Chapter 6

• Allecra
• We arrived home and to my surprise, father was still in a good mood. Rafaelo was very angry, I don't understand why, as he was in a good mood before he went to the other room. He got into his car and left without saying a word. Luciano locked himself in with father once they entered the house, and I headed to Isabella's room. I wanted to go see how she was and if she needed anything.
• I gently knock on her door, hoping she will let me in. Moments later, I hear hurried footsteps approaching the door, and then she opens it slightly to peek out and make sure of who it is before opening it fully. I tell her it's me and that she doesn't need to worry. Upon seeing and hearing me, she opens the door completely and lets me in.
• "Sister! It's you. Tell me, I'm very curious to know what happened there. Did father cause any trouble? Were you received well? How did it go with that man who is going to be your future husband? I have so many questions, sister. I want you to tell me everything." she says eagerly, biting her lower lip to stop herself from saying more and waiting for me to speak and satisfy her curiosity.
• "I'll be very honest with you, sister. I... I think it went well, very well. We have to move to his house next week, so you should start packing only what you really want to take with you. I recommend essential and light things in case we have to leave there quickly. You know very well, little one, that we won't stay with him for long. Once we leave this hell, I'll have to immediately come up with a plan to free us from that clown Dante." I pull her into a tight hug. I feel so happy. Finally, we are one step closer to what we both want so much: to live in peace without the fear of what might happen to us at any moment, as it has been for all these years living with father. Now, I must focus on organizing our finances and on how to stretch the savings in my account as much as possible when we are on our own. But I'll leave that for later. For now, I'll enjoy this small victory. We have won a battle, and there are many more to come.
• "Beauty, do you want to go out for ice cream? If so, get dressed up and we'll see what we can do if you don't want to go for ice cream. I'll go to my room to change. When you're ready, come and knock on the door before entering. I'll be waiting for you, don't take too long." I give her a kiss on the forehead and leave her room.
• Once in my room, I quickly message Bellarosa, telling her we'll meet at the Westminster shopping center. I lie down on my bed with a huge smile and take a deep breath. I feel this overwhelming sense of freedom and happiness that fills me, and I can't quite explain it.
• Even though I may have to pay a price for it, I won't let that discourage me. I know it won't be for long, but I sincerely hope this man is not the type to hit his wife. If he is, I'll become a widow very quickly. My plans will not fail; I'm very sure of that. Isabella's well-being depends on it.
• Calm down, Allecra, you have to take it one step at a time. Everything will turn out just fine. Stop thinking about it now.
• I feel my eyes slowly closing, unable to stop it, as if I were falling asleep and couldn't prevent it. That's what has caused this feeling of security and peace. After a while, I hear a knock on my door. But I feel like I had just closed my eyes for a moment, and nothing more. I wake up with some difficulty and stand up. Luckily, I had already changed my clothes before lying down on my bed.
• I walk towards the door and open it because I know for sure that it's my sister Isabella coming to see me through the exit I promised her. She enters and throws herself on my bed, she's already ready, she has fixed herself up a bit but she's not very vain yet like other girls her age and from our social circle. She's wearing a beautiful simple lilac cotton blouse, I like how it looks on her, no cleavage, no exaggerated ornaments, tight jeans with small frays on the thighs and knees, and lilac converse shoes that match her blouse. It suits her perfectly as her skin is white, her blonde straight hair gives her a very angelic look, and the few freckles she has make her look even prettier although she hates them.
• Her figure has very few curves, it's normal for her age, she will develop later on, I was exactly the same at her age, although if it were up to me, I wish she never does, that she remains a little girl without worries and without having to experience how ugly life can be sometimes. It's very selfish of me, I know, but I feel like I'm her real mother, I want to have her as protected as possible from everything and everyone, since our mother was always a piece of crap to all of us and for her, it was always more important to go out drinking with her friends and flings of the moment or to show off with the latest fashion designs in her wardrobe because father had bought them for her.
• I never understood how father turned a blind eye to her behavior and most importantly how he put up with her behavior without ever punishing her for her actions.
• I decide not to waste any more of my valuable time thinking about them because they're not worth it, I approach my bed to grab my cell phone along with my wallet, I put them away safely and reach out to my little sister to leave, she grabs it very excitedly, we look at each other for a moment and then we both burst out laughing as we leave.
• We arrive at the mall in a few minutes, after all, Isabella did want to go for that ice cream, we decide to go to a small ice cream shop previously secured by my father's men so that no one can approach us, I feel the flashes of the cameras, it bothers me how we are being watched as we enter the place once they have indicated that it is safe, we go to the back so they can't bother us by taking pictures of us at every moment, I still haven't gotten used to that, I don't even consider myself a celebrity, while we are waiting for Bellarosa, we start talking about anything, how she's doing in school, if she likes any boy from her school she assures that she doesn't, just by seeing how father is with me, she doesn't feel like getting involved with anyone, she says her biggest fear is meeting someone like that, I don't blame her, maybe over time she will think differently and she will even meet someone worth it, if not, we will always have each other, I think that will be enough.
• Ten minutes later, my friend Bellarosa appears with Gabriel, we greet each other, he gives me a tight hug and kisses my head, I feel a great affection for him, I see him as an older brother since mine is a complete idiot, I think he also sees me as a sister.
• He sits next to me and we catch up on everything, I tell them with total sincerity what father wants me to do, how I had to come to an agreement with this guy to avoid unpleasant surprises when we are already living together, but I was very careful with certain details, because Isabella must not know what awaits me at his hands, nor should they know anything, because if they do, I am certain that a battle will be unleashed in which unfortunately my friends will not emerge victorious, no one can go against Stefano Cavour's plans and here comes the hardest part where I have to ask for their help.
• "That's what awaits me now when I am given in marriage, now I have to be handed over to a man I don't know because of my father who made him angry, although what comforts me a little is that he is not an old man, thank God! But what I like the most and makes me very happy is that he agreed to let Isabella come with me, so much so that he convinced father very easily. Now I have to ask you for something very risky, if you don't want to help me with that I will understand, really I will." I say with regret the last part, because it's true, I can't force you to help me if you don't want to, as it implies that you may be at risk.
• "Are you crazy, Alle? I want you to be very clear that I would kill and die for you, friend, without hesitation, you are like another sister to me. How do you want his death to be, quick or slow? That's all I need to know and leave the rest to me." Bellarosa asks me very enthusiastically, at first I am speechless, then I take it as a joke.
• It was a joke, right?
• I look at Gabriel to see if he takes it as lightly as I do, but it's not the case, I notice that he is not as excited and joking as she is, but rather his expression is as serious as death, I would say he is quite angry, I don't blame him, I would be the same if I found out they were doing that to Bellarosa, but that's our world, we are just valuable cards to our parents, waiting for the moment to be used with the best bidder.
• He looks at me and says:"Don't worry, Allecra, I can imagine what you are going to ask us. Do you want us to help you with a plan to escape from that bastard, Am I right?" he waits for me to confirm it before continuing to speak.
• I nod once, giving him a reassuring smile, and he continues. "Well, I think I have an idea of how we can do this, although I'll be very honest with you, darling, I may need about 4 to 6 months, do you think you can endure all that time in his hands? That's an estimate because I promise you I will try to do it much faster, I won't let you suffer in Dante's clutches because let me tell you that of all the enemies your father could have chosen, he goes and chooses the worst of all, I don't want to scare you, I just want you to know that that guy is not to be taken lightly, and I don't want you to bear alone the great responsibility of taking care of Isabella, just trust me!" he says while holding my hands tightly on the table, I lean on him and thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he is going to do to help us. What would I do if I didn't have them in my life?
• We change the subject to cheer up a bit because that was the goal of our outing, to celebrate.
• I promise to keep in touch with them always, Bellarosa offers to give me the wedding dress, that is something that doesn't excite me much, because he made it clear to me that he didn't care about the wedding day, which was just another meeting on his agenda, his way of seeing things provokes the same in me, so it will be easier to deceive him and leave without looking back.
• We finish eating our ice cream, it's time to go back home before father starts calling asking where we are and all the joy is ruined, I gesture to the security men who came with us to hurry to clear the entrance and find us a safe way to the car, I am standing next to Gabriel talking, or rather whispering so Isabella can't hear me, he says very worried " Are you sure about this, Allecra? Is there no other option? " he touches my face gently, I lean on his touch and close my eyes, that's what I've always needed, someone who really cares about me.
• Suddenly I feel a flash very close to us, which seems to come from a cell phone very close to us, I quickly move away from him, at that moment Gabriel takes advantage and covers me with his body in an attempt to prevent more photos from being taken in a position that could be compromising depending on how they see it, I am so lucky to have someone like him as a friend.
• "Yes, I'm very sure! You must calm down, he assured me that he doesn't want to have children, or any romance, I just have to go unnoticed for those months, make him feel secure that he has me under control, so that when he least expects it, I can escape. Help me by getting clothes and things for us, we will need them, I will pay you back, I swear. Because I doubt I can start packing my bags the moment I'm running away from his house! You know, I just thought of something better. Can I leave most of our things with you? When I have to send my things to his house before moving in with him, so they won't suspect anything, a few days before the move I will send the things to your house. Can you help me?" I asked excitedly. Why the hell didn't this idea occur to me before?
• Gabriel says yes, there's no problem with that. The security guys come over to let us know it's safe to leave, we say goodbye and go our separate ways.
• We get into our car, once in the back seat I lean over to my sister to give her a gentle hug in an attempt to feel better, as we head towards the hell that will soon no longer be our home. I hope luck is on our side a little longer and I don't have to see mother during the time I have left in that house, because she will explode with anger when she finds out that father agreed to let Isabella go with me.
• Since the twisted plans she had for her won't be able to happen, I will never let you do that to her, mother! Ruin her and turn her into a despicable being like you.