Chapter Eleven- Sofia
“What do you mean?” I asked my mother with a horrified look in my eyes.
“Just what I said, Sofia. He got away somehow. Even though they remained in Italy for two more days, they weren’t able to find him.
” My mother explained to me that Luca wasn’t dead.
Apparently, Luca had nine fucking lives like a cat, because he was still out there.
Water filled my eyes as I blinked away the tears.
“What else did Daddy say?” I pressed my mother for more information. She was in the bedroom I occupied at the main house because, we still needed to be vigilant from Francesco, Luca, and Edwardo. Two out of the three were now dead. Except for the person whom I loathe the most.
“The other thing is that Catalina had been working with both men all along. That’s no surprise because I knew she was a conniving bitch. She’s also MIA along with Enzo. Buddha said she closed down her little business and escaped with some of the black diamonds.
“This is a fucking nightmare,” I said, covering my face with my hands, devastated that Luca hadn’t been caught.
“Sofia, Phillipe, and Vincent are on their way back. They’re flying in this afternoon.
I think that you should sit everyone down and come clean.
It’s time they knew about Rocki and what happened with Luca.
It’s the only way that your brothers will insist on catching Luca; they’ll stop at nothing once they know the truth.
” My mother said, reaching for my hand and gently squeezing it.
I felt a tightness in my chest at the thought of looking my brothers in their eyes and confessing that I was raped by someone who was supposed to be family. Closing my eyes, I took a few deep breaths as I tried to calm my racing heart.
“Are you alright? Is it another attack?” My mother asked, but I kept breathing slowly until I calmed down. Opening my eyes, I focused on my mother.
“I’m ready to tell them. Just be with me when I do,” I pleaded, knowing that my mother being present would make me feel a lot better.
“Of course. They’re going to be so angry with me that I allowed this to go on for so long. Once you told me the truth,” I’d never really seen my mother show this kind of concern about what others would think of her. Normally, she would proudly let anyone know that she wasn’t afraid of a thing.
“This isn’t your fault. I made the decision out of fear. Believing I was protecting Rocki, I wish I could go back in time and make a different choice,” I said, sighing loudly.
“Arsenic.” My mother said softly, looking at me. I frowned at her because I had no idea why she said that so randomly.
“Arsenic? What’s wrong with arsenic? What are you talking about?” I asked, sitting upright on the bed. My mother smiled at me, a smile that did not reach her eyes.
“That’s how I was planning on killing Luca…arsenic.” My neck snapped back, and I narrowed my eyes at my mother.
“Wh-what? You were planning on poisoning him with arsenic?” I asked in a hushed whisper.
“I wasn’t planning on doing it; I had been doing it over the last couple of months.” My eyes grew wide as hell. My mother was lying; she had to be bull-shitting. How the fuck had she been poisoning Luca?
“Are you shitting me? You’ve been poisoning Luca? How exactly have you been doing that?” I asked with my head tilted to one side. My mother smiled at me again.
“Do you know you can give someone small doses of arsenic over a period of time, and they can die slowly every day without even knowing it.”
“So you mean you’ve been giving Luca arsenic every day? But how?” I asked, very confused because my mother didn’t see Luca every day.
“No, not every day, but at least once a week. You see, there were times when Tomasso went to work, and I packed him lunch. On those days, I would give him extra for Francesco and for Luca. Everyone’s lunch was labeled, so Luca’s had a little extra something in it: arsenic.
Labeling the lunch was important because I had to make sure Tomasso never accidentally ate Luca’s. ”
“Placing the right amount of that poison in someone’s lunch goes undetected.
It has no taste and no smell. I just needed a little more time, and then eventually Luca would begin to suffer slowly and painfully.
His organs would have started failing. Tomasso mentioned to me that Luca began developing unexplained rough patches on his skin.
Then he said Luca had weakness in his hands and feet.
I knew those were the first signs that the poison was working.
I just couldn’t give him the amount that I needed any faster than I was giving him, so that’s why I kept telling you… ”
“That you needed more time.” I finished my mother’s sentence and nodded my head as I finally understood why she had been taking so long to make Luca pay for what he did to me.
“There was no way I could do it without looking suspicious. Constantly sending meals for Francesco and Luca as though I were obligated, Tomasso did ask a couple of questions once, and I had no choice but to stop for a bit. However, putting arsenic in his food was the easiest way to get it into his system; the poison just needed time before his organs started to deteriorate. I am so sorry your brothers didn’t find Luca, but trust that they will stop at nothing once they learn the truth.
Your brothers will protect you and Rocki.
” Lifting her hand, she gently touched my cheek and smiled.
“I have a bad feeling about all of this,” I said, looking away from my mother.
“What do you mean?”
“Mamma, you all don’t know Luca; that man has a very dark spirit over him. He’s not about to let the fact that Buddha killed his father go without being punished. He’s going to come back with a serious vengeance, when we least expect it, I can feel it.” I said with a worried look.
“The last thing on Luca’s mind should be coming after Phillipe and Vincent.
I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
Just focus on the happy and better life you and Rocki are about to have now that you can finally live the way you’re supposed to.
Plus, I got something for her, hold on, let me go get it.
” Before I could say anything, my mother hopped off the bed and disappeared out the door.
I laughed a little because I had no idea what she was up to. I looked over at the other bed in the room, a twin-sized bed with Rocki sound asleep. Children are so innocent, but sometimes, unfortunately, they end up paying for their parents' mishaps.
My mother returned just then, holding a huge gift bag. Her facial expression was comical. I started giggling.
“What is all of this?” I asked her when she sat back down on the bed, placing the bag between us.
“I’ve been dying to give these to you. I’ve had them for a while now, and couldn’t wait for an opportunity to hand them over,” my mother said, lifting the gift bag and turning it upside down; all the contents tumbled out.
“Jesus, what’s all this?” I laughed, picking up clothing item after clothing item. My mother had purchased so many outfits for Rocki that it was ridiculous.
“Do you know how happy I am that I can finally dress Rocki up in all these girlie things? I want to shop for her every single day. I even got these for her hair, even though it still has to grow out,” she said, picking up a pink headband with a big pink bow.
I smiled, taking it from her, knowing that it would look perfect in my daughter’s hair.
“Aww, thanks so much for all of this,” I said, eyeing the Baby GAP, Gucci, and so much more designer clothing. It was ridiculous. I leaned in and hugged my mother tightly, feeling emotional because Rocki was going to be the spoiled little girl she always should have been.
“I love you and Rocki so much. I just wish that the hurt you went through, I could erase it with just a hug or a kiss, and I promise you, just like Francesco, Luca will meet his fate…I promise you that.” My mother held my face and looked in my eyes, so I could see that she meant what she said.
“I can’t thank you enough for standing by me. I really do appreciate you. I can’t wait to put Rocki in these; she’ll look so cute,” I said excitedly, holding a pink Polo dress in the air.
“On another note, Sofia. When were you planning to tell me about you and Yusef?” My mother lifted her eyebrow with a sarcastic look on her face.
“Huh?” I acted as though I was dumb and didn’t know what she meant. I began putting the clothes inside the gift bag, avoiding her eyes as I did so.
“Don’t huh me, Sofia. I cannot believe that you actually think we didn’t know that you and Yusef have a thing going on,” she said, laughing softly as she shook her head.
“Wait a minute…we? Who exactly is we?” I asked, feeling mortified that my mother knew I had been sneaking around with the chef.
“Your father and I. It was only yesterday he asked me if you’d come clean and confess that you two have a thing for each other.”
“What? Daddy asked that?” I covered my face as I laughed uncontrollably, feeling like an idiot because I swore nobody suspected a thing.
“Tomasso says it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen, two people who obviously like each other pretending that they don’t.” I wiped away the tears of laughter from my eyes as my mother shook her head at me.
“Yusef was so scared that he’d be fired if Daddy or even you found out.”
“Sofia, you are a grown donna (woman). We’re not here to babysit you or tell you who you can and cannot go out with.
Yusef is a good man, and the way he is with Rocki, you couldn’t ask for a better man.
Trust me when I say you have me and your father’s blessing.
” My mother held my hand, smiling at me.
Meanwhile, I breathed a sigh of relief, happy that Yusef and I no longer needed to hide.
“Yusef is about to be floored when I tell him. He was so worried that Tomasso would fire him for having feelings for me.”