My lips parted to speak, but the sound of a chair crashing to the ground cut me off. I turned to see an elderly woman slowly making her way towards me, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"It can't be..." Her voice trailed off, and she gasped, "Vanessa?"
Before I could react, she rushed towards me, her arms outstretched, and pulled me into a tight embrace. Her grip was surprisingly strong, and I could feel her heart beating wildly against my chest.
For a moment, I was taken aback by her sudden display of affection, but then I realized that this woman must have known me from before.
Perhaps she was a long-lost relative or a family friend that I had forgotten about.
"W-who are you?" I asked quietly, observing the woman.
She was beautiful. All the people-the elite-I had met were.
A look of disappointment covered her face but a clearing of a throat interrupted her.
"Anthena, let the child relax. She has only just arrived." Felicity said, walking towards me. "This is Anthena De Luca, your grandmother."
Grandmother.
I had a fucking grandmother.
The word itself seemed foreign and absurd to me. I had never even known that I had a family, let alone a grandmother.
But before I could gather my thoughts to ask, Felicity approached us.
"Anthena, let the child breathe for a moment," Felicity said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Vanessa has only just arrived," she paused for a beat, turning to look at the last occupant in the room. "Angelo..."
I turned and looked at Angelo, not sure what to expect.
"Angelo..." Felicity said, the warning clear in her voice.
Angelo's gaze drifted over me, his cold eyes assessing my presence in the room.
For a moment, I felt like a fly caught in a spider's web, completely at his mercy. But then his expression softened, just a fraction, and he tilted his head in a subtle gesture of invitation. I hesitated for a moment, but then slowly approached and took a seat next to him.
As I sat down, my eyes were drawn to the plate of steaming food that had been placed in front of me. There were so many forks and knives, arranged in a precise and intimidating manner. I felt a pang of anxiety grip my stomach - how was I supposed to know which utensil to use for each course?
I tried to discreetly study the silverware, but it all looked so confusing.
Hell, everything, from the moment I stepped into this world was confusing.
I looked up to find Angelo watching me with a faint hint of amusement in his eyes. It was clear that he was well-versed in the art of formal dining, and probably found my confusion entertaining.
I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself, determined not to let my nerves get the better of me.
I looked up to see everyone staring at me-observing me. With either hope or disbelief.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Umm, hello, my name is Vanessa?" I tried to break the tension in the room because it was choking me.
"W-we know," Anthena said, smiling tearfully, "I just don't think you do."
"Excuse me?"
"Anthena," Felicity turned to look at the older woman warningly. "I told Vanessa that I will explain everything tomorrow."
Anthena raised an eyebrow but remained silent. She turned her gaze to me and smiled, her gaze watery.
"I-I know that this must be a lot to take in, Vanessa," she smiled softly, "But we are here for you."
I froze. No one had been this kind to me. Why start now?
Because you are their daughter.
Daughter.
Grandaughter.
Sister.
It all felt like too much to handle, like my entire identity was being turned upside down.
"Uh-," I cleared my throat awkwardly, not sure how to respond.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the present moment.
"Thank you," I murmured, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I appreciate it."
There was a moment of awkward silence, while I fidgeted nervously with the napkin in my lap. It was clear that there was still so much that I didn't know, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the whole situation.
I savored the succulent flavor of the steak as I chewed slowly, my mind racing with questions. I needed to know everything I could about these people, about my family, if I was going to stay safe.
Clearing my throat, I turned to Felicity and spoke in a steady voice. "You mentioned earlier that I have five brothers. Can you tell me more about them? What are their names?"
Felicity's lips curved into a knowing smile, and I could see a glint of amusement in her eyes. "Of course, Vanessa," she said, her voice low and smooth. "First, there's Alessandro. He's the eldest at twenty-five, and he's quiet, but don't let that fool you. He's a force to be reckoned with."
Before I could delve deeper into her words, she continued. As she spoke, I could see the admiration in her eyes for her eldest son. But she quickly moved on to the next brother.
My curiosity piqued, I leaned forward, eager to hear more.
"And then there's Matteo, the second eldest at twenty-four, who is planning to be a doctor." She paused for a second. "Next are the twins, Xander and Xavier. They may look identical, but their personalities couldn't be more different."
Anthena snorted, "You could say that again," she muttered.
Felicity turned to her son, "And this is Angelo, your youngest brother."
"Adopted."
I was startled, this was the first word Angelo had spoken since I entered. "What?"
"Angelo..." Felicity warned.
"Why Mother? I think Vanessa has the right know," he shifted his gaze from Felicity to me. "I'm not your brother. I'm your adopted brother."
As my eyes shifted back and forth between Angelo and Felicity, I couldn't help but notice the glaring differences between them. Angelo's hair was a shade too dark, and his piercing grey eyes were nothing like mine. The thought crossed my mind that maybe the differences were due to Viktor De Luca's genetics, but I couldn't be sure.
But when? When did they adopt Angelo? Was I too much of a disaster that I needed a replacement?
Anthena shot Angelo a scathing look. "Angelo," she remarked coldly, "You know very well you are worth more than blood ever could."
Angelo's smirk sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn't help but feel like he was enjoying the chaos he was causing. His smooth words only made things worse, and the awkward silence that followed was suffocating.
Trying to diffuse the tension, Anthena turned to me and casually cut into her steak. "So, Vanessa," she asked nonchalantly, "We've heard that you went to Moonstone High. How was it there?"
My gut reaction was to retort with a blunt "horrible", but I bit my tongue. I wasn't about to reveal any information to these people, not when I didn't know what their game was.
Instead, I put on my best fake smile and forced out a reply, "It was splendid, thank you for asking."
She smiled, "Well then, I'm sure you would love Thornwood Elite more."
"Pardon?" What the hell was Thornwood Elite?
"Anthena," Felicity murmured quietly, "Maybe we should discuss this tomorrow? Vanessa looks extremely tired."
Anthena shot me a concerned look, sizing me up with her piercing blue eyes. Felicity's words seemed to have an effect on her, and she reluctantly relented. "Of course," she said softly, "We'll can talk about this tomorrow."
The dinner was a disaster, to say the least. Athena and Felicity tried to make small talk, but their efforts fell flat in the wake of Angelo's brooding presence.
I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, and it made my skin crawl.
As soon as I could, I stumbled back from the table and muttered an excuse. I needed to get away, clear my head and make sense of what was happening.
This life, this family, it all felt like a twisted game.
I walked slowly gazing around me. I didn't belong here.
This place-this life-I didn't fit in here.
I scanned my new bedroom, taking in the lavish décor and feeling completely out of place. How did someone like Amberly belong in a place like this?
It was like she was a fish out of water. Fuck no, she was more like a monster in heaven.
I opened the closet and let out a heavy sigh, feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of designer clothes and shoes that filled the space.
"This day is..." I trailed off, unable to find the words to describe how I was feeling.
"Oh my lord!"
My thoughts were interrupted by a gasp that echoed through the room. My heart thudded in my chest as I spun around, searching for the source of the sudden noise.
"Oh my gosh!"
I turned around to see a girl staring at me in shock and a hit of disbelief.
She was around my age, with pale pink hair and a chubby frame. Her braces gleamed in the light, and her face was adorned with a dusting of freckles that only made her more beautiful.
For a moment, we just stood there, staring at each other in silence. None of us said a word.
Finally, the girl spoke up. "You are Vanessa De Luca," she said, her voice tentative.
"Y-yeah...I guess?" I replied, still trying to catch my breath. "W-what are you doing here? In this room?" In my room?
"Vanessa Amara De Luca," she repeated, her eyes widening. "You're here. Your back."