67

I gave her an unsure look and she sighed. "It's my final wish. Be her mother. Look, I've got it all in writing for what I want. .if Vincenzo will allow." Bianca passed me a plain white envelope. "Don't open it until I'm dead."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I can't believe you're dying." She smirked a little, "you gonna miss me?" I couldn't help but smile sadly. "Maybe a little."

"So. .will you?" Bianca asked me, her dark eyes filled with hope as I nodded, giving her her wish. She smiled genuinely. "Good. April deserves someone like you."

I stood, walked over and gave her a warm hug, taking her by surprise. "I'm glad you've changed." She patted my back, "me too."

-Vincenzo-

"Mmh. .who baked this?" She asked, grabbing another pancake and chewing it as thought there was no tomorrow.

"Valentina. .my wife," Dante said, smiling at her as she looked at him in surprise. "You're married?"

"Yeah," Dante confirmed, "we all are except Vincenzo. He screwed that up." I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair as I glared at my younger brother.

"I know," My younger sister said, "I can understand that, but you? Who would of thought Dante Rossi would stay committed?" Dante rolled his eyes with a playful grin on his face as Leonardo laughed, "that's what I said when they got married!"

We all laughed even Dante. "Yeah, I guess I have came a long way. Who would of thought that I'd have kids? Freaking little versions of me!"

"Yeah, but they all look like Valentina," Leonardo butt in. He wasn't lying. Ariana looked like the exact replica of her mother. Alex was a mix between them. Matteo? Wasn't sure yet. I snorted, fist bumping my brother as Dante scoffed. "They look like me." Liliana grinned widely. "I'd love to see them."

"I'll show them to you later," Dante told her as she smiled.

I stared at my sister. Sister.

She hadn't changed that much but I could still see her younger self there. She was so short and fragile compared to us. We all had brown hair however Lili was blonde and looked more like our mother.

She was a funny child when we were young. We were all close as children - we had to be. I only saw her personality come out when we were alone. She was always scared and upset. We all tried to keep her happy but I was hard.

I was once beaten so hard that I could move or breath properly. My vision and hearing were going funny but I could hear her screams and pleads for our father to stop hurting her but I couldn't move or yell. I couldn't save my own sister.

I had nightmares for days with her screams in them. They haunted me for a very long time.

My own sick, evil and bastard of a father raped my only and precious sister twice in one day.

I could still remember the day when he left her room, his hands stained with her blood with a black leather belt in his hand.

"Papa, no, please!" She screamed, her voice echoing around the house.

I shuddered. I was in so much pain. Papa had come home angry and locked mama in her room and she was crying loudly, banging on the door for him to open and to stop hurting us. "Take it out on me!" She would yell, "it's not their fault!" , "Please!" He wouldn't listen.

"Vincenzo. .?" I heard Dante call for me. My eyes slowly moved so I could see my brother. My eyesight was fuzzy and I couldn't see well. I felt like I was going to throw up and I could barely hear properly.

"What . . Do . .we do. .?" Dante asked, his voice pained and strained.

"Nothing," Leonardo said, his body in an awkward position on the ground. "Nothing. ."

Our sister was in a room, pinned to the bed being attacked and abused. She was screaming in pain, her voice was so high that it pierced through me. My head was pounding and I was breathing heavily.

"I'm . .going to . .pass out. ." I murmured but Leonardo grunted. "Stay awake. .no matter what."

"I . . can't . ."

"Yes . . you can," Cristiano groaned, holding his stomach. I scoffed at him, causing me to groan in pain. "You didn't . . even help . .me."

He winced, squeezing his swollen eyes closed as my sister screamed again, a loud slap of the whip echoing around the house.

"I know . . I'm sorry . ." My older brother replied before his body went limp as he passed out.

"Great . ." Leonardo mumbled, his eyes closed. "Screw it . . Sleep. . I'm sorry, Lili. ."

I kept my eyes open as my other brothers passed out.

Stay awake. Stay awake. Stay. . .

Hours later, I awoke by my brother wiggling me. "Get up!" Dante snapped. I groaned, coughing blood about to snap back when my father came out my sister's room, his hands covered with dried blood, his belt in his hand, cut into two.

My eyes widened as he left the house casually.

"Lili."

We barged into her room, seeing her on her small mattress, curled up in a ball sobbing. Dante fell to the ground, his injuries taking the better of him. Leonardo yanked him up, holding him upright.

I swallowed, walking over to her bed and sitting on the edge. My eyes widened as I saw her face.

Scarred, blood dripping from her wounds. Red crossed around her face. I didn't recognise my sister anymore.

She was naked and shivering, wounds all over her as her blood soaked the bed.

"Where is she?" I heard my mother cry and she ran into the room, hesitantly going towards us. She fell to her knees sobbing. "My poor children," she cried in Italian.

Liliana abruptly moved towards my mother who held her to her chest, cradling her like a baby. "I'm so sorry," she repeated over and over again, kissing my sister's forehead as she sobbed.

"Come, my boys," she whispered. We slowly made our way to her. She cuddled us all equally, sobbing loudly and uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry!" She sobbed.

End of flashback.

"Vincenzo!"