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

"Princess..your castle awaits." I hear a males voice say so I open my eyes to see Marco.

"You are a very light sleeper." Marco states

"Yeah I am, and I thought we agreed I wasn't a princess ; and I definitely don't have a castle." I reply

"No I never agreed. Because in the this world you are to be considered royalty, and the main house here in Italy is as near to a castle as you'll get." Marco says

"Do I have time to freshen up and change?" I ask him

"Yes there's a bathroom right over there. Elena is in the bedroom getting ready herself.. and I've already done what I had to do." Marco tells me

I grab my carry on bag and get in the bathroom and wash my face. Use some girl products and add a little makeup, deodorant, and perfume. Then I slip on my clothes for today and put everything else back in my bag. I walk out and see Elena and Marco waiting for me.

"Not that you weren't pretty last night, but you are gorgeous thing." Elena tells me

"Thank you." I say politely

"V isn't even gonna know how to handle the information much less you." Marco says

"What is that suppose to mean?" I ask

"That he's extremely protective, and is sure of himself that he knows everything. He isn't going to like the fact that you are about to attract every males eye that passes you." Marco explains

"Well lets go shall we?" Elena asks seeming refreshed

I give her a nod as a response. Elena leads the way with me following behind her and Marco behind me. As soon as we walk off the jet I see what seems to be a brand new limo.

"Do you really have so many people dying that you just decided to buy a limo so you don't keep having to rent one?" I ask jokingly even though I know it's not the reason.

"Our people do die from time to time... but as far as the limo goes we use it for celebrations like home arrivals and such. Don't worry all of your bags are already in there." Marco says

I didn't say anything but I gave a polite nod.

The three of us get in the limo.

"Are you ready for this?" Marco questions me seeming interested in how I am feeling with a hint of curiosity but I could just be reading him wrong.

"Probably not but I'll be fine." I reply trying to reassure them

"You'll be safe no matter what, I promise." Elena vows with her heart

"I'm not worried. I just don't like not knowing the outcome. It more annoying." I tell them

"Not good with surprises?" Marco asks with a raised eyebrow

"I handle them well, I just hate them." I reply

"You really are V's daughter." Marco jokes lightly shaking his head

<•>

After almost another hour ; we arrive at a gorgeous mansion.

"It's stunning." I say

"Your father helped build and design it with his grandfather, after own father was killed." Elena tells me

"That's impressive." I reply

Marco nods in agreement with me.

"I've already got a call from my husband wondering what is taking us so long getting back, when they discover why we really went to New York they are going to be furious." Elena says

"Yeah I've been getting messages from Luca and Enzo asking questions and round the clock check ins." Marco says

"Well then let the drama begin." I mumble out but Marco still hears me

"principessa, non avresti dovuto dirlo davvero" ~ princess, you really shouldn't have said that~ Marco says with a light laugh and I just send him a smile and eye roll.

We get out of the car and Elena links her arm in mine and Marco stands on my other side.

"We will get someone to get all of our bags later . I think we should go ahead and deal with the matter at hand." Elena says and I can't help but nod in agreement

"Are you sure about this?" Marco asks

"I'm still undecided that's why I flew all the way to Italy to what could become my death.." I reply and he lightly laughs

Elena all but pulls me inside the mansion with Marco walking in front of us. Almost as if his shielding me with his body so no one can see my face. The mansion from what I can see is stunning on the inside as well. Marco leads Elena and I into what seems to be a private library with a big table in the middle of the room.

"I'll go get everyone. Lena you can stay here with Tori to make sure she doesn't get scared and run before she even sees them." Marco says

"I don't run when I get scared." I mumble but he hears it and gives an untrusting smile

"Just stay here. I'll be back." Marco tells me and all I can do is think of the terminator. Marco leaves out the room shutting the door behind him and Elena shows me where to sit and she sits on one side of me.

"How do you think this is going to go?" I ask her wanting to know her opinion

"I think they'll be shocked but that tends to wear off fast around here. They'll be mad at first but they'll mostly be mad at me." Elena says

As soon Elena finishes her sentence the door opens again and Marco comes and sits on my other side. I sit up straighter on instinct when I start to hear people walk in. They can't see my face yet but I can feel stares on the back of my head. I see three older men, a woman, and three men who look to be in their mid to late twenties. All of them are extremely good looking. Can't anyone here look average?!

The woman has my skin tone and hair color but with brown eyes instead of green. She sits down across from the three of us along with one of the older men who has a lighter hair color and brown eyes. If I'd have to guess I'd say they're Angelina and Riccardo.

One of the younger guys sit down beside Riccardo but he has light hair and lighter colored eyes. If I had to guess based on how he carry's himself I'd say he's Lorenzo.

Another younger guy sits down at the head of table which means he's the boss one hundred percent. Just the way he carries himself tells me he's a confident leader. He has dark hair and dark eyes, and he has tan skin. He lets off a dangerous yet completely intoxicating feel. He has to be the definition of tall dark and handsome.

The two older men stand behind him. Both of them have dark hair and dark eyes. They could almost pass as brothers. One has more gray hair than the other and I think that's Francesco because the other buffer one has to be my father Valente. It's like I know in my gut that it's him.

Only leaving the last one who is standing in the corner with brown wavy hair and brown eyes. He seems like he distancing himself which more than likely means he's Diego.

Every single person in this room other than myself, Marco, and Elena is staring at me intensely like they are studying everything about me. I hear Angelina gasp and I can almost see my Valente's, Francesco's, and Riccardo's wheels turning in their heads.

"She looks like Elise.." Angelina says quietly but I still heard her but I didn't let my face show any emotion. I don't want this situation to blow up so its best if I just contain everything for now.

"I know all of you are confused..." Elena starts but my father cuts her off

"Confused?" My father questions with a humorless laugh and then continues to say "Elena you would do good to explain what is going on..."

His voice was deep and had a nice and deep Italian accent. My father is defiantly intimidating but I couldn't find it in myself to be scared. Something inside of me was keeping me calm and keeping my face emotionless. I can almost hear Elena swallow, on the other hand.

"Yes. I went to New York because she found my number and asked if she could meet me." Elena explains probably hoping she doesn't have to explain the full story

"Not to be rude but who is she?" The intoxicating one who I'm assuming is Luca the new Don who happens to be Elena's very own son asks. It makes me look at him wondering why he couldn't just ask me but I swallow the part of me that wants to cut in and tell him I can answer the questions my own damn self.

"That was rude Luc, just ask the beautiful signora. What is your name gorgeous?" Lorenzo defends me in a way but also seems to be trying to charm me.

"He's so dead." I hear Marco mumble under his breath for only me to hear, which makes a smirk slightly break out on my face.

"Well?" Luca asks again getting impatient

"My name is Tori Miller." I answer calmly

"That doesn't make sense." I hear Riccardo say

"Who are your parents?" Angelina asks me in a gentle way which immediately proves to me why my mother thought so much of her.

"My mother was Elise Miller, but I think all of you knew her as Elisabeth Smith." I tell them

All of them stare at me trying to contain themselves. Angelina holds back tears and asks the question I knew would make all hell break lose "What about your father?"

"I think you already know the answer." I tell Angelina politely and she nods.. and what she says next proves she is one of the smartest people in the room at the moment.

"That's why she left.." Angelina says more to herself as if finally figuring it all out.

I just simply nod.

"It's impossible." My father says

"She thought that too." I say making him look at me closer almost as if he's analyzing me

"I want the full story." My father demands looking at Elena

"Of course. A little over twenty four years ago, I was working in the kitchen with Luca at the table when Elisabeth walked in before she could sit down she almost fell because she got dizzy. The next day I heard her throwing up. I told myself it must've just been stress or something she ate... but then the very next day it was the same thing. Sick stomach and dizziness. All of you were busy dealing with damage control after the Russian attack so I confronted her about it. She thought it was impossible but agreed to take a pregnancy test... and as you know now it came out positive.. she was in fact pregnant. She was already stressed about what had happened, she hardly slept or ate. She was traumatized. She feared for not only her safety but the baby's. I told her the honest truth. That this life wasn't for the faint of heart. She was an innocent young woman who was scared of her own shadow here, and I knew that the baby wouldn't make it unless she took care of herself. So I gave her two options stay and adapt to the life, or leave Italy. She choose leaving as I thought she would. None of you noticed the poor girl was breaking and becoming more terrified as the days went on so I gave her some money and helped her leave. I didn't talk to her again until right before she had Tori. When I told her that all of you were looking for her, and at the time you were getting close but Elise needed more time. She told me she was safe and taking care of herself and the baby. So I let her be. I never called again. I've never even heard from her since that day. Tori called me last night. I wasn't expecting it but after she informed of me who she was I couldn't not go and meet her when she willingly agreed. So I quickly planned the trip to New York and here we are now." Elena finishes her long story.

Luca and Francesco seem conflicted along with Riccardo and Angelina. Enzo and Diego seem lost in deep thought as they watch me closely. However my father looks angry and like he is struggling to control himself. Marco is tensing beside me and Elena seems to be holding her breath.

"You knew this whole time and didn't tell me.." My father says almost gritting his teeth then he continues by yelling "THAT WASN'T YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE ELENA!"

I watch as no one says anything and Elena just simply puts her head down in shame, almost like a dog when you tell them they've done something wrong. It made me sad to see her that way.

"After all of this time now you bring her into the very thing you helped get her mother out of..." My father continues and then adds almost a little to calmly "You deserve a punishment for breaking your loyalty to this family."

Elena just quietly nods and everyone just watches.

"What do you want me to do?" Luca asks

It really is loyalty over everything here. The fool is about is about to throw his mother to the bad big wolf just out of pure respect. I don't know if I should clap because of their loyalty, or throw up because of how twisted it is. I understand the mafia isn't a normal family, but from where I stand it doesn't seem like a family at all.

"Twenty four days in the cells. One day for each year she helped hide my daughter away from me." My father Valente says strongly

"Very well. Diego take my mother to cells." Luca looked like he was in pain just saying it

Diego moves towards Elena and she just stands up ready to take the punishment. Luca watches but I can see an emotion pass through his eyes. Francesco her husband looks away with his lips held in a grim line. Everyone else just stays silent. Angelina holds her head down much like Elena did earlier, and the saddest part is I know is what is expected of me but this time I couldn't strop myself. I suddenly stand up and push Elena behind me. I kept my hand on Elena's arm keeping her behind me.

Everyone is looking at me in surprise. Enzo lets out a low whistle. Diego looks at like he's impressed as he stands in front of me.

"What are you doing?" Angelina asked quietly and slowly as if she thought I was crazy.

"I'm doing what's right. She doesn't deserve to be punished this way. I get that some of you are angry and that's understandable because she did lie and help hide my mother and I. All of you are taking that as disrespect and a sign of Elena having lost her loyalty to you ; I see the opposite. My mother would've been a liability.. had Elena told all of you about the pregnancy, my mother would've shut down even more. All of you would've made my mother stay.. and she probably would've gotten herself killed or had a miscarriage due to all of the stress. Elena saved my life, not in the ways any of you would've liked her too but she did. She didn't misplace her loyalty, if anything she protected your so called family regardless of the consequences." I say boldly

"You don't know how things work here.." my father says clearly still mad but trying to control himself.

"I have some pretty good ideas though. She brought me here knowing she would more than likely be punished because she knew I wanted to meet my family, and she knew I needed one. If anything you should be thanking her that you know I exist now. Because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here now. So if she goes to the cells for saving my life, and bring me to what now seems like a pretty shit family.. then I'll go with her..." I tell my father looking him in the eye not backing down like he was probably hoping I would.

"You don't even know what the cells are.." Francesco says like he is trying to figure me out

"I'm assuming it's a dirty place where you hold and sometimes torture people. I'm sure you've probably even killed people in them. I'm sure it reeks and is something people have nightmares about.. but if she goes then I go. Think of it as a package deal. It's your choice." I reply

"It's fine Tori, I knew what I was risking." Elena says to me

"Of course you did. That's not the point. The point is you are my family now and if you suffer then I am going to suffer with you. I don't leave people I care about behind, and I don't leave them to face the wolves alone." I tell her then send a pointed look towards the head of the table where Valente, Luca, and Francesco are.

"So are we going to the cells or are we sitting back down?" I ask them calmly like I didn't care either way

"How do you know we won't just kill you?" Francesco asks as if it's a test

"I didn't think of that." I say faking him out and I can tell it works when all of their faces change seeming to think that I am actually backing down. Until I start back my train of thought.

"I'll rephrase. Are you going to put us in the cells? Kill me? Or should we sit back down?" I ask in the same tone Francesco used on me which I saw made the corner of his mouth twitch up in what almost seemed to be a smile.

I just look around at all of them awaiting an answer. "Sit." My father orders so I still hold Elena's arm gently as we sit back down in our seats, and Diego walks where he was before.

"Do you even know who we are?" My father questions

"It would be obvious.. if I didn't already know." I reply

"So tell me who do you think we are?" My father asks with a smirk

"I don't think.. I know all of you are the Italian Mafia, ." I say with my own smirk which clears his own smirk right off of his face.