The Missing Princess

27: Trauma

Chapter 27

-Giovanni Di Luca-

"Those two kids are finally sleeping. It's literally impossible to separate them," Lorenzo says with a big smile on his face as he enters his office, where both Kirill and I were patiently waiting for me as he tucked in our youngest siblings.

As soon as Isabella came back, Niccolo wasn't letting her go and leaving her side; I don't think he ever will again after everything that happened. And our sorellina clings to him like she would to Lorenzo before. Someone definitely got replaced as the favourite brother.

But I don't think Lorenzo minded; instead, he's definitely loving seeing the both of them together getting along so well now, and I do too.

We both failed the two of them, and we're going to try our damn best to make it up for them starting now.

"It's already two in the morning, and both of you look like shit; you also need to get some sleep," Kirill commented.

"Aw, come on. Do I also need to tuck the both of you to bed?" he added with a snicker, making me shake my head at the thought.

"Shut up, cugino." (cousin)

"Do that, and I won't hesitate to shoot you with my pistol." Lorenzo rolls his eyes as he sits down, and Kirill only laughs at him.

"But anyway, Kirill's right, Gio, go to sleep and rest now. I don't even know why you are still waiting for me here. We can find a way to deal with our psycho brother and father later." He turned to me, but I only shook my head.

No, I can't sleep after what Kirill told me earlier about what Arturo Neri revealed to them. I've got to tell them the truth about what happened sixteen years ago, the darkest day of my life, when our family was forever ruined by the death of our mother.

"No, I need to tell you and Kirill something."

"Can't that wait later, fratello? I'm still kind of drunk, and I have a massive headache incoming." He grumbles as he burys his face in his palms.

"No, this can't wait, fratello. It's about Mamma's death."

This instantly snapped his drunkenness and headache out of him.

"I'm ready to talk about what happened sixteen years ago."

Both Lorenzo and Kirill looked at me attentively.

"What Neri told you was true, it was a group of Russians who were responsible for Mamma's death." I sighed heavily, still remembering their thick Russian accents and huge hulk-like figures, it was honestly a miracle how my small ten-years-old figure managed to kill one of those monsters. 

"Who were they?" Kirill asked in a quiet voice, but his eyes held a certain fury within them. I shook my head and told him I didn't know.

"About a few minutes after Lorenzo and Alessandro went out to go to Luciano after receiving that distressing phone call, those group attacked the safe house we were staying at and killed everyone inside who tried to protect and shield us." I paused to take a deep breath for a second as the image of the dead bodies of our loyal soldiers and maids who literally sacrificed themselves flashed in my mind.

Their sacrifice and loyalty to our family are never forgotten. And after what happened, I personally made sure that the families they left behind were well compensated and cared for.

Lorenzo moved to my side and patted my back in comfort, knowing just how much I was traumatised by what happened. But he was just about to know how deep my trauma really was, and this eventually stemmed my hatred for the mafia and the rest of our family.