Annabella's POV
It's been a week since that conversation. I have started working on my fashion show and my company Dad and Cole were back in Italy trying to solve their mafia work so that they can come back to New York and Sia is on her doctor camp. She talks to me every night and she knows what had happened in the family after my arrival.
She was livid to say the least. She tried to talk me out of it and tried to blackmail me into telling dad but I was not letting their words stop me from taking care of Hope.
I also met Naomi the next day and she hugged me and cried. She told me how she found love in Richard and how they have a son name Alex who is adorable.
I met him when I went to their place for dinner. Both Naomi and Richard apologized for my bios reaction. But what done has been done they cannot do anything about it now anyways.
Well Isabella has actually been a sweetheart. She comes to my room at night to sleep while I work on my company's files and deals. She has been a sweetheart and makes sure I eat because while working I forget to feed myself.
I have seen change in her in a span of one week. She is more open and the fear I've seen on her face the first day has gradually decreased. She laughs and works more. I even shared some of my designs of jewellery and dresses. She feels that I am doing this just for fun as she doesn't know about my company.
Well coming to bios I am always steered clear of their arrival. I don't talk to them or ignore them by saying that I have work to do.
Nate and I have become closer we have started sharing things. He still doesn't know my past but we do talk about random stuff and I've started trusting him.
He calls me his princess and I call him my knight in shining armour.
I sometimes sense the jealousy all the my brothers show towards Nate but their fault they dont think before they speak.
I let Xavier know that I clearly heard his statement and to see his and his brothers faces was priceless
Flashback
We were all having dinner and Isa asked me
"Why were you not living us for so many years?"
Well all the eyes were on me curious and two held vicious smirks on their faces.
"Because someone thought that I was not worth it. Right Xavier?"
I saw all their faces pale but hey what can we say watch your mouth before you speak right?
He tried to explain but one glare from me held him cowering back to his seat.
Flashback over
Today is my fashion show and all the DeLuca's are invited because I want to show them what happens when they mess with me. Moreover Brittany still needs to learn her lesson about slapping my manager.
Her daddy dearest or her brother may fulfill all her demands but if she messes with me she is not going to be okayyyy.
I invited my family also to the runway but they all are busy. So I'll have to do my first runway without them. But that means that I can wear anything and I don't have to fear dad or Cole for that instance. They literally scare all the guys around me and their overprotective nature is way too hard to hide.
I am in my changing room right now and making sure that my outfit is done properly because I don't want to have a malfunction on the stage
It was my turn to walk the ramp. So making eye contact with my bios firstly I walked the runway ignoring them with my head held high.
I saw that Vincent, Marco and Leonardo were not present. I knew Marco had to go to the same camp Anastasia went to and Leo had his exhibition out of the country and I concluded that maybe Vincent was busy handling some errands for Mafia because I knew there mafia has been facing some problems.
So without any questions in my mind I just aced my walk. By the time I came out of my thought I saw people were busy noticing my eyes.
It was the first time I didn't wear my contacts so the whole audience was admiring my eyes. I knew the judgement passed the moment I went back to the changing room after my walk.
After changing I went to the hall to see all the DeLuca's waiting there for me. When I reached them Isabella ran and hugged me.
"You were so amazing. I want to be just like you".
"Thank you "
I knew she was amazed by the way she was looking at me at the ramp. But what something new was that she was clinging to me like her life depended on it. I saw the fear in her eyes, the fear that I saw on the day I came.
She faced something today... Something happened behind my back it was confirmed when I heard her whimper when I touched her wrist to lead her towards my office. I turned deadly I heard her whimper and maybe my team could feel it because they were high on alert the moment they could see my expression.
They immediately went towards my office because they about the meeting scheduled. I led the bios to my office and there Carlos was already waiting for me. When I reached there he immediately came towards me to greet me.
" Good evening ma'am"
I just nodded my head in a form of greeting. Turning my expression a little less scary I turned towards Hope and told her to go try all the clothes I got ready for her.
Her fear changed into a happy expression. She ran towards Carlos who in turn escort her towards my designers and helped her up to the changing room.
Carlos returned a few minutes later. By that time everyone was settled in my office. Alessandro and all my brothers were looking around the office and they had the look of pride in their eyes.
I know they would like this. After all my tastes and their tastes matched. But what amused me was the way Brittany and Georgia's eyes were roaming around the dresses I've already worn in my previous runways.
Lucian well his eyes held curiosity. Curiosity of how I am managing this and how am I capable at such age of handling the pressure. I knew his eyes held concern, concern that maybe being at a young age I am handling work not meant for me.
This feeling of warmth felt in my heart but before I could further misjudge my judgement I was distracted by a body practically falling limp on me.
I turned to see Carlos pretending dead and immediately let his body fell on the floor.
"Aao.... "
I looked towards him amused. While he helped himself up.
I could see him looking all at my brothers like they were a piece of meat.
"Sorry ma'am. Actually this is the first time I am seeing so much hotness in this office."
I could see all of them uncomfortable even Alessandro the way Carlos was checking them out.
"Carlos leave my office but first identify is that the same Brittany who slapped you?"
"Oh Yes ma'am, but you should let me slap her I don't want your hands dirty after touching a piece of filth"
I saw Brittany and Georgia gasped out, whereas all my brothers turned towards Carlos in a deadly motion at the mention of him slapping her.
"No Carlos no one is touching her. Neither me nor you."
This turned his smile upside down and he left us probably to go check on Isa because he knew how much Isa meant to me.
I turned towards the family in my most deadly and professional stare
"Now Mr. DeLuca may I know who gave your daughter the right to slap my manager and threaten him."
I could see the fear that came in his eyes when I saw them with the most deadly stare. But before he could answer Xavier thought that it was a good idea to interfere between my professional matters.
"And who do you think you are to question us?"
"Mr. DeLuca please let your son understand this, that this is a serious matter. If he doesn't stop shouting in my office I will have to file for a legal case against your daughter for threatening my manager and slapping him."
I saw the moment they heard Legal case they all turned towards me deadly because I knew if I file any case against Brittany now her admission in further colleges will be at risk. And the way I know is that this family valued studies more than anything.
I could see Brittany glaring direct at my face so I turned towards her and directed the glare she was showing me. She cowered back in fear.
"How can you do this to your own sister?"
Georgia asked. She was almost sobbing and for the first time it was real because everyone knew that it was a rule of grandpa's family policy to have admission on your own capabilities and no one can defy him.
Listening to her words my mood soured a lot more than what it was. I looked her dead in the eye
"You don't judge me in the name of family I can definitely show you what you have done in the name of family."
My stare was so deadly that she understood that I was talking about the bruise on Isabella's wrist and the way she refused to meet my eyes showed that she also knew what I was talking about.
I was further interrupted by Xavier
"How can you expect from someone who has tried to kill her own blood will stop from filing a legal case? I thought she changed but some people can never change."
That hurted alot more I wanted to. I thought that my words were making some sense to these people but I feel they are still hopeless they still are believing Georgia and Brittany. But this time I made sure not to show how much it hurt. But this time I was not letting him let go of something.
"So what do you think Mr. DeLuca I should let someone go without even seeing a trace of guilt for slapping my manager and threatening him, so that the world can try the same stunt she performed and someday maybe some asshole or a prude can enter my office and harass me."
I saw the flicker of guilt the moment I said those words. But being a stubborn ass he just turned his eyes towards the other side.
I turned my heads toward all my brothers and they all had the guilt when I used the word harass.
"I am not letting someone who has knowingly harassed my manager and my privacy just because her family and brothers are a big deal in the business world because you may believe it or not I too hold my rules and regulations."
I looked Xavier dead in his eyes standing in front of him
"And Xavier DeLuca remember you people send me to a boarding school all alone without looking for proof and believing some strangers words but I'll make sure that you can see a proof that your sister actually did threaten my manager and slapped him clearly on his face."
I walked towards Lucian and Alessandro and looked both of them in their eyes to make sure that they understood what warning is meant in my words.
"If it would have been someone else I would have destroyed her further career because someone who cannot respect someone at the lower post from them they are not worthy of having a career at all but because she is one of Isa's family member I am just going for a police complaint."
I knew they understood my each word because there was recognition in their eyes. These were the words Grandpa taught us so that we would never disrespect people below our status.
They looked astonished that I still remember his words. Well why not I was his little squirrel And he was my giant panda.
But before any comments I personally send them the video of their sister clearly harassing my manager.
I waited for someone to say something but all their heads were hung low ashamed of the act they just saw.
They knew that this was literal harassment and she would be in prison if I or Carlos would really want to destroy her.
Georgia was glaring at my face whereas Brittany was in fear. Fear that none of her family was taking stand for her.
I could clearly see it on her face. Before I could say anything further she started ranting.
"Daddy stop her from doing this. You know how badly it can affect my career. You will not let her do this to me right?"
We all could hear the desparation in her voice even Georgia started sobbing. She wanted to torture me for putting her daughter in danger but what she didn't know was that I was much stronger from the last time.
Lucian looked at me pleadingly. He was pleading me to not file a complaint against her. He was trying to convince himself that there was still a part of me who would listen to him.
Maybe I would have but after the witch and her mother put hands on my Hope I would never let them go.
I looked him dead in the eye this time.
"I will only let her go if you promise me that your bitch of a wife and her daughter would not be around Isa anymore. I don't care what they do or they do not my Isa is staying away from them."
They all were shocked listening to my condition but Brittany she looked relief as her record was not going to be affected. But she was not going to be forgiven this easily.
"And from now onwards Brittany will not be pampered by any of you anymore. Let her work in the business and let her get a job in the basis of her attitude and qualifications. She maybe your mafia princess but she should know how the business world works."
All eyes were on me the moment they heard the word Mafia. I knew I didn't have to let them know that I know about mafia but it was high time they learn to respect me because I am not someone who is letting them go.
I knew my condition would be agreed because I was not asking for something out of the ordinary.
But I feel Georgia and Brittany didn't think my punishment was fair enough because they had a lot of opinions.
"No way I'm letting my baby work, she has a family to take care of her, moreover just like you said, she is a mafia princess and princess has the right to rule over people not work like pathetic losers."
I knew my family was not liking the tone Georgia used because for them people with jobs are much more respectful than people with privilege to be born in a rich family.
I didn't say anything because I wanted them to see the thoughts of the lovely woman of their family.
"Moreover who do you think you are to order around people. Just because I slapped your manager doesn't mean you can order me to work like a literal no one. You worked because you don't have a family and you are an orphan that doesn't mean I am one."
Her words didn't affect me anymore because right at this moment they both were creating a problem for their own self.
But what surprised me was that the first time it was Alessandro who stopped her from speaking that bullshit.
"Stop right there Brittany if you still want to be a part of the family because the way you just spoke I can assure you that if it was someone else he would have been dead by now."
His tone held a warning. Even I got goosebumps listening to him and I knew by that time that Sandro was not someone to be messed with.
Even Xavier shared the same opinion because this time he didn't try to correct Sandro but Brittany being a dramaqueen started fake crying and complaining about how everyone has stopped loving her the moment I return.
so without listening to them anymore I just called Carlos in.
"Carlos come to my office and make sure you bring Isabella ."
Their bullshit stopped the moment there was a knock on my door.
Isa entered happily wearing one of the most beautiful gowns I've ever designed and it was specially made for her.