It's been a few days since she was shown the city, and since she didn't have a car and didn't want men in black following her around she decided to stay home and not go anywhere.

During these few days Daniel spoke more to her than he had before. His sentence were longer and Mirabella if someone placed a spell on him or talked him into making civil conversation with her.

Mirabella made her way to the kitchen, and just as she was about to enter she saw a little girl with long, dirty blonde locks, olive skin and big hazel eyes sitting at the table. She was wearing black leggings with a long white top that had lace on top and black sandals.

"Who is this lady?" Mirabella asked in a playful tone.

The workers in the kitchen held back their laugher and shrug their shoulders. "We do not know," said the Chef. "She appeared mysteriously at the front door."

"Aunt Mirabella," Aurora chimed, as she got up from her chair and rushed to hug Mirabella. Aurora was Daniel's older sisters daughter and Mirabella had only met the girl at the wedding and she fell in love with her instantly.

Mirabella walked Aurora back to the table and sat down with her. "Are your parents also here?" She asked the girl.

Aurora shook her head. "Nope," she replied. "They dropped me off because they are helping Bianca with a few things. They will pick me up later."

Mirabella hummed. If she knew that Aurora was coming over she would have planned fun things they could do so the girl wouldn't get board. She thought for a moment and ideas came to her. "Okay, first did you eat anything?" Mirabella asked.

"Si," Aurora answered. "I had egg and toast before I got here."

(Yes)

"Chef," Mirabella called.

"Si, Mirabella?" The Chef said, as he looked at Mirabella with a long wooden spoon in his right hand.

(Yes)

"Can you prepare pancakes for this young lady?" Mirabella asked. Aurora gasped as a smile appeared on her face.

The Chef nodded his head and ordered for a bowl and ingredients.

••••

It's been a few hours and they have already played with the dolls that Aurora brought with her, ate, played with puzzles, and ate again, and then they went outside in the garden and now they were drawing in the living room. The table had drawings and colouring pencils scattered on the table and a few papers were on the floor.

There was a knock at the front door, causing Aurora and Mirabella to look up and see who had arrived. "Mum!" said Aurora with a smile. "Look, aunt Mirabella and I are drawing." The little girl grabbed her drawings and went to show them to her mother.

"They're lovely, principessa" said Ariana, before she placed a kiss upon her daughter's forehead.

(Princess)

Ariana turned Mirabella and smiled at her. "Thank you," She said. "For watching her, Mirabella."

"No problem. Besides, Aurora and I had a lot of fun" Mirabella smiled and winked at the little girl.

"And how are things with you and Daniel?" Ariana asked her slowly.

Mirabella didn't know how to answer this question. How was to supposed to answer? Was she to say that things weren't going well? Or was she to say that they were making process by speaking more to each other? If you could even call it that. She smiled at her sister-in-law. "We're good," She said.

Ariana smiled. "That's good to hear," she said.

After Aurora and her parents left, Mirabella packed up all the colouring pencils and drawings and placed them in place before she went back to the living room and collapsed onto the sofa with a sigh.

The sound of barking made her jump and her heart was beating fast inside her. She did not like those dogs outside. They were like sharks swimming around the mansion just waiting for her to come out.

"I see you had a busy day with Aurora." Daniel walked towards the armchair and sat down, his green eyes fixed on Mirabella

Mirabella laughed, but nodded her head. "And you?" She asked him.

Daniel was surprised by her words, she had never asked him a question like this before. "You could say that," Daniel replied, slowly.

Mirabella sat up and reached for the remote control and turned on the tv. She flicked through a few channels before she heard Daniel say her name. "Mirabella," he said, and she turned away from the tv to look at him. "A few people will be coming here later. I need you to stay in your room and not come out."

Mirabella frowned. "Why do I have to stay in my room?" She asked.

"These are dangerous people," he explained. "So it'd be best for you to stay out of sight until they leave."

••••

She sat in her room, staring up at the ceiling with one headphone in her ear. She tapped her fingers on her stomach to the beat of the song she was listening to when she heard her stomach growl. Mirabella closed her eyes and sat up. She couldn't leave the room because the meeting was still taking place. She had to stay put and wait for Daniel until he'd come to tell her she was safe to go. Another growl was heard, and Mirabella thought of a plan.

The lights on the walls were lit as though they were torches on castle walls. She walked down the corridors, making sure not to make any noise so she didn't interrupt the meeting.

She finally reached the kitchen and exhaled a heavy sigh of relief. She made it successfully to her destination, but she had to be extra careful not to make noise in the kitchen while she made herself a sandwich.

••••

There was a massive marble fireplace on the right, which had orange and yellow glowing flames, and on either sides of the fireplace, were four large balcony windows that stretched from the ceiling down to the dark, hardwood floor, overlooking a beautiful view. There was a chandelier hanging from the ceiling with candles that levitated a few inches off. And lastly, there was a long, polished, and ornate table in the middle of the room, which looked as though it could have been a mirror. It had chairs around it, all facing each other on all four sides of the table.

Lorenzo Andolini was a businessman in New Jersey, and Daniel's business partner. But he was also a greedy man. Every Friday he'd go out to the streets of New Jersey and threaten the people who owned shops for half of their money. And the reason he had come to see Daniel was to settle a matter.

"What is the reason you've come to see me, Lorenzo?" Daniel asked the man, as he watched him pour himself a glass of whiskey.

"I umm, got a stone in my shoe, Daniel" said Lorenzo. "A two-bit punk. The one who, thinks he's related to you. A bastard. Bruno Antoni." Daniel held himself back from running down a hand his face. His cousin, the half brother of Alessio, was the hot head of the family like his father was. Daniel's late uncle had an affair with another woman a long time ago, and since both Bruno's mother and father were killed in a car accident, and Daniel was made the head of the family, he took in his uncles son, but everyone knew that he was a bastard because he's father was married and had an affair with someone else.

Daniel narrowed his eyes at Diego and with a single look, Diego knew what to do.

"I think it's good we talk," said Lorenzo, as he pulled out two cigarettes from his inside blazer pocket and offered one to Daniel, but Daniel refused and offered the man to take a seat instead. Lorenzo lit his cigarette as he sat down in the armchair behind him. "I have a problem; and I want to find out if it is my problem, or your problem."

"Lorenzo, your business is your business," said Daniel. "I have no interests."

Lorenzo nodded his head. "Good," he said. "Then it's my problem."

The door opened and in walked Diego, followed by a tall, well built young man. He was no older than his early twenties and he had blue eyes, fair skin and a mop of brown hair. His face may have seemed innocent, but it was a mask and behind that mask was someone you'd not look in the eyes.

"Is your brother here?" Daniel asked his cousin.

Bruno shook his head. "No, he's not here" he replied.

Daniel nodded. "So, what's the trouble between you and Mr. Lorenzo Andolini?" Daniel asked.

"There's trouble," answer Bruno. "I'll take care of it."

"That's foolish of you," said Daniel.

Bruno wanted to laugh. "Foolish of ME? It's a little foolish of this guy, don't you think?"

Daniel leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Temper like his father," he muttered under his breath, as he got up.

"Look at him," muttered Bruno. "He'll just deny the whole thing. Right? RIGHT?!" He bit his fist as he turned to look at the wall behind him before he turned around once more. "I could just kill this bastard-"

"So kill him," said Daniel. The men in the room look at Bruno, waiting for his response. Waiting for what he'd do. "But what does any of this have to do with me? Why am I getting mixed up in your bad blood?" Daniel asked them both.

Bruno tucked one hand in his pocket. "Well, he's playing mafia boss in Jersey, for one. And going around behind your back saying 'fuck Daniel Rodriguez' all the time. That's it, see, that's another thing it has to do with you," he said, before looking at Lorenzo. "Right? Say it to his face, one time say it to his face, one time!"

The men in the room all looked at Lorenzo, frowning slightly. Was this true? Was Bruno telling the truth? "Daniel, all bastards are liars," said Lorenzo. "Shakespeare wrote poems about it."

Bruno didn't know what to do. The anger in his blood was boiling just by knowing that Lorenzo was in the same room as him. "What am I gonna do with this guy? WHAT AM I GONNA DO WITH THIS GUY?!" He bellowed, before his bit his fist to calm down and then ran a hand through his hair.

Daniel looked away from his cousin and turned to Lorenzo. "Lorenzo," he said. "If there's some guy running around any of my cities saying 'fuck Daniel Rodriguez' what do we do, with a piece of shit like that? He's a fucking dog, no?

Lorenzo looked at Daniel with a hint of fear in his eyes, but he was too quick to cover it up. The way Daniel spoke those words were calm, but dangerous. Oh, how dangerous did they sound. "Yes it's true," Lorenzo spoke finally. "If anyone would say such a thing, they would not be a friend. They would be a dog."

"My interests don't conflict with Mr. Lorenzo Andolini's-"

"Oh, you don't know how much your interests conflict with Mr. Lorenzo Andolini's, cousin" Bruno laughed.

Daniel looked away from his cousin and turned away, before smiling at Lorenzo who smiled back. "Since we have no conflicts, no debts, I wish you well" said Daniel, before turning back to his cousin.

"Bruno, make your peace with Mr. Lorenzo Andolini. C'mon."

Bruno stood his ground as his eyes shifted from Daniel to Lorenzo a few times, before he reluctantly stepped forward and went to embrace Lorenzo. As they did so, Lorenzo muttered into Bruno's ear. "Bastardo."

And that's all that Bruno needed to set him off.

••••

Mirabella was putting back all the things carefully and quietly. She had her bread on the side waiting for her and also a bottle of water. She placed the knife she finished washing with the rest and turned to grabbed her sandwich and bottle of water so she could go back upstairs.

A tall man she had never seen before was leaning against the entrance frame of the kitchen, looking her up and down as though she was his pray. Mirabella had this sudden feeling in her stomach which she could not describe.

"Can I help you?" She asked, politely. The man stood still and didn't reply.

Rude much, Mirabella thought to herself as she turned to grab her sandwich and bottle of water. She walked towards the exit of the kitchen with her head down, but the man held his hand out, blocking her way out.

Mirabella looked up and cleared my throat. "Um...can you move your arm, please?" The man laughed a cold and sinister laugh.

He took a step forward and Mirabella took a step back. The man smirked down at her, knowing that she was afraid of him. He took another step forward and continued to do so until he backed her against the kitchen island.

Mirabella didn't dare to move, she didn't even breathe, she was frozen to the spot. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, duh-duhn, duh-duhn. The hairs on her arms stood to attention, as a militia of chills marched down her spine. "Stay back. Stay back or I'll tell Daniel," she threatened.

The man laughed again. Mirabella attempted to move, but the man grabbed her by the waist to hold her in place between him and the island. "Let me go," she said, as she tired pushing him away.

The man leaned down and buried his head in her hair. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them again. "I see why he wants you," the man whispered, before he moved his head away from her hair and grabbed her chin roughly and began to lean down to her lips.

••••

Bruno retaliated by biting Lorenzo's ear. The man bellowed in pain and the two were separated away from each other. Daniel ordered a few of his men to escort Lorenzo out of the room and that he was taken to aid.

"Jesus Christ," Daniel sighed, as he rubbed his forehead.

"Cousin, listen, I know you're into banks and Wall Street, but everyone knows you're the final word, you're like the Supreme Court. All I want to do is protect you from these guys and your lawyers can't do that."

"And why should I be afraid of Lorenzo Andolini?"

"Well, he knows you're stopping him from rising up in the commission, cousin. I say we make him dead. You give me the order, I'll take care of it."

This time Daniel laughed. Bruno was just like his father. He never thought twice about a situation. "You'll take care of it?" He said, looking at Bruno with his brows raised upwards.

"Yeah-"

Before Daniel had the chance to say another work to Bruno, they all heard Mirabella screaming. "DANIEL!!!" The scream was so loud that it echoed the mansion.

••••

"DANIEL!!!"

"Tu puttana," the man spat, as he raised his hand and smacked Mirabella.

(You bitch)

The slap was as loud as a clap and stung her face. It had been an open-handed smack and it had left a red welt behind. Mirabella fell on the floor by the force of his blow, black dots covered her vision as did tears while she held her throbbing cheek.

The sound of people rushing into the kitchen was heard, and the lights came on. Daniel said something in Italian, and Bruno and Diego took the man out of the kitchen, leaving him and Mirabella alone.

Mirabella stood up from the floor, her hand still on her cheek and her hair covered her face. The lights reflected in her tears and eyes, but she kept her head down so Daniel didn't see that she was crying.

Daniel slammed his hand on the island angrily, causing Mirabella to flinch. He ran a hand through his hair as he paced around with his back to Mirabella. He finally turned around to look at her. "I told you to stay in your room, Mirabella" he fumed. "Did you forgot the part where I told you these were dangerous people? Did you not think that something could have happened to you? Hmm?" He asked her. "No, you didn't," he said. "Why? Because you never listen to me!"

Mirabella didn't as so much glance up at Daniel. She kept her head down as she cried silently.

Daniel watched her for a moment and he was no longer angry. Seeing her like this made his anger disappear and feel like he had to have her in his arms. To comfort her. He approached her and reached his hand out towards her face, but Mirabella shook her head and took a step away from him as she turned her head. "Let me see," Daniel said softly.

Mirabella stood still as Daniel reached his hand out towards her again and caressed her face. Mirabella hissed when Daniel's palm brushed her cheek. He lifted her head up and that's when the anger that had left him came back. He could feel his blood boil, and Mirabella saw that his eyes were a dark green colour.

"Figlio di puttana," he hissed in anger, before he took off and stormed out of the Kitchen.

(Son of a bitch)