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2- Engagement- Part 1

Isabella

-Present Day-

“Neonata (Baby Girl)” calls a voice. At the sound of the voice I can’t help but turn, only to notice it was my father. “Yes Papa?” I ask as I move to sit up from my spot on the lounge chair as I had been reading a book in the library.

As my eyes move towards that of my father, I can’t help but notice his disheveled hair. His tailored suit now wrinkled as if he had been dreading something for awhile before finally making up his mind to tell me.

“There’s something I would like to discuss with you, but your mother had asked that she be included as well” admits father.

“Mama? Is everything okay?” I ask, silently hoping that everything was okay, for papa had rarely ever got flustered let alone worried as he was a successful businessman. He made his living by being the top dog and it was how we were able to afford the kind of life we had.

“I’m afraid it's not Principessa (Princess)” voiced father. His facial expression grim as he motioned for me to follow. Frowning I do as I’m told, setting the book aside before moving to follow my father as he moves to lead me back towards his studies. A place I’ve only ever been in once and that was because I had gotten in trouble at school because of some bitch who tried to pick a fight.

Upon entering his studies, I can’t help but notice mother who was currently sitting in a chair next to his desk. Her dress was a little wrinkled as if she had been scrunching the fabric with her hands. “Mama” I called, catching her attention as I did. “Is everything okay?”

“No my sweet little tesoro (Treasure)” cries mother. Once fully in the room does father move to sit at his desk, taking a seat behind it before gesturing to the last empty seat, in which I did.

“Okay… What’s going on here” I ask, now suddenly nervous as fuck.

Sighing, my father moves to speak. “Sweetheart, there’s something you should know. Over the past 5 years my company and I have been struggling, struggling with the amount of debt that has been piling up”.

“What? How is that possible? Your successful Papa, no one could fail like this” I stammer. “There’s just no way that you could have gone that far into debt”.

“Believe me, I wouldn’t be saying this if it weren’t true” admits father, his gray blue eyes moving towards mine. “Unfortunately, my company is on the verge of bankruptcy and all because my investors decided to do some shady business with other people”.

“What kind of business? And how does that affect me?” I ask.

“You remember me telling you about the Salvatore and the Monocchino’s right?” asks father. Nodding, I wait to listen as no one dared to go against 2 of the most hated Mafia families known to man. Not even the police could stand against them.

“Well according to my intel, my investors have been working with them for the past 5 years while selling all my important information to them. Information that could make or break my company. So out of desperation I reached out to the D’Amico family” says father, sighing as he did.

“T-The D’Amico” I ask, my breath shaking at the thought of the top Mafia family in all of America. “Why?” panicking, I move to stand, slowly realizing what my father had done. “How could you?”

“I’m sorry, I was desperate to save my company, desperate to help my family. Now I’m in debt to them and they're now asking for payment” whispers father. His eyes moved to rest on top of his desk before speaking. Choosing his next words carefully.

“What’s the payment? Money? Odd jobs? What?” I ordered not wanting him to sugar coat anything after learning that my family was basically poor.

“They’ve asked for you” whispers mother, her tears now falling down her face as she moves to look at me, having kept silent during the whole exchange with my father.

“What?” I whisper. No this couldn’t be happening. I was only 25 and here I was, a bargaining chip between my father and the D’Amico family. A business transaction to help pull my father’s company out of the gutter and all because of those stupid investors. I had known deep down they were shady. I just hadn’t known just how shady.

“I’m afraid so, my tesoro (Treasure)” is all my father says. “Se miso (I hate you)” I mumble as tears begin to rise. “I HATE YOU!” then with nothing else I run. Running for the door I move to leave the room as tears begin to make themselves known.

How could he do that? How could my own father sell me off like some piece of property. I had dreams. I wanted to go off to college, maybe study abroad in either Greece or Italy. Study art or fashion with a minor in design. Now… Now I can’t.

At the pain of being betrayed I quickly move towards my room. Not wanting to be anywhere close to my family if possible I rush for the next closest thing to an escape, my room. Entering, I slam my door shut before running over to my bed and collapsing, tears falling as I sobbed.

“Se miso (I hate you)” I cry as I continue to lay upon my bed. Just then there's a dinging sound, alerting me that someone had sent me text messages just now.

Sniffling, I move to grab my phone off the nightstand. “Who is it now” moving to look at the screen I can’t help but notice it’s my best friends who had added me to a group chat. Smiling, I can't help but swipe up to unlock my screen so that I could properly read the messages, all nine of them and counting.

Angel: Yo gurl what’s up?

Caleb: You free tonight?

Angel: Ya, are you? If so let’s PARTY!

Caleb: Party till we blackout, lol

Angel: HELLOOOO… Are you there?

Caleb: Mmm, maybe not. Maybe you scared her with the party bit.

Laughing, I can’t help but find humor with them. They’ve been my best friends for as long as I could remember so naturally I would agree to just about anything.

Isabella: I’m here, sure let’s go out, where to?

Angel: OMG… There’s a new place that just opened up, it’s called Ambrosia

Caleb: It’s like the hottest club in all of L.A.

Isabella: Ambrosia? Sounds like a fun time, let’s go. I need a distraction.

Angel: YAY, Your the best

Caleb: Diddo, let’s meet up and plan out what to wear

Isabella: Sure, I’ll meet you at Angel’s

And with that I lock my phone before shoving off the bed. Better there than here. Then without a word I swiftly grab my phone and my cute little black purse with the Tommy Hillfigure logo on it before darting from the room.

Once standing at the front door I debated about telling my parents. Nah. Deciding against it, I moved to leave the house for after all I was only property, I was no longer their daughter. With that in mind I move to leave all the while heading straight for my little red convertible, a birthday present from my father when I turned 21. I was instantly in love with it.

Mine. Then without a moment of hesitation I quickly jumped into her before starting her up, my baby purring to life as it did. Let’s get this show on the road. And with that I pulled out of the driveway and over towards Angels, unaware that I was being watched.

Speeding away from my parents house, does the one who was watching her move to make his phone call. Dialing the numbers he knew by heart, he quickly punches them into his phone before lifting the phone to his ear, the phone ringing once before being answered.

“Hello?” says a voice.

“Sirs, the Principessa (Princess) has left” says the voice who had been watching his target. “Good, follow her and report back to us, should anything strange happen” orders the voice.

“Yes Sir” is all the voice says before moving to follow his target. His black suv keeping a safe distance to that of her little red convertible.

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