"He has something to take care of." Answer Emilio and then we drive home in silence.

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Chapter 14 : the note

With my hand in Emilio's, we walk into the living room. As soon as we enter, four heads turn in our direction. Alessandro, Riccardo, Leonardo and even Lorenzo are sitting with their four on the big U shaped seat. Emilio gives my hand a squeeze and we walk over to the seat. Emilio sits down next to Leonardo and pulls me onto his lap. Protectively he wraps his arms around me. Four pairs of eyes watch me and dont let me go second out of sight. There is an uneasy and tense atmosphere. I know they want to say something, but they don't want to overwhelm me with their questions. It feels like centuries, but in reality it's only a few seconds until someone clears their throat.

"Eleanor, how are you feeling?" Alessandro asks softly. I shrug my shoulders. I don't know how I feel.

"I don't think she realizes yet what happened," says Emilio softly. Leonardo nods his head.

"That's understandable yeah," he agrees. Suddenly Lorenzo gets up from the seat and comes to stand in front of me and Emilio. He looks at me, with his unreadable expression, for it is one in which no emotion can be seen.

"Let me see your arm Eleanor." I hold my arm out to him and Lorenzo gently grabs my arm with his one hand. With his other hand he gently rubs the now bruised spot. I look at his face but nothing changes, he doesn't even blink.

"Does it hurt?" He asks , more to Emilio than to me. Emilio shakes his head.

"She says not." Lorenzo nods and lets go of my arm. Lorenzo walks out of the living room without saying another word. Again, a silence hangs in the room.

"I'd better go." With that, Riccardo gets up and leaves the living room as well. Leonardo also gets up and looks at me inquiringly.

"If you want to talk about it, I'll be in the library." With that, Leonardo also leaves the living room. I look at Emilio expectantly, he still has me on his lap so I can't leave. Emilio looks down at me and smiles softly.

"Why don't you go to your room and unpack your new clothes? We already had someone bring your clothes." Suggests Emilio. I nod my head but Emilio raises an eyebrow. Ugh stupid rule.

"Okay." I say softly. Emilio nods, presses a kiss against my crown and then releases me. Quickly I jump off his lap and walk out of the living room.

"Dinner will be here in an hour or two," Alessandro's voice says.

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I arrive at my room and see ten colorful bags on the floor. I grab a few bags and put them in my walk-in closet. The walk-in closet is really beautiful. The walls are light pink but you don't see much of it because of the white cabinets that cover the wall. The cabinets have all kinds of sliders, there are also a few horizontal tubes with light pink clothes hangers. There is also a white make-up table with a large mirror around which are all kinds of glittering stones and a matching light pink stool. In the middle of the room there is a long pink pouf with diamonds. So much rose and white. Quietly I begin to take all the clothes out of the bags. I never thought it was so much.

They are all kinds of garments; hoodies, sweaters, shirts, dresses, skirts, leggings, pants, jeans, knickers, bras, socks, camisoles, tops, blouses and more. I also have several pairs of shoes, very nice shoes. There were so many shoes, especially boots were nice. I found it quite embarrassing to buy lingerie with Emilio and Valentino but they acted very casual about it and didn't say anything embarrassing. I open a red bag and take out a black sweater and then my eye falls on a white piece of paper sticking in the bag. I frown confusedly at my eyebrows and take the note and open it. My eyes get big as soon as I see it. It's not a bill or a written note. No on the note there is a text, but it is pasted with all kinds of cut out letters from a newspaper.

You won't get rid of me, M

Anxiously I look at the note, tears already pricking my eyes. Quickly I look around the closet just to be sure, but no one is there. My lips and hands are trembling and complete fear overwhelms me. Like a bomb, all the memories come flooding back. All the words he said to me, all the lies, all the swear words. All the maetings I had to endure and others had to endure. Everything floods me , it's too much in one. Tears begin to roll down my cheeks and I begin to tremble all over my body.

"This is your own fault Eleanor, because of you Isabella gets punished," he snarls.

I protectively roll myself up into a ball on the floor and begin to cry as I get all flashbacks. I don't know what is real or my imagination. My whole body shakes and breathing becomes more difficult. In front of me I see Isabella's body, all beaten black and blue. And that was my fault.

"Help me," Isabella sobs.

I lie on the floor among all the clothes, sobs leaving my mouth, and I don't know if I'm making little or just a lot of noise. I can hear my heartbeat pounding very loudly, which is the only thing I hear above the sobbing of Isabella and me. Snot runs out of my nose, but I think it's blood. Mark stands in front of me with his belt, his dirty grin plastered on his face as he hits me again with his belt. I scream out in pain and cringe. Everything hurts.

"You don't deserve to live," Mark hisses.

"You're a disappointment."

"I get that your parents don't want you."

"This is your own fault."

I relive everything, from the beginning to the end. I feel everything again. All the pent up emotions, all the pain physically and mentally. The pain of his words, the pain of ignorance of my existence, the pain that my family has abandoned me, the pain of the belt , the pain of the knives, the pain of hitting, of kicking, the pain of breaking a bone, the pain of forcing me to kiss him, the pain of when he slides roughly into me. Everything becomes too much and before I know it everything is black.

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"Is she asleep?" I hear a voice whisper in the distance. I hear some muttering and then I feel someone grab my arm.

"Eleanor?" Asks a voice. Too tired to say anything I remain lying there with my eyes closed. I'm half asleep, half awake. Suddenly I feel myself being lifted up.

"I'll put her to bed," I try to think of who is saying this and then I recognize the voice. Riccardo. I feel myself being laid on something soft.

"Wait a minute," I hear Valentino's soft voice. I hear footsteps coming closer and then I feel a hand rubbing my cheek. "She has been crying."

"Why did she cry- hey wait what's that in her hand?" With all my might I mumble something.

"Superman."

"Did she just say superman?" Do I hear a voice laugh.

"Let her dream about superman, come we're leaving soon we'll wake her up," that's Leonardo.

"But we were going to get her for dinner weren't we? She has to eat something," ugh Riccardo shut up.

"She'll get extra breakfast tomorrow," thanks brother "get out of here," I feel something over me and realize someone is doing the blanket around me. Then I feel a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Sleep well Sorellina." With that it's mouse quiet in my room. I silently start to fall away again and the last thing I think is;

they completely forgot about the note.

A/N: oh no, who is that M from the note? Who am i kidding we all know who it is. Hope you guys liked this chapter!

Reminder: stop saying things to yourself that you wouldn't say to your friend :)