Staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours and counting the number of places she could spot dirt on it, Gia decided to pick up a book and read. The bell for breakfast rang over an hour ago but she made no effort to leave her room. She remained in her bed, still in her pajamas shorts and an oversized shirt she slept in. Her hair was a mess but it didn't matter to her. She brushed her teeth while reading a book about the history of the Grey Cobras.
There was a knock on the door and she quickly tried to fix her hair. Maybe it was Alvan. Her heart leapt in her chest at the thought but she tried to play it cool as she went to the door.
It was Adriana. She felt both disappointed and relieved all at once.
"Hi," she smiled nervously at Gia and glanced behind her. "Can I come in?" she nodded her head towards the tray of food in her hands.
Gia followed her movement and saw the tray, she quickly stepped aside. She let Adriana in and shut the door behind them.
"Where can I place this?" Adriana turned to her.
Gia took the tray from her and walked to the other side of the room that looked like a mini lounge and placed it on the small table at the center. There were two couches. One long and one small.
"Did you sneak this?" Gia asked as she placed it down.
"Yes," Adriana replied with a smile. She was about Gia's age, only a couple of years younger but she seemed a bit shy around Gia. "I noticed that you skipped dinner and I didn't see you at breakfast so I decided to bring some for you."
Gia smiled gratefully, "Thank you. But this is a lot. You're eating this too right?" she asked and lowered herself on the floor.
"I packed for three actually. Javan will be joining us shortly. He'll be bringing the drinks," she answered and Javan walked in immediately with a shopping bag that looked quite heavy.
"Hey! We were just talking about you," Gia said and removed the covering on the tray, there was bacons, eggs, toast, sandwich, syrup and waffles. The aroma of the meal filled the room causing her taste buds to water.
"Smells like heaven," Javan sighed and went to sit with the girls who were on the floor who were ready to dive in and start eating.
"Tastes even more heavenly," Gia hummed as she took a bite of her sandwich.
"I wasn't sure what drinks to bring so I got smoothies and yogurt too," he said.
"Perfect," Adriana said and picked a pancake.
The trio chatted and ate to their fill. Gia's cheeks hurt from laughing so much, her tummy from eating so much and she felt grateful to both Javan and Adriana. She was especially grateful for Javan.
There was a violent knock on the door and they all froze then looked at each other. There was another knock and Gia hurried to get the door.
Francesca pushed Gia aside and tried to walk inside her room but she grabbed her hand and pushed her right out of the door.
"What the heck, Francesca?" Gia yelled, still at the door.
"How dare you push me like that?" the older woman yelled back.
"If you don't have any bit of courtesy then please allow me to smack it right back into your head. What gives you the gut to knock at my door like that, push me aside and even try to barge into my room without my permission?" Gia was bright red with anger and her body visibly trembled.
"It seems like the little attention Omri has given you is getting to your head too much. You have no right to talk to me in such a manner," Francesca warningly pointed a finger at her.
"You are one wrong word away from getting a punch to your gut and trust me, you're going to look far worse than Camilla," she threatened.
Francesca took a few steps back but tried to maintain her stance, "I am not here to create trouble, I am just here for my daughter."
Adriana meekly stepped in front of Gia and her mother grabbed her hand.
"How many times have I warned you about trying to make friends with her?" Francesca slapped her across the face.
Gia tried to help but Javan quickly grabbed her hand before she could do anything that would get her into trouble.
Adriana took a beating from her mom without trying to defend herself from the slaps and kicks.
Gia couldn't take it, she slipped from Javan's arms and pulled Francesca away from her and stood between them.
"That's enough!" Gia barked in frustration. "Why would you even do that to her?
"This is all your fault! I don't want you anywhere near my daughter. Just mind your own business and leave us alone!"
"That is not your decision to make."
"Gia, just leave them to sort things out on their own. You're only going to make things worse," Javan tried to talk her out of whatever she was trying to do.
"You should listen to him," Francesca taunted, which only infuriated Gia the more.
Gia grabbed her by the arm but strong arms held her around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides and pulling her away. Francesca took the chance to launch at Gia, she tried to grab her by the neck but another pair of arms held her back. She managed to grab on to some of Gia's hair and yanked it.
Gia hissed in pain and kicked her shin. Francesca yelped and released the hair involuntarily.
Renzo pulled Francesca away and Alvan pulled Gia into their room. Javan looked at Alvan apologetically and excused them.
"What is wrong with you? Does everything about you need to end with violence?" Alvan yelled at her.
"She started all of this!"
"It doesn't matter who started what because wherever you are, someone is always getting either pissed off or injured."
Gia felt helpless at his words. He was never on her side, always thought the worst of her and even though she was supposed to get used to it, she felt hurt every single time.
She was quiet for a long time, her nostrils flaring with her heavy breathing, "I hate you," she said bitterly and ran to the bathroom.
Alvan sat down heavily on the bed and closed his eyes. His elbows rested on his thighs and his face was buried in his hands. It was definitely not the welcome he was hoping for. He knew he handled the situation poorly but he didn't really care at that point. The look in her eyes haunted him and he tried to fight the emotions he was feeling on the inside. Instead of resting, he went right back to work to keep his body and mind occupied.
x x x
"What is wrong with you Francesca?" Renzo asked, deathly calm as always.
"What is wrong with me? First of all, why isn't Omri doing anything to Gia? Renzo, she hurt your sister and she deserves to be punished! And now she attacked your own wife! I am not going to accept this. She deserves to be punished," Francesca exclaimed and threw her hands wildly in the air.
Renzo moved his gaze from the mirror in front of him where he was knotting his tie, to his wife standing at the door still fuming in anger. "What proof do you have?" he asked. His voice, even and calm.
"How can you say that?" she looked at him incredulously and walked towards him to help him knot his tie. "You saw what happened."
"No, I didn't," he said.
Francesca tightened the tie more than necessary but he stayed quiet. "Javan was there. Adriana was there too! And even that day, you were there too."
"No, I wasn't. Gia is not stupid enough to do that. Either Camilla fell by accident and blamed it on Gia or_," he shrugged his shoulders suggestively.
Francesca gasped, "You don't think Camilla would stoop so low as to frame Gia, do you?"
Renzo cleared his throat, "It is possible. Anything is possible."
"I'm starting to think that what Sophia said about Omri is true. I just hope that you two aren't sharing the Salvatore girl."
"Excuse me?" he stared at her bemused.
"Excuse you! Explain to me how or why else you two would choose an enemy over your family. Even her husband is not on her side!"
"Francesca! Do you hear how ridiculous you sound? Are you accusing me of cheating? Even if I wanted to cheat on you, do you think you can do anything about that? Say all you want about Omri but make sure it doesn't get to his ears because you will suffer a fate worse than Sophia's and I would do nothing to help!" he raved. "So much for trusting your husband," he added and yanked the tie off his neck, threw it on the bed before storming off.
Matteo walked in after his father and met his mother pacing in the room. "What was that about?" he asked quietly.
"I just thought I was trying to help. To help Camilla get the justice she deserves. And that little stunt she pulled today, she is not getting away with that. I won't let it happen."
"Omri decides that. Who gets and does not get justice solely depends on him. As much as I dislike the girl, we must stay on Omri's good side. And I think padre feels this way too. You can't expect him to go against his Capo," Matteo said.
"That is the problem! Gia knows this and is using it to her advantage. She is Capo's whore and she knows that he has a soft spot for her, that's why she's going around terrorizing everyone she comes in contact with!"
"Mamma, do you hear yourself? Do you even hear how that sounds? How did Gia move from being an enemy to being Capo's whore? Do you realize the gravity of your words?"
"Sophia knew about it and that was why her brother locked her away to silence her from speaking the truth," she told him sagely.
"That is a serious allegation. Even if it is true, there is no rule that stops a married man from sleeping out."
"But there is one against married women isn't it? Come to think of it, if we can prove that the girl is cheating on her husband, even Omri will not be able to protect her," Francesca smiled cynically.
"I hope you have a way of protecting Alvan as you are trying to bring down his wife. Whether he has accepted her or not, she is still his wife by name so anything that tarnishes her image tarnishes his as well," Matteo warned her.
"What do you know about society? No one will blame him for being unable to tame the wild animal he has for a wife," she felt so happy for figuring a way to help the Martinelli sisters.
"And in all this, you'll be making an enemy out of Omri."
"He won't find out."
"You are on your own," Matteo lifted his hands up to indicate that he was not a part of it. He left the room to go and find Javan.
* * *
Javan bounced on his feet refraining himself from taking out his anger on his older brother.
Matteo looked between the two brothers. While one was agitated, the other was calm. Too calm for what he had expected.
"Capo won't let anything happen to her no matter the plot so there is nothing to be worried about," Alvan said nonchalantly.
"Nothing to worry about?" Javan's head almost exploded. "Gia is practically defenseless here. I get that you don't owe her anything but do you have to be this heartless? What did she ever do to you?"
"If you want to protect her, go ahead. I'm not going to stop you but you're going to have to choose between loyalty to your family and loyalty to her," Alvan replied.
"So that's what this is about? You're torn."
"I am not torn," Alvan corrected. "I have taken a side."
"Who would have thought that you would turn to the monster we swore never to become? Just look at you, you have turned out to be every bit like him," Javan said, feeling sick of his brother's attitude and stormed out of the room with rage.
Javan's words pricked his conscience. As young boys, seeing how their father treated their mom, they swore never to be as cruel as their father but who knew that he would grow up to be just like him.
"Forget that this conversation ever happened," Alvan said to Matteo.
Matteo hesitated but left anyway. He had played his part, it was left for him to decide whether to help his wife or not.
He glanced at his wristwatch and realized that it was almost midnight. He was tired. He walked out of his office which was at the far end of the hallway and went to his room.
She had dozed off while reading a book about the history of the Grey Cobras. Even in her sleep, her brows were creased. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen in his life.
He made sure to leave as much space between them as possible and layed down next to her. He watched her sleep till he dozed off.
The last thing he thought about was the look of disdain in her eyes and the words that were like daggers to his heart, 'I hate you.'