( Tori in her outfit above ) { Tori's POV }

I woke up this morning and untangled myself from Luca's naked body, and go to the bathroom. As I look in the mirror I can't help but remember how perfect our bodies seemed to fit together. Don't me wrong, I'm not a virgin by any means, but I felt like I was exploring everything for the first time again.

I continue to do my business in the bathroom then I head back to my bedroom. Luckily no one is in the hallway to see me coming out of Luca's room with only a robe on, messed up hair, and carrying my dress from last night.

I wouldn't call it the walk of shame, but it would be an awkward moment.

When I get to my room I look for my phone. I notice I have a missed phone call from an unknown number, and before I can decide if I want to call it back or block the number, my phone starts vibrating and I realize an unknown number is calling again.

I hesitate for a moment but decide to answer.

"Hello." I answer

"Tori?" I hear the voice of a woman that sounds familiar

"Yes. Vera is this you?" I ask

"Yes. You said to find a way to contact you if I ever remembered the name Victoria. After thinking about it non stop, and a few sleepless nights ; I finally remembered. I asked my husband to help me get your number, we found it from when you worked in New York, and I was praying it was still the same. Can we meet up for breakfast? I won't tell my husband." Vera explains and asks

"Yes we can meet, but tell your husband just don't let him send any men with you, just in case they are traitors. I'll meet you outside of your estate in about forty minutes." I reply

"Ok I'll be ready." Vera says

I quickly take a shower, fix my hair, and throw on a little makeup. I slip on a black dress with black and gold heels knowing Vera will be dressed up. I grab my purse and start making my way towards the front door. I finally reach the door but before I can open it I hear a voice.

"Now where do you think you are going?" But luckily it was just the voice of Greta

"I'm going to pick up, and have a needed breakfast with Vera ; Stefan Lombardi's wife. I need you to keep it a secret because it's more of a personal meeting, than a mafia one." I explain quickly and quietly

"It's not safe for you to go alone." Greta says

"I won't be. I'll have Vera." I say

Greta gives me a look as if to say she won't be much help. Which I already know.

"I'll be okay, and in case something does go wrong tell Luca to remember I'm always in control, and then give him this.." I say and then hand her a piece of paper

"A piece of paper with random numbers on it?" Greta asks obviously unsure

"Just trust me, and remember to tell Luca that, but only do it if something goes wrong." I say

"How will I know if something goes wrong?" Greta questions

"You've been with the mafia for a while, so you might just get a feeling ; but in case I can't send a sign to you.. if I'm not back in an hour and half then you can just assume something went wrong." I tell her

Greta hugs me and says "Come back to us."

"I will one way or another." I say quietly and then I leave the mansion in one of their sports cars then I head to pick up Vera.

<>

I get to Vera's and she jumps in, wearing a floral dress with light pink heels.

"You got here in exactly forty minutes." Vera says

"I told you I would." I say

"I didn't know you would be exact." Vera says and I just smile and start heading to a restaurant.

<•>

We arrived at the restaurant. On the way we made small talk about the baby she's expecting, and all of her plans, she even joked about me being the baby's godmother again.

We get sat down in the restaurant and we immediately order and when our food arrives we start to eat and talk about the topic at hand.

"I remember that right after they murdered my mother, that there was a girl a little younger than myself there. It was right before I escaped to Italy. I mostly only caught glimpses of her, but she was the reason I decided to take the chance of death, by coming here." Vera says

"How so?" I ask

"She was there for nearly two weeks and every-time I saw her she would be covered in bruises and cuts. Sometimes she would have blood in hair or dried blood still on her body. I wanted to help her, I really did..but I was never allowed near her. They kept her isolated, and only a few of the men could be around her. I don't know that she even saw me, but I prayed for her at night. The men there would joke about how good she must've been in bed for Adrian to keep her as his woman, but I never knew the whole story. I just heard rumors about them meeting at a club, the next morning she fought Adrian and everyone who came near her, and after that they kept her so drugged up that she could barely walk. " Vera says before pausing

"One time they overdosed her, and I didn't think she would ever come back but somehow she started breathing again. After that they cut back on the drugs, and started trying to beat the fight out of her. I escaped while she was there. Someone started blowing up the ground outside, and attacking the men, which was the perfect distraction. I grabbed my bag and ran as fast and as far as I could. I finally ended up here in Italy. I still have nightmares about Adrian and his men, and Anatoly. I often can hear the girl still screaming at night. I can't imagine how she would be today, if she even made it out alive. She had to be strong, and that's an understatement, considering she was abused in every way humanly possible, and still fought for her life every moment of the day. Last night I remembered that the girls name was Victoria." Vera finishes her story

I gave her a sad smile and nodded.

"My real name is Victoria, the day you escaped was the day I was being rescued by the American mafia. They aren't after you Vera. He's after me." I tell her in all honesty

Vera's eyes start to water and soon a few tears are falling and she just says "You're the girl."

I just simply nod my head yes.

"But this means.." Vera starts to say but doesn't not bother to finish saying what it really means..which is that they are after me, and won't stop until I'm dead, or until they have me.

I just give her a nod with a sad smile.

"I'm sorry for not doing anything back then. I didn't know how to fight, but I could've tried harder. I've carried guilt for years, for not doing something to help you. I've even wondered if you were alive and if you escaped." Vera says still lightly crying

"Vera, I'm okay. There wasn't anything you could've done outside of probably have gotten yourself killed. Now you know I escaped, and that I'm doing okay. I still have the nightmares from the haunting memories , and a few scars but I'm better now. I'm happy." I tell her

She gives me a smile and says "This time if you need anything or if I or Stefan can help in anyway just tell me and we'll do it."

"I appreciate it." I tell her

"Does Luca and the rest of them know?" Vera asks seeming hesitant to ask

"I'm the one who killed Anatoly. Marco, Lorenzo, and Diego know they are after me. Luca knows a version of the story but in that version I was mainly just traumatized, and raped. I told him that I couldn't remember the night, and that I woke up naked, while is true. He thinks I escaped the next morning and that Adrian is just obsessed with me because of Anatoly being obsessed with my mother. They don't know about my darkest moments, and how hopeless I felt. They don't know how broken I was. I don't want them to know the truth, unless they have to know. It'll only cause them to look at me differently." I tell Vera

She nods and wipes her tears and says "I admire you so much. I admired you before I even knew who you really were."

I just nod and say "Thank you for saying that."

I talked to Vera a bit more but then I had to tell Vera it was time to get on the road. Because I have a timer set, which would be Greta.

As we start to walk out of the restaurant, I get a bad feeling. I have always trusted my gut so I held my purse tightly, and the grabbed the gun inside of it.

"Vera, act natural, and try to remain calm for the baby. Stay beside me unless I tell you otherwise." I tell Vera in a serious tone almost like a command

Vera nods her head and walks closer to me and I can see that she's slightly freaking out on the inside but she composes herself.

Immediately after we are at the doors about to walk out I see watchers just waiting for us.

I reach into my purse and grab the syringe hidden in there, and I plunge it into my upper arm, and hide it back into the purse.

"What was that?" Vera asks quietly

"A safety precaution." I tell her

We both take a deep breath before we walk out the restaurant, and when we do let me just tell you I knew right then and there I was walking myself straight to my own personal hell.