*Evangeline's POV*
"What is she doing here?"He asks Deena but the question sounded more like a warning to not repeat it again.
"I came to see my daughter after the brutal morning she had but I had no idea that–"
"I was talking to my head of staff."
Marlene lips pursed and I could only imagine all the things she wished she could say at that moment.
"I apologise,"Deena bows. "I just thought it would be comforting to have family and help with the situation–had I known she was not alone."
"Had you knocked–"Vincenzo begins walking to them.
My fingers instinctively curl around his arm before he steps further and he surprisingly stops.
Deena's eyebrows jump and she goes to put the tray down with an unbothered air.
"Well,there's your food–Excuse me."
"So now you know manners?"Vincenzo asks but she gives a tight smile and hurries out of the room.
After an uncomfortable stir of silence,Marlene coughs and gives me a disapproving look.
On one hand,I was holding Vincenzo and the other,a broken piece of mirror.Safe to say things were not looking the best at the moment.
I set the mirror on the dresser and turned to Vincenzo,my eyes pleading.
"Can we please be left alone?"
His jaw ticks,and Marlene receives a death threat in the form of a look sending her uneasily shifting on her legs.
He eventually leaves and I begin to wish I didn't send him away. Marlene's suffocating judgemental gaze almost took the little air I had left in my lungs from being so close to Vincenzo.
"Do you want to explain yourself or do I jump to conclusions?"
"It was nothing inappropriate–"
"Right-"
"I know it looks bad but–"
"So you do know how it looks she shoots at me. "You were practically grinding against him Evangeline–do you know how that makes you look?"
"Marlene–"
"How it makes your family,your father–"she points at me scornfully. "What happened to keeping your virginity for marriage?"
"I didn't sleep with him!"I screamed back.
Marlene literally clutched her pearls.
"I didn't sleep with him and I'm never sleeping with him-can you please stop?"
"Well,it's hard to think it but had I not burst in-"
"He was teaching me how to kill." I admitted,figuring that'll be easier to handle.
I was wrong.
Marlene is too taken aback to speak.
"And with the day I had,it didn't seem out of the blue to learn how to actually defend myself once in a while."
Lies,lies,lies on lies.
I didn't participate because I intended to kill anyone–not that I'll know as its becoming very apparent I had very little control over my morals lately.
I see Marlene getting skeptical so I decided to throw in something for pity.
"Luca might be dead Marlene.'
"Oh my darling,that's why I came."Marlene sighed,carefully placing her purse on the bed. "And you look distraught."
I don't know what to say so I settle for crying instead.
"Come here,"she beckons,spreading her arms.
I don't remember the last time I hugged someone but I knew more than anything under the sun,I needed it–and I needed it badly.
I drag myself over and let myself fall helplessly in her embrace,and she reciprocates warmly-tightening her hold around me.
"You poor thing."she mumbles,patting my hair. "I am so sorry you had to go through this,I'm so sorry."
I linger silently for a while to soak in comfort,I don't remember alot of my mother-or my childhood honestly. I do know my mother died shortly after birth and my father proved I was his biological child and took me home from some estranged orphanage.
Marlene has been nothing but nice to me when she heard my story, though she was more iron fisted with Robert,she treated me very delicately and even insisting that I don't have to call her mom if I dont want to.
But I always kept her at arms length,my gut had always made me skeptical of her,but without my father here it seemed wise I kept the family I had left close.
"Thank you,"I whispered,my voice soft,regretful.
She pulls away and cups my cheek,shaking her head vigorously as she spoke.
"You don't have to thank me for anything darling."
"I do."I sniffed.
The light in her eyes grew wider and she pulled me into another hug.
"If only Hector was here,to see his two favourite girls finally getting together."
A small sad smile crept on my lips and I suddenly felt the nudge of curiosity.
"He wouldn't even let you be here that long,"she continued,running her fingers in my hair ."He would have figured something out–"
"How did he die?"
The caress on my head stopped and I could feel Marlene was thrown back by the sudden question.
"What do you mean sweetie,you know how he died–"
"No,like really Marlene."I straightened my back so I could watch her clearer. I wanted to see her eyes as I had the conversation. "When was it? Did he say anything? Any detail helps."
"Uh."Marlene pushes her once vibrant red hair behind her ear and lowers her gaze. "This is still all so fresh,I didn't want to have to talk about it so soon."
I held her hand to offer comfort but didnt retract my question,if it was traumatic for her who was around him and saw it coming,it was far more for me.
She took a deep breath and wiped a tear off the corners of her eye.
"He just came back from work and was really stressed and he seemed really mad"Marlene eyes shuts. "I didn't go check on him..I just sat there assuring he self isolated like every other time he's come home in that state."
I squeezed her hand harder for the next part,anticipating a blow.
"By the time I went upstairs to go to bed,he had–he had already passed."
"What did you do?"
Marlene's pupils dilated at an alarming speed.
"What?"
"Like did you check his pulse?"I reiterate."You just assumed he was dead?"
"Of course not!"she yelled defensively "I called the doctor–and–and he told me he suffered a brain hemorrhage. "
"And then they declared him dead?"
This time she turned to me suspiciously.
"What's with all these questions?"
I shrugged aimlessly.
I guess I'm just letting things get to my head.
"What things?"she asked.
"That the death wasn't natural,that-maybe..."I decided to just say it to let myself free from the agony of holding it in. "Luca said he thinks Vincenzo might-"
Her fingers press on my lips gently.
"I don't think this is–"her vigilant eyes dart around the room. "The right place to discuss this."
I stare at her expression and could tell she thought the room was bugged. She was probably right. After my near escape attempt,he probably even have cameras in here.
A small part of me wondered why I was so hellbent to finding reasons to hate him but I decided it was just my survival instincts trying to keep alert.
This is Vincenzo we are referring to,if anyone was to be blamed for his reputation,it would be himself.
Perhaps I'm being too biased–I should experience someone for myself before casting judgement,right?
Who is to say I am just rebuking him because he brings out these sinful sides of me when In reality,I should be rebuking myself for having these sides.
"But if I did have to say something."Marlene whispered,drawing my attention."I would tell you that Vincenzo was the last person he had a meeting with."
"So you think–"
"Yes."Marlene nods. "And it's up to you to avenge your father."