-FIVE YEARS LATER-
"Seriyah!" I call my little five-year-old. "We're going to be late!"
"Coming, mamá!" She yells from upstairs.
Today we were going to the company because the girls didn't want to go to school today. I don't mind because she's missing one day of fucking kindergarten. Who gives a shit about that?
"I'm here" She grins at me then runs out the door with so much energy.
"Slow down, Seri!" I jog towards her, waiting at the door. "We have to wait for Ria"
"Nope, I'm here" She smiles. "Let's go!"
I walk to the car and get in the driver's seat. Lori nudges my side and shows me something on her phone. It's a video of Matteo asking her how to make Maria's favorite cookies for her surprise party.
Why a video? I don't know. Matteo likes recording instead of simply texting us.
I don't care about the events five years ago anymore. I have a child now and it's best I move on.
Seriyah is the best gift I've gotten my whole life, I don't want to ruin her childhood with my burdens. I'm putting everything into keeping her happy and won't tolerate Angelo suddenly wanting to be in her life.
"Mamma?" Maria calls for Lori. "Yes, Mia Bellezza?"
Lori and I learned Italian and Spanish. We thought it was about time we learned our native languages. Plus, it's good for the girls to learn by seeing us speak it every so often.
"Can we get a happy meal?" She asks, drawing stuff in her notebook. "Happy meals make me happy"
"I know something else that makes both of you happy" Seriyah doesn't like Mc. D and I don't want to make two stops so she could get something, I have a better suggestion and it's free. "It's a surprise though"
Lori gives me a look, knowing exactly where we're going. The girls love going here, they say it's relaxing. It's such a beautiful place, Matteo doesn't know about it though. It's our little secret.
I pull up to the forest and the girls scream in joy when they see where we are, quickly hopping out of the car.
Lori leads them while I stay in the back and make sure nobody comes to attack from behind. "Walk faster, elderly's" Seriyah rolls her eyes.
She's got attitude, this one
"Don't talk to me that way, I'm 25 missy" Lori turns around and lightly smacks the back of her head.
We walk further into the forest soon starting to hear water. The girls start running towards it with the biggest smiles spread across their faces.
"Don't go on the ice, I can't have you guys showing up to the company with specks of it all over you" I tell them, hearing aw in response.
I wasn't kidding around when I said I'd take Seri here as soon as she could walk. I didn't know of Maria at the time but now I do so she's included.
Lori and I take a seat on a rock, watching our girls play around the waterfall. "Girls, we'll stay for another 15 minutes then leave" Lori informs.
There's silence as we sit but I start up a conversation. "How are you and Matteo?"
She smiles, glancing at me and fiddling with her wedding ring. "We're good" looking back to our kids she asked. "why?"
"No reason" I shrug.
Seriyah falls and makes an oof sound, Maria snorts. "Be careful next time" she helps her up and in no time they're back to running around.
"I've never seen you this happy" I sigh.
"I could say the same for you" She nudges my shoulder.
"I always thought I'd be married before you to be honest" I joke and she laughs, adding. "Everyone did"
I remember her wedding day, it was four years ago. That was the first time I'd ever seen Matteo's side of the family.
"Alana you have to wear this disguise or our plan won't work" Lori rolls her eyes.
"But it's so weird" I cringe at the yellowy blond hair and the odd flowy green dress.
"Put it on bitch" She smacks me with the hair. "Or I'll do it for you"
"Fine, nobody will know it's me anyways" I grunt, stomping away to put my shit on.
When I'm done, Lori barges in with a nose prosthetic and tells me I have to put it on.
How the fuck do I put it on?
She leaves the room again and I decide to search up how to put a dummy fucking nose thingy prosthetic bitch on.
The tutorial is about 10 minutes long and they're just talking for the first 7. They're saying they have merch out and are trying to get people to buy his prosthetics from his company. Then there was a sponsor for fucking foot cream.
Finally, they spend one stupid minute going step by step on how to apply a prosthetic.
I finish it and walk outside feeling not like me.
I see Seriyah and Maria playing with blocks on the ground in the dressing room and they giggle when they see me.
Lori walks out of the washroom looking as gorgeous as ever in her matte black gown with a slit going through her right side.
"You look wonderful" I smile. She grins at me. "I feel wonderful"
We start to hear heels clicking and I grab Seriyah, running to the closet to hide her. "I'm sorry baby"
The door opens and Ariana's voice shines through. "My beautiful girl"
Next Rita walks in and says. "Today will be a memorable day, are you anxious? Scared maybe?"
"No, not really"
Lori basically ghosted her family last year. She was too scared to tell them she had a baby before getting married.
When she got engaged she said she was engaged before she had Maria and Ariana yelled at her for waiting this long to throw a wedding.
Now I have to wear a disguise so they don't know I'm actually Alana.
"And who's this?" Ariana points to me.
"That's... uh, well-" Lori stutters.
"Alissa, ma'am" I fake smile.
"Girls, it's a little chilly" I shout. "Can we leave?"
"Sure, ma!" Seriyah runs over and I dust the snow off her shoulders.
We walk back to the car and make our way to the company. Lori and I are CEOs of our own corporations, today we're going to mine because Lori's is farther.
>|<|>|<|>|<|>|<
I walk into my office while Lori shows the girls the new playroom on the fifth floor. I'm on the twentieth floor, which is the top floor.
I suddenly get a call from my assistant. She's basically obsessed with me. She's always up my ass and wants to know everything about me. To be honest, her sisters are too.
"Yes?"
"Change of plans" She grunts, annoyed. "Your meeting with Tristan Roy was pushed to today"
I sigh. "Okay, what time?"
"1... ish?"
"I need a clear time, Carina" Why does she have to be so... I don't know the word but damn, I don't have time for this right now.
"Expect him to arrive at any time between 12:30 and 1," She says before I hang up.
She and her sisters have a deep voice but hey, I don't judge. Maybe it runs in the family. Or maybe it's a triplet thing.
Lori barges into my office and tells me. "The girls are in the playroom, Victoria is watching them"
Victoria is the second triplet in this group.
I don't know why I haven't fired them yet. They're always late and in my business. I think they're only here because I love their personalities.
"Alessia was starting a fight with me downstairs" Lori playfully rolls her eyes.
And that ladies and gentlemen is the third triplet of the group.
"Oh really? What'd she say?"
"Something like," She clears her throat. "I'll steal your man bitch don't ever fix your eyes to look at me that way"
I burst out laughing at the way she said that.
I hold in my laugh as Rita and Ariana talk about how gorgeous and perfect I am.
Must not be perfect enough considering I got kicked out.
"Those curves sweetie, you need a tighter dress!"
My voice shakes as I exhale. "No thanks"
This isn't even funny, why am I trying so hard not to laugh?
Cool down, Lana
"Bummer" Rita exaggerates her sigh.
"I think it's time" Lori cuts off whatever Ariana was about to say.
"You're right!" Ariana agrees. "We'll be outside"
They finally leave and I let it all out with Lori doing the same. "Oh you're so gorgeous, my sweet" She jokes. "So perfect"
We walk out together and I give her to uncle Carter, getting ready to leave but he stops me. "Alana?"
I snort "How'd you know?"
"Just a guess" he smiles then turns to his daughter with the proudest look in his eyes.
I quietly exit to give them privacy.
Making my way to the stage... well it's not really a stage but I don't know what else to call it. Anyways, I run into this odd-looking guy with the most noticeable wig on. "Sorry, sir"
His eyebrows furrow then he widens his eyes almost as if he recognizes me.
Shit
I awkwardly clear my throat and walk around him. Maybe he won't tell anyone, I've never seen him before so he might not even know my family.
Dumbass, he obviously does. He's literally at your cousin's wedding.
Shit
I take my place standing next to where Lori would be when she gets here. This is kind of cool being a maid of honor.
That same guy from inside takes his stand next to Matteo as his best man. Next to him are three other guys dressed funky as well and a guy I don't know, dressed pretty well in my opinion.
Wait who's next to me?
I try to be subtle about it and look to my side to find Kara, Ath, Dhalia, and Mari. Fuck, how'd I not know? I should've asked Lori who her bridesmaids were.
Kara has a ring on her finger and I feel myself becoming a proud fucking mama. I don't know if she's still with Leo but whoever it is better be making her happy.
I would know though if Lori hadn't ghosted her whole family, now she's not as close with my sisters and doesn't feel comfortable asking who Kara married.
Why does Matteo have so many people on his side of the room? Making our side look depressing.
Suddenly, the pianist starts playing.
Lori, Matteo, and I silently eat as Ria and Seri tell us about their day.
"So after that, Vicky took us to the color room and said we could go all out or something" Seri makes weird hand gestures as she explains.
Vicky is short for Victoria, the girls find it easier than saying her name. The color room is what Seri calls the playroom because it's colorful in there.
"Seri shoot me with nerf gun so I throw kitchen knives at her." She pouts, annoyed about it. "I think it's bruising"
"Oh, don't be drama addict" Seriyah rolls her eyes. "It hit you a little bit."
"Only because I move out of way fast." She argues. "It was going to slice my skin"
"Let's talk about those knives then, hmm" she scoffs. "They were about to tear me."
"They're plastic" Lori chuckles.
I join in. "Yeah, and nerf bullets are literally just rubber"
We stop laughing when we see Seriyah and Maria's glare. Lori shoves a piece of broccoli in her mouth. "My bad, continue"
"No, you ruined our mood" Maria folds her arms.
"Yeah, Ria let's go" The girls get up and stomp their cute little feet out the room.
Matteo talks for the first time in ages. "They'll be back for their food in five... four... three... two... one-" Seri and Ria run back in, snatch their food, and dip.
We laugh even harder after we hear Ria scream. "No laughing!"
>|<|>|<|>|<|>|<
"Hey, Victoria. Long day?" Carlo jokes.
"Leave me the fuck alone, Carina" He rolls his eyes. "Kids might be my thirteenth reason"
"You're being overdramatic" Alessandro joins us in the office. "Sup guys"
"Where have you been?" Carlo furrows his eyebrows.
"Finishing Alana's schedule for tomorrow because you don't take your fucking job seriously" He grunts before taking a seat on the couch.
"Being dressed as a woman named Carina who's a triplet with his two other sisters really fucks up your memory of being Carlo with duties and shit" I glare at Carlo and he mutters. "My bad"
Matteo walks in with the biggest smile ever. "What got you so happy?" Vince asks.
"Marriage, duh" Alessandro replies.
I remember when Matteo got married, it was such a weird day but also a happy one.
It was cool at the start, Carlo, V, Al, and I all getting ready, putting on prosthetics and shit while Matteo got dressed in his suit.
It was all going great until I ran into Alana dressed in the weirdest outfit I've ever seen. At first, I didn't notice it was her but looking more into her features, well it's pretty easy to know who she is.
That's when things started getting weird. She'd make glances at me every so often, probably because she felt my stare.
The others noticed it was her too, I don't know how her own parents didn't. There's no doubt Athena, Marianne, Kara, Marcus, and Aiden recognized her though.
They kept looking at her with shock on their faces.
I stand there with a strong gaze directed at Alana. Vince lightly taps my shoulder with wide eyes. "Is that Lana?"
I slowly nod and he turns to Al, giving him the message. Al turns to Carlo and tells him the same.
Matteo's cousin, Dario is left out of the fun as we four just stare at Alana and he stands there confused.
Soon after, Vince, Carlo, and Alessandro start paying attention to the wedding again but I can't get my eyes off her.
She glances at me but quickly looks to Lori when we make eye contact.
The wedding goes on with the same thing happening over and over again. She'd check me out, look at my muscles, observe my tattoos, catch my eyes, and look away.
I remember the warmth of her body on mine, her soft dark skin, curves, and a sweet ass... "Do you, Matteo Mattia Marino, take, Lori Mari Johnson, to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
I look away from Alana and to my best friend and his almost wife.
"I do" Matteo's voice slightly shakes but he covers it up when he says those two words without hesitation.
He started crying when he saw Lori. It was super weird for Carlo, Vince, Alessandro, Dario, and I because we've never seen that man shed a tear. He still has dried tears on his face and his eyes are watering.
"Do you, Lori Mari Johnson, take Matteo Mattia Marino, to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asks.
"I do" She states, looking straight into Matteo's eyes.
"You may kiss the bride" he smiles, adoringly.
I lock eyes with Alana, this time catching her stare. We share a moment that not even I could understand. I just take her in. Her pretty round brown eyes and pouty lips, her curls and how defined they are. Sadly, I can't see her figure because the dress does her no justice but I remember it vividly.
My family and I are making chocolate chip cupcakes to help Matteo out a bit.
Maria's birthday is coming up and he wants to make her a whole bunch of chocolate chip cupcakes because they're her favorite.
We decided to surprise him and make some of them ourselves. Sergio hacked into his phone and stole the recipe Lori sent him.
Ria is very picky, she doesn't like the usual kind she likes a very specific recipe for them.
Seri just goes with anything that tastes good so she doesn't mind Maria's picky self.
"Ma, you have to put a tablespoon of syrup next" I read the list of ingredients.
Mariah and Romano are off to the side having a flour fight while Dom texts away on his phone and Adriana mixes the other batch.
We moved back to Italy when Alana moved here to be closer to her uncle. For some reason when one Johnson moves, all Johnson's move. Everyone is now in Italy living their best life and I missed it here but CJ- dad's old underboss- did a good job at taking care of things.
I'm shocked to say it but Romano is a married man. He and Viola got married and now they're living life or whatever.
His friend Leonardo got married to Alana's sister, Kara. Lori surprisingly wasn't at the wedding. I don't know why but she didn't show much contact with her family for about a year.
It's not my business though.
Dad walks in with extra flour, he left a couple minutes ago to get it after Riyah and Ro started their fight. I don't even know what they're fighting about anymore.
Dominic puts his phone down and grabs my phone looking at the list. "She puts fucking syrup in cupcakes? Wait- what the fuck are chocolate chip cupcakes?"
"She likes cupcakes and chocolate chips so one day Lori was experimenting with her and Matteo and they made it" Adriana explains. "You'd know if you paid attention to Matteo's stories" She takes out a batch from the oven and snaps her fingers at Ro. "Decorate these cupcakes"
Conversations go by, cupcakes are being made, and before I know it, we have 16 containers of cupcakes made. Twelve in each one.
I'm proud of us.
We split and go our own ways. Ro, Dom, and Ri watch a movie in the theatre, Ana goes to her room for a nap, I go to my office, and dad and mom leave to... I don't want to talk about it.
Dad and I have been working on finding Thomas and Ava for the past five years. We've gotten basically nowhere, it's like they don't exist. It's tough working with my father. He relaxed a bit after Seriyah but his annoyance toward me hasn't changed. I used to want him to be like the other dads at school but I'm used to him now.
I text the commanders to come to my office so I can tell them my plans.
It takes them a little bit but in a couple of minutes, I start to hear their footsteps.
"Gianna, Emiliano" I nod to them when they enter my office. "I have a mission for the both of you"
"What is this mission, Angelo?" Emiliano asks.
"It's associated with Seriyah and Maria"
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Word count: 3239
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: COMPLETEEE
Guess what... I got... THE VID 😮
Anyways yeah, I feel bad cause I might've gotten my friends sick and I don't want them to hate me for it.
How are y'all?
This little "mission" will take place in two chapters
It's kinda funny but literally not funny in any way tbh
Feedback/ideas
Where do you think Ava and Thomas r
Are they dead!??? 😉
Anywho, bye my loveliessss 💞
2/12/22