Kidnapped

CHAPTER TWENTY

- ARES SEIDON >

A small number of gowns and tuxedos catch my sight as the doors open.

As soon as we walk in, the chatter in the room dies down. Ironically, it is as silent as a graveyard.

Barely visible to the public eye, I feel her slightly tense. I know she hates having the spotlight on her. Now she has a whole disapproving family awaiting her to meet her.

I squeeze her waist, momentarily letting her go and grabbing us both champagne from the server's tray. "Remember what I told you. The Torronos can see intimidation from a mile away. They practically feel fear radiating off their victims."

She stiffly nods, looking around with a siren gaze. Her makeup brightly highlighted the mismatched dark green and hazel iris' in her eyes. Her lips were glossed with the outlines of the dark shade.

I spot the Don in the center with wine in his hand, speaking with his parents.

My hand grasps Tatu's waist, pulling her with me as I make my way to the Don. Once we reach him, he holds out his hand for her to take.

"Mother, father. Meet my daughter, Tatuyanna." Angelos has the deepest stoic expression etched onto her soft features.

The previous Don, Vincenzo Torrono. And his wife, Angela Torrono sent their granddaughter a distasteful gaze. Looking at her as if she valued less than a piece of dust under their custom-made shoes.

Angela gives her a once over, her hazel eyes halting at her granddaughter's chest. Her face flamed red with anger as she began seething. "You gave her our family emblem!"

Angelos protectively shields the necklace, with a slight glare.

"I thought I knew you better, son. I hoped the rumors were false. I thought I taught you better, only for you to bring a whore's spawn into our family." Vincenzo barks, glaring daggers at his son.

I watch as two sets of mismatched colored eyes, narrow to slits while their jaws clench, clearly controlling their anger.

"I'd suggest you watch your mouth when speaking about my mother." Angelos grits, seemingly unaffected by their hateful gazes.

"She was a doctor, not a whore."

Angela sneers. "And what stops a doctor from being a whore, child?" Angela asks, elegantly sipping her champagne.

"Maybe the same thing that stops a grandparent from assassinating their own granddaughter?" Angelos bites back, tilting her head with a curious gaze.

"Don't get smart with us, girl. We will never accept you as our own. You don't deserve our name."

Angelos flashes a wide sarcastic grin. "Too late grandpa, my birth certificate has been renewed years ago. I'm an official Torrono. I guess having the family emblem wasn't clear enough for you."

"Be grateful you didn't die that night. The least you could do is serve us for sparing your life for our son's sake." Angela spat arrogantly.

The Don sighs. "Mother, father, don't speak to her that way. And we spoke about this–" Angelos steps forward silencing her father as she speaks. "That should be a reminder for you to know that you will never get rid of me easily,"

"Trust us, child. If we wanted you dead, you would be dead."

The glint in her eyes dies out. I watch as the confidence in her gets slowly wrenched out of her demeanor.

"In all honesty, I'd rather be an orphan than have you as my grandparents. My father is more than enough. I don't need a toxic family."

The Don's parents attempt to show nonchalance, as they walked away with their pride fractured.