Alessandro's POV:
I pour myself a glass of champagne and take a seat onto the leather couch next to my brother, Angelo.
"She's a lot of work, I know." He sighs, picking up his glass bringing it to his lips.
I shake my head and grumble, "She's more than a lot."
"She's just a kid you know, kids will do things they're not supposed too."
"She almost got herself f*cking killed tonight." I growl.
"Maybe you should just tell her the truth, Alessandro. How can she protect herself if she doesn't know?"
"F*ck off, you get no say in this, I will raise her how I want. If she would just f*cking listen to me she wouldn't get hurt."
"Well, the way your 'raising' her is clearly not working, is it?" He says cockily.
"I raised all of you the same way, it's not my fault that she's turning into a brat." I spat.
"Well," He starts to speak but I interrupt.
"Do you want to be on that boat too? Because I can make it be here in twenty minutes." I grumble, narrowing my eyes at him.
"I'm twenty-five, you can't make me do anything." He glowered.
"Then start acting like it and shut the f*ck up." I scowl, taking a sip from my drink.
He presses his lips together and stands up snatching the drink from my hand, "You need help. You can't just f*cking drink all your problems away."
I lean back into the couch, "Go get your sister May and Lisa, we need to leave. Aleksandr knows where we are now. I'll get the men to search the island."
He walks over to the kitchen and places the two wine glasses into the sink, "I think father would be disappointed in you."
"Don't act like your any better, Angelo." I grumble as I close my eyes. "Go get May. Now." I order him.
He shakes his head, cursing under his breath. I watch as he goes over to the front door, slamming it shut from behind him.
-
Chiara's POV:
I woke up to the sound of faint bickering that came from downstairs. I slowly pulled myself out of bed and walked over to my vanity to brush my hair so I wouldn't look like a dying rat.
I left my room to go see what was happening, I walked over to the railing of the stairs and rested my hands on the top of the railing. A girl was standing in the living room next to Ezra. She had dark brown, wavy, long, hair that reached her waist and she looked very similar to Ezra just a bit younger.
I smiled; this must be Ophelia!
"Pleasseeee let me go see her, I've waited long enough."
Ezra crossed his arms, "No, it was no ten minutes ago and it's still no now." He rolled his eyes. "Let her sleep, she's not going to disappear, Ophelia."
Feeling awkward that I was staring I decided to go downstairs and meet her. They both turned their heads as they heard me coming downstairs.
"Oh my gosh, she's absolutely gorgeous, Ezra!" Ophelia beamed.
I sheepishly smiled, going over to where they stood.
Ezra rolled his eyes, "Something along the lines of that."
To which Ophelia smacked him for.
"Ow." He lowly grumbled with a pout as he went over to the freezer to grab some ice like the drama queen he is.
"Hi, sweetheart! I'm your cousin, Ophelia!" she said excitedly with a smile as she embraced me into a warm hug.
I accepted the hug wrapping my arms around her, I felt safe in her arms almost like I've been in them before, she smelt like vanilla and flowers.
"I'm Chiara, thank you for the flowers and makeup! I love them." I smiled as we broke the hug. She already knows my name, but I would feel rude without telling her.
"No problem honey, I'm glad you love them!"
"Ready to go shopping at the mall, or would you like to wait for a bit?" Ophelia asks me with a smile.
"Is it okay if I get ready first?"
"Of course! I brought my curling iron and straightener; I can help you do your hair if you'd like!"
I nod with a smile, "I'd love that!"
"Get ready for what? You're going to the mall not a fashion show." Ezra interrupts. "Some people aren't naturally handsome like me."
"I never do my hair." Ezra adds.
"We can tell." Ophelia says as she pats him on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's go upstairs, I can feel my brain shrinking when I'm around him." She adds as she playfully rolls her eyes at him.
I laugh and follow Ophelia up the steps.
"You can tell? What's that supposed to mean?" Ezra says as he stands in the living room completely dumbfounded.
He's just too clueless for his own good.
Me and Ophelia spent a good hour curling my hair and talking, she also added some light makeup. I learnt that she's twenty-four and a flight attendant which causes her to travel quite frequently, she even has her own house in New York!
"You look so pretty!" She grinned, as she took a picture of the back of my hair and showed it to me.
I smiled at the photo, "Thank you, Ophelia! I love it!"
"Anytime, darling!" She grinned resting her hands on the back of the vanity chair. "I'll let you go get dressed, I'll be waiting downstairs."
"Okay, I'll be quick." I told her as I stood up from the chair.
"Nonsense darling, take your time!"
I nodded with a smile and watched as she left my room to go downstairs.
I walked over to my dresser and picked out a cute outfit and got dressed. Before I left to go downstairs, I sprayed a bit of perfume onto my neck and wrists.
Ezra scrunched up his face as he saw me, "What on earth did you let her do to you, looks your about to go audition for the f*cking circus."
"Ezra, I'm barely wearing any makeup." I scoffed.
"Barely my a**."
I shake my head, I'm literally only wearing mascara, blush and lip gloss.
Ophelia came over and rested her hands on my shoulders, "Oh hush Ezra, I think your just jealous." She teases him.
He shakes his head as he goes over to the couch, "Jealous of what?" He scoffs.
"Bye, Ez, were leaving to go to the mall now."
"Don't ever call me Ez again, my names short enough." Ezra grumbles as he glares at Ophelia. He leans back into the couch, "Just hurry."
"Why are you gonna miss us? "Ophelia teases her brother.
"Not you." Ezra says as he rolls his eyes.
Before me and Ophelia leave, I call out, "Bye Ezra!"
"Bye, kid. Have fun." I hear him say as I shut the front door from behind me.
-
Me and Ophelia might have gotten a bit carried away with back-to-school shopping in fact we didn't really even go shopping for school we both agreed to go get school supplies another day. But at least I got the clothes today and fifteen swimsuits. Who even needs that many? I don't know. But Ophelia said that since I live right next to the beach they'd come in handy.
She even got me a new phone! Even though I tried to tell her I didn't need one and that it was too much, but she insisted. Before we left and went home, she surprised me with getting our nails done!
We both got matching ones, French tips. Basic I know but how can you go wrong with a classic? Besides they are going to match everything. It was the first time I got them done and they turned out so pretty!
We sat parked in Ezra's driveway for a solid five minutes, "Ezra is going to kill me." Ophelia laughed as she looked at the millions of bags in the back seat.
"I'll distract him while you bring in the bags, so he won't notice."
"Good idea." She agreed.
I got out of the car and saw Ezra sitting on the couch watching some random show.
He raised his eyebrows suspiciously, "Where's the stuff you bought for school, kid?"
"Oh, Ophelia is bringing it in." I smiled.
He stood up from the couch, "Does she need help?"
"No!" I accidently shouted. I covered my mouth. "I mean no, she's a girl boss she doesn't need no man to help her."
"Sounds like something she'd say." He rolls his eyes.
"But I need help! Follow me!" I say, grabbing his hand making him follow me upstairs.
He narrows his eyes at me as I bring him into a guest bedroom.
"Look see that painting over there" I say pointing towards a painting of the ocean that hung over the bed.
"Yes, I'm not blind."
"It's not straight, you need to fix it."
"Since when do you care if things aren't straight?" He said completely dumbfounded. "When do you ever go in this room? Besides it's literally straight." He grumbled.
I gently nudged his side.
He gave me a confused look, "Hm?"
"Look what's that!?" I shout pointing towards the door.
"What's what?" He questions looking in that direction.
I quickly rush over to the painting and turn it making it sit crooked on the wall. I stand beside Ezra, "It's very crooked, dummy." I state, pointing back towards the painting.
"Chiara."
"Better fix it, Ezra." I innocently smile.
He shakes his head muttering something, as he goes over to the door. I try to grab his arm to stop him, but he opens it too see Ophelia carrying a ton of bags.
His mouth falls to the floor, but he quickly clamps it shut.
"What the h*ll?"
"Language, Ezra, language." Ophelia scolds him, brushing past him into my room.
Ezra narrows his eyes down at me and shakes his head, "You better have at least gotten all your school stuff."
I smile innocently, "Of course."
What he doesn't know won't hurt him.
"Good."
Me and Ophelia finished putting away all the things I bought, and we headed downstairs to make some stew for supper.
She did most of the work, but I still helped by peeling things and washing them.
Now everyone was seated at the table.
"You're an amazing cook Ophelia!" I tell her as I take a bite into the delicious stew.
"Thank you, sweetheart, I couldn't have made it without you." She winked.
"Who do you think she got it from?" Ezra said proudly.
"Definitely not you." I snort.
Ezra scoffed, "Rude brat."
Ophelia sighs, "I don't even know how we're related."
I laugh, "Me too."
"Shut up, you guys are just stupid." Ezra grumbles leaning back into his seat. "Foods not that good."
-
Before Ophelia had to leave, we played a few bored games and watched a movie. Now it was around eleven and I was lying in bed, playing random games that I downloaded onto my phone.
I felt my eyes grow heavy, after playing them for a while. I saw my door creak open a bit; Ezra stepped in.
"Hey, kid." He smiled as he sat down onto my bed making my bed dip slightly in the process.
"Hi Ezra." I smiled, placing my phone onto my bedside table.
"I didn't know you went by your real name." He randomly says.
"Oh, I only started too like a week ago." I quickly ushered out, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"I like it." He smiles.
"Your parents would be some proud of you kid."
I look up at him, not being able to contain my smile, "Really you think so?"
"I know so." His lips pursed into a small smile.
He reached over to my lamp and turned it off, "Goodnight kid, get some rest okay?"
I smiled even though he couldn't see it, "Goodnight Ezra."
And with that he shut my door from behind him.
I felt a tear roll down my cheek, ugh why does he have to be such a sassy, rude, sweetheart. Is that even a thing? I don't know.