Formidable Love

CHAPTER 21

Luciano was catching up with some former employees who worked with his father which helped him become who he is right now. The way he carries himself in that tuxedo sends shiver down my spine of how he looks annoyingly handsome standing out from the others that might simply run in the family.

I couldn't turn a blind eye to the girls salvating over Luciano's father presence near them or Enzo luring almost every girl with his boyish charms and there stand my man, did I just call him my man?

Anyways there he stands so oblivious to the piercing gazes of women ready to pounce on him at any given moment I think I simply have to come terms with the fact that wherever he goes he'll attract such looks from the girls in his vicinity.
I had been practically forced by my father to indulge in a conversation with the confederacy who plays a pivotal role in the shaping the European political and financial thought by the use of Medici bank but I could pass out of boredom and could really use a hand out of this misery as if Piero heard my silent prayers interrupting Cosimo's speech about how his wealth had majorly influenced the European political which is very true had it not been Cosimo the kick start of the Medici political dynasty wouldn't have been so easy which makes him father's favourite and the one he relies on for most of his finance expedition in business also making him top the list of people Piero wishes to disappear from the face of Earth.

I could've heard him speak nonchalantly in a different circumstance except right now I'm in dire need of calm and peace maybe a good wine if offered,"Isn't this our golden goose" Piero said in a pun "Someone had to be since you failed miserably. Uncle might as well start with the adoption procedure" I could see Piero holding back a punch "You should start finding an alternative job because when I step foot in his shoes which I will, you won't be holding any position in the bank. He might consider you as his best ally but he would soon hand over his empire to his heir because in the end the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" scoffing at his words Cosimo takes his leave.

"The foe lies in our family.The one and only black sheep of the family" gritting his teeth he said implying to father's obvious preferential treatment towards Cosimo which deeply angers me too except we couldn't take our stance for it "Are you happy Al?" His eyes flickering brotherly emotions I straight went into a hug instead of answering his hand caressing my hair looking at me he says,
"I'll love you always"
"Me too"
"And I love you too" Luciano said peeking behind Piero's shoulder breaking a smile out of me.

I take a leave from boys to attend the restroom on my way out I hear hushed yelling between what sounded like my father's and Davide's,
"You disappeared Lorenzo like a fucking coward!" He spat on my father's face nearing down the hall hiding behind a corner "I lost my fucking kid too. The kids weren't supposed to deal our shit this way, hell they shouldn't have faced it in the first go" father's forehead lines creasing up "Don't you dare act a victim when I lost Amelia doing your dirty work" his voice now at it's peak "This is our children's new beginning don't try to stain it with our past" lowering his voice placing it on Davide's shoulder giving it a light squeeze "I'm more than willing to have you back and I'm sorry with how Amelia got tangled in our world. I wish Alessia doesn't share the same fate as her's it is solely my trust in you and your son that I give you my daughter" sharing and understanding nod they begin walking to their way back the hall rushing back to the restroom I almost trip somehow ending up inside.

My chest heaving up and down as I try to catch my breath with the type of information disclosed to me, my mind still on the verge to process it all. My father's words ring in my head.

I lost my kid too.
I wish Alessia doesn't share the same fate.

What does he allude to given that Piero and I are completely fine and how did my father participate in aunt Amelia's death also which dirty work is he referring to. My mind was a cloud of thoughts while I walk back to the hall unaware of my surroundings until Luciano shook me hard "Heyy what's wrong?" His face patent with worry "I almost had the urge to follow you but Piero called it a sick move" he said annoyed by Piero's comment "I was blocked by few girls congratulating me" eying me down suspiciously "Baby no one went after you. You don't feel good? We can leave they can wrap up behind us" cupping my cheeks he looked at me waiting for my response "They were there before me and you were seriously ogling the way to the restroom. People would be seriously creeped out" hitting his arm he holds a grin back "It's called looking out for my wife" blood rushes to my cheeks "I'm not your wife" concealing the blush by cooling it down by the back of my hand "Yet" grinning at his words he take my hands as we slowly leave the crowd behind heading to the garden.

Strolling in the garden our steps came to a halt on reaching to the centre of the gazebo "This feels much better" Luciano said softly sitting right next to me as I place my head on to his shoulder "It really does" my mind went back to my father's conversation with his contemplating my choice of words turning to him I asked "I want to know about your mother" his expressions flicker an ounce of sorrow which he instantly shut off "Why do you ask that?" right its unusual of me to ask all of a sudden about his mother I should've contemplated further into it before asking him, trying my best to cover up,
"Your father mentioned her today, it's only fair that it made me want to know the woman who birthed my soon-to-be husband" it ain't a lie when I said I wanted to know her because not only does the mention of her name sounds familiar but also the information that I just wrapped my head with "It's just that you never once talked about her" now I hope he falls for it though I hate to make him want to talk about his mother who's death affected him in ways I couldn't think of but I need to know it, for us and for the future that holds countless things untouched.

"It was the fire that took her out. Rodriguez Borgia's son, Cesare Borgia raped a 12 year old girl. The victim's brother reached out to us since my father has never once lost a case but standing up to Borgia's was signing up for your death. The Borgia's name has become a byword for murder and incest, Cesare marched through Rome with weapons barely hidden under his silk robes, taking pot-shots at prisoners and murdering close relations. After deaths of multiples of witnesses and burning away key evidences dad somehow managed to put Cesare behind the jail."

It was too much for me to take in yet it's no secret about the terrorism of Borgia men that people face every now and then especially the lower class since their voices are slammed shut with no one to voice out their problems.

It also made me dwell upon the fact that why my father is in a partnership with a person like him what further concerns me is whether Luciano is aware of it, "We didn't know putting him behind the bars would take such a huge toll on our lives. Mamma had always been the one who believed in justice and doing right by the people. It was her constant efforts that made my father take in the case knowing they might have to pay the price by their own lives which she did. Three days after the court's judgment the Borgia men ambushed our house from every corner while our father was away celebrating his hard earned success, she tried to escape the only way out but was shot sheathing our fragile bodies.They burned her alive while we hid ourselves behind the hidden door."

I didn't realize how long I've been crying with tears flowing in no mood to stop anytime, my heart goes out to the little Luciano and Enzo who had to witness their mother being burned alive. I feel as if I could witness the scene unfold itself right infront of my eyes while Luciano revealed the incident it was a weird type of feeling maybe it was the way he narrated it that made me feel present at the scene nevertheless it enveloped me in such a grief that it felt very personal.