To Love in Full

Chapter 6: Peripeteia

Peripeteia (n.) A sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances; the point of no return.

Arabella's P.O.V.

"Come, Arabella. Have a seat," Nicolo said as the rim of his glass cup departed from his lips and was set onto the coaster in front of him.

I took a deep breath as I walked towards the leather chair and sat down with my legs crossed and hands laced together in my lap. My gaze left Nicolo's eyes as I watched Manuele walk towards us and leaned against the wall behind the desk; we held eye contact for a few seconds but I looked away when Nicolo cleared his throat.

"What is your name?" he asked while staring at me.

"Arabella," I answered back.

"Your full name," he glared back at me.

"Arabella Rhea Aetos," I sighed as memories of my family came flooding back; my mother got my middle name from my grandmother, her name was Rhea.

"Where are you from?" he asked abruptly as he stared into my eyes not blinking once.

"The United States," I said while looking away, not able to handle his keen stare.

"How old are you?" he asked immediately after I answered his previous question.

"I am 23," I replied as I met Leone's eyes and saw that he was studying me carefully.

"What are you doing in Italy?" he asked as the last syllable of my previous answer left my lips.

"I have studied and lived here for 5 years," I said as I turned to look at Manuele who was squinting his eyes towards me.

Are they testing me right now?

"What ar-" Nicolo began to ask his next question but I cut him off.

"Look, Nicolo..." I said as I narrowed my eyes at him,

"I do not have the answers you are looking for," I said disdainfully as I leaned back in the chair with my arms crossed over my chest.

"I beg to differ, Ms. Aetos. You were with Alexander tonight and you hold the Aetos name, so I do not trust you; I believe you do have the answers we are looking for."

I rolled my eyes at him and tilted my head to the side.

"You don't trust me?" I asked him.

"You have not gained my trust.." he shrugged,

"...so why would I trust you?" he asked as he picked up his glass to gulp down the alcohol that remained in his cup.

I scoffed at him, of course not.

"Is there a problem Ms. Aetos?"

"I believe it is better to trust someone until they give you a reason to not trust them, Nicolo," I said as I eyed him carefully.

"So other than being with a man, who I barely know, at the wrong place and at the wrong time, what other reason do you have for not trusting me?" I asked as my eyes stared into his bitterly.

Nicolo sighed and placed his glass down forcefully.

"Your commitment to this act you are putting up is quite impressive, Arabella," Nicolo said as he put his hand into his suit jacket, pulling out a revolver and placing it onto the desk.

I shifted in my seat and held my breath and watched Nicolo's scowl turn into a smirk as he noticed I was getting uncomfortable.

"The way your expression and posture changed when I took out this gun tells me you're hiding something," Nicolo said as he snickered.