Chapter 181

• FRANCESCA'S POV
• 5 YEARS AGO
• "I miss you mom." I sighed deeply, my hands on the gravestone that had her name boldly encrusted on it. "I miss you so much, even if it's been so many years already. I feel so alone all the time, hoping someone would finally fill that space." I sighed hopefully. Maybe one day, I would finally have such a person in my life. That person who would never be okay seeing me shed a tear. That person who would always be there for me, no matter what. That person who would love me unconditionally. Seeing that I was already thinking far off, I sighed and gave an apology. "I'm sorry mom." I smiled. "I know that today is just supposed to be for us to spend quality time together. Here." I dropped the chrysanthemums on her gravestone. "I brought your favourite flowers, freshly picked by the florist just this morning. It's afternoon already, so it is not soooo fresh anymore." I chuckled at my own words. This felt lonely, but satisfying at the same time. I sighed and sat on the grass around her grave. "I have a lot to tell you today." I sighed, tears clouding my eyes. "Papa has been so cruel to me. Oh!" I chuckled humourlessly. "It isn't something you don't know already." I gave a shrug. "As you know already, yesterday was my birthday and...." That was how I started a tale of how much I cried on a day that was supposed to be memorable for me. I remained with my mama for hours and when I finally decided to make my way back home, I saw a very familiar face. He was too familiar for me to not know who he was. Manuel Russo.