Chapter 50 Accepting The Truth
Serena's POV
I'm your aunty!
The words rang in my head till my legs felt wobbly. I looked around for any form of support, but there was none.
Yet, I didn't fall. I steadied my eyes to realize that it was her doing. She was holding me in place with her firm grip on either side of my shoulder and I'm sure she doesn't even know.
I finally coughed and looked up to her face again to see her lips moving. She was saying something but I couldn't hear her over the noise in my head.
My Aunty? How? That can't be possible.
I mean, I don't remember ever having an aunt and mom never talked about any, so this has to be some goofy crap.
I turned around to Dante, pleading with my eyes for a little help. But the look he gave me told me instantly that he knew, probably what he was bubbling about back then.
I turned my eyes back to the strange lady before me and gently pushed her back. “Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a sec,” I said to her. “You are my what?” I asked with no hint of amusement.
“I'm your aunt dear,” she exclaimed again with so much joy in her voice.
I couldn't help but scrunch my face at that. “Please stop fucking around,” I reacted immediately.
“Harsh, but I'll let that slide. Don't you see the resemblance?” She asked, leaning forward.
It took a good part of my strength not to put a hand across her face. “Get away from me!” I yelled and turned to leave but Dante's hand shot out and held me in place.
“Oh gawd, why all this drama?” I heard Nico's voice complain from behind.
Dante pulled me to face him and held either side of my arms like she did till I was facing him fully.
“Look at me, Serena,” he called out and I obeyed. “I've kept you from harm all along. Would I go through all that to lead you astray? It may not sound true, but from all I've seen and she's told me, she is your aunt,” he explained softly.
I shook my head violently. “She's not!” I yelled, pointing at her. “As far as I know, I have no relation left in this world asides my parents,” I continued, feeling the tears threatening to fall.
Dante turned to her and nodded. Then she came strolling slowly to my side while Dante let go of my hands.
I threw my hands up, folding them over my chest while she reached my side.
“I remember you when you were just a little child. I remember the picnics, I remember you at my wedding,” she said softly.
And as she spoke, the images began to flash through my mind. I did remember the picnics, and her wedding, and a lot more. I remembered her.
I turned to her, dropping my hands slowly to the ground. “But why?” I asked. “Why did you leave us for good like that?” I asked as a tear slipped down my face.
“The same reason you haven't seen your mother in a long time, Serena. Just like you, I was handed over Carlos, my late husband,” she explained.
And against my better judgement, I was tempted to stretch out a hand and pull her in.
“Carlos never let me out of his sight or reach and before I knew it, we had relocated to Peru and I was forced to start a new life, painfully, one without you and your mother,” she continued before pulling me towards the table she had prepared.
“Why didn't you fight back,” I asked.
“Carlos was a beast, and frankly, I was never as brave as you,” she added with a smile as she pulled a table out for me.
“As me?” I wondered.
“Yes, Dante told me what you did to that drug lord. In our world, if you survive the consequences of that action, you earn the highest respect possible to our kind,” she explained with a smile.
I turned to look at Dante who simply shrugged and moved towards the table, tapping Nico on his way.
They both stood by the table, with Nico positioning himself opposite me while Dante was to my right, opposite my ‘aunt’.
It won't be easy to get used to that so soon.
“Sit, my daughter,” she called out to me and I slowly took my seat. She did so after me to my left, while Dante and Nico followed suit.
“You all must be hungry. You have had a very long day, and a long fall,” she added, referring to the crash earlier. “Let's eat.”
I had so many questions, so many things to know. I wanted to know everything, I need to know why things happen the way they do in my family.
But it was too late when everyone began digging in. I joined them, stealing glances at her all the while.
She had prepared chicken soup and it was delicious if I may say. I looked up and noticed Nico turning his spoon around his food.
She must have noticed too as she tapped on the table, but that didn't stop Nico.
“And is there a reason why you are not eating?” She asked in Nico's direction with a smile on her lips.
“You put anything in this?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Yeah, a lot,” she remarked and I nearly dropped my soon. “I put chicken, water, spices and a little bit of onion. I don't like onions,” she added halfheartedly and I couldn't help but break into a chuckle.
For a moment there, I was expecting to hear something else, wasn't expecting that twist.
Dante found it funny too as I could hear him muffling his laugh from my side. Everyone but Nico took that lightly.
“You think this is some joke?!” Nico spat out.
“Nico!” Dante called out.
“I'll have you watch the way you speak to me, young man,” the lady replied with no iota of fear.
“Or what? You're going to drive me to the cops?” He continued.
“Nico, that's it!” Dante thundered from his seat, slamming the table with his feast.
“Take it easy on the table please,” she remarked with a small smile on her lips. “And for you, I bet you don't know who my husband was. If you did, you would watch the way you speak to me,” she added.
Nico wasn't backing down. “This shit is all because of you!” He yelled, pointing at me. “If not for you, we won't be stuck in this shitty place with this creepy lady that just has to be related to you,” he spat out.
His words hurt more than I let him see.
“I won't have you speak to my niece like that!” The lady yelled, rising to her feet in anger. The first time I had seen her break character.
“Fuck this. I'm done,” Nico yelled and shot to his feet before storming out.
“Nico!” Dante yelled, rising to his feet too.
“You better put a leach on him. I won't take insults now you know who I am,” she said to Dante, shocking me with her audacity.
Dante simply nodded and went after Nico. Another surprise, no way did Dante just take order without a fight.
Who is this lady? I asked myself.
“Sorry about that,” she said to me with a smile. “Let's finish up our food then.”
I nodded and ate what I could, but it wasn't long before I dropped the spoon, my thoughts didn't let me breathe.
“What's the matter?” She asked.
“I need to know everything, and I need to know it now.”