Chapter 2

• THREE MONTHS LATER
• Elsa
• Mamma Rosa has brought me over to Uncle Lorenzo's party, literally by force, but I had no choice. Ever since the last party I attended three months ago, I have been under this trauma of staying inside and not wanting to be around people because I don't trust a single soul. Everyone seems to be after me, they want me dead. They want my family's fortune.
• Rosa has been fighting against this and mostly Rita, my best friend right from childhood. I have lost a lot of weight and Rita keeps emphasizing how much I look like a ghost. I know that alright, but this is not my fault. I couldn't fight the depression that followed after my father's death. Papa was my everything, and my entire life was centred around him, especially after divorcing Mamma eleven years ago. Even after remarried, Rosa and I have never been close. She's my stepmother after all and our worlds are so much apart. Rosa never bore Papa any child, and he never pushed for one. Despite our lives being parallel, she has tried to be very comforting lately and I have left her.
• Mamma offered to take me to live with her in Milan, but I turned her down. She is currently living with her boyfriend, Riccardo, and I am not so familiar with him. I chose to remain here in Palermo. Besides, Milan is so far from Sicily and I have only been there on short vacations. I knew I would be fine with Rita here with me.
• "Elsa!" Aunt Diana shrieks when she notices me entering their gallery, where the party is being held.
• She looks stunning in a golden gown and brown heels. Classy as ever, Diana! She never disappoints.
• She kisses me on both cheeks.
• "I am so delighted, Elsa. I thought you would turn my innovation down," she says, scrutinizing me with a great concern evident in her brown eyes.
• "I wouldn't Aunt Diana. I know how much you and Uncle Lorenzo worry so much about me. I wouldn't turn down your invitation for anything. Family always comes first," I say, and smile at her. She gives back a bright motherly smile and pulls me into a bear hug.
• "Come here, you poor darling. I know you are going through a lot but take heart. You should know you are not alone. We are all here for you," she says into my ear.
• I don't like it when people show so much pity for me. I want to affirm to myself that I am handling well this and I am going to be fine. But I guess I am not. Tears begin to well in my eyes but I blink them back. Nothing is going to ruin my evening. I am going to have fun and forget about everything! I assure myself and confidently walk into the party.
• For the last three months, everything in my life took a drastic turn. The security for our entire family increased tenfold. Everywhere I go, my two special bodyguards are not more than ten feet away. We made changes in the security system around the entire mansion at home. All our security personnel are ex-army men, with instructions to kill on the spot anyone who threatens the security of a De Luca family member. Movements are much restricted and highly monitored.
• Uncle Lorenzo is my father's young brother, from my late grandfather's second wife. He was my father's right hand and the second in power in the Sicilian Mafia, a highly dangerous and wealthy criminal organization in Italian whose power and influence stretches over Europe, North America, and the Caribbean. After my father's death, he was left in charge of his illegal businesses and he had already been in charge even before his death. They had always been so close.
• Even though I am my father's legitimate heir, I was only given the legal dealings since he was careful not to bring up his daughter in the Mafia society. He kept me hidden from it and never told me a thing about his illegal businesses and his plans. He only made sure that I got to know the people he thought would be important to me in his absence and those that I should avoid. He only gave me details about his legal businesses, lots of details actually, since it was clear that these would eventually belong to me.
• Midway through the party, I received a call from Rita who has made a habit of calling me as often as every two hours to check on me. I excuse myself to take it. As I suspected, she just wanted to know how the party was going and how I was doing. I assured her that I was having fun and there was no need for her to worry at all.
• On my way back to the table where Rosa, Aunt Diana, and Uncle Lorenzo are seated, I get a creepy feeling that I am being followed.
• Shit!
• I hate this. I hate it when this kind of suspicion arises in me because it is always proven right.
• I turn around to check for my bodyguard and there he is standing by the minibar. I take in a deep breath walk straight to the table and take a sit.
• I try not to think about it but in vain. I have never felt secure anywhere, especially around the mafia business associates. They are all enemies. They work together and against each other. They acquire wealth on bloodshed, maintain in on people's souls, and in the end lose in on bloodshed. My father was right to shield me from such people.
• I could ask for permission and leave the party sooner. I could say that I am not feeling alright. That would be understandable, and I would have security with me, so there would be no need to worry about me.
• "Elsa! Are you alright?" Uncle Lorenzo's voice startles me out of my trance. Everyone's eyes are now fixed on me.
• "You look worried, darling? Is something the matter?" Diana inquires, cocking her head to the side to study my face.
• Shit!
• "I am fine. I am just thinking," I respond, my voice giving me away. Oh crap! I didn't want to worry everyone. I don't want to ruin anyone's evening because of my wild suspicions.
• "Are you sure, Mia Caro? You don't look fine. Am I right, Rosa?" Diana insists.
• "Elsa, if you are not feeling well, you can go home and take Diego and Matteo with you," Uncle Lorenzo says.
• "I am just feeling a little weary. I am sorry I won't finish the party with you guys," I say, feeling guilty of a sudden.
• "It is okay, diletto. Health should be a priority, always," uncle says.
• In the car back home, Matteo and Diego are in the front seats and I am at the back. I wish I had drunk myself to oblivion back at the party, though it would be totally out of character to get drunk at such a family gathering.
• I close my eyes and try to think of good things. I am going to get myself a bottle of wine from the cellar when I get home and take it to my room, drink till I fall asleep, and listen to music that will do nominally to heal my soul.
• Fuck! I need to get laid. I am losing the fun part of me. I am slowly falling apart.
• My boyfriend Sergio has been so far from me for a long time. I don't even know if I should call him ex-boyfriend right now. I miss him a lot sometimes and sometimes hate him so much. I want to believe that it is not his fault. I am the one who cut him off and refused to meet him because I was having my dilemma, but he should have also been man enough to put some pressure and put the situation in his own hands. That's why I want such a man in my life. One who can control things and has enough power to make me melt.
• I open my eyes and look out into the brightly lit streets of Palermo. This has been my home ever since I was born. I can't manage to live with Mamma in Milan. She is a busy woman too. I don't want to bother her.
• Diego's face is tensed up. He keeps. looking at the rear-view mirror.
• "We are being followed," Diego announces. My body tenses up immediately and my heartbeat hikes.
• Oh God!