I grabbed onto Armani's arm as I stood behind him and stared at the women in front of me with wide eyes.
"You've grown so big sobrina." She said as wiped away at her eyes at the tears that were now falling.
I couldn't speak I was in complete and utter shock. The women in front of me was my mother's sister. She was a huge part of my childhood she and her four children, my cousins, lived with my parents and I when we had still lived here. The house was overly crowded which is another reason why my parents decide to make the big move to the U.S. I loved my tía Selena dearly but after my parents had died I remembered being on the phone with her and begging for her to take me in.
You left with them and you can stay where they left you.
Were her exact words.
Armani sensed my discomfort and decide to say something. "Who are you?" he asked very rudely.
Selena tilted her head at him. "I'm sorry but who are you?" She challenged.
Armani gritted his teeth and was about to say something but I tugged on his arm. He looked back at me and I shook my head letting him know it was fine. I stepped from behind Armani but kept his hand in mine.
"What do you want tía Selena?" I asked.
Her face dropped slightly from my tone of voice. "I'm just so happy to see you it's been years-"
"You could've seen me sooner if you had chosen to take me in, but you didn't. I was 15 left alone in a place I knew nothing about!" I said.
Armani rubbed his thumb across my hand to try and calm me.
"I'm so sorry Mila-"
"Don't call me that!" Tears sprung in my eyes by the use of my old nickname that I haven't heard in so long.
'"Listen I know you're angery but you have to understand I was hurting-"
"I was hurting too!" I yelled cutting her off.
Armani brought me into his embrace and allowed for me to cry on his chest.
"I think it's best that you go." He said coldly.
I heard her sigh. "Mi- Amalia if you ever want to talk or even just see your family, we still live in the same house. I'm so terribly sorry."
"Go!" Armani barked.
I turned my head to see her face shift from sadness to anger before she silently walked away.
"Can we go back to the hotel?" I asked through tears.
Armani nodded and we started our walk back.
Armani's Pov
Soon as we were settled back into our room Amalia walked off into the bathroom without saying a single word.
Seeing her aunt for the first time in years must have really affected her I'm sure it made her feel unwanted when her family turned their backs on her so many years ago.
I'm glad they did.
It sounds selfish I know but if they didn't Amalia and I would had never crossed paths again and I don't believe in all that extra bullshit but I do think we were brought together for a reason.
She belongs with me.
I heard the shower water began to run and then I decide to call Leo to see how everything is going back home.
"What?"
"Don't fucking what me. Give me an update."
"Ain't shit happening and i'm busy."
I could hear the sound of music in the back. "You're seriosuly out clubbing right now? We have bigger fucking problems here. Have you even figured out who set up those attacks against Amalia?"
"I tired but every clue we got lead to a dead end. It has to be someone from the inside."
"No one would dare betray my trust like that."
"I don't know Armani if you think about it the news about Amalia didn't get out to the people until after her first attack."
"The people at the auction knew about her. I want you to run checks on every single last one of them."
"I did. As I said before it all lead to no where."
"Fuck, just keep me updated and do me a favor and keep a fucking eye on Elena."
"Yeah whatever bye asshole."
He hung up the call just as Amalia walked out of the bathroom.
"Who was that?" She asked as she pulled her damp hair into a messy bun.
"Just Leo being a dick."
Her face dropped slightly as the mention of Leo.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She shook her head and climbed into the bed "You know you could just be a little nicer to your siblings they've been through a lot."
"I am nice to them." I said.
"If you were so nice to them you wouldn't have said Elena was being pitful after finding out she was preganant."
Because she was.
"I didn't mean that amore." I said as I sat beside her.
"Yes you did. It's not fair how you treat them they basically grew up in your shadow their whole life and you treat them like trash." her accent became very thick suddenly.
"I-I don't mean to" Which is true I don't mean to be so rude towards them but growing up our father had never allowed for us to show any affections towards each other. He said it made us weak.
"I would kill to have siblings. I grew up all alone, sure I had cousins but they weren't my siblings and after my parents death I had no one." She looked down at her hands. "And you have a beautiful family but you're too stubborn and selfish to see that."
Our family was far from beautiful but she was right I had more than what she could only wish for and I was terrible to them.
"I'll do better." I said as I stroked me cheek. "For you."
She looked up at me with her big hazel eyes. "Not for me. For you. For them."
I nodded and she smiled at me. Her smile was so beautiful I could get lost in it for hours. She was so beautiful.
"I have question." She said suddenly her eyebrows furrowing a bit.
"I have an answer."
"Your mom was talking to me on our wedding day and she mentioned something about your father already taking one of her children away. W-what did she mean?"
I froze. I was completely unprepared for this question. My mother had such a big mouth I'm not sure why she would even bring this up to Amalia. My head began to spin as the memories from that night came rushing back to me.
Armani's Flashback (Age:7)
(Trigger warning- Very sad flashback)
"Please stop." a tiny Elena begged as she watched in horror as my father beat up on my mother.
"Elena come here now." I said.
Leo, Armando and I were all hiding under the bed in our room.
Elena shook her head at me and turned back to watch.
"I'll get her." Armando said before crawling from under the bed.
"No don't" me and Leo both said.
Armando was only 9 he was a year younger than Leo who was 10 and I was 7 while Elena was only 5. At this point we all knew that Father hated Elena and Armando but for some reason he hated Armando more.
"I'll be fine." he said as he ran to grab Elena's hand.
Just as he started to pull her to the room Elena shouted for him to stop and suddenly Father turned his attention to the two of them.
"You two little shits can never be quiet." He yelled as he began to raise his hands.
Leo hurried from other the bed and stood in front of the two of them. "Father stop!" he yelled.
"Move away you're useless." he shoved Leo to the side. "And you." he said while pointing to Armando. "I really hate you."
"Leave him alone." Mother said trying to find the strength to get up.
"You shut up! You think you can go out and have a affair and I wouldn't notice! He looks nothing like the rest of them!" he snapped.
It was true Armando was paler than the rest of us and had brown eyes with extremely curly black hair.
"Please don't hurt him." Mother cried.
"Shut up." He yelled before back handing her.
Armando shoved Elena to Leo once Father came charging his way.
He grabbed onto Armando's arm and dragged him off.
"NO! PLEASE DON'T HURT MY BABY." My mother cried but it was too late the front door had been slammed shut and Father had driven away with Armando.
Leaving to rest of us to cry and pray that Armando would be alright.
Father returned the next day but Armando wasn't with him. The following night we were all woken up to my mother screaming at my father and calling him a murderer he seemed unfazed by it as he sat on the couch and told her calmly to shut up.
We never seen Armando again.
(End of Flashback)
I felt one silent tear slide down my cheek before I qucikly swiped it away and got up heading for the exit.
"Where are you going?" Amalia called out but I ignored her my mind was occupied with other things.
"I-I need to be alone." I said before exiting the room.
I needed to get this off my mind.
This chapter was a little heavier and more emotional than the others I think. Another layer to Armani has been peeled off and more questions stir inside Amalia. I hope you enjoyed it thnak you all for 10k! Don't forget to like, comment, share, and vote. Until next time my lovelies.