ATHENA ROSA VALENTINE.
Has everything she could ever want. Loving Parents. Best friends. Endless Luxuries.
Everything except love.
Being left and forgotten at a young age but someone that meant the whole world to her has turned her into an emotion...
"Papa what are we having for dinner?" I ask him as I approach his office where he is drinking and sorting through some files.
"Don't worry bambino the maids have prepared dinner. We have a guest coming over in an hour!" Papa says smiling at me.
A guest? Who is it? One of his work colleagues.
"Papa who is coming over?" I ask nervously.
I don't know something about this guest stirs up anxiety in my stomach.
"Before I tell you who it is I want you to know I invited him for a truce. Before your marriage we were family friends." Papa is about to continue but he doesn't need to.
I already know who it is.
Papa doesn't know the damage he did to me.
Papa doesn't understand how he tortured me.
"The guest is Romero. Romero Moretti!" Papa announces.
The name has me shaking and on edge. He is going to be in the same fucking room as Dante and my daughter.
What if he does something to hurt her?
"Bambino change into more appropriate clothes." He glances at my outfit which is Dante's top and his boxer shorts.
"Va Bene Papa!" I say before leaving his office.
I rush into our room and shout for Dante. "DANTE! DANTE!" I choke on his name as I struggle to breathe.
I try to calm my breathing down but the anxiety is building up. The thought of that monster in the same room as my family makes me scared.
"Bambolina!" I hear his voice and calm down slightly.
He just came out of the shower and I look to see Mirella fast asleep. I wrap my arms around his bare torso and cry into it.
"Bambolina. Please tell me what's wrong. I can't fix it if you don't tell me amore!" He soothes whilst stroking my hair.
"He's coming over. Papa invited him. I'm so scared he's going to hurt me again. Dante I want to go back home!" I mumble incoherently.
This doesn't feel like home anymore.
Memories of him taint the walls of the place I once called home.
"Fuck. Romero!" When Dante says his name I cry harder.
"We won't get out of here in time. He's coming over in half an hour." I whisper as I glance at the clock.
"I won't let him hurt you. I promise amore." Dante comforts me. He puts Mirella and I before anything so I get ready to change.
I get dressed in a white spaghetti strap top and light blush washed jeans with a cosy cardigan. I decide on no makeup and put my blond wavy hair in a messy bun. Slipping my feet into my white air forces I am ready.
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Heading back into the room I see Mirella wide awake and in Dante's arms. 5 minutes left.
"I'll be right next to you bambolina. Any sign of you being scared or uncomfortable tell me and we'll leave." Dante pecks my forehead and then my lips softly.
We leave the room to go into the dining room. I hear laughter and chatter coming from the room. He must me here.
My heart starts racing rapidly. What do I do?
We step in and both Papa and his monstrous hazel green eyes look at us. They linger on me for a long time before moving to our daughter.
He stands up and takes a few steps towards us and I take a few shaky steps back.
"It's nice to see you again mate!" He shakes hands with Dante.
"It's nice to see you Athena!" He nods my way.
"This must be your daughter. What is her name? She looks exactly like her mother!" He comments.
"Mirella!" Dante answers.
What happened to him?
Why is he acting all nice in front of Papa?
Last I remember he hated Dante and me for not going back to him. We begin eating the variety of dishes the maid made for us. Steak, fries, salad and many more.
I take Mirella from Dante and feed her and myself, while they make small conversation with him. "Romero has moved back to America permanently." Papa tells us and I sigh in relief that when we go back we won't have to worry about him.
"So how have you been? You guys look happy together!" Romero states a smile on his face for my father.
But I see the hate and envy in his eyes. His eyes glare at my daughter and me. I clutch Mirella closer to me afraid of letting her go.
"We are happier than ever. What about your girlfriend Natasha?" Dante taunts him and ends their attention on us. But his eyes never leave us.
"We broke up. Turns out she was using me for my money. The gold digging bitch!" Romero snaps anger evident in his voice.
"The food is delicious Aodhan. Thank you for the hospitality!" Romero thanks my father.
"Don't worry about it son. You are always welcome in the Valentine household." Papa chuckles and continues eating.
What has he told my father?
Why does Papa like him more than Dante?
"Athena. I forgot a file in my office I need to give to Romero. Can you take him to my office and give it him? It's the confidential file the red one." Papa tells me once we've eaten.
"Aodhan I can get it for you!" Dante speaks up trying to stop the both of us being in a room alone together.
"Dante with all due respect I asked Athena!" Aodhan snaps.
I get up and with shaky hands give Mirella to Dante and head towards Papa's office. I know he is following behind me with the heavy footsteps and his eyes following my every move.
Opening the door to office I head over to my father's desk trying to locate the file. Sorting through the files I struggle to find it. "Do you need help Ena?" I hear him whisper in my ear his body pressed into mine.
I try breathing in and out to calm myself down.I'm scared to speak afraid of what he might do to me.
"Mirella looks exactly like you did Ena as a baby." He says and with a swift movement he flips my body so I am facing him.
My light blue eyes lock with his hazel green eyes. "R-Romero. P-please let g-go of me!" My voice shakes in fear as his hands trail further up my waist.
I close my eyes wanting him to stop.
I can't let him control me again. I can't.
How long will Dante fight for me?
With all the strength I have I push his body away from my own. I grab the red file and hand it to him.
"Don't touch what doesn't belong to you!" I snap angrily before trying to leave the room.
"You will always belong to me Ena!" He murmurs darkly and I shiver in fear.
