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Third Person's POV

3 days later.

Leonardo stepped down on the last staircase and his eyes fell on his sons who were currently in the living room, busy in their own works.

Matteo was using his phone, Massimo was barely trying to open his eyes as his body lay lazy on the couch.

Galene was reading a book in the early morning like it was his routine which it was, Xander was watching some wrestling match on his phone which Leonardo could hear.

"Xander, turned the volume fu*king down man !" Massimo sleepy yelled while covering his face with a pillow.

"No ! How about you fre*king take your sleepy ass somewhere else huh." Xander mocked back while his eyes strained on his phone.

Massimo threw the pillow on Xander who caught it easily and glared back at Massimo with an annoyed angry face.

"You--" Xander was cut off by a throat clearing voice which belonged to Leonardo who thought to step in before his boys turned the peaceful morning into a noisy war zone in Moretti mansion.

"Buongiorno ragazzi." Leonardo said while taking a seat on a single couch.

(Good morning, boys)

Moretti brothers attention immediately went to their father.

"Buongiorno, dad." They wished back.

"Where are my other kids ?" Leonardo asked, his sharp black eyes looking around.

"They must be coming, dad." Matteo answered.

Leonardo hummed. Just then his both elder sons came down, all ready in their expensive armani suits.

Alessandro & Dante wish their dad who wished them back.

"Where is the youngest duo ?" Alessandro asked as he took a seat along with Dante.

Before anyone can say something they heard footsteps just to see Francesco coming down while rubbing his eyes.

"Morning *yawns* everyone." Francesco wished, sleepy.

Leonardo's eyes turned sharp as he looked over his youngest son.

"You slept late again." Leonardo said like a statement.

"Francesco, how many times do I have to tell you to not play video games so late." Leonardo's voice was cold & stern.

Listening to his father's voice the younger Moretti's sleep was gone and replaced with nervousness.

"Dad, I-I..." Francesco fumbled and his brother snickered in the background making him throw them a nasty glare for enjoying his misery that too early in the morning.

Leonardo sighed, "Keep your excuses to yourself. This is your last warning. Next time I see you this sleepy in the morning. I will take all of your video games without a second thought, inteso ?"

(Understood ?)

"Dad !!" Francesco whined.

Leonardo raised his eyebrows at his youngest son who immediately stopped whining and said.

"Si, inteso."

(Yes, understood)

"Bene." Leonardo nodded, once in approval.

(Good)

"And Massimo." Leonardo called as he turned his stern gaze towards Massimo.

"I will take your car key away next time."

"Huh ? But why ?!" Massimo asked, his previous sleep long gone now.

"And dad I don't play video games late at night like him." Massimo complained & whined.

"And still you are on the verge of sleeping again." Leonardo deadpanned.

"Fine." Massimo grumbled, giving up. Knowing he can't argue with his father or else consequences wouldn't be nice.

"Everyone is here except our principessa. Someone go & call her down." Leonardo commanded.

"I will go !" Matteo & Francesco said, simultaneously.

"You sit here bro or else who knows you will stumble on the staircase because of your sleepiness." Matteo teased.

Francesco scowled, "Shut up !"

"Enough ! Dante go & call your sister down." Leonardo ordered and Dante immediately obeyed it walking back upstairs to his little duck's room.

A few minutes later, Dante walked back his body a bit tense.

"Valentina isn't in her room." Dante announced making every Moretti man sit straight in their positions.

"Did you check properly ? She must be--" Francesco was cut off by Dante.

"She isn't in her room." Dante repeated, coldly.

"Princess might be in the dining room." Matteo suggested and just then Luciano walked in the living room.

"Buongiorno a tutti." Luciano greeted with a smile but it vanished when he saw the confused faces of his father & brothers.

(Morning everyone)

"What's wrong ?" He asked, looking around.

"Well our sister isn't in her room as she is already in the dining hall." Massimo casually muttered as he sat in an upright position on the couch.

"Wha--no she isn't there too." Luciano said making every head snapped in her direction.

"What do you mean by that ?" Matteo asked.

"I mean Valentina isn't there in the dining room. I just came from there after setting the table. Nor did she come into the kitchen. In fact I didn't see her from this morning." Luciano informed.

"Then where is sisy ?" Francesco mumbled, frowning.

"She must be here somewhere in the mansion. Why are you all so tense ?" Xander grumbled as he glanced around.

"Right. Everyone looks around the mansion for your sister. Now." Leonardo commanded, firmly.

Moretti brothers obeyed their father's order and began to look for their sister.

After 30 minutes of searching, they all gathered around the living room again.

"Did you find her ?" Leonardo asked but his sons shook their heads making him & the boys both worried now.

"Did you check all the possible places where Valentina could be ? Leonardo asked.

"Yes, dad. We did. But she isn't there anywhere." Massimo said.

"Did anyone check the garden ? She usually goes there for a walk." Xander voiced out.

"I did. She didn't go there. I asked the guards who were guarding outside they didn't see her as well." Alessandro said, his hands fisting to his sides.

"What about maids ? Did anyone ask them if they had seen her ?" Luciano asked.

"I did. They didn't see her as well." Dante replied while his jaws were clenched.

"Then where the h*ll is she ?! She didn't go outside nor did the maids & guards have seen her then where ?!" Xander asked, loudly.

"S-She must be s-somehwere here o-only." Galene whispered, worriedly.

"Are you deaf ? We already checked everywhere she wasn't there !" Xander snapped at Galene.

Xander was never good at handling his emotions especially his anger and right now he was both angry & worried over his missing sister.

"Xander, calm down." Matteo told his twin who glared at him instead.

"Really ? Our sorella is missing here and you want me to calm the fuck down ?!" Xander growled at his twin who didn't back away.

"And you losing your calm will help us to find our sorella huh." Matteo growled back.

Before the twins could argue more a voice bloomed. It was Alessandro.

"Enough !"

"You both speak one more word. I will personally deal with you." Alessandro warned, his deep brown almost like black eyes now blazing with cold fury in it.

Alessandro's patience was running thin. He was worried for his princess who happens to be missing in the early morning making me lose his calm.

The fratenal twins immediately shut their mouths while glaring at each other still.

A heavy silence took over the living room. Every Moretti man was worried & tensed.

Their minds raised wondering where their princess could be ?!

"D-Do you think sisy got to know about o-our secret and l-left us ?"

Hearing Franceso's words every Moretti stiffen in their places like rocks.

Their heartbeats rose. A fear of their princess leaving them again gripped their hearts.

"N-No. That can't happen !" Luciano snapped, shaking his head. Losing his little doughnut wasn't on his plate not now, not ever.

Leonardo stumbled back, his hand grabbing the nearest thing to make him stable.

"Dad !" Alessandro & Galene quickly grabbed their father's forearms from each side as they were the nearest to Leonardo.

"No, no, no, questo non può succedere. Mia figlia, non può lasciarmi." Leonardo mumbled under his breath, frantically.

(No,no,no-this can't happen. My daughter, she can't leave me)

"Dad, calm down please." Alessandro said, trying to calm his father who looked so afraid of losing his one & only daughter.

"Alessandro, p-princess..." Leonardo looked at his son with glassy eyes, his old black eyes depict how much he is frightened to lose his precious daughter.

Alessandro's jaws clenched, his hold on his father tightened. He will be lying if he said seeing his father who always stood like a rock--slowly breaking like these just with the thought of his daughter leaving him.

"We are o-overthinking. Yes we are. She couldn't know. She couldn't leave us just like that." Matteo muttered, his eyes darted in every direction like from somewhere his amore, his sister would appear and hug him.

"Teo is right. We must find her. She must be somewhere here only." Massimo said, backing up his brother.

"Why couldn't she know." Suddenly Xander whispered. He looked at brothers & especially at his father and said.

"You think our secret--our truth will be hidden forever from Valentina ?"

"Do you think that she will never know about who her family actually is ?"

"Do you think that she will never know about our other brutal side ? That side which we try so hard to hide from her innocent eyes."

"Do you think she will never know about us being Mafias or that we run the Italian Mafia empire ?"

"If you think yes--then all of you are fu*king living in delusion. Damn it !" Xander spat in anger & disbelief at his father & brothers who stood frozen in their places.

"I told you all--let Valentina know about the truth. Let her know. But you all didn't listen to me !!" Xander roared in anger.

His fear of losing his sister again burst out like fire that was enveloped him whole.

"Xander--" Matteo steps close only to get stopped by his roaring twin.

"NO ! Let me fu*king talk now." Xander spat at his twin before looking back at his father, straight in the eyes.

"Look what your so-called decision did, dad. Our princess & your daughter left us knowing we had hid something so big from her when she has all the rights to fu*king know."

"Xander. Don't talk to dad like that and don't f*cking point at his decision." Alessandro warned but Xander wasn't having it.

"Why shouldn't I huh ?! Are you even realising it that our sister is gone !!" Xander growled at his elder brother who glared back at him.

Leonardo looked down, his heart clenched. Maybe this time he made a wrong decision that ended up making his only daughter whom he loved to death--leave him & his sons.

Xander exhaled, wearily. "Now see--she is g-gone. She l-left us, dad."

Before anyone could say anything a small soft voice bloomed in the heavy surroundings.

"Who is gone ?"

Every head snapped in the voice of the direction and there she was standing with a confused face. Valentina.

"Princess ?!" Moretti men exclaimed both in relief & shock.

Leonardo got out of his sons grip and made his way towards his daughter and pulled her into a tight hug making her startled & let go of her bag which fell down on the floor with a soft thud sound.

"La mia preziosa figlia." Leonardo said as he kissed his daughter's forehead with love & care & hugged her back tightly, refusing to let go of her.

(My precious daughter)

Valentina stood both confused & shocked seeing her father's weird behaviour. She also noticed the little tremble in his huge body that was enveloped her in a tight warm hug.

A hug which made her feel like her father was afraid to let go of her as if she would disappear right in front of his eyes.

She wrapped her much smaller arms around his torso and hugged him back.

"What's wrong ?" Valentina whispered looking up at him, frowning worriedly.

Leonardo looked down at his daughter & stared at her face without speaking anything. Xander's words roamed in his mind, making him tighten his hold on Valentina.

"Where were you, tesoro ? Do you know how worried I & your brothers were just a moment ago." Leonardo said, holding her shoulders.

"I-I was in the library." Valentina voiced out.

"Library ?!" Her brothers exclaimed, disbelief. How can all of them miss such a spot ?

"Yes, I woke up early and there was even time for breakfast so I thought I would spend my time reading some books in our library." Valentina explained, turning to look at her brothers.

Francesco stepped close to her and pulled her into a tight hug as well.

"You scared all of us so much, sisy." He mumbled in her hair & backing away after pecking her cheek.

"Scared you all but how ?" Valentina asked.

"You weren't in your room. We searched for you everywhere in the mansion like crazy people but couldn't find you." Matteo said.

"No guards or maids saw you as well." Massimo voiced out.

"So we got scared & ended up being panicked but you were just..." Luciano trailed off, sighing.

"Just in the fu*king library. Great !" Xander grumbled, looking away.

Valentina gulped and looked over at her remaining brothers who stared at her in silence making her realise just how unintentionally she got them all worried & panicked for no reason.

"I-I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you all worried like these. It happened accidentally. I just got away with time while busy in reading." Valentina explained, guilty.

Leonardo turned his daughter towards him and chinmed her face up, "It's not your fault, tesoro so don't be sorry. It's ours. We should have checked the library as well but it just slipped from our minds which resulted in this chaos."

(sweetheart)

Leonardo softly explained and patted her head tenderly. Valentina slowly nodded her head.

But a thought crossed her mind.

"When I was coming here--I heard Xander saying something."

Everyone stiffen again, listening to her.

'Did she hear everything ? Even about their mafia thing ?!' This question roamed in everyone's mind as they stared at Valentina who stood in front of them.

Third Person's POV End's

Valentina POV

I woke up earlier like always in pain.

My torso wound wasn't getting any better but I couldn't go to any clinic or hospital without my family knowing about it so I am silently enduring it while applying a healing cream on the wound as well.

But now as I stood in front of my father & brothers whom I made so worried & panicked for no reason I feel terrible & guilty.

And this only made me scared to the core.

Just because they didn't see me for sometime they are reacting like these--how will they react when they know about my dark past ? or the marks that cover my broken body ?

Jack & Elina made sure that the torture they made me go through all the years I have unfortunately spent with them--inprinted deeply both in my soul & body.

The mare thought of my family knowing about the secret that I am hiding from there--shakes me to the core.

I was never afraid of rejection because no one accepted me in the first place.

But now, I do have a family for whom I have started feeling a lot of emotions. Especially love.

I am starting to love my family. I can't stop myself because how can I ? When my family showers me with their care, their love so generously, so selflessly.

But the thought of my father & brothers rejecting me, leaving me alone again--it breaks me entirely.

I took a deep breath, calming myself.

Just then a thought crossed my mind and I said.

"When I was coming here--I heard Xander saying something."

Just as I said these words I felt a shift in the air and my eyes caught my father & brothers frozen in their damn places like rocks.

I frowned. Did I ask something wrong ? I don't think so.

A few minutes back as I was near the entrance of the living room I heard faint noises coming from there which sounded like someone was arguing.

Were my brothers arguing over something stupid in the early morning ? I thought.

And just as I stepped in I heard Xander saying--"Now see--she is g-gone. She l-left us, dad."

Gone ? Left ? And wait--SHE ?!

As long as I remember only one 'she' in this house excluding maids that is 'me' because why will a maid leave the house ? And even if she did why would Xander sound so angry & distraught for that right ? Right so I guess he is talking about me.

But why will I leave them ? That's the last thing I will ever do. Period !

But still just to be sure I ask them, 'Who is gone ?'

But none of them answered me and now when I said I heard Xander saying something--all of them stood like statues.

Luciano cleared his throat making me look at him. "Oh ! You heard Xander ?" Why does he sound so nervous ?

I nodded, "I did."

"And w-what did you hear, s-sisy ?" Francesco asked, his fingers gripping my hoodie's long sleeve like a kid, tightly.

I looked at Xander who was staring at me with jaws clenched. He looked nervous that he tried to hide behind his angry bird face.

"Um well--she is gone--she left us something like these." I said slowly observing each reaction that came from my family members.

"What--you heard this ?!" Matteo exclaimed.

"You heard nothing else right ?" Massimo asked.

"Are you saying the truth ?" Xander asked.

I tilted my head to a side as I observed my brothers why they were acting like these ? Was I supposed to hear something else or what ?

"Princess, you didn't hear anything else beside this right ?" Alessandro asked, his voice serious & calm.

I shook my head, "I am saying the truth. I just heard this much."

Hearing me I could see everyone practically releasing a sigh of relief making me narrow my eyes at them more firmly.

"What's going on here ? Was I supposed to hear something else too hm ?" I asked and they glanced at each other.

"And wait--whom are you talking about ? Are you by chance talking about me before ?" I asked.

"No" "Yes" Both Xander & Matteo said together then Xander glared at his twin who smiled nervously.

"I don't understand. Xander what made you think ? that I was gone or that I will leave you all." I asked while staring at Xander who wasn't making any eye contact with me making my assumption that indeed he was talking about me earlier but again why ?

Before I could say something more papa turned me towards him and said.

"Tesoro, you see--your brother was just being paranoid earlier."

"Paranoid ?"

"Si." Papa nodded, "After not seeing for almost 30 minutes anywhere in the mansion and no one knows where you were ? He--we kinda thought that you ran away again from us after being upset over something."

My throat went dry after hearing papa. Guilt again caught to me like fire and burned me.

I realised I never apologized for nor I assured them all that I will not do anything like that again.

I wasn't a fool to repeat the same thing again and ended up in a problem like last time.

I turned around and walked towards Xander. I stood in front of him and grabbed his big hands in my small ones.

Xander tensed but didn't pull away and just stared down at me.

Taking a deep breath I began to speak up.

"Back then I didn't know I had a family. I didn't know someone was finding me day & night." My eyes glanced at my eldest brother & papa whose eyes softened.

"I didn't know they were people who cared about me this much." I glanced around my remaining brothers, making sure my sincere words were addressed to them as well.

"But I do know now. I do know--I have a family who cares about me like no one ever did before." I softly said.

"I accept I shouldn't have tried to run away like that in the past. I should have waited & faced it before taking such a rash decision of running away from you all." I breathe out, wearily.

"But I was scared. I was scared to live with people who I have no idea existed, to live under the same roof filled with strangers--I wasn't ready for something like that."

Xander's hands slightly tightened around me but I faintly smiled as I looked up at him and continued.

"But now as I come here, spend some time with you all, slowly get to know about you all--I ain't scared anymore in fact I am glad I came here to my real family back."

As these words left my lips, I heard a sharp intake of breaths while Xander's eyes softened as he looked down at me.

"So the conclusion is--I am not that stupid to repeat the same mistake of running away from such a loving family of mine again." I said with a smile and Xander's lips switched slightly upwards.

"Forgive me for trying to run away from you all. I assure you I ain't pulling a stunt like that again."

Just as those words left my lips I was pulled into a tight hug surprisingly by Xander himself.

I stood frozen in my place. Realising that my brother who ignores my presence like I don't exist around him is actually right now hugging me tightly.

"Bene. Perché la prossima volta che proverai a scappare da noi, da me, non mi dispiacerebbe rinchiuderti nella tua villa, shorty." Xander mumbled near my ear and he sounded quite serious but nonetheless a chuckle left my lips before I wrapped my arms around him as well, hugging him back.

(Good. Because next time you try to run away from us, from me--I wouldn't mind locking you up in our mansion, shorty)

"Puoi farlo. Anche a me non dispiacerebbe, ma sappi solo che non ne avresti la possibilità." I said, playfully yet my voice held seriousness in it.

(You can do that. I wouldn't mind as well but just know you wouldn't get a chance to do it)

"Sisy--how do you do this ?!" Our hug was broken as Franceso's voice ranged in our ears.

I turned to look at him, "Do what ?"

"Turning the raging bull into a pookie brother of yours !!" He said pointing towards Xander who looked ready to pounce.

Pookie ? I blinked, twice.

"How dare you call me a bull, you pig !" Xander yelled at Francesco.

"I called you a pookie as well bro." Francesco shrugged, casually.

I bite my lips, trying to control my laugh. I looked around and others were trying to control themselves as well but a smile was there on everyone's face making the heavy air around us disappear and replace it with a joyful air.

"I am not a f*king pookie !" Xander snapped.

"Xander, no cursing please." I said.

"Ugh ! Fine."

That's it. A roar of laughter filled in the surrounding as Matteo & Massimo barked in loud cackling, Galene & Dante shook heads, Francesco, papa & Alessandro were smirking and Xander looked away, his ears slightly turning pink.

Meanwhile I was busy admiring my lovely family.

Mumma would be happy to see them like these as well.

"Okay enough, It's breakfast time now. Come my little doughnut--you must be hungry while reading so much." Luciano said as he grabbed my hand and started to pull me towards the dinning room.

"Yup ! kinda hungry." I sheepishly said.

"That's lovely to hear." He said planted a quick peck on my temple while continuing to drag me with him.

Valentina's POV End's

Alessandro's POV

I watched as Luciano dragged away our princess while my remaining siblings except Dante followed them, bickering & teasing each other.

I & Dante stood beside Dad as we watched them go, leaving us behind in silence.

"I felt terrible making my daughter feel guilty when she didn't do anything wrong in the first place." Dad's heavy voice ranged in my ears and I turned towards him.

"Dad--we all know why you did that. Don't feel terrible about it please." I said, firmly.

"Alessandro is right, dad. If you didn't handl the situation--Valentina would have grown more suspicious and won't stop until she got her answer." Dante added, looking ahead.

"She is a stubborn little thing." Dante muttered but we heard making us chuckle cause we agreed with him.

"Our Princess is just like her mother. She would get extremely stubborn when she needed answers to her questions. And dare you ignore her and she won't let you in peace. She inherited that from her wonderful mother." Dad voiced out, chuckling quietly.

I totally agree with my father. The time I had spent with Valentina I got to know she is curious about a lot of things and she doesn't hide it instead she asked, she voiced out which is something she wouldn't do in the initial days of living here with us.

But as time passed by--my princess is slowly getting out of her cocoon and exploring which is both good & bad in my opinion.

Good--because it shows that she is getting comfortable with us, slowly starting to trust us.

Bad--because she would question things which she shouldn't around her that I wanted her to be oblivious of.

"Agreed. Like mama, like daughter." I said with a faint smile.

"But what Xander said today even if it was in pure anger--it was absolutely true." Dante stated, gravely.

The faint smile on my lips vanished and my face hardened.

"Xander was being disrespectful. Something I wouldn't allow." I voiced out, coldly glancing at my father who shook his head, sighing.

"Let Xander go this time, son. I can understand his fear of losing his sister." Dad said.

"Still he doesn't get to point at your decision, dad." I firmly said.

I knew, we all knew why dad took this decision. I agree I was not that much of a fan of dad's decision before but now I could understand his pov better.

Dad was just scared to loose his daughter and I wasn't any better.

The thought of my princess seeing me or her brothers & her father as some monsters clenched my heart painfully.

No ! I can't see that nor I will let that happen.

I am ready for anything even to take a bullet inside me but I ain't ready to see those hazel eyes filled with hate towards me.

"If my decision is wrong then I don't mind my own son pointing at it." Dad voiced out.

He glanced at me, "And looks like I did take a wrong decision this time."

"No you didn't dad." I was quick to said. If I trust anybody's decision other than me is my father & grandfather.

These two man could never take a wrong decision.

"Maybe hiding the truth from Valentina isn't a best thing to do but she isn't ready for it. When the right time comes we will tell her and I have faith in my princess she will understand us at that time." I voiced out, fimr & grave.

Dad faintly smiled and slowly nodded his head and began to move in the direction of dinning room as well where his daughter & sons awaits for him.

Dante & I followed him behind and I heard Dante whispering more to himself.

"I hope that the right time comes before it's too late."

*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*

Hey yo beautiful & handsome people. This is Chapter 18. Hope you like it !

Did I give you a mini heart attack by this chapter ?👀🤭

Just a glimpse of what might happen when Valentina will know the truth or how her family will react to it.

Next chapter might have some high-school drama hehe😎

Share your thoughts on this chapter please !!

What's with the "next update please" only ?! I type such long chapters just to see my comment section filled with these--"author next update please" words only.

My mood gets off seeing your cold participation like these and I don't have a motivation to write so do something about it guyss !!

*Sigh* Let's see if you ignore me this time or actually listen to me🤷🏻

Bye, take care.

Thank you, everyone : )

Words Count :- 4807