The chapter you have all been waiting for sorry it took 57 chapters. Also noticed I was nearly at 1k followers so please do follow if you aren't already
Out in the back garden, Damon walked in with mason.
"What happened" Alesandro asked. His sons hadn't been gone long.
"They called and had sorted things, I guess when you give them an ultimatum of the enemies death or theirs, they will get the job done" Damon shrugged. He ruled the mafia and probably the whole underworld. His deadly look was enough to have people shaking in fear. It wasn't his anger you had to watch out for, it was his deadly calmness because that's when he would snap soon after and you would be good as dead and suffer in the most painful ways, he was terrifyingly calm most days but then he would snap and the term 'anger' was nothing compared to what would be seen. Occasionally petty gangs tried their luck but it was a suicide mission. Each of them always died.
"Where is everyone" Mason asked.
"Down at the lake, why don't you go and apologize to Emilia" Alesandro said.
"I'll do it later" Damon felt so much guilt that he couldn't even bare to face her.
He went to grab a beer but paused when he heard a muffled shout.
His name.
He walked down to the garden but where they could see the lake but stopped in horror when he saw the last of Emilia's head going under the water.
"No.no. no.no" he muttered as he ran down the steps, and down the garden towards the lake. He didn't bother taking his shoes off or any items of clothes, he simply dived in. He didn't acknowledge his family that had gathered when they saw him running down to the lake.
He dove in the water, he saw his sister drowning, sinking deeper and further into the water. This couldn't be happening.
He swam down faster, he couldn't let her die.
It didn't take long before he resurfaced with her . He swam to the decking and pulled her out of the water. She was unconscious.
Alesandro finally understood what Damon had dove into the water for. He ran down to the side "no Mia bambina" he exclaimed as he went to her side.
Damon was checking her pulse.
Everyone else tried to come near but Damon sent them all a deadly look "do not even think about coming closer or I will rip your hearts out and throw them in the lake" he snapped at his entire family. It was their fault, they left her alone, they should have been watching.
He left, they should have been there for her but instead he came back to her drowning.
It was his fault, he shouldn't have left. He should have stayed by her side. Clearly he was the only one who could keep her safe if this was what happened when he was gone for a short time.
Damon proceeded to start chest compressions.
Alessandro who was the only one Damon didn't snap at held onto her hand mumbling words of comfort to her.
The family stayed back watching in silence, they wanted to get closer but they knew not to mess with Damon, even Carlos knew at this moment he had to take a step back.
Damons anger was almost as bad this time because their family was there, they should have protected her, they couldn't at school but here, she was suppose to be safe.
Just then Dante got a call. Everyone looked at him, even Damon shot him a glare. Emilia was still unresponsive though so he didn't pay attention to Dante after the quick glare
Dante was going to end the call when I recognized the number "excuse me" he said with a sinister grin.
He walked off so he could be out of hearing range but so he could still see his sister.
"She's not waking up" Damon shouted in frustration.
"Hello is this Mr Russo I'm speaking to"
"Yes I trust you have good news for me"
"Well after discussing your case we have agreed it would be beneficial to speak to them so I am transferring you now please hold"
Only seconds later did a gruff voice speak
"Who are you and what do you want"
"I want to know if Emilia has any allergies " Dante asked the man who would soon be dead. Henry.
The conversation was quick, after threatening him in the most torturous ways, he gave up the information needed.
Whilst this was going on, Emilia was thankfully coming around. She opened her eyes and turned to the side coughing up water.
Damon patted her back whilst Alesandro ran his hand through her hair in comfort.
Damon was crouched on his knees, he didn't care about anything except her. He pulled her into his chest hugging her tightly. "I'm so so so sorry" he whispered repeatedly.
"Are you ok bambina" Alesandro asked but he knew the answer, he just felt the need to ask.
Emilia nodded but moved slightly so she was closer to Damon.
"Damon" she whispered.
Alessandro and Damon were shocked that she had spoken in front of everyone. The rest were shocked that she spoke.
"Yeah?"
Emilia didn't say anything instead she clung to him not wanting him to disappear.
She wanted to be mad at him for earlier but she couldn't, it wasn't like he meant to hurt her, she trusted him the most, he was her protector.
"I'm not going anywhere, I'm right here" he whispered, stroking her hair.
Alesandro wished he could be the one to hold her but he knew because of what Henry did she was still hesitant.
"Dad"
Alesandro blinked and looked at her in suprise. "Yes sweetheart" he asked.
Emilia tried her best to get out of Damon's grip, he finally reluctantly let go and Emilia was straight in his arms.
She cried into his chest and Alesandro held her tightly "I'm sorry sweetheart"
Damon stood up with a dark look on his face, he knew he had to change but there was more important things to do, his clothes were soaked so much so that they clung to him and his abs and tattoos were on show making his appearance seem scarier. He didn't need a cold, he needed to be strong for Emilia since he determined his family couldn't protect her as well as he could. "someone get some fucking towels" he snapped running his hand through his hair.
Ellie had already rushed inside to get some, she handed them to Leo not wanting to approach Damon. Leo was also a little reluctant but quickly gave Damon the towels.
"Can you stand" Damon asked Emilia.
Emilia nodded and Alesandro finally let her go so she could stand, she lost her balance but luckily Alesandro grabbed her and steadied her.
Damon wrapped a towel around her shoulders, he glanced at the bruise on her upper arm.
"I am so sorry darling" he whispered gently.
He then took another towel and wrapped her hair up in it.
He was just about to discard his own shirt as there was no point him keeping it on when Dante walked back to the group. A dark look on his face, nothing but anger.
Damon decided he would deal whatever shit Dante had going on later. He wasn't prepared to handle the news Dante clearly had.
"Ok darling, you are going to go with Grandma and Ellie, they are going to find you something to wear and you are going to change, is that okay?" Damon asked.
Emilia looked up at Alesandro, she still had hold of his hand. "Damon is right sweetheart, you don't want to catch a cold do you? Bed ridden for weeks surrounded by all you stupid brothers. It would be hell, and can you imagine how clingy Damon will be, id rather die than have his judgemental gaze on me endlessly for weeks" Alesandro said trying to get her smiling. It seemed to work. Even Damon had a small smile on his face. "Oh and how he's always so dark and gloomy, like a shadow, a cold shadow, oh and his constant worry asking if you are okay every other second. I'd be running to the house to change if I was you" Alesandro continued seeing that it was cheering her up.
"Alright dad, you can stop now" Damon said. His dad's words were true though.
"Can I come too. Maybe I can help or at least be supportive. I just feel so guilty, I shouldn't have left her by the lake alone, I know she's always had a problem but I didn't think...oh Emilia I'm so sorry"
Dante was about to loose it, after what he had found out he wanted to slap her and harm her in so many ways but before he could Emilia spoke much louder than before. Everyone could hear her.
"You didn't seem sorry when you left me drowning" she couldn't help herself, she was done with Lexi's shit. She was tired of being too scared to talk, to scared to face her sister. She had to stand up for herself
"You was here when it happened" Alesandro snapped menacingly, he slowly approached her. It was almost as scary as Damon could be.
"No. No I wasn't, she must have been hallucinating because of the water"
"Just like I was hallucinating when you pushed me in" Emilia said, she couldn't stop herself now she had started.
"No I didn't. How could you say that" Lexi cried.
"You fucking pushed her in, what the fuck Alexia" Alesandro snapped, everyone shuddered with fear except Damon who had a murderous glare.
"No daddy she's lying" Alexia cried and tried to hug him, but he pushed her away. "Don't you dare touch me you fucking bitch" he snarled.
"She's lying like she always has, you have no idea what she's like, why she doesn't talk, it's simple, she has mental problems. Mum and Henry noticed it at a early stage, she would get possessive of them and would lash out at others, she never let me near my own parents. I felt so isolated. She does this to all new people, she's quiet and closed off then she hurts herself to make it look like I am to blame" Lexi cried.
Everyone remained quiet, waiting to see what Emilia would say.
Dante however walked up to Lexi, unfortunately he didn't get close because mason pulled him back "let Emilia handle it" he had a feeling it needed to be Emilia not them.
"Sure I just love to hurt myself so much so I cut my own back open, youre the psycho, you made Henry do it, you encouraged him, you watched him torture me, I begged you for help. I fucking begged you and all you did was laugh and tell me I deserved it and for what? Just so you could have their attention all the time. I never wanted their attention, I just wanted to feel safe and love in my own home but no, you guys made it hell " Emilia snapped. She was done.
She then turned to Damon who was fuming, but he didn't do anything simply because he knew it needed to be Emilia. At least for now. "Sorry for saying the bad words" she whispered to him.
Damon smiled slightly, he was still furious but she was too adorable.
Lexi decided playing the victim was the best way to go "how could I help you when I was being abused just as bad"
"Bullshit, he never hurt you and if you were abused so badly why did you tell him to hurt me more"
"I didn't, look you are delusional, you don't see that you are making up these things, you're unwell"
"And who's fault is that? Yours. You encouraged him to keep me locked away, youre a fucking psycho, you told him to lock me out the night before we came here"
"For your own good, you were a danger to yourself and others, you always have been Emilia, look around can't you see what a scene you are making. You are mentally ill" Lexi said in a calm voice.
Emilia had tears running down her voice. She knew she didn't imagine these things but she started to feel guilty, she should have never spoke.
"See Emilia, what's happening isn't healthy, you're making this shit up, we had you limited from going out because of how dangerous you were"
"I wasn't" Emilia whispered.
"Yes you were. If you had just behaved none of it would have happened, if you were normal. I didn't push you Emilia admit it, you fell yourself, and when you woke up you were upset so you tried again today"
"No"
"Yes Emilia"
"I said no" Emilia said more harshly. She was done listening to her sisters words, she didn't even realize what she had done.
She had slapped Lexi.
"Why you little bitch, how dare you do that. See that's what I mean, you have no regards for others, you selfish bitch" Lexi went to hit Emilia but it never came.
Instead Dante was the first to do something, he had gently moved Emilia and stood in front of Lexi. He didn't say anything, he just slapped her.
"I really should have some popcorn for this" Matteo said but he was holding a bag of crisps.
"Damon" Emilia whispered scared to look at him. Scared he would take her side. Maybe they would lock her up thinking she was dangerous.
Damon looked down, he couldn't smile, he was too angry. He had let Emilia handle herself but now, now he was done being patient.
Emilia gulped. He hated her. She had been right, she had lost him. She had lost her brother.
"Enough" Alesandro had also allowed Emilia to handle it knowing it would do her good but now he was pissed.
"I apologize mum and dad this has been quite a turn of events" he said knowing this should have been sorted privately.
"Is that what we are calling it now, well I'm loving this turn of events" Matteo said loudly as he ate his crisps.
"Anyway. Emilia I want you to go with Ellie and my mum please. Matteo, Zach make yourselves useful and help tidy up. Damon and I are going to your office if that's okay father" Alesandro said taking charge of the situation.
Carlos who had been very quiet nodded. He was lost in thought, imagining how he could end the lives of Henry, Alice and even Lexi.
"Great. Let's go" Alesandro said.
Damon grabbed Lexi's arm, he was gentle about it but only because Emilia was there, as soon as they got out of sight he began to drag her.
"Come on dear, let's get you some nice warm clothes" Rose rushed to Emilia's side.
"I'm sorry I just did that, I don't know what came over me" Emilia whispered.
"It's okay, it needed to be said " Rose replied
Matteo, Mason and Dante didn't know about the abuse. Although Dante suspected from the emails, it was so much more different now that he had heard it out loud. He had heard what had been done to her.
Mason being the oldest of the three, approached her first. He had never heard her speak either. He had no idea what was going on.
Emilia looked away, she didn't want him to hate her, she didn't want to see the hate in her eyes. He leaned down and whispered "I'm sorry I never realized, I'll be better in future, in the meantime how about once this is sorted we do that thing to Damon" he whispered the last bit so quietly, only they heard.
"Really " this time she looked up and didn't see any hatred.
"Of course, it will be fun" Mason replied. He knew she enjoyed messing with him so he had suggested something that really would mess with him. And he knew she wouldn't want pity, the best thing he could do was treat her like normal but take into account her past.
Matteo was next "um I don't really know what to say, um I guess I'm sorry we should have known, also I'll start sharing my food with you"
Dante looked at her with a cold emotionless expression. Emilia gulped thinking he probably believed Lexi about her being dangerous.
"I need to go " he said. He couldn't face Emilia, if he had of done something sooner maybe this wouldn't have happened. If he didn't leave to beat up Marco it wouldn't have happened. He thought she would be okay for 10/15 minutes, Matteo and Zach were with the them. He didn't think they would leave.
But they did leave because they had no idea of Lexi's hatred only that they strongly disliked each other.
"Right come on dear" and Ellie and Rose took her inside.
Meanwhile.
Alessandro and Damon stood in front of Lexi. Damon made sure to lock the door so she wouldn't be going anywhere.
"You know Alexia I've been thinking about what you said" Damon said.
"And what was that Damon, she said so many vile things I'm at a loss with where to start" Alesandro said playing along.
"She claimed multiple times they kept Emilia away because she was dangerous, that she was ill and so on" Damon said grabbing a knife from his grandfather's draw. He didn't want to kill her, he wanted her to suffer first.
"You're right, I do recall that being said multiples of time however there was no record of mental illness on her hospital record" Alesandro said.
"That's because mum didn't want her life ruined, she's dangerous, she planned all of this. Mum wanted to help her without doctors involved. But she's dangerous I swear".
Damon wasn't having any of this, he laughed, a dark sinical laugh. "I think you're a little confused Alexia, let me show you what dangerous really looks like" his accent was stronger than normal due to the fact he was angry. It held so much power and authority, it was emotionless and deadly.
Damon look almost deranged, his usual styled and tidy hair was messy due to the lake, he had to move it from his face/out of his eyes at times, his eyes were darker than usual, his sleeves now rolled up showing his tattoos and even a scar or two. His shirt was starting to dry but it wasn't hard to see the tattoos the covered parts of his chest. He looked at her like she was nothing but one of the many people he would torture and kill. She wasn't family anymore and Damon didn't have a problem with her technically being his sister, it wouldn't stop him .
He had a dark and deadly look, a smirk that screamed 'you better run because I'll kill you when I catch you'...only she had already been caught. All in all he looked like a pychopath, most likely because he was one and he certainly was a ruthless and deadly monster when he needed to be.
Alesandro had been quiet. He wasn't strong enough for this. He was furious. He wanted to be strong and hurt her like she hurt his bambina but he couldn't. His weakness was family and no matter how much he wanted her dead, his much he rather her not be family. She still was.
"I'll leave you too it" he muttered. Damon speared him a glance and for a brief moment Damon's anger dissapeared, he was concerned for his father. He knew his fathers weakness was always family. He grew angry again. He would make her pay.
Alesandro left the room after unlocking it. He sighed,he had just left her to face Damon's wrath.
He couldn't help blame himself. What if he had done things differently, what if he had caught Alice taking his girls and stopped her. What if he had raised them.
But he couldn't think like that. He would always take Emilia's side but right now he felt like the worst father ever for leaving her alone with Damon. He knew she would still be alive, Damon loved to torture his victims first but that was even harder to come to terms with.
He slowly made his way across the hallway and down the stairs to the second floor. He had to see Emilia, he needed her to be okay, he needed her in his arms to be sure she was safe.
Okay so she's finally snapped. Hope it was worth the wait and not the biggest disappointment ever, honestly wouldn't be surprised if it is, it's shocking how much you all like this book
Anyway a few quick notes:
Yes they weren't shown to be angry as alot of you thought but they saw it as Ems first time speaking in front of everyone and knew she needed to get everything out.
Originally Lexi was suppose to actually confess in anger and let it slip what she did but I went a different route so it can deal with Ems insecurities ect. It's now all out so the next few chapters will deal with the aftermath.
Also at the end of the day Lexi is still Alesandros child and no matter what she did, he physically can't do it. He might seem weak but it must be taken into consideration she's his child.
Also Lexi won't be dead for a while however for the storyline I have planned she does need to live with them still ect. It won't last long and she won't be up to anything else as Damon will be showing her what happens. So some of you are going to be like no she deserves to die, don't let her back in the house ect but for now she has to but she won't be allowed anywhere but her bedroom.