Dangerous Obsession- SAMPLE ONLY-BOOK WAS PUBLISHED

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The morning after a man cameto see me at the hospital. He was a police or maybe a higher rankofficer; I don't know. I still remember the clicking sound of hisheels against the ugly tile floor of the hospital while he walkedtowards my room. He was a tall man with big broad shoulders. Heseemed strict, but I wasn't afraid of him. His face looked gentle,but his expression made my knees go weak. He seemed worried andsorry. He sat near me and introduced himself.

"Hi Giulia. I'mdetective Mark Andrews".

"Hi. Have you found mymother?" I asked eagerly.

"No. I'm sorry." Ilooked at him and swallowed. I dreaded my next question, but I had toask it.

"So why are you here?It must be because of my father." He averted my gaze for asecond and drew a breath and then he looked at me again.

"Yes."

"Oh. Have you foundhim? Is he all right? Can I see him?" He looked at me sadly.

"I..I don't know whereto start from, you are still a child." He paused. "You can't seeyour dad, yesterday we found his car out of the city, it was allburned." My heart lost a beat. I felt bad.

"What? Oh no and Dad?Did he escape?" The detective didn't say anything. He seemed inserious difficulty, as if he didn't know how to continue. He grabbedmy hand and looked at me sadly. Then he told me that my dad was foundin the car, burned, as well. My dear father had left me. He was deadand my mum was still missing. I cried for days, and I refused to eat.For this reason I was kept in hospital on drip. During that week, asocial worker came to see me frequently, and when I felt good enoughto leave the hospital, I was taken to the orphanage of St Theresa.

"Giulia!" SisterMary's voice brought me once again to reality.

"I'm sorry sister. Idon't do it on purpose. It's that today I'm sad." I told hertrying to hold back the tears.

"Why Giulia?"

"Todayis the ninth anniversary of my father's death," I said brushingaway my tears.

"Oh, now I understand.I'm sorry."

"Sister Mary, I reallywould like to go and visit him at the cemetery."

"OK, we'll go if thismakes you feel better and then when we get back we'll continue withthe lessons. What do you think?"

"Yes that would begreat." I said feeling a little better. "Good. I'll go andtell the mother superior that we're going out, then we leave."

"OK."

It was a beautiful day. Thesun was shining high in the sky. It was hot, but there was a sweetbreeze which blew softly in my hair. We had a beautiful garden at theorphanage with many colorful flowers. A rainbow of colors which mademy lonely days more bearable. I decided to pick some flowers to puton my father's grave. I picked up some roses; they had a fabulousscent. Roses were his favorite. He was a good man, and I reallymissed him, more than I ever missed mum. They had never found her.Maybe she was still alive or maybe she was buried somewhere. Afterall these years I have given up the idea of ever seeing her again. Atearing pain in my hand brought me back to reality. A thorn hadentered in my finger while I was trying to cut off a rose. As soon asI felt the pain I let it go and the rose fell down on the ground. Itgot ruined; the petals fell down. I looked at it and wondered if thiswas a sign of bad luck. No. My life couldn't get any worse than thisI thought. I picked some more flowers and then left the orphanagewith Sister Mary. The cemetery wasn't very far, and I enjoyedwalking. Sister Mary was very talkative, and she distracted me somuch with her stories and her good mood that I hadn't realized thatwe had arrived in front of the big rusty black gate of the cemetery.I felt my heart beat accelerating. The last time I have been there Iwas eight years old.

"Giulia, aren't yougoing in? Your father will be very happy that you came to visit him.Although I'm sure, he's always with you."

I smiled at her and went in.I walked steadily. I knew exactly where his grave was. I stillremembered. I stopped and looked at his photo for a moment then Ifell on my knees and let my tears flow down. I talked to him andasked him to be with me always. I also told him that the locket hehad given me was kept safely; I wore it around my neck always. I hadpromised him that I would never part from it since it has been soimportant for him. I had tried to open it many times but to no avail,Probably it was sealed. I stayed there for some time and then leftwith Sister Mary to return to the Orphanage. When we went back , Iwas called to go the Mother Superior's office as she wanted to see mevery urgently. I wondered what she wanted. Nothing interesting everhappened. I walked slowly to the office and then I knocked on thedoor...

"Come in."

I opened the door and saw atall man inside. He looked at me for a second and...

"Isshe Giulia?" he asked in a strange accent. Probably he wasn'tAmerican. Mother Superior nodded. I was confused. Who was he?

"Giulia, this is MrMonforte. He's Italian, and he's here for you. Apparently you havebeen adopted." She informed me. I looked at her stunned.

"What? What are youtalking about? Who adopted me?" I asked my heart beating heavilyin my chest.

"Your uncle signorina,"Mr Monforte replied. I looked at him open mouthed and stood silentfor a second then...

"Uncle? I don't have anuncle."

"You do. Actually he'snot exactly your uncle. Your father and him were step brothers. He isa very important man. He has searched for you for a long time butonly now found out you were here."

"This is impossible."I cried.

"You'll have to comewith me to Italy. You'll live there with your uncle. I have all thenecessary papers. Our flight leaves in three hours." I felt weakall of a sudden.

"What? No. To Italy??But...."

"Your uncle is Italianlike your father was." He explained quickly. My jaw dropped.What the hell was he talking about?

"I don't believe this!"

"Get ready we have togo." He repeated.

"No. I'm not comingwith you. I don't know you and I don't know this man. You arestrangers for me."

"I understand that."He said then.

"Good." I saidwith relief.

" He would have camehimself for you but he's a very busy man." "It wouldn'thave made any difference," I frowned.

"In that case. I'llwait outside for you. You have exactly one hour to prepare yourluggage and say your goodbyes," he said. I looked at himstunned.

"But... I.. Maybe Ihave not made myself clear."

"Crystal clear." Heinterrupted annoyed. "Maybe you prefer being chaperoned by thepolice?" He asked looking at me with his deep gaze.

"The police? No."

"Good then hurry up.You have 59 minutes left." Without waiting for my reply he saidgoodbye to Mother Superior and went out. I burst into tears.

"I'm sorry Giulia. Ican't do anything to stop this." She hugged me tight and criedwith me.

"Please... don't lethim take me away. Please help me!" I begged. "I can't hehas everything in order."

"No, this can't behappening! I have no uncle. This is just a dream. A nightmare. Whatwill I do now?"