Chapter 58 My Back Bone
Serena's POV
Chills ran down my spine at the mention of those words.
“What do you mean by that?” Dante asked.
Mom smiled and shook her head. “Honestly, the fact that she's alive is enough reason to be grateful. She's a walking corpse at the moment,” mom replied, sending more chills down my spine.
“We are aware of that. That's why we came all the way to find you. You are her last hope at breaking the bond between her and Marco,” Dante said with a sense of rush.
“I can't,” mom replied bluntly.
“Mom, please,” I pleaded from the seat. Aunt Maria pulled me to herself slightly, rubbing my back to get me to relax.
“Mrs. Marceti, we really need your help and we are aware you were part of binding the both of them, so you should be able to unbind them,” Dante explained.
“Yes, I was part of those that binded her to Marco, but I can't unbind her even if I wanted to,” she said, breaking my heart further.
Dante ran a hand through his hair and Nico looked like he would blow in any second.
“How can you help us please?” Nico spoke up. “We've come a long way for this please,” he added.
“A bond such as that Serena had with Nico can't be broken even in Marco's death. It wasn't an agreement between the both of them, it was an agreement between both families, it's bigger than them,” she explained.
Dante lowered his head while Nico tapped his foot against the floor stiffly. I couldn't tell why neither of them looked pressured.
“Mom, there has to be a way. This can't be true,” I cried out but Aunt Maria pulled me back and rubbed my back gently.
“She's right. Everything she's said so far is right,” she whispered to my ear.
“You knew all along?” I asked.
Then she looked over to Dante and nodded in his direction. “We all knew. I guess we were just hoping it could be different,” she explained, weighing me down immediately.
“So I'm stuck being a Moretti for life?!’ I yelled to no one in particular.
“No, my daughter,” mom replied. “What I mean is that a family can't decide to terminate the bond without the other family's consent. In simple terms, you can't break this bond without Marco's consent or at least, his family's consent,” she explained.
I turned over to Dante. “What now?”
He ran a hand over his hair and shook his head. “Our possibilities are slimming down to war,” he replied bluntly.
“Or you try to get the Moretti’s family head to break the bond,” mom replied.
“Thought that was Marco, and now, Luca,” I remarked.
“No,” Dante replied from the other end. “Marco was just a drug lord. The biggest in the business, arguably, but not the family head,” he explained.
“And you know this family head?” I asked.
“I do,” he replied, still looking slightly agitated.
“Serena, the moment you shot Marco, you drew the line and you also crossed the line at the same time,” she said dreadly.
“I didn't think it would get this far,” I said softly.
“Don't worry, my daughter. Everything will be alright,” Aunt Maria whispered to me, rubbing my back.
“My child, killing Marco only made matters worse. Now, if you go in search of a peaceful separation, they can demand for your head as price for Marco's. That would be you handing yourself over to them,” mom said further.
“So I'm doomed for good?” I asked, feeling dampened by her words.
“I'm sorry, my child. It's a matter of how long you can survive now,” she said darkly.
I lowered my gaze to the floor as the whole space went silent.
Then Dante rose to his feet suddenly and so did Nico. “Thank you for your… help so far, Mrs Marceti. But we need to find our way now before it gets darker,” Dante said, gesturing towards Aunt Maria and I.
“Nonsense. No way I'm letting my daughter sleep outside my house,” mom shot back immediately.
“Mrs. Marceti—”
“Dante,” Aunt Maria cut in. “You don't have to take Serena with you. She's with her mother, at least give them tonight,” she said.
Dante's eyes found mine and I nodded. “That's good then, I'll see you all at the break of dawn,” he simply and began making his way to the door
I gave mom a sympathetic look and she rolled her eyes with a smile.
“You know,” mom called out, stopping them. “You are always welcome to pass the night here,” she said.
“No, thank you, Mrs Marceti. I believe we have occupied space long enough,” Dante replied.
“Hotels around this side aren't very welcoming to strangers, especially ones of your kind,” she added in a low tone.
Dante shared a look with Nico and like they were communicating among themselves, he nodded and turned back to mom.
“In that case, we'll have no choice but to pass the night here. Thanks for your kindness, Mrs—”
“Oh you can stop with the ‘Mrs. Marceti’ thing, you are taking care of my daughter. Please, call me Vanessa,” she said softly.
“Nessa for short,” Aunt Maria joked between fake coughs. I smiled and so did mom.
“Okay then, thank you, Vanessa. We will be out of your hair before the sun heats up tomorrow,” he added.
Mom simply nodded and got up. “Let me show you to your rooms then,” she said softly and Dante nodded.
As she left, I couldn't help but look back to the ground.
“Are you thinking of all your mom said?” Aunt Maria asked, pulling my face to her.
“I'm just worried that Dante would end up losing everything to save me when I'm already a lost cause,” I said weakly.
“Don't sound like that my little princess. You're not a lost cause and something can be done about the whole situation,” Aunt Maria tried comforting me with her words.
But it was no use, I could see the hand writing on the wall. “Didn't you hear what mom said? There's nothing that can be done about it save for my head,” I replied.
“Means you weren't listening well. A possible agreement can be reached with the family head but he could possibly demand a price for Marco's head,” she said.
“And what if he does?” I asked.
“If he does, I'll tear down the Moretti family, even if it's the last thing I do.”