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"I've lived in the slums my whole life. I've worked hard my whole life. How can you tell me I'm not a human being."
— Otto Berman
A/N: Since Katerina, Arianna's daughter, is included in this chapter's dialogue, I'll add a bolded bracket beside the indicated word spoken being said as Katerina speaks with words of mispronunciation.
~ Next Day Later ~
Luciano De'Angelo's POV
My mind was rushing hazily as if lights were turning on and off repeatedly, electricity humming back and forth. The feeling of hesitance lingered throughout my insides, almost as if I should or shouldn't give up. In all the things that I could be doing, out of all the things, it just had to be this.
The middle-aged Asian woman professionally sat in front of my figure, "Mr De'Angelo, the child has experienced extreme trauma - especially at the age of four. Like you said, as soon as you found the child she had been locked away. A child this state mustn't overlook such profound events, such as what you've given me as a statement."
I didn't know whether what could happen to me, or what the child meant?
I couldn't deal with having a psychiatrist talk to me about nonsense, "I think that'll be all, Mrs Zhang." She nodded as she stood up and left the premises. Nonsense. I didn't care what Mrs Zhang said, what she couldn't explain was why the fuck did keep a fucking child locked away? Yes, I had respect for Mrs Zhang, the family psychiatrist for generations and generations before, but it didn't answer my question.
Making my way downstairs to the living room, I found Matteo and Alessandro impatiently tapping their feet on the floor as their eyes were watching at the 65 inch curved TV mounted into the wall as the Disney movie, 'Mulan', was playing. I noticed that there was a small figure of a rolled up blanket shaped as a ball; catching the figure fixated on the screen.
As soon as I made my presence known, Matteo and Alessandro whipped their head towards my direction and without hesitation, they instantly stood at my presence. "Morning, Boss" They stated in unison with respect. I could tell that they could no longer wait for what I had to say as they hadn't had rest since we infiltrated Lashkov and this child. Their eyes had drooped lowly as the visible under bags were displayed along with the redness shown within their untested eyes.
It was currently eight thirty in the morning as I made an all-nighter wondering why Lashkov had a child and as well as I had Mrs Zhang mentally test the child for half an hour. Since then, I ordered Matteo and Alessandro to keep an eye out for the child.
I nodded at both men as I mentioned the child, "Has she behaved?" The men both nodded as I looked at the child still fixed on the TV. Sighing heavily, I hesitantly made my way up to the little girl.
"Boss, are you sure?" Matteo questioned sternly as hesitance radiated off his aura because obviously we didn't know what to do with a child.
Hell, what the fuck do you do to a child? "Well do you have any ideas on what to do?" I asked boldly with a hint of plead. Pleading. For the first time in my fucking life, I actually didn't know what the fuck to do? How in the fuck did my life become so fucking shitty? Especially dealing with a child who I had no knowledge of.
Instead of planning, Alessandro didn't want to wait so he made a move as he walked over to the child; bending down to the child's height as the child sat peacefully in the carpet floor still watching the movie, "H-hey, what's your name?" I rolled my eyes at how in the fuck could one of us handle someone else's child. Within seconds, a loud slap was heard throughout the atmosphere as I quickly turned my head towards the sound.
"What was that?!"
Alessandro had his hand to his left cheek as it appeared to be a crimson shade. Matteo chuckled lowly, "You just got slapped by a child!" I couldn't help but lightly smile at the fact that Alessandro just got slapped by the child.
Alessandro whipped his head to Matteo and scoffed, "At least I did better than you fucks!" I know I said that Alessandro was slapped, but holy shit, in an instant, the child kicked Alessandro in his manhood as Alessandro dropped to his knees whilst he moved both his hands on his kicked part. Alessandro hissed in agony and pain and that's when I couldn't hold it in.
Matteo and I laughed at the male figure wincing in pain as his crotch got kicked in by the child. "My mama says sweawing (swearing) is naughty, so she says to shut their mouth" the child sounded innocently as her voice sounded like an angel.
(TRANSLATION: MOTHER)
Shaking my head, I walked to the child and bent down to her height aware that either my face will be rearranged or my balls will be destroyed if I mess with her. Coughing a little before I make a mistake to upset little miss feisty, "Do you wanna have breakfast?" I tried sounding empathetic as hard as I could to avoid any hazard ending in me looking like Alessandro over there holding his crotch for protection.
The little figure stared into my eyes as I noticed her ocean blue orbs widen. Her ocean orbs looked as if it were two shallow pools of sadness, it felt as if I stared into them for too long, that I might drown into the dazzling windows of her soul not wanting to ever come back out for air.
My realisation broke as I saw her back away as I noticed she was afraid of me. I didn't know what happened to me, but I felt as if my heart just got stabbed painfully. What the fuck was happening to me?
Standing up, I pulled my phone out my pocket and called my mother.
-
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-
Ten minutes went by, and the front door was pushed open as my mother came rushing through along with with my father...and my annoying sister. Why the fuck is she here? I thought she was in the UK still studying in Oxford.
"Boss." Matteo and Alessandro states in unison as I nodded back at them. They left as soon as possible due to their sleepiness evading throughout their minds.
Making my way up to my family, I kissed my mother on both cheeks as I hugged my father, then came Irena. Irena backed away before I was going to console her, "Ew, don't touch me with those lips, I don't know where your lips been!" And this is why she was so fucking annoying.
"Not again, Irena" father sounding annoyed at Irena's attitude.
Irena rolled her eyes and smiled widely, "I was only joking." Before I knew it, she hugged me tightly as if I was a big teddy bear. "Did I miss you, Luciano! It's been so long!"
I groaned with frustration, "I hate you." Irena pecked me on the cheek.
"And I love you too, Luce!"
We were quickly interrupted by our mother. "Shhh...." She analysed the spacious living as her eyes landed on a small figure wrapped in a blanket whilst looking at the TV. "It that her?" Mother asked softly as I nodded. "Has she eaten yet?" She whispered, I shook my head in response and before I knew it, mother slapped the back of my head as I frowned in confusion.
What the fuck just happened? "Whoa, what did I do?"
"My son, do you not have the human decency to at least feed the little girl?" Honestly, I didn't know how to answer her question. One, I did nothing nothing wrong. Two, I was confused why mother slapped my head. Three, I asked but the child was scared.
Shrugging my shoulders, my mother sent me a death glare. I'm not gonna lie, when it comes to business I'm absolutely fine, but there's one thing I mustn't disrespect, my mother. When I say death glare, I mean a frightening icy glare staring into your soul making your insides shatter with fear.
Mother sighed heavily and proceeded to the kitchen with Irena who happened to be holding shopping bags, father approached me as we both watched the child looking st the TV. "Peculiar, isn't it? Instead of the USB, we find a little girl?"
I hummed in response as I nodded my head. "Peculiar, indeed."
Couple minutes went by, a delighted scent of something scrumptious cooking filled the atmosphere with a delicious aroma which made my mouth water from having a homemade breakfast - only because I haven't had a homemade breakfast in ages. The little girl instantly turned her head towards the direction of the scent.
Father chuckled, "Looks like the little devil is hungry" he spoke as the little girl followed the scent. As we walked to the kitchen, the little girl had seated herself on the kitchen stool as she witnessed mother cooking fluffy pancakes whilst leaning her elbows on the kitchen island.
Mother and Irena were laughing together as they saw the little girl amazed at the pancakes, "You must be hungry, little one" Irena sounded and the girl nodded her head. "How old are you, little one?" Katerina had been busy scoffing her mouth that instead of saying her age, she raised for fingers.
"My mama makes pancakes, I wove (love) pancakes, it's so fluffy and bouncy" the little sounded as mother was swoon due to her soft angelic voice. Irena just made puppy eyes at the little figure.
Mother smiled happily, "You're so bellissima, little girl." The small figure smiled back as her orbs shone brightly.
(TRANSLATION: BEAUTIFUL)
"Grazie" the little girl thanked and right then and there, I was shocked to see that the girl knew how to speak fluent Italian. It wasn't just me, but all of us flabbergasted with our eyes widened aware that we didn't know the girl knew Italian.
(TRANSLATION: THANK YOU)
"What's your name, little one?" Mother asked kindly with intrigue.
The girl bounced with excitement, "Katerina." Katerina. I wasn't gonna lie, it was a beautiful name for a little beautiful devil like herself.
Mother leaned closer to Katerina, "Nice to meet you, Katerina. My name is Eliana. You wanna make a deal?" Katerina smiled at the sound of meeting mother as she nodded her head. "My daughter, Irena, over there bought you some clothes" as mother pointed at Irena and Katerina snapped towards Irena's presence then gave her a slight smile. "If you let her bathe you, I'll give you all the pancakes you want, what do you think?"
This intrigued the little devil as she nodded and literally jumped off the kitchen stool. Father and watched as she ran to Irena then motion her hand up to Irena so she can hold her hand. Irena smiled and kindly took Katerina's hand as she walked upstairs with the shopping bags.
Whipping my head to mother, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How?"
"Luciano, I am your mother, if I can raise a annoying yet amazing daughter and an bloodthirsty sole heir to the De'Angelo legacy, then I can surely take care of someone's poor lost daughter." I couldn't help but smirk internally as I was proud to hear mother say that I was the heir to the De'Angelo. Mother continued, "What are you gonna do with Katerina, anyways?"
Fuck. What am I gonna do? "Well, what does she like?" To be honest, I could just leave her here with my mother since she has the ability to take care of Katerina, but there's one thing you must understand, Katerina was found with Lashkov meaning that Lashkov had wanted the child for some particular reason.
As I was drawn into my thoughts, it was quickly cut off by a small figure swiftly jumping onto the kitchen stool. Mother handed over a plate of fluffy pancakes to Katerina, "Eat slowly, Katerina, you don't wanna choke on your food." Katerina nodded her head vigorously in response as she picked up the pancake with her fork.
We all dig into the pancakes as each of us enjoyed the meal with the taste of melting butter and oozing syrup. My father and I both quietly spoke about business, especially having to deal with the Russian fucker who had been kept outside of town in an abandoned warehouse I owned for 'business purposes.'
"Son, your mother and I won't be staying long as it's our wedding anniversary, so I'm gonna leave your sister with you" father told me as I looked up at him as if he was crazy or just kidding. Speaking of anniversary, I merely forgot it was their anniversary as I was so focused on business.
Irena and I congratulated in unison, "Happy Anniversary." Anniversaries weren't my thing. Why? If I can't find a woman who can live up the needs of the De'Angelo legacy, forced marriage would be the way to go. I didn't really give a fuck about arranged marriages, as long as my seed is in the woman and is having my soul heir to the throne, I don't give a fuck about marriage; only the next generation.
Though my sister and I were gonna be left with Katerina, at least I'll be happy knowing that I don't have to deal with someone else's child by myself.
Fucking kids...
Thanks for reading!
~ Christina ~
A/N: I know this was a boring chapter, but I wanted you all to meet Katerina and what first thoughts Luciano had of her. Next chapter soon to come!