Authors Note
Thank you so much to everyone that has helped get me to 2k reads! I really appreciate it!😊in honor of the 2k id like to give 3 special readers a SHOUTOUT :
-@uhleeuh
- @ariana_Zzzz
&
@louislaughswithme - check her amazing fanfic 'Surrender' out now!
Keep voting & commenting how you like the story so I can know what you all think 😄
I'll keep this short by finishing off saying please read everything in this chapter CAREFULLY.
Enjoy 😉
Anissa's POV
*WARNING - A flashback memory is coming! It may sound confusing right now but as the story develops you'll understand.
The italicized words are ANISSAS DREAM! The conversation is in Italian but I obviously wrote it in English so you could know what is being Said. (Plus I don't speak italian lol)😊
"Anitza, someone is here to see you. They're waiting in daddy's study," I look away from the rows and rows of grapes in the distant, "Mama, tell them it's a bad time, I can't talk right now, Alanzo should be here any min.." I start to say before I stop when I see the look on my mama's face. Her face is pale, her eyes filled with pain.
"Mama what's wrong?" I ask sitting up from my seat on the back porch rushing over to her. She doesn't answer, she simply nods her head 'no' over and over again, pointing for me to go inside.
I walk through the stain glass windowed patio door and into the kitchen as quickly as I can, until I finally reach my father's study down the hall. The door is open, and I see a man in an officers uniform.
"Ms. Anitza Vecchiarelli? " the officer tells me as soon as he sees me step in.
"Yes, what can I help you with?" I ask, suddenly my body is over come with a bad feeling.
"My name is Officer Adessi I am here with the misfortune of bringing bad news. Please take a seat," The Officer signals for me to sit in my father's large leather burgundy chair behind the desk before he takes a seat of his own across me on the other side of the desk.
I do as he asks so as to know this bad news as soon as possible before Alanzo gets here to pick me up for our appointment at the cake shop.
The officer reaches into a brief case, pulling out a clear plastic bag, gently places it in front of me on my father's cherry wood desk.
"This is your citizen Identification card correct Ms. Vecchairelli?" he ask sternly. I look down and sure enough it is, I quickly look at Officer Adessi in confusion as to why he has it.
"This card, along with a few other cards, debit and credit, were found in the pocket of our victim at the murder scene last night that took place at Cassafrassi Hotel." He informs me. How is that possible? I just used these cards last night at dinner, and then the club. I was nowhere near that hotel, that's almost 2 hours away,I didn't drink so I know I safely placed my things back into my wrist bag after using them.
"And with this you are saying what exactly? That I murdered someone at a hotel I have never even been to and left my money and ID with them?" I ask feeling my temper rising. Is this a joke?
"No Ms. Vecchiarelli, that isn't what I'm getting at at all. You see the victim is someone you know, and very well. You were robbed. We've been informed through a witness that The victim stole this personal information from you in order to smuggle a prostitute to America under your identity." he tells me, his face shows me he isn't joking.
What? Who could possible have stolen things I keep track of everyday? I don't know anyone that would be involved with a prostitute.
"Who is the victim?" I ask, my voice shaking from how frightened I am to know.
Officer Adessi removes his uniformed hat and looks at me sympathetically.
"Alanzo Pogino." He simply answers.
"That's impossible. It must be a mistake, Alanzo would have no business in a hotel like that! You must have the wrong person!" I shout at him standing up from the chair.
"The body has already been identified by his sister, Marsala and his father Adolfo," Officer Adessi tells me.
Something inside me tells me that what the officer is saying is true.
Suddenly I am no longer sitting in front of the officer. I am now watching the news. They are talking about Alanzo.
"Tonight we bring to you a tragic story of the killing of Alanzo Pogino. The killer was found strangling Alanzo Pogino's lifeless body late Saturday night in the Cassafrassi Hotel. The killer goes by the name Carter Casanova he said that Alanzo worked out a deal over several months with him but was unable to come through with his end of the deal, causing Cassanova to take matters into his own hands. Alanzo Pogino was to give Cassanova $32,000 American dollars for the price of a prostitute's freedom. The dispute turned deadly when Pogino attempted to help the prostitute escape with him to flee the country. Cassanova is in custody currently awaiting trial, at the time of his arrest he was under the influence of several drugs that police say caused Cassanova to 'over kill' Pogino. Pogino received blunt trauma to the back of the head, several stab wounds in the
lower abdomen, a shot in the shoulderand one directly in the heart. Cassanova continued to strangle Pogino even after the fatal shot to the heart. There was only one witness, the prostitute that goes by the name Lolita. She witnessed the murder, placing the call to the police to try to save Pogino. She said that She & the victim were in love and were to run off together using the money they stole from Poginos Fiancè, Anitza Vecchairelli, heiress to a wine fortune. Several phone calls, text messages and emails were uncovered as well as hand written notes between Pogino and Lolita that indicate they were in a serious relationship.Bags with essential items were found at the crime scene pointing at the direction that what the prostitute says is true. Alanzo Pogino was only 23years old." The reporter finishes.
I can't be it can't, Alanzo loves me, our wedding is in 2 weeks. He would never do this. I trusted him...
END OF FLASHBACK DREAM
I toss and turn before shooting up in bed suddenly, I'm panting, sweat dripping down the side of my face. I quickly fumble with the light switch on the wall, wanting to escape the darkness as quickly as I can.
Once it's on I quickly glance over at the mirrored clock on the wall.
4:26 am
I walk into the kitchen feeling an extreme thirst. The water I drink seems to calm me, my breathing now is steady.
I knew this would happen. I knew I would dream of horrible things just from the thought of Alanzo.
When Harry wrapped his arm around me I was suddenly reminded of the way Alanzo would do the same as we would look over the vineyard in my backyard that seemed to go on for days. At the time I quickly shook the thoughts of Alanzo from my vodka clouded mind. But now at nearly 4:30am my thoughts have cleared and again I am reminded of Alanzo.
I didn't want to think about this right now I needed a distraction. I quickly turn the tv on and start flipping through the channels before settling on Sex and the City the movie.
Movie playing:
"The good ones screw you, the bad ones screw you, and the rest don't know how to scr..."
I quickly shut the stupid movie off, laying back down on the pillow. I look up at the ceiling the way Harry did when he was in here bothering me.
Harry. I hadn't allowed myself to think about him and the kiss.
And now here I am thinking of Alanzo, something else I don't want to think about.
When I met Alanzo I was 15 at the time, he was 20. I disliked him from the start. He worked on my families vineyard and was a sloppy employee, he was always late, his baskets were labeled incorrectly and he was always picking the wrong grapes. He was also cocky and arrogant, but then one day when my father had finally agreed to fire Alanzo, he kissed me. It was so unexpected, he told me he had been in love with me since his first day of work. I, the naive 15 year old that I was, believed him and we became inseparable.
We dated for 3years and yet I can honestly tell you I knew nothing about him. I had met his family once, briefly but that was after the proposal. I blindly followed him to the ends of the earth. I was in love, and I thought he was too. I never once questioned his intentions for marrying me.
But when he was murdered everything was out into the open. My name was dragged through the dirt along with Alanzo's. The press spoke of me almost everyday, they said anything they could for a story. His secret lover Lolita then gave the press dozens of notes and letters from Alanzo because she was tired of everyone thinking he had loved me, she wanted everyone to know he loved her and only her.
I never read every note, it was too painful but the ones I did read, I will never forget. The worst was the note that revealed Alanzo's true reasoning behind marrying me. He wrote a letter telling Lolita that he was only going to do it because he loved Lolita, he had written that he was going to rob me for every penny he could so that they could live happily. I was humiliated. My town is small, and my family well known. I was the subject of everyday gossip and rumors.
I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to leave Italy 3 years ago, and I haven't been home since.
I made a huge mistake last night. I don't know Harry, yet I had already slowly started to bring down my barriers, letting him in.
He's the first person I've made a connection with in 3 years but I can't allow myself to let's this go any further. I'm not ready for heartache.
I don't believe in Harry's words, not everyone needs someone... I don't need anyone.
I'm also not stupid enough to make the same foolish decision twice.
As I lay here looking up at the painted constellations on the ceiling I find myself thinking of all the ways I can avoid Harry and the feelings he must now have for me.
I won't admit it ever again, except this one time. Before I lock the feelings away deep inside my torn up heart, I allow myself one chance to say it.
I like Harry ... A lot.
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