Aurora’s POV
“How do you feel?” Aunt Giselle asked, placing a small cold towel on my forehead to reduce my temperature.
“I don’t know what I feel, aunt, but I’m very sure that I regret my actions. Matteo hates me now and because of me Angelo despises you too.” I lamented, willing myself not to cry as I recounted my problems.
“It’s not your fault that Angelo feels that way for me, darling. It’s because he cannot tell that we are two different people who have been hurt by the mistake of his father. If they think that we are both evil then they don’t deserve us.” She replied, as she trailed my scalp with her fingers which had a soothing effect on me.
Though uncertainty settled at the pit of my stomach, I was happy that I wasn’t alone. When I told her that I was going to leave the house, she didn’t accept it until I allowed her to follow me. Sometimes, I felt that she had the spirit of my mother.
“Thank you for being here with me, auntie. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.” I acknowledged, holding her hand as she flashed me a smile.
“You and Sofia are all I have. I thought that Angelo was with me but now it seems like relationships aren’t meant for me.” She replied wistfully.
I shook my head and immediately a sharp pain through it caused me to wince. I needed a lot of rest as I kept thinking about Matteo and how he was feeling. If he was eating or sleeping well but with his pale face and the black patches under his eyes, I could tell he was doing neither of them.
“Let’s go out later. It could be the park or a nice restaurant, but I want us to leave this hotel and relax a little.” I suggested as the atmosphere in the room since we left Matteo’s mansion was depressing and I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Which place do you have in mind?” She replied with enthusiasm.
Since we were no longer at Tribeca, I didn’t have any idea of nice places we could go to. “Don’t worry about that, I’ll do some research. Just take a nap before we leave,” I advised her and she gave my shoulder a squeeze before leaving my room.
My eyes took in the details of the room, especially the floor to ceiling window which was covered with a silky floral curtain having a cream coloured background. The light brown sofa matched the curtains and the television settee.
Matteo had paid for a nice suite that I’d stay in while I searched for a house. While I stirred on the bed in restlessness, I remembered Mrs Fernandez culinary class and the days I’d missed. I had to make my life useful so I decided to resume the next day.
Other unnerving thoughts kept flashing into my mind so I shut my eyes and waited for sleep to take over.
************
Hours later, Aunt Giselle and I were all ready to go to the park. I felt an inner burst of excitement when I remembered that I’d be free to walk around without any bodyguard. Demetrio’s face flashed into my mind and I said a prayer for him. My uncle and his men caused his death, they had done a lot of things that I wasn’t sure I would forgive.
I wore a sunflower dress which fitted my new pregnant figure and a straw hat then a pair of flat sandals on my feet. Aunt Giselle wore a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, donning a nice dark shade which made her look younger than her original age.
“Pregnancy has nothing on you, Aurora. You look so beautiful,” She commented but I found it hard to believe because I added some weight recently.
“Why can’t I believe that?” I retorted with a shrug.
She chuckled and wore her hand bag over her neck. “Because I’m not Matteo. Let’s go, honey.”
The path to Father Fagan park was straight and filled with nice flowers. It even had a pool then a small pond which had some ducks in it. The sight helped to release the tension in my mind as I inhaled deeply and exhaled.
For a moment, I forgot about everyone and everything and then focused on myself. I loved Matteo, but I wouldn’t chase after him anymore. If Matteo thought I was so cheap to sleep with his younger brother then our relationship was more damaged than I thought.
I heard footsteps behind me then my eyes flickered open with Aunt Giselle standing beside me around the pond. It had a rail where we could rest on and watch the ducks play.
“I miss Sofia.” She admitted, her eyes were filled with sadness which caused me to sigh.
Ever since we were kidnapped, she refused to talk to me or her mother. To her I was a murderer and her mother was my accomplice. I didn’t want to blame her so much because she wasn’t in my shoes and she didn’t know how they hurt.
“She’s your daughter and I believe she will come around.” I replied.
“I hope so too because I’m tired of waiting. How could she treat me that way after everything I’ve done for her?” She lamented while I caressed my protruding stomach and hoped that my child would never turn his or her back on me.
I glanced at the other side of the park where a couple were making out intensely. It reminded me of my moments with Matteo then I almost looked away but a man on black caught my attention. I kept staring at him till I recognised him.
He worked with the Outfit and if he was here then it wasn’t a mere coincidence, Matteo had sent him to watch over me. The realisation filled me with hope that he still cared for me and with time would later forgive me. I caressed the ring that he gave me the night he asked me to be his girlfriend, a smile lighting up my face as I remembered how happy I was.
Sometimes I wondered how my hatred for him turned into love. Maybe it was because the hatred wasn’t deep enough or I couldn’t just stay without falling for him.
“Let’s go to the pool, won’t you like to have a swim?” Aunt Giselle urged but the sight of the pool scared me because of what happened the last time.
“You can go ahead, I need to use the toilet.” I replied and she nodded then stalked off to the pool.
I returned to the entrance of the park so I could be directed on how to get to the toilet. Luckily, I found a tour guide who helped me out. I raced all the way there, hoping that I wouldn’t pee on myself.
While heading for the toilet, I felt uneasy. Not because of the man watching me but something felt off so I quickly eased myself with my eyes scanning every corner of the bathroom.
I rushed out as soon as I was done and headed for the pool so that we could leave. Aunt Giselle had already taken off her clothes, her bare skin smooth and alluring.
How could Angelo ignore all of these? I thought to myself.
“We have to leave, auntie. I don’t feel comfortable here anymore.” I uttered, as I tried to calm my paranoia.
“Why do you say so? I thought you wanted to be in the pack?” She replied, her arched brows and fallen countenance showing disappointment.
“I think we should leave….” My words were cut short as I felt a sharp object burst through the left side of my stomach, then a loud sound resonated in the pool which caused people to run helter-skelter.
My legs began to buckle while aunt Giselle held onto me, screaming that I shouldn’t give up yet. With each passing second, I lost strength as I felt blood seep out of my stomach.
“My… ba.. by” I stuttered as my eyes turned dizzy and my head touched the floor. Then I fell to the ground and everywhere turned pitch black.