Chapter 6 Origin Of Sofia Di Marco

• Sofia's POV
• I was awakened from my sleep that morning by the bright sunlight piercing forcefully into my closed eyes and I couldn't help but grumble and stretch out my hands.
• Another morning of loneliness.
• I stumbled out of my bed and looked outside the open blinds to see the people roaming the street for the activity of the day.
• I yawned one last time and blinked my emerald-coloured eyes.
• It's been one week since I met with Mr Pompous and it's been almost impossible to erase him from my mind.
• Just when I think I'm free, his face and voice would come knocking at the door of my head.
• Asking to stay rent-free for all eternity.
• I want to forget him. I really want to but it's been impossible.
• I keep pushing the blame on the fact that I've been lonely for a very long time and a glimpse of connectedness sends my heart leaping and craving for more.
• That's right. I want more; I want to see his face one last time, his voice, I want that feeling that's void of loneliness.
• That feeling around him or maybe I'm just crazy.
• I talk about loneliness but how exactly did I end this way?
• Trapped forever with a new identity.
• Scared to walk out and see the light of the day.
• Loneliness is the only way to ensure my safety in this cruel world.
• Who am I?
• Once again, Sofia Dante... No... Sofia Di Marco... I'm forgetting my original identity already and that's exactly how bad it has gone.
• I am the only daughter of the most dangerous and famous Mafia Don to ever exist in Italy.
• His name was Santino Di Marco.
• I never knew about this from the beginning of my life.
• I grew up under the unwavering love of a single father who I wouldn't fail to call Papá.
• My mother is said to have died shortly after I was born and the details are kept from me.
• I bothered less about her because Papá did everything in his power to make me live a happy life.
• He was no doubt a rich man and we lived in a mansion that would take hours to fully explore.
• I always thought he was a normal billionaire man and I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
• His subordinates would always march around with big guns, following me everywhere I go including school.
• They would call me Princess and I would wonder why, as Papá is no king.
• I once asked and he claimed they were around to protect us from the bad guys.
• It was okay at first but when I noticed I was losing friends because of the guards around me, I begged Papá to relieve them and let me live freely.
• Of course. He would do anything to make me happy including granting my wishes.
• Everything went well and easy in life until I clocked 10.
• I began to question everything around me especially the suspicious-looking subordinates who move boxes out of the mansion always.
• Papá would do well to dodge questions about them.
• After much pressure, he agreed to meet me in a bungalow far from our original home and tell me the truth there but that was the day he was murdered.
• The sight of his body drenched in blood still haunts my dream to date.
• It is surprising that the sight of Mr Pompous has managed to take the place of my horrible nightmares and filled them with bliss.
• Could there be more to him that my heart longs for?
• Back to track... After the death of Papá, I was smuggled with a fake passport into the United States by my father's brother who also ignored every question I ask about our family including the killing of Papá.
• He kept me safe in this apartment and promised to return.
• Uncle Danny left that rainy night and never returned until I received a voice note from him the following morning.
• The fear in his tone is something I can never forget. The whimper... The heavy breath. It felt like he was been chased, and his message remains evergreen in my head.
• "Listen Sofia, this might be the last time you hear from me. Soon you'll see news about your father and our family on TV. Horrible accusations. Some are true and some are lies but always remember... You're the last heir of the Di Marco Mafia family and the final hope of our group. When you come of age, find Almond Yuturo. You hear me...? Listen to me Sofia, you must remain hidden forever... For as long as you can. Have no friends, stay away from the media, just remain in. My bag... There's a total of thirty thousand dollars inside. Take care of yourself and mask yourself when you move out to get supplies. Avoid cameras, avoid banks, avoid wireless transactions, and use cash only. I believe you're smart Sofia, I believe you'll survive, Princess. In a nutshell, don't expose yourself to the world, Sofia. Everyone is your enemy and you'll die if they find out about your existence. Don't come searching for me, stay indoors, find Almond Yuturo when the time comes "
• I was left in tears after hearing my uncle speak this way.
• It felt like a goodbye message and it was indeed a goodbye message because that was the last time I ever heard from him.
• I didn't fully grab what he was talking about over the phone until I listened to the news on TV for several days.
• Turn out Papá was the leader of a dangerous drug syndicate in Italy and have been murdered by a rival syndicate whose identity remained unknown.
• The death of Papá seems to have peeved the way for his Mafia group to be utterly destroyed by the Italian government.
• Uncle says I shouldn't believe everything I see on TV but then I understood the truth.
• The armed men who roam the mansion. Those who moved packages in and out of the building
• It was drugs the entire time. Illegal narcotics.
• I researched about my father's mafia group and was able to unravel many of their activities dating back to decades.
• They have been in the shadows and feared by the government but Papá's death brought them to light.
• Then I understood why those men called me Princess the entire time.
• What they actually meant was Mafia Princess? The heir to take over my father's business.
• Fvcking hell! That was what Uncle Danny talked about over the voice call.
• More news made me realize Papá was the modern version of Pablo Escobar, the famous drug dealer.
• He was known over Italy under the code name 'The Pill Lord' and was the most dangerous mafia man to ever exist there.
• Many unbelievable things I read about him.
• They say he was a killer, a rapist, a devil incarnate in the form of a human but I've never known him to be such things.
• He was a good father to me.
• I didn't know what to believe other than holding unto Uncle Danny's words.
• 'Soon you'll see news about your father and our family on TV. Horrible accusations. Some are true and some are lies'
• But how can I separate the truth from the lies when I'm just getting to find out that I come from a crime syndicate family?
• But there was something more important at that moment.
• The media I was supposed to avoid made me discover the government were in search for me.
• The Mafia Princess who is supposed to take over the throne of her father.
• Thank goodness Papá never let me take pictures or videos as a kid else my picture would have been everywhere with a 'WANTED' stamp.
• The government didn't know what I looked like. No one did except of course my father's men who have mostly been killed.
• With time, I understood they were tortured to death for not giving off my identity and whereabouts.
• Rumours say they are loyal and believe I'll bring back the former glory of the syndicate.
• I now understood everything Uncle Danny talked about.
• Why I had to remain hidden, avoiding banks, cameras, media and everything that can live clues of my existence?
• It's been a decade now and the Italian government have slowly forgotten about the existence of the Di Marco Mafia Princess.
• I guess it's finally time I walk out of my cave and start a new life.
• I had run out of money left for me ten years ago and now had to work by myself and survive.
• Throughout these years, the only companion I had was Uncle Danny's laptop to engage me in computer programming. Coding in specifics.
• On that laptop, I luckily stumbled upon many documents and transactions that tie to drug businesses or rather deals.
• These guys were godamn big shots.
• I was good with what I do at tech and that's a good reason I've been trying to get jobs at tech companies but it's been impossible because I have no degree.
• Fvck! I can't scream at them, 'Hey, I'm a Mafia Princess who has been in hiding for a decade and didn't get the chance to grab a degree but don't worry I know what I'm doing'
• They all rejected me and all I can do is beg them to give me a try or show them my mid finger to express displeasure.
• Anyway, I now have fifty thousand dollars to survive on at the moment.
• Thanks to Mr Pompous and his brother for mistaking me to be a certified therapist.
• Was it a mistake?
• I found out that he knew I was fake but why hire a fake and then pay her more than the agreed amount?
• Something wasn't right and I have resolved not to stress my brain into thinking about it.
• I trailed my feet towards the bathroom in my apartment when the ringing noise of my phone made me pause and turn slowly.
• You won't believe who was calling me right now.
• I recognized the number and couldn't help but gasp and pick up the device.
• It was Dale; Mr Pompous' brother.
• What does he want again?
• Once again, there was only one way to find out.
• I took the call and breath heavily with my eyes shut for a while.
• "Sofia responding..."
• "Hey Sofia, it's been a while. I didn't call to thank you for your help the other time"
• My brows furrowed.
• What was he talking about? What help?
• I remembered he thanked me the last time, claiming Mr pompous hadn't laughed for months and that sounds unbelievable.
• "You don't have to thank me, Mr. Dale... Just doing my job"
• As a fake therapist. Woo-hoo. Did he even know? Mr pompous knows.
• A confusing set of brothers.
• "I know you're wondering why I called, so I'll go straight to the point..." He paused for a moment and I prayed silently he wasn't trying to fix another therapy session for me with Mr Pompous.
• My heart conflicted the silent prayer because I wasn't sure.
• A big part of me wanted to see the man with the zero-emotion face at all costs, but on the other hand, these people are quite strange.
• Then he dropped the bomb I least expected, "Would you be my brother's private therapist for one month?"