Chapter 110 : Feed Me
Chapter 110: Feed Me
Sophie
Luciano fed me slowly, somehow he made the vomitable taste of the soup tasty with his hand. After he was done he kept the small bowl on the table and set my head against his chest, looking down the balcony as Nneka and Raphael walked out of the large mansion gates. There was a limousine surrounded by multiple dark cars there for them. Raphael got inside the limousine first but Nneka paused. She looked up and I knew she was looking for me.
“Should I wave at her?” I whispered to Luciano.
“I have no idea,” he replied.
“You always have ideas.”
“This is not scientific.” I sighed.
Her gaze lingered and then with one short nod, she got into the limousine. Two cars in front drove away followed by the limousine and another two cars at the back.
“Do you think she will be okay?” I asked him, taking his large hand between mine.
“Don't say it's not scientific.” He hummed, tucking me to his chest.
“The things she has been through are not easy, it will take a lot of it.” He kissed my jaw.
“How much time did it take you?” I asked him.
“I am still getting over it with your help.” I frowned.
“How did I help?”
“You are here, talking to me. It helps a lot more than you think.” I smiled, snuggling into his warm chest. He was wearing a black sweater which we we so soft.
“You help too.” He wrapped his arms around me, making sure to not touch my wounds.
“I am sorry.” He said.
“For what?” I asked him.
“For everything that happened.” He sighed.
“I am so sorry, baby girl.” I looked up at him.
“It is not your fault.” I assured him.
“We left you alone.”
“Don't blame yourself, what happened, I don't want you and your brothers sad because of this. I don't blame the three of you one bit.”
“But you should.”
“I can't and I won't.” I grumbled, cupping his face. He looked at me, his face neutral.
“Stop blaming yourself, that is not going to heal any of us.” He slowly nodded his head.
“You are too good, you know?” I grinned.
“So, I can eat ice cream tonight?”
“No,” he kissed me.
“You are mean.” I murmured against his lips.
“I am your daddy, little bunny. You need to listen to me.” He kissed me deeper. I bit my lip as he pulled away.
“I am not fucking you until your stitches are out.” he said and I pouted. He kissed my pout.
“Then, I will make you cry, okay?” I felt myself throb.
“Please,” he shook his head, kissing my lips again.
“Be a good girl now, little bunny.”
“Wow,” I said, staring up at the painting. My mother sighed.
“You have been staring at the painting for the past ten minutes, Sophie.” She muttered and I sighed.
“You didn't tell me that you were in the city?” I asked and she shrugged.
She eyed the Rizzos who were chatting with Abel about the security or something. We were at an art gallery and apparently my mother was in the city for the weekend with her glamorous family. She had called me when I was in the process of getting ready and had demanded to meet, something I reluctantly agreed to. Somehow, she chose this gallery.
“I thought it could be a surprise.” She replied.
“Why are you really here?” I asked her.
“For a gala.”
I hummed, looking back at the painting. It looked to be of the same style as another painting I once saw when was staying with the Santoro's at the cafe Ms. Rivera took me to meet Simi Gold. It was about three feet and made with intense detailing, probably made with the thinnest brushes. It was a painting of a mansion that had ivies crawling up it but somehow, as they crawled up, they turned darker and darker and changed into what looks like chains. The mansion looked beautiful too but as I dragged my eyes upwards, it was clear that the artist had added cracks into it, matching the changing of the ivies.
“Your father was found dead.” She said, her eyes fixed on the painting.
“I presume your boyfriends had something to do with it.”
Politicians knew things but their wives knew more.
“I heard he had become a terrible man.” I said softly, putting my four fingers in the pocket of my shirt which went down to my ankle. My outfit was chosen by Adriano, he had a thing for choosing them and he always chose the things which looked pretty and comfortable.
“Some monsters are made.” She whispered.
“And some are born monsters.” She looked at me with those sharp eyes of hers.
“Those who are born like that are manipulative. They can manipulate anyone into doing whatever they want and a young mind is easier to manipulate.” I turned to her.
“What do you mean?” I asked, she looked back at the painting.
“Did you ever see your father paint, Sophie?”
“I..” I stopped myself.
“What do you mean?” I asked again, she looked back at me.
“Did you ever see him paint? Actually pick up a paintbrush and use it on a canvas?”
“He had paintings, mother and I don't get what you are trying to say.”
She walked closer, putting her hands on my shoulders.
“Young minds are easy to manipulate. He married a girl with a raw talent but no exposure, he told her he loved her and used talent for his gain. That girl gave him a daughter, just as talented and he taught her everything his wife taught him. He intended to use his daughter the same way he used his wife.”
“Mother…”
“You didn't get your art from your father.” She whispered and for the first time in my life, I saw tears in her eyes.
“You get it from me.”
We just looked at each other.
“There is no gala,” she shook her head, stepped back and looked back up at the painting.
“I have started painting again but I am anonymous for now.”
I felt like I was in a trance.
“T..that is good.” She nodded her head.
“Yes,”
“That painting in that city…”
“It is a self portrait with a little dramatic effect, I have always loved mixing styles. When did you see it?” I let out a breath.
“This style is completely different from the abstract father…. you made it.”
“He told me what he wanted me to make and I made it.” She looked at the painting.
“Now, no one tells me what to do.”
I looked at the painting, at the beautiful mansion and saw how it cracked.
“It is beautiful.” I muttered.
“I spent months on this.”
“The detailing can be quite troubling.” I was close to losing it.
“I don't have much work between entertaining your stepfather’s guests and roaming around the mansion.”
“Holy crap, you are not kidding.” I run my hand through my hair.
“I..I need to breathe.”
I turned and walked out of the gallery, my heels clinking on the floor. I stepped into the windy street, instantly followed by my three men