VERITY'S POV ~_______~_______~

I woke up, snuggling with Emilio. He looked peaceful and his hair was messy and all over the place. I played with his curls for a bit before I decided to get up.

I gently pulled away from him and got ready for the day. After I did skincare, took a shower, and did the rest of my hygiene, I put makeup to cover bruises and scars. I decided on wearing a large dark blue sweater that said "I'm the best sister ever" in small letters and some grey sweatpants. I put on a gold necklace + rings and earrings and put my hair into a high ponytail with two curly strands out front. When I got done, I gently shook Emilio awake. He didn't shower. Nasty. He quickly got ready, changing his outfit to a plain grey t-shirt and some shorts. He was my brother, but this man had no style. I jumped on his back and he rolled his eyes, agreeing to give me a piggy back ride.

We were on the start of the steps going downstairs when I had the sudden urge to slap his neck. I slapped his neck, making sure to hit the bare spot. He dropped me and slowly turned around.

"Run." He told me.

So I did, laughing like a maniac. I ran downstairs and into the living room when he came stampeding after me. We were on either sides of the coffee table. When I went left, he went right- me right, him left. I decided on running behind me and I almost made it when a pair of arms grabbed me and I was thrown over Emilio's shoulder.

"Nice try, sis. But you'll never outrun the amazing track star, Emilio." He laughed.

"Let me down! And I let you catch me. I'm actually a very good runner," I grumbled.

"Whatever you say." He set me down on a seat at the table, where food was laid out everywhere. It was only now I realized that everybody - and I mean everybody- was in the living room, either staring at us blankly or trying not to laugh. Francesco had a very amused look on his face, as if he was happy his children were getting along.

I looked around and realized Matteo was the only one not here. I frowned at his absence but didn't say anything.

"I think that was the first time I've seen Emilio laugh, and the first time I've seen Verity talk since I've got here." said Carlo. I smiled at him.

"Yea, it's like as soon as Verity steps into the room everybody is happy." Castor snorted.

"I'm a witch. I put everybody under a spell so that they all love me." I whispered to Emilio. "Not that I need it anyway, they're charmed by my amazingness either way." I mumbled under my breath, and didn't think anybody heard me until Valentino choked on his food and burst out laughing.

I looked at him and his red face, and couldn't stop the laughter that escaped my lips. We both were laughing our asses off, practically dying when I looked up and saw Matteo, leaning in the doorway. I stopped laughing right away and so did Valentino when he saw what I was staring at. Matteo looked beat up, his face was bruised and he was rocking a black eye and busted lip. His fists were also bruised and consisted of dry blood. Matteo paused for a second, as if he was about to say something, but just left.

"You need to discipline that boy, Francesco. Talking to his sister like that, tsk tsk, what a shame. He needs to know how to respect. Have you taught nothing to him? He is disgraceful to this family." Scoffed my grandfather from the end of the table.

"He was wrong for what he did father, but you will not talk about my son like that." Francesco had a dark look on his face, as if he was daring his father to say more.

The mood around the table shifted. It was a calm, uplifting mood and now it was tense and gloomy. Everybody, including me, was looking back and forth between Francesco and Giovanni(grandfather).

"Now, Giovanni. Francesco is right. Matteo did mess up, badly, but you should not talk about him like that. Especially when the young man isn't here to defend himself. He is your nipote, and Francesco's figlio." Esmé, my grandmother, sighed, giving Giovanni a look. (Grandson | son)

"il ragazzo ha insultato per molti anni l'unica ragazza nata nella nostra famiglia, avrebbe dovuto trattarla con rispetto. lei è la principessa, dopo tutto." Giovanni snarled, looking at me. (the boy has been insulting the only girl born in our family for many years, he should have treated her with respect. she is the princess, after all.)

I acted as if I didn't know what he said, putting a confused look on my face. Thankfully, everybody's attention was diverted to a phone ringing. Not thankfully, it was my phone ringing.

"Please, pick up the phone. Put it on speaker, though." Giovanni told me.

I sighed and froze when I saw who was calling. It was Maxim. This should be so fun..

not.

I picked up the phone and immediately said, "я с семьей, разговариваю по-русски." (I am with family, talk in Russian.) Everybody around the table looked at me with blank and confused expressions, and raised eyebrows.

"You're going to have to speak in english, nipotina." (Granddaughter). Esmé told me.

"Uhm, okay, whatever, HEY SIS!" Maxim yelled through the phone. I swear he's going to burst my eardrums one day.

"Calm down, will you? It's still so early.." I grumbled.

"No. I miss my baby sister. We all do! ANDREI, ALEXEI, GET YOUR ASSES DOWN HERE-"

I heard shuffling in the background and nervously looked at Valentino, who was staring at the phone in surprise.

"Oh my god what do you want, you fat fuck- you ate all the Oreos." I heard Alexeis voice and smiled.

"Come talk to our amazing little sister, and I did not eat the Oreos, that was Andrei."

"VER IS ON THE PHONE?!" Yelled Andrei.

"Yes, she is, come here you idiots." Grumbled Maxim.

"HI VER! WE MISS YOU SO MUCH EVEN IF YOU LEFT US TO LIVE WITH THE ITAL-" Andreis voice was cut off by Maxim's.

"She's with her FAMILY, YOU STUPID DIPSHIT-"

"Both of you shut up. Let her talk, geez. Hello, Verity- we miss you lots. You know how last week we said we'd come to visit?" Alexei spoke up.

"Yea.. did you- oh god." I mumbled.

"WE'RE IN ITALY, BITCCHH!" Screamed Andrei.

I looked around at my family members, who were gaping at my phone.

"You guys.. are in Italy?" A smile crept up my face. I was going to see my brothers after being apart from them- sure, it was only like a week, but who cares?

"Yes, because we're such good and amazing big brothers. Especially me. Oh, Dad's here too." Maxim handed the phone over to somebody.

"Hi, моя любовь! I miss you lots. We've come to Italy. We just landed, yesterday. I don't get what obsession these Italians have with pizza and spaghetti- it's rubbing off on your brothers, they keep asking for it." Said a deep, calm voice from the end of the phone. Mikael. The man who raised me and helped me when nobody else did. (My love).

"Hi dad. I miss you so much more-" I paused and looked at my biological father, who had a hurt look on his face. "And as for my brothers, I think they're trying to be Italian. But, dad, I will call you later okay?! I have.. to talk.. to my uh, biologicals." I quickly muttered into the phone.

"I understand. Tell me about them later, okay? I love you, and I will visit you soon."

"I love you too. Bye." I hung up the phone and I looked around the table. Everybody was staring at me - everybody.

"Who was that?" "Why'd you call him dad?" "Your brothers? Who the fuck are those?" "We are your only brothers and you only have one father, so you better get to explaining." "What the fuck?" "What was that language?"

My brothers immediately bombarded me with questions.

"Nunya, nunya, nunya, nunya, and it was Russian." I answered all the questions, a frown etched on my face. They can't find out. They can't.

"It very much is our business. You just called somebody else 'dad' when your dad is sitting right here, and you were talking to your older brothers? When your older brothers are right here!" Exclaimed Enzo.

"I have my fucking reasons! Reasons that are my- fuck-" I winced, there was a sudden pain shooting through my ribs- "reasons that.. are.. reasons... nunya.." I started to see black dots.

"What's happening?!" I heard Carlo ask. His voice was really, really far.

My ribs hurt more than they ever have before. There was indistinct voices, noises I couldn't make out before everything went black, and darkness took over me. __________________________________ Word count: 1502

dramatic ass chapter 💀💀 I know things r moving a bit fast but I'm just trying to get through the typical plot line before I can get into the REAL drama and romance 🤞

Stay hydrated lovelies comment and vote:)