THIRD PERSON POV:
EVERYTHING CAME crashing down within minutes in the Laurier's household.
No one was thinking straight, properly, or rationally. It was all so quick― too quick for even Giovanni, Don of the most powerful mafia, to comprehend.
The mafia princess disappeared.
Their principessa mafiosa.
Gone.
No one knew where she was, what happened to her, why she was gone, when she disappeared..
And it was driving them crazy.
Chaos quickly stirred up in the house, and everything spiralled out of control.
She'd left without a sign, a note― or anything at all. Disappeared like she'd never been here at all.
Unfortunately for the Laurier brothers, all this did was bring back unwanted memories. 12 years back when she had been kidnapped at 3. 1 year back when they had found her. Only a few months back when she'd started to trust them. And now, everything seems to be all over the place.
There's no way of telling if she ran away or was kidnapped.
Or maybe..
"Cameras!" Elliott springs up from the black, leather couch.
Aidan and Elijah turn their heads to look at Elliott.
Them three were the only ones trying to do anything about it at the moment. Actually attempting to think of something― anything.
Nicholas had more-than-likely gone back to his old ways, drenching himself in sweat alcohol and possibly substances. Jist like what he did when his father died. It'd always been his way of coping Giovanni.. Giovanni was upredictable. Right now, he could be killing people, hundreds and thousands of bad people. Or, he could be going mental, ripping his own hair out and beating himself up at the fact she was gone. Or, effectively shouting at his men and trying to get them to find any type of clues.
"Right! How did we not think of that?" Aidan agrees, nodding. This had piqued Elijah's interest.
Everyone in this room probably thought she ran away. Maybe she was getting comfortable and trusting with them, but maybe her guts told her no, she'd just changed her mind, couldi couldn't take it, so decided on fleeing. There was no possible way of her hearing them in the office because she didn't know they were there. They didn't have 100% faith in Azalea.
However, Elijah did. Always did.
As soon as she stepped foot in the airport that day, he saw right through her. It was almost as if he could clearly see the thoughts that ran through her mind. Obstacles that she avoided. That this was a new chapter in his and her life.
So, he always tried to start a conversation. Maybe she'd slip up. Then, that day when he'd figured it out, put the puzzle pieces together, and she'd break down because it wasn't meant to happen. That, was yet again another chapter. And with a million chances pushed away, a million possibilities and knowledge of what'd happen. Azalea trusted them. Elijah could tell she was finally lowering his guard and becoming comfortable. The first people she had trusted in a while. He was the only one who understood.
So, he knew she wouldn't run away with the intention of not coming back. Even if she had heard them in the office.
"You have access to the cameras, right?" Aidan turns to Elijah, full of determination.
He sighs, shaking his head. Everything has been so overwhelming, even for him.
"Hey, how come you're the only one allowed to see the cameras?" Elliott asks, arms crossed and a pout on his face. He always managed to lighten the mood. Point out not so important things to make the bigger things seem not so important. His way of coping.
Elijah and Aidan share a slightly panicked look.
"Well―"
"―Giovanni just trusts me more than you all, I guess," Elijah shrugs, concealing his panic with a small smile. "Right, let's go."
Almost in sync, they all stand up from their seats. Elijah leads them to the control room. The fact that Elliott didn't know about the secret rooms never occurred to both of them. It was a spur-in-the-moment type thing.
Elijah quickly punched in a code in a camouflaged keypad.
"How many secret doors do we have then?" Elliott inquires, leaning against a pillar.
Elijah's face slightly pales as he turns to find Elliott's curious expression.
"We have more important things at bay, Elliott. We can talk about all this.. later." The subject is dismissed by Elijah, and he knows he won't be the one explaining it.
A part of the door elevates and reveals a purple-lighted room. At first glance, you can see a curved panel with many buttons and LED lights engraved under them. Projectors, loads of projecters hover above the panel. Showing live actions.
"Holy shit.." Elliott whispers, looking around in awe.
Aidan side-eyes him before positioning himself behind the chair where Elijah sat. He stood professionally, arms behind his back, feet shoulder length apart and head high. This, for him, was instinct. He didn't have any emotion visible on his face.
Elliott, however, doesn't pay an ounce of attention to what they were doing. He analyzed all the miniature, individual buttons, his fingers sofly graze the cold metal.
Elijah sighs, not bothering to spare Elliott a glance. "Don't touch anything, please."
Elliott scoffs, stomping his feet against the metal and huffs. "You hiding this from me gives me immediate permission to do whatever else I want. What else are you hiding, a body? Bodies?"
Well.. that's not too far off.
If it were any other situation, it'd result in a stern lecture from Elijah. However, it wasn't another situation. They were seriously working with time here, considering half of their team had gone to deal with this.. in their own ways.
So, Elijah rolls his eyes, pressing a button that shut down the left and right panels. The led lights become dimmer.
Unbothered, Elliott decides on continuing to press on random buttons.
Elijah skillfully punches in a code, looking up every once in a while.
It's early, the next day. It's still dark outside, very cold, but birds still chirp. Just way less of them.
"Fuck," Elijah curses, looking at the screen with widened eyes.
"Did Elijah just―"
"What? What happened, Elijah?"
"Le telecamere... erano dannatamente disabilitate," Elijah mutters, staring at the black screen. 'Error' is printed largely onto the screens in a bright green color.
(the cameras― they were fucking disabled.)
"Cavolo, da chi?" Aidan responds, snapping out of his trance and paying his full attention towards the pixilated word.
(Fuck, Who?)
"Per Azalea, idioto. Chi altro?" Elliott snaps, loosing any parts of self control. His sister was gone, and he may just be the most determined to get her back.
(Azalea, you idiot. Who else?)
Elijah and Aidan share a look. They can't tell Elliott anything without approval from Giovanni.. "Elliott, che ne dici di andare in camera tua mentre parliamo? Questo è serio," Elijah tilts his head, a very very tiny smile on his lips. The words come out more commanding then Elliott had heard him.
(Elliott, how about you go to your room while we talk? This is serious.)
"I'm not a little kid, Elijah. Azalea is my sister too, I want to find her too!! Stop being so selfish!"
"Elliott.."
"No, it's not fucking fair! You're always babying me, or hiding stuff, or never including me! This is about all of us, she's you and I's principessa. Just let me help, just this once, Elijah!"
"Andare."
(Go.)
"I've proven I'm trustworthy more than enough times. I've been neglected by all of you so many times― too many times. Do you know how much it hurts to loose your best friend, your sister, again? Then, you want nothing more than to find her, but you can't even do that! Whatever you're hiding, I can take it. Nothing can hurt me more than this. It really, really fucking hurts, Elijah. It's always been like this," tears run down Elliott's face. "what can I do to make it change? For you to trust me?"
"Elliott, we can talk later. Room, Elliott. Please," Elijah pleads, wanting nothing more than to smother him in kisses, tell him it's alright and let him know of all the family affairs and the dark side of their name, their heritage. His motherly instincts battle his emotionless facade.
Aidan stands motionlessly, empathy filling him. His mind darts back to when he begged his dad to tell him what wad going on behind the scences. It changed him, but he was never left out. From then and onwards, he was always taken to public events and seen in the mafia world. The Italian mafia's hacker. There was really nothing he could do though because if he was to tell Elliott anything and Giovanni found out, then he wouldn't have it easy for him at all.
Elliott hesitates to step foot out the room, hoping one of them would change their mind and tell him everything. Let him stay, lead him out of the dark for once. They don't budge.
So, he walks out, tears streaming down his reddened face, hands balled into fists and mind all over the place.
And the room is filled with utter silence.
Elijah and Aidan lay their heads down, thoughts swarming and invading every crevice of their mind.
This was all too much to comprehend.
And slowly, everything was falling out of place.
Cracking.
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T
HIS TOOK WAYYY TOO LONG TO BE PUBLISHED AND IM SUPER SORRY FOR THAT!!
The next chapter will be longer I swear😞😞😞
You'll be seeing a lot more of characters i dont think you'd expect
loadsss more plot twists coming🫣🫣
This is kinda a shitty chapter but its meant to be a filler for whats going to happen later on
top three characters right now??
Anways, until next time!
-Violet