The sound of rain echoed in the air as the raindrops fell on the floor-to-ceiling glass window. The dark clouds had been in the dark sky for hours without any desire to leave. It had been pouring for hours, like mourning someone's loss. Like years ago, they did it for Isabella.
The day was like that day. It was raining heavily like that day. The weather was gloomy like that nightmarish day. Like the day Isabella lost everything, like the day her life turned upside down, like the day her precious family got destroyed.
Isabella stared out of the window, watching the rain descend on the earth blankly as she recalled that day. She still remembered every single moment of that day. Her chest heaved as she slowly relived that time.
It had been five years. Five years since her parents' deaths. Five years had passed since she left her country, her home. It had been exactly five painful years.
That day, they left the country hurriedly with alternative identities so that no one could track them down. Their parents had created alternative identities for Isabella and Andrew so that they could leave the country as soon as possible without any trouble and without leaving any trace of them.
After they landed in Country Averna, they went to the house their dad had prepared for them. Everything was well prepared. From their alternative identities to the place they would live and way more than enough money to spend. And their dad had told Andrew about all of this the exact day before the incident.
It was as if their parents knew that sooner or later they had to send their children to Country Averna. It was like they had already predicted their deaths. It made them more curious about the murderer and the reason behind it.
There had to be a reason for them to kill their parents, as well as a reason for their parents' fear. But what could be the reason? And who was the murderer that their parents feared?
The deaths of their parents devastated them. Their lives were filled with nothing but darkness. Isabella couldn't move on. The image of the house burning and her parents being inside the house burning haunted Isabella. And she slowly started to have nightmares.
Andrew was in the same state as Isabella. He kept blaming himself for their parents' deaths. But he stayed strong and managed to handle both Isabella and himself.
They mourned their parents' deaths for days, and with each passing day, their thirst for revenge increased.
And after a month, they slowly started working on finding the murderer and building their influence. As they started to become powerful, they slowly uncovered many truths. Truths that made them shocked.
They found out that their dad was involved in the underworld, and their mom knew about it. They were involved with someone big, and that someone was in the underworld. But who it was, they still didn't know. And they kind of suspected that person.
Andrew and Isabella understood that to find the deepest secret, they had to enter the underworld. Andrew wanted to make Isabella stay far away from there, but Isabella refused. She also wanted to enter the underworld and help find the truth, but Andrew strongly opposed it.
Andrew wanted his little sister safe and sound. He had lost his parents and been through unimaginable pain, and he refused to go through it again. His last bit of sanity was his little sister. He couldn't afford to lose her too.
No matter how much Isabella tried to convince Andrew, his decision didn't waver. In the end, Isabella gave in to Andrew's stubbornness. Isabella worked on building their power and influence on the outside while Andrew handled the underworld.
It took them a lot of time to build their power. Especially for Andrew. It was hard for him to build his power in the underworld. But in the end, he did it. He had become one of the dangerous clan leaders in the underworld, while Isabella succeeded in building the most successful company in country Averna.
She had also built influence in other countries, along with Italy. It wasn't easy for Isabella, but she didn't give up until she succeeded. And she wouldn't give up until she got her revenge.
A knock echoed in the air, pulling Isabella from her deep thought. She looked at the door as it slightly opened, and a head peeked out.
A little boy stood in front of the door, peeking inside the room. His golden eyes stared at Isabella innocently, and he asked cutely,
"Can I come in, Mommy?"
The blankness in Isabella's eyes disappeared and was replaced with softness and warmth. A smile spread across Isabella's lips, and she uttered, her voice soft and tender,
"Yes, sweetheart. Come here."
The little boy opened the door completely and slowly strode toward Isabella with his little feet. He stopped in front of her, and she carried him and made him sit on her lap. The little boy looked at Isabella and asked, his voice soft,
"Are you too busy, Mommy?"
Isabella looked at her son, kissed his soft cheeks, and asked, her voice gentle,
"No, I'm not. What happened, baby?"
"It's dinnertime, but you are not coming. That's why I come to take you," the little boy said in his tiny voice.
The little boy's words made Isabella's eyes widen, and she quickly looked at the clock on the wall to see it was already past dinnertime.
Isabella was in her home office and had just finished her work when she noticed the heavy rain. Seeing the rain, she was so immersed in her past memories that she didn't notice the time.
Isabella cursed herself in her mind for forgetting dinnertime when she knew pretty well that her babies wouldn't eat without her. She looked at her son guiltily and said apologetically,
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't notice the time."
The little boy smiled at his mommy and said, understandably,
"I understand, Mommy. You don't have to apologize. I know you are busy."
Isabella's heart softened at her little boy's words, and she patted his head gently while uttering,
"Thank you for understanding, sweetheart."
"Shall we go, Mommy? Uncle Andrew and Aria are waiting for us," the little boy said sweetly.
Isabella smiled and nodded while saying,
"Yes, let's go."
Isabella stood up with the little boy in her arms and made her way to the dining room. As she stepped inside the dining room, a little girl sitting at the dining table beamed and said excitedly,
"Mommy."
Isabella smiled at the little girl and kissed her cheek after placing the little boy in his seat. Isabella sat in her seat and let out,
"I'm sorry for making you wait, my sweetheart."
"It's okay, Mommy. Aria didn't wait long," Aria said sweetly, making Isabella's heart fill with warmth.
Isabella looked at her children in awe, as she felt blessed to have such considerate and cute children.
"Shall we start eating those delicious dishes?" Andrew said, making everyone nod.
They all started eating their meal while listening to Aria, who was talking a mile a minute about everything and nothing. Isabella stared at her little babies with soft eyes and a bright smile on her lips.
Angelo Russo and Aria Russo were Isabella's four-year-old babies. They were the light in her darkness.
A few months after coming to Averna, Isabella found herself pregnant with Nicholas's child. She was scared, but she was more happy. She had told her brother about everything, yet not everything.
Andrew was at first angry at Isabella's ex-friend and wanted to go back right away to Italy and make her suffer. But Isabella stopped him. She wanted to make Angela suffer too, but it wasn't the time yet.
She would put her through hell, but only when the right time comes. Isabella wanted to keep the baby, and Andrew supported her.
Several months later, Isabella gave birth to twins. She was beyond happy, and Andrew welcomed the babies happily. Andrew spoiled his little nephew and niece to no end. He didn't even let Isabella scold them.
Angelo and Aria were the lights that brightened Isabella and Andrew's world. They were their only source of happiness.
Angelo was a spitting mini version of Nicholas. He had beautiful golden eyes, jet black hair, and tan skin. Angelo also had Nicholas's temper. Angry Angelo was really scary.
While Aria was the mixed version of Nicholas and Isabella. She had her father's stunning golden eyes and her mother's ebony black hair. Aria could be sweet like a princess, but she could also be a scary devil.
Nevertheless, they were Isabella's soul. Isabella couldn't imagine her life without them. They were the only reason for her sanity.
As they finished their dinner, Isabella made the twins ready for bed and made them fall asleep. She kissed their foreheads before walking to her bedroom. Isabella met Andrew on the way to her bedroom, and Andrew smiled warmly before asking seriously yet softly,
"Are you ready, princess?"
Isabella looked at him with a smirk, understanding what he meant, and she whispered, her voice filled with confidence,
"More than I have ever been."
Andrew's smile widened, and he kissed her forehead before whispering,
"Good night, princess."
"Good night." Isabella uttered, smiling.
As Andrew retreated to his room, Isabella went to her room and stood in front of the window. The moonlight fell on her as she became lost in her thoughts.
As Isabella said to Andrew, she was ready, ready for revenge.
After a long time, they had finally gotten a solid clue. And that clue was a person who knew who killed their parents. He was in Italy. And they needed to meet him personally. That was why Isabella and Andrew decided to go back to Italy.
They were not afraid anymore. But people should be afraid of them. He should be afraid of them. They had more than enough power now. They were ready.
Now, tomorrow, they were going back to Italy. They were going back to their home after five years. They were going back to the beginning. To make them pay for their sins, to make them suffer, to take revenge.