Tomorrow we are going to leave New York and get back to Sicily, back to my nightmare, back to staying with...

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Can I come in?"-I hear a feminine voice from outside.

"Yes, of course, come."-I reply.

The door opens revealing a women in her fifties with blue eyes and black hair. It was Don Piemonte's wife. We have only talked together a few times, but just a few seconds. Mostly because I would keep my distance since Domenico doesn't want me to hang out with a lot of people.

"Hello Dianora."-the woman says.-"I came in to see how you are and since you are always standing alone in your room to invite you to have a tea with me, my daughters and some other friends. They are in the salon waiting and we were wondering if you would like to come."

They want me to hang out with them? Well it would be nice getting to know Mrs.Piemonte and it may also make Domenico mad soo.. Why not?

"Of course. I will be there in a minute."

"Take your time dear. I will go downstairs now."-signora Piemonte says.

I put on a little bit of make up, wear my flats and go downstairs to meet the others.

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"My nephew Edward is back from Oxford and I want to find him a good bride. But these girls nowadays... Oh dear they are so different. They don't seem to care about values and respect all they want is our money.."- I hear a women say from the hall. She seemed arrogant and very posh. Well this is going to be "interesting".

"Dianora you came. Here, sit with us."-Mrs.Piemonte says smiling. She is nice and from what I've seen an honest and good person.-"This is Mrs. James."-she says showing me the woman I've heard talk in the hall.-"Mrs. Smith and of course you already know my daughters Lucia and Aurora."

"Nice to meet you all."-I kindly say and sit in the leather sofa.

"You are italian dear?"-Mrs Smith asks.

"Yes, from Sicily actually, but I have lived also in New York for five years."-I reply.

"Yes, my parents were Italian, from Palermo, but I was born here. I came once in Italy, but stayed in Rome. unfortunately I never had the chance to see Palermo."

"It is a beautiful city actually. I have been a few times and I really like it."-i say.

"And when you were living here in New York you were all by yourself?"-Mrs. James asks. I don't like her tone, nor the way she was looking at me.

"Yes ma'am."-I say trying desperately hard not to show any sign of my dislike towards her.

"Ow, well that is not right! A lady living all alone you never know what.."

"Okay do you girls want any biscuits with your tea? I am telling the maid to bring us some." Mrs. Piemonte says interrupting mrs. James. Good thing she did it because I wouldn't know for how long could I stand her, I still don't.

The maid brought some biscuits and deserts and we continued talking.

" I really like the relationship you and signor Del Vecchio have. Takes care of you and the way you two look at each other is so cute."-Aurora says.

"Yes they are like the ultimate relationship goals."-Lucia says smiling. If only she knew....

"There is no couple in this entire world that would survive on destroying their own family."-Mrs. James says raising one eyebrow at me.

"Excuse me?"-I say. I am getting very annoyed from this woman what is she trying to say with this?

" Oh you know dear. It seems quite a coincidence to me that as soon as your father dies another man takes everything and you two get engaged."

"What? what ate you trying to say?"-I know exactly what she is trying to say I am just trying to keep myself calm and not say something I might regret.

"I know girls like you darling.. You don't know nothing about love and honor. You..."

"Okay that's enough!"-Mrs Piemonte says referring to Mrs James.-"Lucia, Aurora why don't you go out in the garden to talk, Dianora you can go with them dear."-Mrs Piemonte says obviously trying to prevent something from happening.

"I am leaving."-Mrs James says getting up.

Finally! I couldn't stand her anymore. She better leave. How could she says that I don't care about honor and love when the memory of them is the only thing that is keeping me alive?

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"Don't be upset because of her Dianora. She is always like this."-Aurora says.

"True, she can't hold her tongue."-Lucia says smiling. I like these girls they seem so pure and innocent for this life. They remind me of my younger self.

"I didn't understood what she was talking about though. Did you Dianora?"-asks Lucia.

.

"No I didn't actually."-I say denying that I actually knew what she meant.

"I mean you and signor Del Vecchio are so beautiful together, a power couple."says Aurora.

"And he is reallyyy hot."-Lucia says winking.

"Lucia stop it!"-Aurora criticizes her sister embarrassed by her sisters comment. Well he actually is very... Wait what?

"Too bad you are leaving tomorrow, we would really wish you could stay here longer."-Aurora says looking at me.-"Well at least we are going to have one last dinner together."

"Right! Dad said we are going to go to a restaurant for dinner since you two are leaving tomorrow."

"Well than I guess I better go to my room. I'll see you girls tonight."-I say to the girls and go back inside.

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It's almost 8 o'clock and I need to get ready. I put on my nude dress with white lace flowers than my Christian Louboutin nude pumps.

Domenico knocks at the door:"Come, we don't want to be late."-he says without entering inside. I feel like he is trying to avoid me or something.

I brush my hair a little bit, take my Prada bag and open the door.

Domenico is standing right outside. As soon as he hears the door open he looks at me.

"You look... very nice."-he says. He was wearing a light blue button up shirt, dark blue pants and jacket and some beige shoes. Of Course the package wouldn't be complete without the expensive watches, heavy talk and cold glares.

"So do you. Shall we?"-I say and we go downstairs.

We get to our car so we could go to the restaurant. The whole ride was silent, just like the day before when we were trying to know each other. In one moment we are talking, and after 10 minutes we don't even look at one another.

After a while we get out of the car and see Don Piemonte and his family waiting for us.

"Well we are all here now let's get inside."-Don Piemonte says.

"This is very nice."-Mrs. Piemonte says.-"we have been here before, but we don't really come very often even though I have to admit it is a beautiful place."

"Yes, I've heard that people wait for weeks, maybe months to get a reservation here."-I say admiring the warm atmosphere this place brings.

"Maybe, but we don't have to wait that long to get a reservation, everybody knows us. This was actually a last minute reservation."-says Don Piemonte.

This man is very powerful, I don't know if people love him, respect him, or fear him, but they always do what he says. He has everybody doing what he wants, when he wants, how he wants it and that somehow scares me.

"Well let's order some drinks first. We are getting the best tonight. One bottle of Don Perignon for us and Moët rosé for the ladies...."

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The dinner passed by quickly. We kept talking about different things like culture and the latest events in the world and now we are back in the house. The maid was packing my things since tomorrow we are going back to Italy. I get out of my room and go in the kitchen to get a glass of water and I see Mrs. Piemonte there. She seemed kind of upset, different from what she was at the dinner. What would have happened?

I decide to stay in my lane and not to ask her, but I have to thank her.

"Mrs Piemonte. I was just getting a glass of water and I saw you here."

"Oh hey dear. I was getting some water too."-she says smiling.

"I want to thank you for what you did for me today and not only this. You were very kind to me, you and your husband opened your house and welcomed us. I appreciate that."-I say and Mrs Piemonte keeps looking at me without showing any emotion. And than her eyes start filling with tears.

"Dianora you are so nice, and so kind, you have been through a lot and you don't deserve this... Don't trust Salvatore. My husband is not what he seems. You think other people are bad, you are wrong he is worst of them all. He doesn't care about nothing but power, not even his own family. I have suffered a lot from him. Our son didn't wanted to be part of this world and now he isn't even in it at all."-she says crying.-"We are in a living hell because of him. He isn't nice, never was he just wants to control you. Be aware my child."-she says and leaves the kitchen leaving me lost.

As I get up the stairs. I keep thinking about what she told me. Don Piemonte had a son? And he took his life? What is happening?

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The next day we were ready to leave. The bags are already in the car as we say goodbye to the Piemonte family. Of course Domenico didn't say a word to me again and Mrs Piemonte was looking at me with so much pain in her eyes. We get inside of the car and leave from New York.....

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badgal 💖💖