I am so sorry for the late update.

Aurora

Aurora woke up to Kitty purring loudly against her neck.

"Good morning, Kitty." she petted her cat and yawned.

She did her business in the bathroom, having a nice warm shower. She hummed as she washed her hair, and took a bit longer than usual in the shower. She contemplated on what to wear today since Matteo wouldn't be here and she wondered if she should wear a lazy outfit.

She picked out a cute sundress which was perfect for the weather outside, clear skies and the sun shining brightly. When she finished sorting out hair which was done in a low bun with two tendrils hanging loosely in the front, she picked Kitty up and walked out of the room.

Her plan was to have breakfast and spend the late morning outside by the pool. She badly needed a tan for her awful pale skin and thought the sun would do her some good. She also needed a break to clear her mind which is something she needed.

She skipped down the stairs, Kitty in her arms and walked past the dining room but what shocked her was the unfamiliar man that was seated in one of the chairs at the table. The man was seated opposite Matteo and she couldn't get a clear look at him since she could barely make out his side profile.

Matteo noticed her staring and she was surprised to see that his blank expression was present, like it was previously. He looked at her with a hard face and ignored her by going back to eating.

That was weird.

"Aurora, mia dolce ragazza. Good morning."

She jumped when she heard Malinda's cheery voice behind her.

"Malinda. G-good morning. How are you?" she asked the woman.

Malinda smiled at her sweetly. "All good, thank you dear. Would you like to eat?"

She glanced over at the two men at the table, and her heart thumped against her chest when they both watched her. Both of the men had the same cold expression plastered on their faces and she could see that they had similar features.

She forced her gaze away from them, directing her attention at Malinda. "I-I'm not hungry."

"Malinda bring the girl a plate she will be eating with us."

She was surprised to hear that the older man said that. Malinda bowed in respect and disappeared into the kitchen to make Aurora a plate. She stood awkwardly with Kitty in her arms as she avoided looking at the two men.

"Sit." he told her.

She gulped at the authoritative tone of voice which belonged to the older man and putting Kitty down, she took a seat. She reluctantly sat down next to Matteo, shrinking back into her seat as the overwhelming sense of dominance dripped from the two men.

"You actually let a girl stay in your house." the man said as if he couldn't believe it.

Matteo kept quiet and she was confused by the way he was acting. He was ignoring her and just stared down at his place but she noticed that his jaw was clenched. His eyes burnt into his breakfast in front of him, not getting a clear reading on any emotion in his eyes.

Aurora observed the features of the man that seemed to be a bit more older than Matteo's. It was clear that this was his father. They had the same color hair but given his age there were evident strands of white growing between the dark color. The color of their eyes was identical and the both of them had defined jawlines which made them look more attractive.

Just like Matteo, this man was scary.

"H-hi. I'm Aurora." she greeted the man softly, attempting to smile with wobbly lips.

"Do you not have any family that you should be staying with?" the man asked her harshly, completely disregarding her introduction.

Her heart hurt a bit when he asked her that. She could feel the tears prickling her eyes at how rude the man was.

"Se sei venuto qui per insultarla, ti suggerisco di andartene prima di dire qualcosa di cui ti pentirai." Matteo said, continuing to cut into his sausage. (If you came here to insult her I suggest you leave before you say something you will regret.)

She didn't understand what he told his father but his voice was calm and normal, which was weird since his father's expression grew even more cold. She wondered what he said to him.

Aurora thanked Malinda as she placed her plate down the table, and she said a quick prayer before digging in.

"Non mi ero reso conto che mio figlio fosse così tenero per una bambina." (I didn't realize that my son was this soft for a little girl.)

"Non mi rendevo conto che mio padre potesse essere insensibile dato il suo passato." (I didn't realize that my father could be insensitive given her background.)

Malinda makes such good food, Aurora thought.

Matteo's father scoffed. "Questo non cambia il fatto che per qualche fottuto motivo hai fatto entrare un semplice bambino nella tua vita. Non è così che ti ho cresciuto." (That doesn't change the fact that you let a mere child into your life for some fucking reason. This is not how I raised you.)

Matteo glared at the man. "Non sai nulla." (You know nothing.)

"Sono deluso da te, Matteo. Hai fatto vergognare me e la mafia." (I am disappointed in you, Matteo. You have shamed me and the mafia.)

"What I do does not concern you. This will not intervene with the mafia if that is what bothers you." he replied calmly.

Matteo's father breathed harshly through his nose, clearly not pleased by what his son had just told him.

"It does concern me when the girl you have brought into your home is already your cousin's mistress."

Aurora and Matteo's forks fell onto their plate, their full attention on the angry man in front of them.

"M-mistress?" she asked him.

The man had a look of pure disgust on his face as his gaze trailed down her face. "Apparently you have been seeing Chandler for quite some time. When were you going tell my son that you have been using him all along?"

She breathed harshly, not able to comprehend what he was saying. "Using him?"

The man scoffed. "Do not act so innocent. You might have my son fooled but you will certainly not fool me."

She had no idea what this man was talking about. Why he think that she was Chandler's mistress?

Why was Chandler talking about things like this to Matteo's father about her? She felt hurt knowing that the person she thought was good was actually a mean person.

"I d-don't understand." she whispered.

"Chandler told me that you were planning to use my son for his money. You would pretend that you have no family and money, so that he would feel pity and let you stay with him. Does that ring a bell?"

She shook her head vigorously. "N-no. I-I-"

"Do not lie to me!" the man screamed.

She jumped back, surprised by his sudden outburst.

"Are you saying that my nephew is liar?" he asked her, venom dripping from his voice.

She shook in her seat. "N-no."

"Then tell me the truth or-"

"Or what?"

Her teary gaze was drawn to the man sitting next to her. He continued to gulf down the scrambled eggs, but there was something sinister about his calm demeanor. He was a bit too calm at the moment and it made her a bit frightened.

Matteo looked up at his father, shrugging his shoulder. "Or what?" he repeated.

His father's eyes narrowed. "You are defending her, for what? Do you not realize what she is doing?"

"Cosa le avresti fatto?" he stood up slowly. (What was it that you were going to do to her.)

He was at the same level as his father, the both of them having a very tall physique. If Aurora did not pay close attention at his father's face, she would have missed the slight hesitation and fear on it. She knew that Matteo was a very intimidating man but she didn't realize he could ever make his father tremble slightly as well.

His father snickered. "Do you choose that little girl over your family? Over your own father?!"

"The father who raised me taught me many things, respect being one of them. You dare disrespect something I care for and call yourself my father? Com'è ridicolo." he smirked. (How laughable.)

"Watch your mouth. I am trying to protect you-" his father stepped closer to him.

Matteo stared coldly into the eyes of his father. "I never asked for your protection, father. You come into my house with all this bullshit that you heard from Chandler and that is not acceptable."

Matteo nodded towards something behind his father. "Lasciare" (Leave.)

His father looked at him with shock in his eyes, along with it was swirls of fury.

"Lasciare." he repeated a bit loudly this time.

His father glared at Aurora and she visibly shrunk back into her seat. He looked back at his son with the same harsh look. He murmured something to his son but she couldn't hear him clearly and he spoke a bit too fast, before walking out of the dining room.

The front door closed with a bang and she jumped by the sound.

It was silent between them, the only sound that could be heard was her soft whimpers and slightly harsh breathing. There were tears that still spilled from her eyes as she watched Matteo standing on the same spot, staring blankly in front of him. She couldn't describe the look on his face since he kept it neutral.

"M-matteo." she said shakily.

He didn't say anything but she knew he was listening to her.

"I'm n-not Chandler's m-mistress."

"I know." he said. "I know that."

"T-then why did he s-say that I am? W-why did he lie to your father? Why-"

"Fuck Aurora, I don't know." he said with so much frustration that she shut her mouth immediately.

He looked at her with regret in his eyes when he saw the fresh tears in her eyes.

He sighed. "Come here." he said softly.

She just looked at him, unsure.

"Aurora come here." he said a bit more sternly.

She immediately got up from her seat and walked over to him slowly. She kept her head down and when his shoes came into view, she stopped and played with her fingers.

She felt his warm fingers gently grip the sides of her face, lifting her gaze to meet his. He used his thumbs to wipe her tear stained cheeks and the wetness under her eyes. There was so much softness and sadness in his eyes that it made her heart beat faster.

"I'm sorry, agnellino." he said.

"It's okay."

He shook his head. "No it is not. How my father behaved towards you was unacceptable. I will be sure to take care of Chandler as well."

She shook her head. "Don't hurt him."

He looked taken a back. "You do not wish for me to hurt him even after what he has done to you?"

"I don't want v-violence between the two of you and you can't control your anger."

Matteo's lips curved upward into a small smile. "You are something else, agnellino."

She giggled.

Matteo stared at her with a look she couldn't decipher and the air suddenly felt a bit more dense around them. He stared at her like an art piece he had just seen at the gallery and admired it.

"You look beautiful today."

There was something wrong with her heart because it has been beating a but too fast at whatever Matteo said to her.

She felt her cheeks heat up. "T-thank you."

"What would you like to do today?" he asked her.

She smiled brightly at Matteo. "C-can we watch a movie?"

Matteo nodded.

And just like that, the horrifying situation that took place between Matteo's father and Aurora was forgotten that afternoon they spent together watching Moana.

I wrote this in one sitting omgggg.

Hopefully this chapter turned out better than I expected for you readers or I will cry.

Chandler and Matteo's father can buzz off honestly. How dare they treat my precious girl like that??

Don't forget to vote and comment :)