Antonio carried Isabella up in his arms and twirled her around while she giggled happily.
"Keep my down, daddy," she screamed. "I'm starting to see double"
He laughed loudly and kept her down, crouching low beside her.
"Mi manchi mia principessa" he said, stroking her hair lovingly.
"I missed you too daddy" Isabella replied and kissed him lightly on his forehead.
Gemma was surprised at Antonio's show of love and affection towards his daughter. So this monster was capable of showing affection??
She was even more surprised that the little girl understands the Italian language, something she's still struggling to understand.
Well, she wasn't to blame, was she?
She hasn't stayed long in Italy as she ran here after her father died in California to begin a new life. Little did she know she was running into the devil's trap, she should have just stayed back in California.
But then she was very sure Antonio would find her no matter where she was.
"Hope you enjoyed yourself?" Antonio asked Isabella.
"Yes daddy. We visited so many places but my favorite of all is Disney world" she replied excitedly.
"I want to go back there again daddy"
"che non vuole torni. Dovevo ricordarle della scuola" Nanny Emilia said. She meant Isabella didn't want to come back so she had to remind her of school.
Antonio laughed at her words.
"Ti sei divertita anche tu, Emilia?- Hope you had fun too, Emilia?" He asked.
"Sì. Ma ho perso casa e mi sei mancato anche tu- Yes, I did. But I missed home and missed you too" she replied.
"Mia cara- my dear" Antonio said and smiled sweetly at her.
Gemma just stood there, confused and lost as she didn't get what they're saying. Then she saw Antonio turn to look at her.
Antonio noticed Gemma's presence for the first time since he came into the room. He was too excited to see his dear Emilia and his adorable daughter that Gemma became totally invisible to him.
GEMMA
Antonio's gaze on me darkened and I felt him going back to his real self as he stared at me threateningly. The next thing he said confirmed my instincts.
"You didn't greet me when I came in?" He asked.
"She did, Antonio but I guess you didn't hear her" Nanny Emilia said before I could even reply.
He didn't look pleased with her answer as he still gave me that cold look.
"Why is Emilia in the kitchen? She just came back today and should be resting by now. Why is she in the kitchen?" He said, his tone slightly raised with anger.
"I insisted on making dinner. I've missed cooking you know, I just needed to work my fingers out" Nanny Emilia replied.
Again, she has defended me.
"Thank you" I said inwardly.
"But Emilia.." Antonio started to protest but she interrupted him.
"It's nothing, Antonio. Let the little girl be, she did nothing" She said and smiled sweetly at him.
It seemed to calm him down as he removed his gaze from me.
"Princess, go and watch your favorite cartoon in the sitting room. Your Nanny Emilia would serve you your meal soon" Antonio said to his daughter.
"Okay daddy" she replied and ran out of the kitchen excitedly and straight to the sitting room. The loud noise coming from the sitting room told us the TV was already on and she's doing justice to what her father asked her to do.
"Antonio, dear, why don't you go and freshen up then come downstairs for dinner" Emilia said.
"I will do just that. I've missed your cooking. I've missed eating your food and right now, I can't wait to eat your food again" He teased her and the elderly woman laughed heartily.
"Now shuu, shuu away from the kitchen" She said, pushing him slightly.
"Aye aye ma'am" he jokingly replied and walked out of the kitchen.
It was when he left that I was able to breathe properly. I took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly in relief. It made Nanny Emilia chuckle.
"Forgive his manners, child. He's like that sometimes but soon you'll get used to him" She said to me.
"You're so free with him. How long have you known him?" I asked, my curiosity taking the better part of me.
"Since he's a baby. I dedicated my life to serving the Romano family. Antonio's mother brought me into her house when she found me stranded and helpless on the streets. I was nineteen then. Then she got married and I moved into her Marital home with her. I was there when she gave birth to Antonio" she explained.
"And Antonio's parents? What about them?" I asked.
"They died mysteriously in a car accident" she replied.
Oh wow! I didn't know about that.
"When they died, I raised Antonio up like my own child and vowed to stay with him and serve him till I die. I'm doing this to repay his mother's kindness towards me. Though I trained Antonio up in the right way, I noticed he seeks revenge on his parent's death as he grew"
"How old was he when his parents died?" I asked.
"He was fourteen," she replied.
"And now?"
"He's twenty eight" Emilia replied. He's three years older than me. I'm twenty five.
"I'm sorry about what happened," I said.
"It's not your fault dear" she replied.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask. I wanted to ask about Isabella's mother, Antonio's wife. I wanted to know if it was his quest for his parents' revenge that turned him into a monster. I wanted to know if this sweet elderly lady is aware of all the atrocities Antonio has been committing but I barely stopped myself from asking. I'd be prying too much if I do so.
Next time, I would ask next time.
"Antonio is such a sweet soul. You will get to love him when you finally know him and when he finally gets free with you" Emilia said, smiling sweetly at me.
I scoffed. He was sweet to her because she's the woman who raised him after his parents death.
I could sense in her voice that she has so much respect and trust for Antonio. But she's wrong.
Antonio wasn't a sweet soul! He's a wicked and brutal monster.
She wouldn't know of the wicked things he has done to me, would she?
She wouldn't know of how he forcefully brought me here against my will, would she?
She wouldn't know that I'm dying slowly in the hands of the so-called sweet soul, would she?
"Sweet soul indeed" I muttered with spite and flashed a sweet smile at the elderly woman when I noticed she was staring at me.