The Secrets We Hide

Chapter Fifteen

Sergio Arcuri was a man of action. He was a person who truly believed that actions were louder than words. For years, he had resented his wife Lucina. Her name may have represented light, but she was nothing but a spoiled child who had never grown up. Sergio had no choice but to marry the spoilt heiress. The couple's grandfathers arranged their marriage to ensure their footing in the Barone family. He warned his father that Lucina was spoiled, arrogant, and willful, and marrying her would be a disaster. His father agreed with his son's observations, but the alliance was out of his hands. He warned him to rein his wife in and make sure that she did not disrupt the order of the family.

When Lucina was a teenager, she was a tyrant among her peers. She was a well-known bully who insulted any who crossed her path. Lucina's thirst for power was excessive, for she wanted to marry the head of the Barone family, Alberto. She obsessed over him, never allowing another woman to be close to the infamous Alberto; she followed him wherever he went. Luciana was determined to capture his heart, only to fail miserably. Alberto simply hid his love away until it was too late. Francesco took her side beside him, humiliating Lucina as she had boasted amongst their social group she was his intended. She had never gotten over the humiliation.

Her family was worried about her reputation amongst the heads of the families. They were also concerned that she had offended Alberto and his newly wedded wife. It was then that her grandfather sought Sergio's grandfather to request his support and help for his only grandaughter. Sergio's grandfather was indebted to Lucina's family, so he could not refuse this request. Therefore, Lucina's grandfather's request resulted in sacrificing Sergio's happiness.

The early years of Sergio's marriage involved him constantly remanding his wife for behaviour. Lucina was bitter and humiliated. She wanted revenge against the woman that dared take her rightful position as the mistress of the Barone family. For she was still the spoiled miss of her family until she had insulted Francesco at one gathering for the Barone family. She tarnished the family's reputation, and it was the first time her family had looked at her in disappointment and disgust. They put her under house arrest and warned her that if she did not rectify her behavior, she would be disowned and divorced. During that time, she experienced extreme loneliness and became somewhat humble.

Sergio found her tolerable during this time. He did not loathe her as much as did when he first married her. Then, after one too many drinks, both had finally consummated their marriage. Sergio never fell in love with Lucina, but he respected her as his wife. After a year, Lucina fell pregnant with Luigino. Once she had birthed her son, her irresponsible and narcistic behaviour sprouted once again. Sergio realised that she simply pretended to change to cement her position in the family.

When she found out that Alberto had given birth to a little girl, she knew this was her chance to take revenge on the family that had betrayed her. She raised Luigino to think he was superior to Victoria. She instilled values in Luigino that she was a measly girl and beneath him. Luigino treated Victoria like trash despite her being the principessa of the Italian mafia. Lucina wanted to break Alberto's daughter, ensure that she had a low self-esteem so that her son could then control the little girl.

Fortunately, little Victoria was a force to be reckoned with. She was head strong like her father. Little Victoria constantly humiliated Luigino, who grew up without allies and friends because they refused to insult the head of the family. When Victoria disappeared from Italy, he breathed a sigh of relief. His mother encouraged him to establish himself in the Mafia before she returned. Lucina wanted to destroy the little girl who reminded her of a miniature Francesco.

Unfortunately, no matter how much networking Luigino did, it could not could prepare him for Victoria's return. For Victoria had returned after her father's death and ascended as her father's position as head of the family. Luigino tried to interfere and rile Marcello up, only to be met with a stony silence. Luigino wanted him to take control of the family because he believed Victoria to be inferior as she was a woman. He believed Marcello's silence was an act of agreement. He never imagined that the cold and ruthless Marcello agreed with his sister's position.