Chapter 11: I Love Him

Chapter 11: I Love Him

Sophie

I felt my tears streaming down my cheeks as a small rush of panic surged through my body. What in the world had my father done? Why did he kill? When did he kill? Is this his first victim he has killed? My stomach dropped at the realization.

“No, no.” I was snapped out of my reverie when Romano mumbled and when I glanced back up at him, he reached me and grabbed my face.

“None of this is your fault, Sophie. You didn't cause this.” I nodded my head and placed my hand over his before I closed my eyes and found comfort in his touch. He leaned in and crushed my lips, leaving my body shaking for more. I pulled away from him and hugged him tightly, feeling every bit of my emotions crushing me down.

“You lost your uncle because of my father, I am really sorry. I will try to fix this.”

“No!” He scowled and pushed me away from him and held my arm. And when I looked up at him, he was glaring down at me.

“Sophie, you will do nothing. This is dangerous and I don't want you to get stuck in the middle. Stay out of it, I will sort it out.”

I contemplated his words but when his glaring face was intimidating me by the passing second, I quickly nodded my head. I bit my lip as he glared at me once he was convinced before he pulled me into his chest and began to stroke my hair.

“Promise me you won't get involved.” He murmured against my head.

“Okay, I won't.” I said, caressing his chest.

“I won't get involved.”

Despite the fact that he had warned me, this should be enough convincing to stay away but I couldn't do that when I needed answers. I still couldn't believe the fact that my father, a businessman, was capable of killing. I couldn't believe it and somehow, I was convinced that it was the truth because I knew in my heart that Romano would never lie to me about something like this. My father was killed and I was absolutely shattered, I could not imagine what my mother would go through if she heard any of this.

I walked into the house with a distraught face, watching Romano mourn for the death of his uncle who broke me apart. I never felt this type of remorse for someone that wasn't family to me. But watching him suffer this type of deep sorrow pained me and I despised it. The person that caused it was surprisingly standing in front me and in that moment, rage filled my whole body.

“Where have you been, Sophie?” My father asked in a stern tone of voice. He gave me a curt nod before he watched me.

“It is nearly midnight, where are you coming at this hour?”

“D..do you k..kill, father?” I blurted out as I no longer had the ability to hold my tongue.

He watched me with a black stare for a second before his brows snapped in a furrow. He clenched his jaws and glared at me, it seems as though he was bluffing as this type of information was something I should not be aware of.

“What are you talking about? Are you out of your mind? Go to your room now!” He growled.

“I asked you a question, father. Answer me!” I gritted through my teeth as I glared at him.

“Do you kill people!”

“Yes, yes, I do!” He growled as he neared me.

I flinched at his outburst and froze as I watched this crazy man in silence. His eyes split into two as he glared down at me, towering me with his tall frame. His eyes twitched as they widened with anger, stirring in hatred. I quiver and continue to watch him reveal this rage that I never seen but the only thing I did is try to suppress my growing fear.

“Only the bad guys, I kill them. I end their lives because they deserve it.”

“Romano's uncle didn't deserve it. What did he even do to you?”

He froze as my words traveled into his ears, after a few seconds, he returned his glare at me and then grabbed me. His hands were rough as they pressed down onto my soft skin and I felt an aching sensation at the spot he pressed down on. I squirmed under his gaze as he leaned in closer and closer until he was intimidating me with his demeanor.

“He deserves everything that happened to him. The man asked for his death, he betrayed me.” He growled as he began to shake me with both hands. I clenched my teeth and cower my head.

“How do you even know this information? And why do you care? Who have you been speaking to?”

“Father, I cared because I love him. I love Romano.”

My heart pounded in my chest when something flashed across his face. Everything happened in one moment that I had not anticipate his next actions. I only realized when I saw the burning sensation lingering on my face that he had slapped me which had caused me to fall on the floor. My brows snapped into furrow as I watch the floor, a metallic taste spread in my mouth before I slowly reached for the corner my lips, feeling blood there. I slowly turned my head to find his face filled with pure anger, something I had never seen. I had seen my father get angry multiple times but the anger I saw was for other people, not me. He never looked at me the same way he did to his business partners that he despised. Today, that same anger he displayed for others, and outsider, was present on his face right now.

He watched me with contempt as he clenched his teeth and it seemed as though he was ready to hit me once more. My face stung as I watched him fill with rage every second that went by. Fear pounded through me as I hoped for someone to arrive before things went out of hand.

“Don't you ever dare say that!” He spat those words out.

“You are not in love with that bastard. You are fooled.”

My body began to tense when he reached for my arm and grabbed it, his rough hands clenched around my skin as he leaned in and glared at me with disgust.

“N..no, I am not. He is good to me and he loves me too..”

“You are out of your fucking mind, Sophie!” He bellowed, and my prayers were heard when I felt a presence swarm the surrounding. I glanced over his shoulder to find my mother watching us in horror.

“Gabe, release her now! Don't lay a hand on her!” My mother gritted through her teeth. He glanced over his shoulder and glared at her before he returns his stare back to me. It was like as if he was glad that mother arrived just so he could insult me and taunt me with all my flaws.

“Are you listening, Maria, your daughter has lost her fucking mind!” He growled as he squeezed my arm. I whimpered under his gaze and then looked up at him again.

“Sort this fucking bullshit out or I will.”

“Release her, I will have a word with her.”

He glared at me for the very last time before he leaned in closer.

“If today I lose everything, it is because of you. You falling in love with your family's rival will cost me my whole entire empire. You ungrateful child!” He seethed.

“Erase him from your memory or I will erase him from this world.”

He continued to squeeze my arms until I felt his nails digging into my flesh before he released me, pushing me away harshly. I fell to the floor and watched him walk away as my heart pounded in my chest.

'Rival?’ I felt my whole body trembling as I tried to comprehend this, my lips quivered when I felt cold air brushing past my burning skin and I wiped the blood off my face and sat on the floor while his taunting words repeatedly played in my head.

I was so confused, what rival? I flinched when my mother reached me, and sat next to me on the floor. She took me into her embrace, I looked up at her before I hugged we back, holding her arms while simultaneously listening to her heartbeats, thumping against her chest.

“Mother, what is going on?” I whispered.

“What did he mean by rival? Who is Romano and his family?”

I pulled away from her when she sighed, her breath was shaky. I analyzed her face and sensed that this was something not good. She frowned at me before she caressed my face and I clenched my jaws. I continued to watch her as my subconscious was driving me crazy.