Bound

39. For Whom The Bell Tolls

Amara nodded sympathetically. She understood what Serena meant because she too had the same restrictions placed on her in the absence of the men in her family. Even now, standing at the entrance of her own home, she knew she was being followed by at least one guard at all times.

"Have a safe journey", she wished Serena,"I'll see you in a few days."

She watched as her friend left with her entourage of Valentini guards before turning around and walking back inside under the keen eyes of the Sullivan guards stationed at the entrance.

Her thoughts soon turned back to Chicago. She had received only one call so far, and that had been from her Nonno on the first of their trip. Their conversation had been very short, he had only called to ensure that she was faring fine in their absence.

But Amara had not been given a chance to ensure the same and this did not settle well with her. It made her anxious!

So lost was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone coming towards her from the opposite direction and stopped just short of running into that person. It was a woman. A woman Amara knew.

"Hello, Miss Sullivan-Romero",the woman greeted her.

She was Veronica's mother, Reagan Callaghan.

"Hello lady Callaghan", Amara returned politely.

Reagan Callaghan was a formidable woman who ruled the business alongside her husband with an iron fist. Amara had heard from various sources how shrewed the woman could be. Her dark eyes always took in everything around her calculatively and being in her presence alone made Amara nervous.

"I had heard about the incident with the Avdonin boy spiking your drink with chillies. You seem to have recovered now", she stated, her face blank.

"Y-Yes", Amara stammered, surprised.

"My daughter was worried about you when you were sick", she continued, her eyes assessing Amara, who winced at the mention of Veronica.

"You are angry with my Veronica", Reagan Callaghan stated again and Amara glanced at her with thinly veiled surprise at her quick deduction.

"My daughter does not need to say the words for me to know what's happening in her life",the older woman replied as an explanation.

"I was angry and disappointed with Veronica. I could not have given her my forgiveness in just name. She betrayed my trust", Amara defended herself. "And it would take me some more time to forget what happened", she continued, slightly apologetic.

The woman remained silent, her eyes boring into Amara's piercingly.

"I had always assumed that you were different from your mother",she finally stated, a glint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

Amara stiffened.

"Holding grudges was one of Cristina Romero's many flaws",she continued coolly."But whenever your name was mentioned in any circle, it was always followed by how kind and generous you were and I felt an unexpected relief every time to know that your Sullivan blood outweighed the Romero blood flowing through your veins. I was wrong, I admit", she stated imperiously.

"What's that suppose to mean?", Amara asked her in a quiet voice, her fists clenching in anger.

Reagan Callaghan smiled at her without any warmth, stepping forward to cover the space between them, her fingers raising Amara's chin higher with a feather light touch so that Amara could look at the taller woman's face clearly.