[TW: Mention of domestic violence.]
"A few years ago, when I was still in university, I met a boy and I fell head over heels in love with him. My love for him blinded me immensely." Sienna began, "He was my whole world. He meant everything to me."
"You don't have to continue," I said as I moved closer to her and rubbed soothing circles on her back.
I knew that recalling her past would not be very easy for her. I could see how brutal it was just from looking at the scar her history left her with. Scars are trophies for survivors my mother would say and she was true. Each scar tells a story whether it is a happy one or a terrible one.
She shook her head and gave me a dry smile, "We spent almost every single day of our university years together. We also had the same friendship group, and he always treated me like a princess. He was kind, caring, and compassionate and nothing like the monster he was towards the end of our relationship. He was my first serious boyfriend and I honestly believed that we would get married in the future, in fact, I had no doubt that we would. I had a lot of faith in our relationship." She laughed but it sounded awfully forced.
"After we graduated, he told me he was going to work with his father in a different state, but he promised that he would visit me from time to time and as often as he could. As time went on, he changed. His entire demeanor shifted, and he was no longer the man I had loved so dearly. When he visited me, he would shout at me for the smallest of things. He made a big deal about literally nothing. I was stupid enough to believe that the stress of his job was causing him to do this and like an idiot, I stayed with him. I should have immediately run for the hills when he started acting out.
"We moved in together because he told me that the long distance was causing his anger. I wanted our relationship to work, I was scared of heartbreak. I saw what it had done to my mother and I didn't want it to happen to me and so I uprooted my entire life and moved in with him because I believed at the time that he could be salvaged... That our relationship could be salvaged... I don't understand how I missed the signs, I never saw anything wrong with the relationship but my only friend at the time warned me. Instead of listening to her, I distanced myself from her and we eventually lost all contact." Sienna wiped a fat tear that rolled onto her face.
"Love makes you blind. It is the people on the outside that see what is really happening." I said to her, and she nodded in agreement.
"I know that now. I regret not listening to her though." She sighed.
I passed Sienna a tissue from the box that was sitting near us and she gave me a grateful smile.
"Did he calm down when you moved in with him?" I asked.
She nodded, "At first everything seemed to be back to normal. I thought that the rough patch had passed, and I was proud that our relationship withstood the storm. Then it all got so dark within a second, it was like a flip had been switched. I remember the day that he first laid his hand on me." She said, her blue eyes darkening.
"You don't have to tell me. Especially if you are hurting." I said as I took her hands.
I hated being the reason that she relived probably the worst moments of her whole life.
"I was cooking breakfast and got distracted by the TV. The eggs burnt and he smelt them and came raging into the kitchen like a bull. He slapped me so hard that I fell to the floor, tears flooding my eyes. All I remember is being so helpless... so defenseless. He must have been surprised by his own actions because he jumped back and apologized immediately but this continued happening. He would hurt me, then apologize and I would forgive him every single time. Until I met Dante."
"You knew Dante whilst you were dating...?" I asked.
"His name was Luca and yes Dante was the one who helped me to realise all of the wrongs in my relationship."
"Oh." I said surprised.
"Dante and I met at a small diner. He approached me when he saw a huge slap covering my right cheek and a pool of blood soaking my shirt. My ex had pushed me onto the hot stove and burned my back only to then slam me against the wall as I cried out in agony. I had tried to hide it with a coat but failed. He asked me what had happened and when he found out the story, he was livid. He urged me to leave him, but I knew I couldn't. I was in the vicious cycle, and it was not going to stop any time soon. I was dependent on him, he brought in the money, and I did all the housework and chores."
"Did Dante offer you an out?"
Sienna nodded with a sad smile, "He did. I took it."
"Did he assassinate Luca?" I asked remembering that she had told me that she ended up in the mafia because she had asked them to have her abusive boyfriend assassinated.
"No. He took me to meet the Don and for a payment, he accepted to do it."
"Vinchenzo killed Luca?"
Sienna nodded, "At first, he didn't like the idea. Then when Dante explained my situation to him, he agreed to do it without hesitation. I had no money and so my loyalty was the only thing I could repay him with."
"Do you know why Luca turned on you like that?"
"It's not that hard to believe when your father is Inigo Stalias." A voice said interrupting us from the hallway.
Hey Reddies!
We now finally know how Sienna came to join the mafia.
Please make sure that you vote and leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!
The next update will be on Friday!
See you then
XOXO
Perla
YOU ARE READING
Red's Redemption ✔
Romance× Book FOUR of the Red's Mafia Leader Series × Arianna Dawson thought that her life was on the track to getting better. She thought she was on the path to finally healing from all the scars her past had deeply wounded her with, but only if she knew...
