was love at first sight, unexplainable. Only them understood the gazes, smiles they shared but in every love story, there were always commas. Elina was engaged to Travis and had a child for him. Elina's family didn't approve of Richard because he was from the lower class and black.

But what's life without fighting challenges, what's understanding without misunderstanding, Richard thought bitterly.

Elina wasn't happy with her engagement, so she was forced into it. She wasn't happy.

They sneaked behind, having forbidden affairs and it was forbidden fruits that tasted the sweetest. An affair people frowned on but they didn't care, their love, sincerity fought over everything.

Then something happened…. Elina got pregnant… The truth of their affair was out as Elina was outcast by her very parents because she brought disgrace to them and Richard was listed among the wanted people.

Living in the state became unbearable for them, they were shunned and life became harder every passing day until Elina suggested they should go to Richard's country.

If forward couldn't be moved then backward would be suitable.

They ran away with the help of the Elite squad. Well… Travis wasn't among. They ran to Nigeria without taking a thing and Nigeria being Nigeria was the freest country in the world.

When Richard went back home that was when he heard that his sister had been shipped away by the people she worked with, everything was devastated, everything was falling apart. His elder sister that he thought would be good support was gone. It was just the two of them before their parents died and they promised to be with each other but passion, dreams led them apart.

The weather condition was harsh on Elina with the baby and she went into early labor. Stressed, malnutrition, and poor medical care made her leave the world during childbirth.

Oh, his heartaches.

He lost his sister, his wife but had the memory of their love, breathing, and living.

"My mother was aunty Sally's twin sister?" Angelina asked, looking at aunty Sally who nodded her head and hugged her.

"And I have a brother? a stepbrother" she sniffed, her gaze found Nickolas who smiled at her bittersweetly.

"And Hayden…" she paused, "...is my cousin?".

"Blood is thicker than water SpongeBob, I know family when I see one" Hayden chuckled.

Angelina looked at everyone, sitting on the chair slowly before tears streamed down her face. She'd a family but, "Why didn't you tell me all these?!'' Angelina cried out anguished. She had been having a hatred feeling for her mother. She thought her mother left them because they were poor. She blamed the innocent woman for everything. She was kept in darkness for so long!.

"I'm sorry" Richard apologized, "Remove your locket" Richard murmured, pointing to the locket, hanging around her neck.

.

Angelina wanted to decipher what was going on with her father but didn't find one then unhooked the locket around her neck.

"What did I tell you about it?".

"Never to lose it" Richard hummed softly.

"Open it".

Angelina's hands trembling, her hands clamming as she forced the locket open only for a slip to fall. Angelina wiped her hands with her cloth and picked it up and saw cursive sloppy writing.

"I'm sorry baby Angelina" Angelina readout and her body shook with emotions, holding the locket close to her heart.

"That's the last message she asked me to give you… she loves you dearly" Richard mumbled, staring at his ring finger where the promised ring was.

"Why did you let me believe she left me?! Why did you lie to me?! Why did you leave me in the darkness?!, why?!" she shouted, holding the paper tightly as her hands trembled.

"She told me to promise her at her deathbed not to tell you anything," Richard said, wiping the tears from his face, his breath coming in short pants.

"What?" Angelina asked dumbfounded. Why would her mom not want her to know? Did she love me?Unanswered questions were running through her brain.

"Because she didn't want you to be entangled with her crazy family! because if her family comes to know about you, they'll take you and snatched you away from me!" her father screamed, his hands curled in a fist.

"What?" She has never seen her father angry, frustrated, and looked insecure. He was always a composed, calm and strong man. Her superhero. Her father never raised his voice at her even though there was fear in his voice. Fear of her being taken from him.

"Did you know how painful it was to see her cry and die in my hands in pain... Did you know how it pains me not to talk about how gentle and sweet your mother was!" He said shakily, "She was protecting you from her fuck up family, once a Dé Luca always remains Dé Luca, no matter where you go…".

"Dé Luca?" She tested the name on her tongue.

"The biggest Italian mafia family" Eliana - her grandmother, the woman Angelina saw before she fainted, walked in with her stick, opening the door wider, smiling sadly. "Since the day I saw you in the hallway, I know we are related, child" She walked her way in as everyone stood up, tensed for what was to come.

"Benvenuti in Famiglia".

~**~

*drum rolled*.

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