Chapter 99 Shocking Reception
Serena's POV
The maid who couldn't be more than twenty looked up to me with wary eyes.
She looked around, like she was scared someone had heard my request.
She then lowered her head as she muttered. “What could that favour be, Mrs Moretti?”
I looked around quickly too, knowing this had to be between the both of us only.
“What do you mean, Mr Moretti?” The maid asked as she quivered.
“Hey. Hey. Hey,” I exclaimed and stepped right in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Calm down, you have done nothing wrong and you aren't in any trouble,” u exclaimed softly, tapping her shoulder softly.
She flinched at first but put herself together, nothing shyly.
“Yes, I just need a little help from you, okay?” I repeated casually.
“Help? From me? Why not ask the guards?” She replied without meeting my eyes.
“No, no. This isn't something I want any of them to know,” I whispered.
“And you want me to know?” She asked carefully.
I nodded in response. “It's just a little girl thing,” I muttered.
“Then meet Mr. Russo, or Nico, or Valentina,” she panicked.
“Calm down,” I said firmly, gesturing at her to relax.
She performed a little breathing exercise that I found kinda cute.
“Look, I can't tell Mr. Russo or Nico, they are guys and they won't understand,” I explained. “I don't even want them to know yet,” I asked.
“Okay? And Valentina?” The maid asked with her shoulders still shaking.
I groaned aloud.
“What's your name?” I rather asked.
She hesitated long enough for me to know something was wrong.
“Okay? I know you are scared of what Dante, I mean, Mr. Russo would do to you for helping me. But you have to understand that I'm human, just like you. I too wish to be normal and interact with normal people like you. If everyone treats me like some goddess, how would I survive alone?” I asked softly.
She stared into my eyes for a while before breathing out.
“My name is Juliana,” she said softly.
“Juliana, that's a beautiful name. Now, Juliana, I can't tell Valentina cause she's one of those I talked about just now that treats me like anything but normal,” I said softly.
Juliana passed heavy breaths out and shook her head. “What you are asking for is nearly impossible. Mr. Russo would skin me alive if he were to find out,” she added.
“That's exactly why he won't, except of course you tell him,” I whispered.
She shook her head. “I won't tell him—”
“So what's your fear?”
She breathed out again. “Mr. Russo has his way of finding things out, he will know,” she argued.
I smiled warmly. “Let me bother about that, okay?” I said.
She looked around and finally exhaled. I smiled too as I guessed that was it.
“What do you need my help with?” She asked.
“I need you to help me out of this house,” I muttered.
“What!”
The word escaped her lips loudly and I threw a hand around them immediately.
“Keep that up and we'll both be in trouble,” I muttered sharply.
“I'm sorry,” she muttered back as I let go of her mouth.
“Don’t shout again. I just need to go do a quick check,” I continued.
“A check?” She asked carefully.
I took a deep breath and looked around before replying.
“I need to see the doctor, I'm feeling funny,” I lied.
“Why not ask the guards to take you?” She whispered.
“I can't, remember I said I don't want them to know,” I replied.
She took a deep breath. “Mrs. Moretti—”
“Call me Serena,” I cut in.
She gulped and nodded. “Mrs—I mean, Serena. What you are asking from me is too much. What would I say if Dante found out?” She asked for the hundredth time.
“Leave that for me, okay? Just guide me to the nearest hospital. I don't know my way around, I would have gone alone,” I replied.
She sighed. “And how will we pass the guards at the door without being seen?”
“We won't. We're going out through the back.”
Dante's POV
The rest of the ride didn't take long, we already passed through the borders of the Moretti family.
I grimaced at the way people stared at the car as we drove by, getting this feeling that if I dared to step a foot out, they'd stone me to death.
Elder Moretti was fondly loved in these parts, the people here obeyed and treasured him, they'd do anything for him.
He was an idol in these parts, greater must be the pain they feel at this moment.
“They don't look happy,” Nico said out of nowhere and I turned to his side to spot someone carrying a banner with the words, “JUSTICE FOR OUR ELDER.”
“Must be really hard for them,” I remarked.
“I wonder if they'd do anything to Luca,” Nico replied.
“I doubt, they fear him more than they'd admit. Worse they'd do is a street protest,” I answered.
Nico nodded gently. “And to us?” He asked carefully.
I smiled and looked to the front. “Let's just say we'll be lucky to get out of here without a fight,” I replied.
We approached the main building and it was swarmed with people, like stacked to its brim.
“Any chance we'll get an entrance at this point?” Nico asked.
“We are the Russos,” I replied firmly.
It took a while but the people made way for us but not without yelling and some even going as far as hitting the car.
I stared at them through the shaded glass and couldn't help but wonder how they'd react to Luca's arrival.
After we made it past the crowd, the security officials guarding the building flagged us down.
One of them approached us and I brought down my glass.
“Oh, Mr. Russo, we've been expecting you,” he said and stepped back, signaling to the rest of his men to step back.
I raised a brow at that but pulled the glass back up. That was weird.
Something about that made me feel this would be more than a farewell visit.
“You sure about this, Don?” Nico asked as we drove in.
I swallowed and shook my head. “No, but it's too late to turn back.
As we got to the parking lot and parked where we were instructed, Nico stopped me from stepping out.
“And what if Luca and his men show up?” He asked.
I pulled open my suit to reveal my pistol safely tucked in my trousers.
“I believe you are ready too,” I added.
“Yeah, but only the two of us?” He asked.
“The likelihood of Nico attacking here is low except he does so against his own family. He's already caused a lot of tension, laying low would be the forced action now,” I explained carefully.
Nico nodded and pushed open his door, I did the same.
But we were greeted immediately by gun holes of different sizes.
“Your hands in the air!”