━━━━━━♡♤♡━━━━━━
TW// Rape, emotional abuse, sexual assault, blood, violence & gore.
𝐏 𝐀 𝐒 𝐓
. . .
"Don't be so dramatic little one, bruises are a part of life." He whispered to the fourteen year old me as he repeatedly brushed off my bruised knees, while I began whimpering for comfort. Clumsy old me had tripped over a huge rock, while he was teaching me how to ride a bicycle, once again.
He chuckled and placed his both of his hands on my waist and tightened them, I began squirming and struggled to get out of his hold.
I didn't like the way his hands tightened around my waist, but I couldn't find it in me to voice it out because it might, perhaps, hurt his feelings. He has a temper, I don't want him to lash out on me again. So, I just said something along the lines of what I picture my future out to be, while carefully removing his hands off me, while he intently listens to every word I say like a man who's far too gone into the brinks of insanity.
My attempts fail miserably as he absent mindedly grabs my hands and places wet kisses on them. I didn't like the way he was making me feel, I felt really uncomfortable and awkward, he was in his mid thirties, he was just supposed to teach me, that was all his job was.
He whispered, as he stared deeply into my eyes, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
We were in his home, where all the tutoring sessions took place. We were now taking a break, making small talk while we stay seated by the window sill. I loved his windows, they were big, wide and open, effortless capturing the scenic background and portrayed it as art. His home was small and cozy and secluded away from the rest of the city.
I distractedly replied, while looking out of his window with a big smile on my face, "I really, really want to be a star, Federico!"
He chuckled, caressing my waist which made me giggle, "I already see you being the brightest star the world has ever seen."
I gasp, placing both of my hands on my heart, "Don't lie to me like that, with your sweet words!"
He placed a seemingly innocent kiss on my lips, "I would never lie to you, angel. I mean it with my whole heart, when I say you are something different altogether. No woman compares to you, Celestina, or should I say Carla Rossi?"
I froze.
. . .
"Don't be so dramatic little one, bruises are a part of life." He whispered as he forcefully penetrated into the fifteen year old me, while I cried out in pain, horror and agony, but it came out as muffled sobs as he had already tied his handcloth around my mouth, in order to quieten me.
He pulled me closer towards him as he peppered me with his unwelcomed kisses all over my face, while fucking me against my will and consent. He moaned loudly as he continuously thrusted in and out of me, while I screeched in pain, it felt as though a knife was repeated being stabbed in and out of me. I repeatedly tried to push him off me, I tried to put up a good fight, but he was stronger and bigger than me.
I looked at window sill, stared at the pretty scenic nature to distract me from the torture I had to endure, my eyes widened as fear and realization struck within me, he was raping me. It was harder to endure it, now. He was raping me after I confided in him and told him everything about Aldo Moretti and his friends did to me that night. How could he?
"The moment I laid my eyes on you, you were all I could see, Celestina." He muttered as he came into the condom he had worn. I wailed in pain and disgust. I looked down and saw blood leaking out of my entrance, I tensed.
He noticed my state and slapped me harshly on the face, "Oh, don't fucking act like you didn't enjoy it, whore."
He walked away from me and tossed the filled condom into the trash can. This had been a regular thing. He would violate me in ways I could never seize to imagine, and torment me, guilt trip and threaten me into never telling anyone about us. I didn't enjoy him at all, I looked up at him with fear.
He smirked as he lazily caressed my cheeks, which were burning red, I felt sick.
He simply stared at me, "I knew that from the minute I saw you, I had to taste you, be inside you, be with you, feel you. I had to have you, darling. Matteo didn't convince me at all, but the moment I saw you, you convinced me to be your tutor."
I whimpered in pain, while he cooed at me as he dressed himself, while staring at the mirror.
"Not a word about this to anyone else, yeah?" He turned around and narrowed his gaze at me.
I nodded vigorously and limped out of his room, to rush away from this sickening place, out of his house as fast as I could as my eyes burned with tears, he simply chuckled, knowing damn well I was just another prey stuck in his well-crafted webs.
. . .
I whispered while I stay seated by the gorgeous window sill which captured the beauty of nature, "This is getting old, tell me you are tired of me. Please just leave me alone, I-I never wanted this Federico."
When I'm met with silence, I slowly turn my gaze from the scenery and met his predatory gaze. His eyes widened, like he had been caught, then his eyes narrowed as if I had said something to anger and humiliate him. His grip around my throat tightened, as he gritted his teeth.
"You wouldn't want your family to find out what a desperate attention-seeking whore you are now, right? You're parents would be so fucking disappointed if they ever found out about me, and especially about Aldo Moretti." He whispered.
I looked up at him teary-eyed, I felt very small, weak and helpless. I turned around and stared at the scenic background to calm myself down, part of me wanted to burn this hellhole to the ground with him trapped inside, this was his home after all, everything that belonged to him should burn to the ground as well.
He knew how much the concept of honor and dignity means to me, he knew that one day, I would run away, far from this place to make it big and avoid going back home.
I knew I was trapped, he knew me too well now, to know how to keep me quiet.
. . .
"No my parents would believe me, l-let me go, why are you doing this to me? Do you even know who I am? I trusted you with my secret." I muttered groggily, kneeling down, with my head down, feeling violated and dirty.
"Oh I know exactly who you are, Rossi. You're a star. You have a good image now, which is exactly why I ask you, you think they would believe you? You think they would choose to believe something that could damage their entire reputation? Keep dreaming, you naïve little girl. No one can save you, you dirty scumbag."
I stared up at him, as he choked me, desperate to make sure I wouldn't tell a soul.
"If you ever think about telling this to anyone, it would tarnish your image. Do you fucking want that little girl?"
My eyes widened, "N-No."
"Then shut up and take me like a good student."
I tensed, my eyes widened as I looked up to see his pathetic smile.
I felt sick.
In his fucked up mind, deep down, I had apparently consented him to violate me.
By the end of it all, I realized that he had mistook my basic manners and kindness for consent.
. . .
𝐏 𝐑 𝐄 𝐒 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓
"Don't be so dramatic little one, bruises are a part of life." Romano Verratti muttered tauntingly as he whipped the broken man for the hundredth time. Yes, he had counted. The man, who was tied to the chair screeched in pain once again, but it came out as muffled cries, as his mouth was taped shut.
Romano rolled his eyes and turned around, walked over to where she was standing, and took both of her trembling hands in his as he whispered, "Are you sure you want to stay? I'm just getting started."
She wordlessly nodded and dropped her saddened gaze to the floor. He placed his forehead on hers, "He doesn't deserve to just die with a slit from your pretty knife. I want him to rot to death."
Jasper Blackwood quietly stood in the corner, leaned against the wall as he took in everything in front of him, while he took a sip of his drink. He was never one to present himself for the world to dote upon, growing up he loved to lurk among the shadows, observe the flaws of his preys. Lately however, over the past couple of years, he had learned to observe the attributes that made his loved ones special.
This was one of the outcomes that came out of of meeting Carla Rossi.
She strived to bring out the good in everyone, but never strived to be good to herself, he always had noticed this in her. So obviously, he was the proudest man on earth when he saw that she was finally taking actions and standing up for herself after all these years of pure torture. He was the happiest man on earth when he had saw that she was making herself the top priority after so fucking long.
He didn't think twice to help her and get his hands dirty, it wouldn't be the first time he has witnessed or committed a killing, anyway. He observed that his best friend was this close to shutting herself off again, it was evident she was reliving every time the broken man would torture her. He noticed how her hands were trembling in Romano's.
Jasper finally intervened when he saw her flinch and walked towards her and Romano, "Sweetheart, it's best you listen to Romano. You don't have to force yourself to watch this. Maybe this is not how you are meant to have your closure with this fucker."
Romano shook his head, "Exactly, listen to Jasper, leave. I'm not going to go easy on him . . . not after what you just confided in me, superstar."
Carla shook her head and looked at both the men who stood on either side of her, "I'm not scared of a-all of this . . . I'm scared of what I am truly capable of."
Jasper's eyes widened as he tensed, knowing exactly what he was insinuating at, but Romano was confused as he narrowed his gaze at her, "I need you to elaborate that statement for me, superstar."
"There's always this voice inside my head. . . there's a primal instinct within me that makes me want to, I-I don't know how describe this intense feeling."
Romano finishes her statement, knowing all too well what she meant, "That instinct makes you want to act like a true sadist towards your tormentors, your wrong-doers. It makes you want to scream and curse the world for dealing you this set of cards that is your life."
"Exactly, you get me, but It's been so long since I've acted upon that instinct. The last time, I acted upon that instinct . . ."
Jasper and Romano looked at each other for a second in understanding before locking their gazes on the trembling little girl who was hiding within the dare devil. Romano's hands found their way behind her back and slowly pushed her towards the tied man, Jasper took out the recorder and pressed play to record.
"I believe that instinct is known as revenge, superstar. He's all yours for now." Romano.
"You control this. Your words and actions possess so much power now, you don't realize it just yet. I want you to realize that as soon as possible, for me." Jasper.
Carla stared up at the tied man, who eyed her back with wide eyes which held so much fear and intrigue.
The tied man, for the life of him, couldn't fathom how much of a daring, dangerous, mad, vile and cunning woman she had grown up to become. In his eyes, she had always been a sweet, naïve little girl who never had a voice, he didn't think it was possible to change so much, just for the sake of survival.
He couldn't believe what he had seen earlier at the party. He was scared shitless and intimidated by her presence. It was the way she had boldly, fiercely stood out among the Verratti's and the entire fucking party, her head held up high and her elegant, mysterious, unbeatable presence. She had grown up to become everyone's dream girl. She had grown up to have a voice of her own. He watched as the Capo looked like he would carry out rituals to worship her presence.
She had grown up from an angel who was prey to many vicious beasts to a sinister dare devil who effortlessly made sure every man doesn't think twice before he falls onto his knees, for her.
There was a time, where the she-devil who stood in front of him with batshit crazy eyes, was a little girl, who looked up at him with her sweet big, brown eyes that were filled with so much awe and respect. In her eyes, he was once a man worthy of her respect and admiration.
The man was after all Federico Amos, a very sought after mentor.
His family, were not old money like the rest, however that didn't stop him from becoming a man of nouveau riche. Slowly yet steadily, he had become a man who devoted his entire life to knowledge and pursued his education passionately, as it was his only method of winning in life, and achieving a high status, he realized that when he saw his mother as a maid for the don's family, Leonardo Verratti.
He eventually climbed the ladder, and became the talk among all the families of the socialite circle, merely at the age of twenty six. Everyone wanted him and went after him for personal agendas. The parents went after him for their children's education and upbringing, the young girls lusted after him for his charming, witty and intellectual personality, the boys either aspired to become like him or despised him as he was everything they could never be.
Federico was a golden boy who had reached the top in an admirable way, knowledge.
Federico still couldn't believe that she was the same little girl who had once been lured into his trap. He could still vividly remember the day he met the little girl, the little girl who turned him into a very sinful predator, the little girl who soon became his very own plaything, forcefully.
The tied man's jaw dropped the moment when he laid eyes on a fourteen year old Celestina, who came running down the stairs to meet the tutor who was mainly going to teach her English along with her other curriculums. She was a living contradiction to all of his stereotypes. He was initially opposed to the offer proposed by Matteo and Amara Rossi, he knew all too well how spoilt, bratty and annoying the children of these founding families could be.
However from the minute he took her in, he knew he was going to do unthinkable things that would ensure him an eternity in hell. However he didn't care for anyone but himself. Therefore it was his pleasure before her consent.
After spending an entire life without any morals, and with just the drive to excel in life materialistically, his selfishness blinded his need to act, think and do the bare minimum. From being an admirable scholar, he had turned into a vicious predator behind closed doors. Just for Celestina Rossi.
He had successfully worn the mask of an enthusiastic tutor and lured her into trusting him with her deepest secret and used it all against her. Her deepest secret being the night when Aldo Moretti let his friends ruin her in ways which haunted her at night. He pretended to sympathize with the little girl, but all he truly ever saw was a secret he could hold over her, to give him a sense of power trip.
Because, behind the scenes, he shut her down and violated her, tormented her for the longest period. It all came to an end when she ran for America at the age of sixteen to make a name for herself, to become a star. He knew that she would never tell a soul about his wrongdoings, he thought he would get away with it scotch-free, without a dent in his reputation.
Little did Federico realize that; Fate had a funny way of aligning people and incidents to make sure karma intervenes.
The little girl had no choice but to go through another continuous series of unfortunate incidents, that turned her from an angel into a volatile, dangerous monster who was now out for blood when the clock strikes midnight, tracing back to all the villains in her story who had played a significant role in creating the monster that she had turned out to be, to get revenge, to get even.
Carla ripped off the tape harshly away from the hanged man's mouth and slapped him left and right till his face was littered with her hand prints. She then let out a blood curling scream and her eyes turned bloodshot and wide with rage, "You were supposed to guide me, enlighten me . . . not ruin me, not taint me, in ways that made me feel unsafe and trapped! You knew what they all were doing to me, yet you still couldn't stop hurting me."
The tied down man whimpers, "I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry."
She took out her knife and ripped of his blood soaked shirt and pants apart, and castrated him by cutting off his penis and discarding it across the room. The man screeched and began to scream and cry in excessive pain, as he repeatedly muttered apologies and curses, but she wasn't having any of it.
"Shut the fuck up, before I began discarding other parts of you. I'm not above it, you fucking know that by now. . . I'm. not. fucking. above. it. Federico."
As soon she finished voicing out her threats, he stopped screaming and resorted to whimpering.
She twirled the knife as she eyes him then she pulled back, chuckling.
She slowly walked around him, twirling and around him and grazed the knife harshly around him carelessly, as he hung upside down, helplessly. The man whimpered and stared at her in disbelief, the little girl he had toyed around had officially become unhinged.
She had hid it so well earlier at the party, now all the crazy was evident in her big, brown eyes. Her big brown eyes, which were more doe-like at the ball, but were now more feline, siren-like and upturned indicating her duality, or maybe he was hallucinating it all now.
She had finally reached another turning point of her story. The turning point, where she turns from a sweet angel who saw the good in everyone, to an angel who fell down from heaven and saw ways to thrive in hell and rule it.
She giggled and spoke softly, while she pointed at herself, "Oh don't look so frightened now darling, you did this."
Her giggles stopped and turned into a wide, calm smile, as she softly grabbed his face closer to hers, she whispered lost in thought, "You all fucking did this to me."
The tied man's eyes flashed with guilt and regret. She dug the knife into his shoulder blade, "Oh don't look so surprised darling, surely you should have seen this coming. Don't tell me you are that stupid, that doesn't make sense, you are such an accomplished man in the eyes of the public."
All the man could do was mutter apologies, "I'm so fucking sorry, Celestina. I truly am, I let my desires get the better off me, which was disgusting but I-I'm bettering myself day by day."
She smoothened her white dress which was now soaked in blood, "I don't want your fucking apologies now your reasons, I want to know your reasons for torturing me, for r-raping me repeatedly, for terrorizing me, even after you knew everything about Aldo and what they all did to me, I trusted you."
The man remained silent, as he gulped and looked up to meet her fiery, estranged gaze.
When they all realized that Federico wasn't going to open up, Romano Verratti slowly walked behind him and approached the man, who froze momentarily. Before Romano could began to torture the man into speaking, Carla placed her hands on Romano's face and nudged him to back off, he took a step back and looked at her in curiosity.
Carla turned around and smirked at Jasper, who drained his glass, tossed the empty glass on the side table, and straightened up and pushed himself off the wall, knowing damn well what she wanted him to do. Manipulation.
Jasper had mastered the art of manipulation for all the wrong reasons long ago, before he met her. He learnt it for the sake of survival, he knew how to emotionally demolish a person by using their darkest secret which he could read like an open book. He knew what Federico's weakness was the minute he heard the awful incident from her, years ago.
Pride was his weakness, he would be insecure no matter how high he comes up in life, that was his curse. Taking shots at his non-existential pride and integrity would simply break him. Jasper muttered as he walked closer, pressing the voice recorder closer to Federico, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but in my humble opinion, you are the living example of the saying: Well fed devils behave better than famished saints."
The hanged man froze, as his wide eyes were filled with tears, his lips trembling as he shook his head.
"You were always the famished saint, when it came to power and nobility."
The man looked down with wide eyes, as he slouched his shoulders, he knew where this was going. Jasper was not wrong, the man had always been a saint, but he was a famished saint for power trip and success, and Carla Rossi brought out the worst in him and made him want sin and taint her in one of the worst ways possible.
Jasper didn't hold back from analyzing the Federico, "When you realized you couldn't reach for the heights you truly desired to reach, it started to make you feel low and inferior. Everyone else surrounding you were either devils in disguise or wolves dressed in sheep's clothing drowning in what the world has to offer for the wealthy."
Carla's eyes widened as she tilted her head, she always viewed him as a predator who ruined her, by scarring her, never once did she see the story being told in the perspective of what Jasper was painting.
"You never belonged to that lifestyle, no matter how much you tried, you were always an outcast no matter how high you aimed for."
Romano couldn't help but stare at the hanged man's lost for the will to live. After years of torturing people, he knew when they were ready to die, after putting up a long fight, he knew when they gave up.
"Insecurity is a disease, and you got diagnosed with it, with no cure because of the way you operate and perceive life. So, when you saw an innocent girl who you thought was yet to see and experience the wonders the world, you felt envious, insecure and threatened. So you instead, misbehaved."
Well-fed devils behave better than famished saints.
That was it was after all this time, he wanted to feel powerful and in control for once.
She was his pawn by force and he was a perpetrator who pretended to be a king.
Carla scoffed as she closed her eyes in pain. The need to show a display of power to a little girl who belonged to the top of the hierarchy, among the Verratti's was all this man was after, after all.
Jasper narrowed his gaze as dug his hands into his pocket and bent down to look deeply into the tied man's weary gaze. "Was it simply lust? Did you lust after her you pedophile? Did you only lust after her body?"
The tied down man began hyperventilating and his gaze darted towards Carla as a cry for help. "I know damn well, that no one is fully a saint. But, my god, I expected integrity from you of all people!"
Federico didn't mind the physical torture, but he knew he would give in soon, they were all taking turns to mentally torment him, it was working. Jasper was going in for the psychological kill, he was coming after everything the hanged man has worked for to become an academic scholar: integrity, nobility and prosperity.
Jasper unknowingly raised his voice, "You were always the good guy in everyone's lives. Why couldn't you have been the same for her! Poor girl she needed it more than anyone else. She didn't need another monster to scar her."
Romano's eyes narrowed as he tilted his head and took in the scene, he's never seen a person break a person with just words, it's always been violence and threats, but this manipulation of Jasper was an art, a dark art. At the same time, he knew Jasper was draining himself, he was able to manipulate them only because he emotionally attaches himself.
Jasper sighed and sat on the stool in front of the man, "Or was it because you were a pedophile? Celestina was after all a fucking child and you were grown ass man."
The man's eyes widened as he screamed in denial and rage. He couldn't bear to listen to all the endless accusations. Jasper's fiery gaze strengthened as he came closer towards the tied man, "Or is it because you were a predator, and you doted on her only to lure her into being your prey?"
Federico began shaking his head vigorously and struggling within the ropes that tied him and kept him in place, hanged upside down.
"Or was it because━"
The tied down man's was bright red, "Enough Stop! Please! Stop talking! I'm a man of honour."
Romano mused, "I highly doubt that."
Jasper hummed, "Yes, you are indeed highly knowledgeably, but I'm not going to believe any of that bullshit, unless you tell me what your motives were back then."
Celestina brought the recorded closer, while the man hopelessly looks at the recorder and spoke his voice of reason. He admitted, "I-I was obsessed with tarnishing the idea of Carla Rossi, for Celestina."
Romano stiffened, Jasper didn't look surprised but he had a look of disappointment that was evident on his face, and Carla just eyed the tied man as he voiced out his fucked up reasons.
The man chuckled like a man who had lost himself a long time ago, "I didn't see Celestina, I didn't see a little girl who already had the whole world on the back of her, I saw the idea of Carla Rossi being all prim, proper and perfect and I grew jealous, I was jealous that I had to work my ass off while you had everything handed to you on a golden platter."
Carla remained silent, although silent tears were flowing from her beautiful eyes, and Jasper let out a pained chuckle, Romano narrowed his gaze as he pushed himself from the wall he was leaning on and walked over behind Carla Rossi and hugged her from the back, and set his head on her shoulder.
Carla whispered, "All I ever did was to make you feel secure, I admired your knowledge, but felt blue when I saw you did not feel like you belong. What about me triggered you to be so vile?"
"Yes you were nice, sweet as fuck, but you were forbidden, the idea of you was forbidden to every regular man's eyes. That triggered me, we belong to different economic, social backgrounds. I wanted to taint you, just to give me an ego boost. So I resorted to hurting you, ruining you, breaking you down."
Carla spoke up, "Are you ashamed of what you have done to me?"
He muttered softly, "I've ruined the ethics of life by myself, for myself. Not a day goes by where I don't feel ashamed and miserable for my actions. You were the first and last, you were my sin."
She nodded, tears brimming, and paused the recorder and shoved into her dress pockets after saving it. She motioned Jasper to come over and for what she had to say. She spoke to Romano, "He's all yours supermodel, make sure he pays now. And when he is down to his last breath, call me I want to create my slit on his throat."
She looked down, and spoke timidly, "A slit on throat doesn't satisfy me any longer. But, I don't want to engage with him any more longer, I'm tired and exhausted. Can you guys take care of him for me?"
Jasper and Romano smiled down at her, "Then just stand back and watch it all unfold, superstar."
Before she could reply, her phone rang from her dress pockets, she took it out and frowned at the unknown number, however realization struck as she immediately guessed who it could be. She didn't pick up the call immediately.
She smiled at Jasper and Romano, "After we are done, let's burn his entire house along with him to the ground, but we'll make it accidental for sure."
Jasper finished her sentence with a smile, "So there will be no traces . . . no nothing. Soon, it will be like he never existed."
"Yeah, it doesn't always have to end with a slit, let's be creative."
She hugged the men and walked out and sat on the porch of the famished saint's house. She looked around, in her white gown, which was now blood soaked. She sighed in content, she was no longer an innocent angel with big doe eyes, and it felt liberating, to know that, soon the world would think twice before fucking with her.
Her phone ringed for the sixth time and she chuckled to herself, as she picked it up. He was already so persistent over reaching her, yet he claimed to despise her reputation.
She picked up the phone and spoke in a serious tone, "How did you get my number?"
The Capo on the other side of the call, couldn't help but worry at her serious tone, she was disappointed in him, the idea of her being upset with him, drove him to the upsetting madness, that was simply the effect she had on him, "I asked your Mother. Why weren't you picking it up the first five times I called?"
Celestina sighed, "I was busy, I still am."
The Capo has so many questions in his mind, but suppressed the urge to ask his precious, he broke her trust with his awful hysterics. Nikolai Verratti cleared his throat, "I see. I would like to sincerely apologize for my behavior earlier this evening. It was very inappropriate of me to act like that."
She smiled, as she nodded her head in understanding.
She was smart, mature and was filled with wisdom at her young age. A perfect match for the Capo in hindsight. He is indeed mature but emotional, reckless and driven by rage, she could tell. On one hand, she knew he was ready to claim her as his with all the love and passion he had in him, on the other hand he wanted to be able to distance himself from her and play the role of the dutiful husband for the public eye and never associate himself with her behind closed doors.
She could clearly see through his dilemma.
She decided not to help him, fate had taught her that nothing good would ever come if she chose to be the desperate one, in any of her romantic relationships. He needed to figure this on his own, only then would it have chance to work out.
Right now, this was how the Capo was going to play this out; Pretend they never met before, and converse like actual strangers who were forced into a marriage of convenience.
In her eyes, it seemed as though he wanted to pretend they were just parallel lines who were never close, who never considered the togetherness they had shared that night, who never considered the time when both the parallel lines intersected and in the comfort of each other arms.
That's fine, it hurts like hell, but if this is how he wants to play, she'll cooperate, for now.
She spoke in a formal tone to reciprocate his energy, "That's alright Capo, we all tend to throw temper tantrums when we grow sick and tired of the world."
He didn't say anything, but his breathe hitches. For a minute there, they both grow comfortable under the silence they created over their phones. For a minute there, he was her Niko, and she was his precious. For a minute, he wanted to pour his heart out and demand answers, for a minute she wanted to pull him closer and fuck some sense into him.
She smiled, "So, I take it you are ready to communicate like adults, Capo?"
He stuttered, "Y-yes, yes of course, Carla Rossi. And, please do call me Nikolai."
She was taken aback by surprise, the Capo was stuttering for her, "And, you can call me Carla. Give me time, Capo. I do not feel comfortable to address you by your name after you lashed out at like that earlier. Your name does not sound right in my tongue as of now."
"I'm sorry, Carla. I truly am. I'll send you a personal driver to your parent's mansion, to see you tomorrow . . . Carla. If that's alright with you."
"Oh don't bother with that, I can arrange a vehicle by myself━"
"Please, I insist, Carla."
She sighed, "If you insist then."
"Okay now that is settled, I'll see you tomorrow to discuss about this arrangement."
She hummed and hung up the phone and tossed it aside and smiled as she heard loud screams of the hanged man followed by sounds of Romano's laughter and Jasper's yelling.
Carla closed her eyes, and let the gentle night breeze pepper kisses on her now serene face, when she felt a presence stand before her, and place their trembling hands on her cheeks. She sighed and smiled as she slowly opened her eyes and saw the quiet, shy and calm fifteen year old of herself, Celestina Rossi.
━━━━━━♡♤♡━━━━━━
I must be hallucinating, again.
She whispered shyly, "Hi Carla."
She was me, yet I couldn't recognize her at all, I couldn't recognize myself with ease.
I smirked as I eyed her with adoration, "Hello Celestina baby."
She whispered softly and looked away, "Thank you."
I brought her closer to me slowly placed a kiss on her forehead, "For what?"
She flinched at the screams of Federico but smiled nonetheless, "For avenging me, avenging us. I never had the guts to do it earlier. I'm sorry I didn't muster all of my strength to say no."
I scoffed, "You don't have to be sorry about a damn thing. We weren't able to avenge us then. The odds were against us. Nothing worked in our favor then."
She looked deep into my eyes, "What changed now?"
I smirked and looked down at my blood-splattered white gown and I looked at her neatly ironed white frock, "Well, I would say we got wiser, smarter, braver, daring and sharper over time."
Her eyes widened in awe and shock as she traced the blood that was generously sprinkled on my face, "I'm so proud of you."
I remain silent, but stare at her with so much pain and love.
If only I could travel back in time and save us from all the monsters once and for all.
She voices out her worries, "I'm worried about Nikolai Verratti, what if he's bad news and hurts us like the rest? What if he's worse?"
I pulled her closer and hugged her tightly while caressing her hair.
"You're safe, I've got you. Don't worry, we don't need anyone. I won't let anyone hurt us ever again. We've been through enough."
I whispered looking at the tall trees and the beautiful lake which looked ethereal under the moonlight, "I've always loved this scenic background, it's calming."
She hummed into my shoulders, "I know right, back then, after he was done with me, staring through his window sill while he slept was the only thing keeping me sane."
I began to quietly sob as she littered my face with kisses and relaxed within my embrace and pulled me in tighter.
━━━━━━♡♤♡━━━━━━
━ suri