Chapter 7
Niccolo "Nicco" Yuri Vasiliev Di Luca is the youngest son of Luciano Di Luca and Oksana Vasiliev. Young Nicco had just turned a year old when his mother died after giving birth to his little sister, and he was only four when his father and little sister disappeared. Like Isabella, Nicco never really had any memory of his parents. His eldest brother, Enzo, became his legal guardian, and since then Nicco has always looked up to Enzo as an inspiration and parental figure.
Although Young Nicco looked up to Enzo the most, many would agree that the seventeen-year-old is more of a mini-me of the second-oldest Di Luca, Alessandro. Nicco is a popular, handsome football athlete in his high school, and the boy would always relish the attention he got from his peers; the girls wanted him and the guys wanted to be him. They said that the fame Nicco got from his popularity and his last name turned the boy reckless, arrogant, and boastful. These negative qualities often lead him into trouble, and Nicco may even be close to beating his brother Alessandro's personal record.
But within the business and mafia worlds, no one really gives much thought to the fourth Di Luca brother; many would even go so far as to refer to the young boy as insignificant. Ironically, despite his popularity in high school, Young Nicco continues to be overshadowed by the success and popularity of his three older brothers.
They called Nicco the troublemaker because they reckoned trouble was the only thing the young boy knew.
However, no one really knew the truth about Niccolo Yuri Vasiliev Di Luca's troubles except for him.
***
-Niccolo Di Luca-
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Che cosa? (What?) Do you not fucking see the do not disturb sign or are you people just blind?" I barked.
My concentration on my game was fucking disturbed by the incessant knocking of my door.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Fanculo." I cursed under my breath, throwing the controller on the corner and standing up to open the fucking door.
I'm now in a dilemma about whether I should or should not shoot whoever idiot it was outside my bedroom who keeps on disturbing my peace. I already told our whole staff that I hate being disturbed, especially when I put my sign outside my bedroom door. They know better than not to follow it. I already fired three maids and shot one associate to make a point when they disturbed my peace for something trivial and stupid.
My signature frown escaped my lips as I found Luigi, our loyal butler, standing outside my bedroom. The old wrinkled man had a stern but kind and polite look on his face as he looked at me. If this were the other staff, I would've not hesitated to snap and fire their ass, but Luigi has been with our family since our padre was a child, and the old man helped raise him like he helped raise me and my fratelli. Luigi deserves our utmost respect.
"Buonasera, Signor Nicco." (Good evening, Sir Nicco) He politely greeted, always looking formal as ever.
"This better be important, Luigi." I grumbled as I crossed my arms to my chest, blankly staring at our old butler.
"I just thought that perhaps you may like to eat your dinner at the dining room table tonight, Signor."
I rolled my eyes and looked at the old man, contemplating if perhaps he finally lost his marbles this time.
He knows I don't eat any of my meals there; no one in this fucking big ass mansion ever eats their meals there because I'm the only one here. I have no one to eat my meals with, so I often eat alone here in my bedroom. What's the point of eating at the dining room table if you're all alone?
"No, grazie. Just serve my dinner here in my bedroom. I'll have my usual pizza." I grunted. I applaud myself for my incredible self-restraint in not snapping at Luigi.
I was about to slam the door shut, but the butler held his hand and stopped me, making me huff in annoyance.
"Perdonatemi, signore. (Pardon me, sir.) I am only asking this because your fratello is home and is asking for his dinner to be prepared for him at the dining room table. I thought that you may want to join him, he replied, making my eyes widen.
"Enzo's home?" I asked.
Does that mean she's finally here as well?
But that doesn't seem right. Kirill just called me an hour ago and informed me that Enzo and that girl just got on their flight. It'll be a while before they land.
"No, non il Don." (No, not the Don)
"Sandro?" My eyebrows furrowed.
"It's Signor Gio; he just arrived half an hour ago."
Now, that's the brother whom I least expected.
"Grazie, Luigi. I'll be sure to greet mio fratello, but I'm not eating my dinner there, serve my pizza here."
"As you wish, Signor Nicco." The old butler bowed his head one last time before walking away.
What is he doing back?
The very same day the smartass Gio graduated college at the age of eighteen, he had a fight with Enzo, and the very next day Gio packed all of his stuff and left home and went to the UK to continue studying medicine. Gio never came back home, even after he finally became a Doctor. I'd only ever see him once a year, during our madre's death anniversary; after that, he would quickly leave and get back to the UK without so much as a how do you do to any of us.
I remember that even though Gio was already in the UK when I was a kid, he would still always call and message me every day, but whenever I turned thirteen, he just suddenly stopped calling and messaging altogether. He wouldn't even bat an eye at me when I would see him once a year. I still don't fucking know what I ever did to him.
So his sudden appearance here is really startling. But I'm sure after tomorrow he's going straight back to the UK again. Perhaps he just accidentally came a little early.
I walked to the dining room and quickly found him sitting there in his usual seat, already eating his dinner and brooding as usual. He probably sensed my presence, and he looked up, but he didn't even bother to acknowledge me as he quickly went back to cutting his steak.
My jaw clenched while watching him.
"Cosa stai facendo qui? (What are you doing here?) I thought you didn't want anything to do with us anymore." I voiced out, not bothering to greet him if he couldn't even fucking bother to acknowledge me.
"Our little sister is back. Sono tornato solo per lei." (I only came back for her) Was his only reply, pissing me off even more at the mention of that girl.
And before I could even react, two of our maids suddenly walked, both of them holding two large black suitcases. They bowed their heads when they saw me and turned to my fratello. My eyes narrowed, and I frowned deeper as I looked at the suitcases they were holding.
"Signor Giovanni, vorrebbe che disfacessimo i bagagli per lei?" (Sir Giovanni, would you like us to unpack for you?) The older maid politely asked him.
Gio only brings his duffel bag when he comes here; that's it. What the fuck is happening? Am I missing something?
"Lo apprezzerei, grazie." (I would appreciate it, thanks) Gio replied, and the two maids bowed their heads again before proceeding to go to the grand staircase.
"You're staying here? Perche? (Why?)" I asked in disbelief.
"I already told you, I've come back for our sister, and her alone." He replied to me with a shrug and took a sip of his wine.
Of fucking course.
What did I think? He came running back here for me? He has barely held a conversation with me for the past five years; he can't even stand looking at me. What did I fucking expect?
And it's not just Giovanni; it's fucking the same with the rest of my brothers, even Uncle Ivan and Kirill.
None of them give a single fuck about me; they don't even notice me here. I was almost invisible; in their eyes, I truly must be.
I almost wished that I was the one who went missing instead, but I wasn't the one who our padre took. Even my own padre doesn't give a sh*t about me.
They all cared more about that girl who they hadn't seen for the past thirteen years than me, who has always been here all the time, and her return only proved how much they cared about her and how little they cared about me.
The workaholic Enzo literally dropped everything, including the football championship he promised to attend. As soon as he found out that girl had finally been found, he quickly left and hopped in his private jet to go to Moscow.
My cousin Kirill, who has been away for the past twelve years on his never-ending journey all across the world, suddenly returned because of that girl.
And Gio, who hated me and my brothers so much that he swore that he didn't want to do anything with us anymore, including step inside this house again, suddenly broke his words and came back home because of that girl.
They're all trying for us to be one big happy family, all because of that fucking girl.
That girl was the reason for all of my troubles and misfortunes. It was all because of her. My sorellina.
"You still frown." Gio suddenly commented, making me roll my eyes.
"And you still brood." I sassed back and turned to go back to my bedroom. My balled fist was clenching so tight that I didn't notice I was already drawing blood in the palm of my hand.
I wished they never found her.
***