Matteo’s POV
I watched Giselle open the door wider, almost bumping into the maid who had announced her daughter’s return. Aurora glanced at me and got up to go after her, giving me signs to do the same.
Sofia sat on the couch with Danilo placing his hand on her shoulder. I glared at him and he retracted his hands quickly and straightened.
“Where have you been, Sofia?” Giselle asked in a shrill voice and wrapped her arms around Sofia’s neck.
I looked away, trying to remember if my mother ever held me in such tender and loving manner. She always pushed me away and sometimes I wondered if she actually gave birth to me.
“I’m sorry, mother, but I just couldn’t deal with what I saw.” Sofia replied, causing Giselle to pull away from the hug.
I slanted a look at Aurora and discovered an uncanny resemblance between her and Sofia. I shook off the thought, knowing that they weren’t related in anyway.
Aurora glanced at me with a pitiful expression on her face. She looked like she wanted to take away their pain.
“We will excuse the both of you so that you can talk about it.” I suggested but Giselle shook her head.
“Stay, please.”
I sank gently on the armchair and watched both mother and daughter discuss what happened. Then gazed at Danilo whose eyes were fixed on his fiance. His eyes held compassion and maybe love for her. I couldn’t tell yet.
“Alright. Go on,” I said to Sofia who was visibly shaking.
Giselle straightened on the chair which caused a scratching sound and palmed Sofia’s face.
“Tell me, baby, what really happened?” She pleaded.
“Why did you kill dad?”
Giselle flinched and I realised that her daughter didn’t know about it yet, or she had known and that was why she fled. At least, she didn’t come running to me. It showed that she cared for her mother and she was just in shock.
“I didn’t intend to kill him, Sofia. He would have probably beat me to death for talking with her,” Giselle said and pointed at Aurora who squeezed her arm. “But how did you know? I thought that you were out with your friends?”
Sofia nodded. “I was out with them, then I decided to return home and talk to you for a while when I saw all that blood. I didn’t think, so I just ran to Danilo’s house. He was surprised to see me but I just told him that I wanted to cool off for a bit.”
Bunch of loyal people, I thought.
My eyes darted around, feeling a bit more security conscious knowing that it was a family conversation and someone might try to be funny.
“I didn’t kill him intentionally. He has always been hurting me, you know that. I just couldn’t take it anymore,” She said in a croaked tone.
Sofia surprised us all by pulling her mother for a hug. They stayed that way for a long time before she pulled away from her.
“I’m sorry for scaring you. We were both hurt by him and I’ll never forgive him for making my childhood filled with several bad memories. He was a monster and it’s sad that you had to end him yourself.”
They both looked relieved and I imagined my future wife and daughter being relieved after my death. It wasn’t what I aimed for if I had one.
I glanced at Danilo who was still staring at Sofia and decided that it was time to have a conversation with him. “I need to talk to you in private, Danilo.”
Sofia jerked to her feet. “Please don’t hurt him. He wasn’t comfortable with my presence at first but I persuaded him to let me stay.” She pleaded on his behalf while Danilo remained silent, his hands in the pocket of his pants.
For sure I wouldn’t hurt him because the both of them were already nurturing something, and it was good that they were getting married soon. Her father had arranged him for her because he thought that Danilo would continue from where he stopped, but their union would prove otherwise.
“Come with me, Danilo.” I said and turned away, heading for the attic which was upstairs.
He was a quiet man who barely talked too much. But people mistook his silence for weakness, just like they did with me.
Mine was a little different because I was cold and unpredictable, but it didn’t stop me from being cheesy with the people I cared about, like Matteo and Aurora.
He cleared his throat. “I know that what I did was stupid and out of line, but I couldn’t just turn her away when she needed my help. Besides, I’ll be married to her soon.”
“Do you feel anything for her?” I asked quietly and he looked away.
“I can’t tell, Matteo, but the urge to protect her and make her happy wells up strongly in me.”
I nodded, my expression remaining unreadable. His shoulders were tense because he didn’t know what to expect.
“Then do that. Don’t be like her father who wasn’t just sadistic but a traitor,”
He slanted a surprised glance at me.
“He betrayed us?”
“Yes, he did. And I’m sure you know why he wanted you to marry his daughter.”
“I do.” He replied and patted his shoulder then walked away with my hands on my back.
I returned to the living room and met the women chatting happily. My presence caused them to pause in respect for me.
Aurora got up, settling her smokey gray eyes on me in a manner I couldn’t fathom. She looked so beautiful and I just wanted to make her mine. I’d maim and kill any man who would try to take her from me.
“Matteo, Giselle and Sofia have a problem.” She stated and my hands, which I didn’t know were curled into fists, unfolded.
“What is the problem?”
“They can’t stay here anymore, especially Sofia.”
Aurora didn’t explain further but I understood why. She couldn’t have peace in this house knowing that her father was murdered here. The house had several bad memories in it.
“They’ll stay in my house,”
“They’ll live with me,”
Both Danilo and I said it at the same time, watching their reactions.
“So who would you like to live with?” Aurora asked.