Chapter 8
Jade's POV
Now that the three psychopaths have left, I can speak to Juliana tête-à-tête. I'm worried about Cassandra. But she is a woman of sound judgement. She's ressourceful and the wisest of us four.
"Ana, we must speak!"
"Yes, but not here," she answered, turning her gaze to the maids, who had never left the room after service.
She was right. They would run to their employers and tell them everything we've discussed. After further consideration, we can't exclude that we're being spied on. I'm almost certain that they have hidden bugs and cameras in our rooms.
Furthermore, it doesn't seem like Alessandro will leave Juliana alone anytime soon. Doesn't he have to sleep? Well, we just have to check if he understands German.
I've been wondering where his parents are...
The brat got attached, really fast. I can't blame him. The woman is as sweet as candy. You can't just not love her.
We head for the room they had prepared for my little sunshine, which is situated between mine and his mother's bedroom. While I check every corner for hidden bugs, Juliana uses her little portable bug detector disguised as a pen to sweep for more sophisticated concealed spying devices.
The pen is a little present of her crazy uncle Menelik. I genuinely love the man, who is Juliana's real and only parental figure, but I wouldn't want to be on his bad side. Even though he always strikes strangers as an affable person, he's vicious and murderous when he wants to.
Ana doesn't look like that, but she is as sly as a fox. It partly stems from her past but also from all the "training " she underwent under her uncle's supervision.
When you come from affluent families, you get a lot of unwanted attention, especially when you're the designated black sheep. In that regard, Ana, her uncle, and me unfortunately share a common sad destiny.
Well, to hell with all of them! Who cares about blood relatives. Tam, Cass, Ana, and my little baby are my true family. And nobody gets to hurt them without retaliation. No one!
I know that she caught the attention of the elder Esposito.
He's intrigued... He can't hide the curiosity, which stubbornly seeps through his emotionless face every time he lays his eyes on her. And knowing how low Ana's self-awareness is, she hasn't figured out that "Mr. dark and mighty" is attracted to her.
Pfft, dream on Dani! You will keep your third leg far from my sis! You will keep it in your pants, where it belongs! You won't defile her. Not on my watch!
These devils have no clue that hell is about to break loose!
Third Person POV
After they were sure that Aman's room was bugfree, they started to devise a plan.
The conversation is actually held in German. For simplicity's sake it's written in English!
"I've an idea! Let's use the recent events to our advantage. In a few hours we will pretend that you're presenting symptoms of delayed intracranial hemorrhage. You will take some Valium to make it more believable."
"You know that I'm benzodiazepine naive. I'm bound to be quite responsive. Cardiopulmonary depression could be life-threatening.
You know of my heart condition. What if I overdose. How come you even travel with that stuff. Are you still taking it for your back pain? You know that it is dangerous in the long run. Don't you?! J don't make me worry."
"Wow! Thousand questions packed in the same sentence, calm down mother hen! You know that I like to be prepared. Particularly when I'm travelling. And no, I'm not taking them. Don't worry, I always carry the antidot, Flumazenil. And last but foremost, I'm a little disappointed that you think so low of us a fellow colleagues. Why would you overdose if we administer the right dosage?" Jade asked, slightly picked.
The whole ordeal was stressing her tremendously, and her patience was slowly wearing off.
"I'm sorry, Honey! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I have complete trust in both of you! I'm just looking out for you. I'm sorry. Let's focus on the plan. What happens next?"
"Don't beat yourself up, Liebling! I'm sorry for my cranky attitude. I know that you did'nt mean to be disrespectful. Anyway you would be lost without me!" Jade winked at her friend, who just chuckled. But both knew that Jade was absolutely right. (Darling)
"So about the plan... We will force them to bring you back to the clinic where you have been treated today. A little surprise will be awaiting them. I've contacted Kemal. As we speak, he's alerting some of his colleagues. It turns out that our "hosts" make a particular effort to stay away from the press. Journalists and paparazzi wouldn't miss the opportunity to report about the kidnapping of three tourists and of toddler by the infamous brothers."
"You mean Kemal as in Kemal, your Turkish ex-boyfriend?"
"Yes." Jade answered shortly.
"Hum... Will you be okay? I mean, your break-up wasn't exactly peaceful..."
"Don't worry. It's been a few years. He's happily married, and we talked things over."
"OK! It's a solid plan, but there are a few loopholes, for instance what if they decide to bring in their family doctor or have a state of the art clinic in the basement? I mean they are as rich as Croesus!"Juliana said slightly on edge.
"Did somebody already told you that you ask too much questions at once? I'm a neurosurgeon and Cass is a neurologist. If they did their homework they know that we're world renowned experts in our fields. They will have to believe us."
Juliana curtsied in mock deference. But her friend was correct, it would have to do.
"You're right. Alerting public opinion and our families is our only way out... "
"Yeah, exactly. Even though they couldn't care less about our well-being, they will definitely intervene to avoid having their names tangled in a scandal of this magnitude."
"And it will hopefully bring my uncle out from wherever he is. Gut gedacht Frau Wu!" (Well thought Miss Wu Frau means Mrs. But Fräulein which is actually the real translation of Miss isn't used by native speakers nowadays)
" We will rest on our laurels when we're out of here. Italy is officially a no-go zone from now on..." the cool beauty said laughing.
Her friend laughed back.
"Well, at least for the time being... Talk about enjoying some relaxing free time. These have been two stressful days. I can't wait to be back home!" Juliana said playfully, rolling her eyes.
End of the conversation in German
"Angel, are you already leaving?" Alessandro suddenly asked in English.
Jade had forgotten that the two boys had been keeping theirselves busy in one corner of the room. She felt her heartbeat rising dramatically. Could he actually speak German? Would he innocently spill their plans?
Before Ana could answer, she asked him, " Shouldn't you already be in bed?"
"No. I sent my babysitter away. I want to stay with my Angel, " He said, pouting.
"Well, I say that's time to go to bed, Bambino. Hop, hop. I won't repeat myself." She answered sternly clapping her hands twice to emphasise her point.
"No, no, no, Zietta Gia! You can't send me to bed!" He answered with his typical bratty attitude.
"Your Angel doesn't like stubborn boys!" She answered, lifting her perfectly shaped thick left eyebrow.
She found the little feisty boy cute, but he was getting on her nerves, especially because of the precariousness of the situation. She had to find out if he had listened to their conversation and if he had understood them.
"Angel has a beautiful heart. She loves me more than you. Sorrows, sorrows prayers." He said rolling his eyes.
"You little bratty rat! You're so not cute and talk like an old lady! What does Zietta Gia even mean?" Jade asked impatiently.
Juliana was listening to their exchange and could tell that the child had grown on her friend in the short period of time they had known him.
"Zietta means Aunty. And Gia is for Giada as in Jade your name," he answered matter-of-factly.
What was it about the men in this family with giving nicknames? Both friends wondered wordlessly.
Jade's face was expressionless. But Juliana knew her friend, her obsidian eyes were twinkling. She was enjoying their banter.
The woman awkwardly cleared her throat and looked away.
Characterwise, the seemingly cold woman and the cheeky boy were very similar.
But like her friend, Juliana was feeling uneasy and was very tempted to ask the little boy if he was could speak or at least understand Goethe's tongue.
She pondered for a moment before asking, "Alessandro, tell me... Did you listen to Zietta Gia's and mine conversation?"
The little boy lowered his gaze ashamed and started fiddling with hid fingers.
"I didn't mean to. But, but, I, I have very good hearing." He stuttered.
"It's OK sweety. It's pretty cool if you ask me." She said and gave him the thumbs up.
"Really?!"
"Really. But could you understand everything we said?
"No Angel. Is it a bad thing?"
"Not at all sweetheart. Why would it be?"
"Phew, I don't want you to be disappointed in me." He said sweetly, his doe eyes shining.
"What a sweet little soul," she thought and pecked him on the cheek.
"Where are your parents anyway?" Jade interjected before the child could process what had happened.
"I'm sure they wouldn't be happy to see you clinging to strangers and being up so late!"
The atmosphere shifted suddenly.
Alessandro eyes filled with immense sorrow, and fat tears started rolling down his rosy cheeks.
He furiously tried to wipe them away but was failing miserably.
It was a painful thing to see. Jade instantly felt bad for mentioning his parents. She hadn't anticipated that it would result in him literally breaking down. We're his parents perhaps deceased? She wondered.
The boy's mischievous self was nowhere to be found.
Alarmed by Sandro's cries, Aman who had been quietly playing till then, approached his mother and raised his arms. He wanted her to carry him. Once comfortably nestled in her arms, he asked, "Mummy, why iz the big boi crying. Does he miz his Daddy too?"
Juliana's heart squeezed painfully for both boys. At that particular moment, her eyes met Sandro's. The tears wouldn't stop falling and his lips where quivering. She was about to reach out to him when he stormed out of the room.
"Hey Bambino! Alessandro! Come back little man!" Jade who had started running after him, shouted.
Alas when she reached the corridor she couldn't see him. Searching for him in this huge mansion would be fruitless.
"Damnation! Jade Yao Wu, you missed an opportunity to keep your tongue in check yet again!" She said furipusly rubbing her temple.
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Meanwhile in Federico's office....
Federico was reviewing the report that the CFO of their oil company Esposito Petroleum, had submitted the previous evening. They had noticed irregularities in the financial reports of the last two quarters of their Canadian branch.
Someone was brazzenly stealing from them and would regret it greatly. He would make them curse they day were born. The malicious glint in his eyes and the psychotic smile on his face were frightening and full of deadly promises.
His was lost in his thoughts when he heard someone timidly knocking on his door. He didn't want to be disturbed.
Well, actually, he wouldn't mind if it was his Leonessa. She was refreshing and her garded attitude appealed to his playful side. Like these little boys who tease the girl they like, just to get her attention. He chuckled at the thought.
He knew that always wearing a smile regardless of the circumstances, was misleading. Most people mistook him for a mild mannered and jolly man. But their assessment of his personality was way off the mark.
They couldn't see behind the mask because there were no cracks. He knew first hand that a smile could hide the most ominous intent.
He knew that if a person you blindly trust, hurts you over and over again, while smiling at you, clearly enjoying the distress and helplessness caused by their actions, something inside you cracks...
The mixed signals drive you crazy.
You never know what to expect. you are always alert. You can't relax. Never. Danger is always looming and you have no way to predict when you will fall prey to your tormentor once again.
There are things in life more traumatic than insults.
The person kept knocking.
Who was dense enough to insist, he wondered. He was about to tell them off harshly, when he paid more closely attention to the noise outside. He heard Alessandro sniffing and panicked instantly.
What had happened? His nephew almost never cried. The last time he did, Federico and his elder brother had promised theirselves to always keep him happy. And they had kept that promise to this day.
He ran to the door and opened it. The sight in front of him was heartbreaking. He had seldomly seen him in such a pitiful state. And every time he had, it had been related to his biological parents.
The topic was taboo. All their employees knew it. So who had broached the sensitive topic?
"Piccolo campione, perché piangi?" He sqated down to his nephew's level and affectionately ruffled his hair.(Little champion why are you crying?)
Alessandro was inconsolable.
"Now, now little man, how am I supposed to know what happened if you don't stop crying. Talk to your Zio, posto? " he cooed. (Talk to your Uncle,ok)
The little boy rubbed his red nose, snuffling loudly.
"It's Zietta Gia, sniff, sniff..."
" Zietta Gia? Who's that? I don't know anybody called Gia."
"No, you know her Zio Fede. It's my Angel's friend. The tall one with beautiful black hair."
"Ah I get it know. Giada..." He said talking to himself.
"Did she hurt you?" He asked feeling the anger rise in him. How despicable of her to vent her frustration on an innocent child. From the way she has been interacting with Juliana's son, he didn't perceive her as someone who could deliberately hurt children.
Most of the time he was a good judge of character. He had made a mistake and he would make her pay.
His thoughts were interrupted by the boy's trembling voice.
"It hurts Zio. It hurts here!" He said pointing a his heart.
Federico had to know what had happened exactly. He may be infatuated with the woman, but she was a nobody who dared to hurt his blood.
"Calmati, ragazzo mio. È finita, hmmh. Dimmi esattamente cosa ti ha fatto." (Calm down my boy. It's over, hmmh.Tell me exactly what she did to you)
He took out an embrodied handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned Sandro's face. He sat on his black leather sofa and beckoned his nephew to come and sit on his lap.
He loved the cheeky brat like a father and couldn't bear to see him cry like this. The men in their family weren't used to tenderness. Hence, such a display of affection was rare. But his nephew needed it right now.
It's in situations like this one, that he hated his family the most. He felt that his cursed family was the reason why Sandro didn't have parents, a loving mother...
When his nephew was comfortably installed on his lap, he ordered sternly, " Parlare." (Speak)
A/N:
So people here comes chapter 8.
If you sticked around so far, you know that I write long chapters. But it didn't make sense to split it! I hope your all enjoying the new year so far!
Please don't forget to comment, share and vote!
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