Chapter 3- You’re Just Like Your Father

Coming out of my thoughts, I turned to my aunt to see that she was staring at me, while the doctor exited the room.

Looking at Sun-Hi next to my bed, my aunt's eyes lit up as she asked, “Oh, are you, my future niece? I didn’t know my nephew was into slightly older women.”

Hearing this my face turned a shade of pink, before I crocked out, “A-unt stop.”

Due to my windpipe being damaged by the injury I could barely get that out.

I turned to look at Sun-Hi and I saw that she was blushing a little. Despite being in her mid-twenties, she had the typical small Asian build and a cute young face, making her look like she had just hit her twentieth birthday.

But my aunt always had an eye for people so she could tell she was old than her appearance.

After stuttering out an incoherent goodbye, Sun-Hi got up and left the room, leaving me and this demoness only in one room.

“So, have you learned your lesson yet? After your injuries are treated you're coming back to Italy with me. Why struggle to make a living with your disability when you have a family to return to who would allow you to live a comfortable life?”

When I heard that I wanted to burst out laughing, but the pain from my broken ribs prevented me from doing so.

Instead, I only gave my aunt an amused smile while saying, “If you consider being kidnap for ransom a comfortable life then your bat shit crazy.”

Not minding the way I talked to her, my aunt casually commented, “You were only kidnapped about three times, and it’s not like you were injured in any of them. Plus, every Santelli had gone through this when they were your age, just consider it a right of passage since it’ll eventually stop as you grow older.”

This twisted view of my aunt’s is what plagued everyone on my father’s side of the family, where they think it’s normal to get kidnapped. Whether they were sure no one would dare harm a Santelli family member, or something else, I don’t know what gave them the courage to be so confident.

Maybe that’s what having wealth, power and status do to you. It makes you see the world in ways a normal person couldn't understand.

I don’t consider the pros of living with her out weight the cons, so I said with as much conviction as I could muster from my slightly damaged windpipe, “I rather struggle in this life than go against my father’s wishes and live with you.”

After saying that, I saw my aunt give me a rare look of warmth before her eyes glazed over with a bit of sadness.

“You're just like father.”

Seeing the expression on her face and hearing her talk about my father, her little brother, complicated emotions well up in my heart.

Despite what my father had said about his family, he had always said that his older sister was the only one that had looked out for him when he was growing up.

As for his other siblings, he’d always have this dark look covering his face when he was reminded of them. He had even said one time that if all of them drop dead in front of him he wouldn’t have batted an eye. And they were the same since they hadn’t even attended his funeral.

For the two years I’ve been living in their circle after the accident, I have never once met any of my four uncles, but I think that was a good thing.

After my aunt made that comment, she gazed at my appearance for a bit and frowned which I guess was from looking at my bruised face and busted up lip along with what I feel were bandages around my head.

“Who did this to you?”

I could hear my aunt say, and from the cold tone in her voice, I can tell she was furious, but not for the reason one would think.

“It’s just some loan sharks I forgot to pay, it’s nothing for you to get worked up over.”

“Loan sharks?!” My aunt snaps. “Some local loan sharks actually dare lay a hand on a Santelli?! Who are they?! They must want to spend the rest of their lives scrubbing toilets in prison?!”

“Old hag, it’s none of your business, so just leave. I don’t need your help, and until the date of our agreement comes I won’t return with you.”

I choked out.

Hearing that, my aunt looks at me with displeasure and said, “You really are just like your father, he was just as stubborn as you were when he decided to leave.”

After saying that she lets out a huff before she turned around and strutted out the door, her expensive Chanel high heels clicking on the tiled floor as she went.

When the room door closed, I let out a breath of relief, and then decided to close my eyes to try and sleep away the severe mind grain I’d been feeling since I had woken up.

….

…

..

Two weeks had passed and I was cleared to leave the hospital. I went to pay the hospital bill, but Sun-Hi who had been supervising my recovery told me that my aunt had paid it.

I was upset, but I eventually ignored it.

In my black turtle neck and loose jeans, I walked out of the hospital doors limping on my right leg as usual.

I made my way towards the main gate where a guard station was and after showing them my discharge papers, I was able to leave without any trouble.

Coming to a stop just outside the gate, thoughts of how I will return to my apartment crossed my mind as people going to and from their destination walked around me.

I reached into my pocket before I realized that it was empty since these were clothes Sun-Hi had gotten for me at my apartment to wear upon being discharged from the hospital.

My apartment was a few miles away from here, and walking there would be a pain. But I guess I could only suck it up started the miserable walk home.

However, before I turn to start walking, a black-tinted SUV pulled up at the side of the street in front of me.

The windows in the back rolled down and I saw my aunt inside.

“Are you planning on walking home with that leg of yours? Get in and I’ll drop you off where you want to go.”

I stood where I was weighing my options as to whether it was worth it for her to find out where I live, but then again she had found me in this remote town so finding my apartment wouldn’t be that hard.

Sighing at the circumstance, I went around the side and got into the SUV under the gazes of several people looking and pointing in this general direction.

Being the somewhat small semi-developed town it was, people driving such fancy cars usually meant they were people from the city. And anyone from the city in their eyes was rich and wealthy, so people would stare.

After getting in inside the car, I buckled my seat and sat there throughout the drive ignoring my aunt. Only occasional spoke up to direct the driver to my apartment.

After reaching the apartment I quickly left the vehicle, all while tuning out my aunt as she scowled in disgust at the shabby apartment while asking how I could live in such a place.

This was completely absurd since one of the developments made to this town was the apartments, this apartment was like any typical apartment you’d find in Seoul.

But I guess if it isn’t a five-story mansion or an expensive hotel room, it ain't up to my aunt's standards.

Taking out my key-card Sun-hi had brought to the hospital for me, I opened the apartment entrance and entered.

But I remained at the one-way see-through door and watched the SUV as it drove off.

After that, I walked to my room, number 29, while contemplating a few things.

“First I need to pay back that debt I owe to get those loan sharks off my back. To do that, I’ll see if there is enough money from what dad and mom had left me, but I don’t think so. If that’s the case then check out the option of becoming a streamer.”

While talking to myself I used my key-card again and open my apartment door and enter.

*******

~Fun Fact~

This is my first time trying to right a novel from a first person perspective. Hope it isn't weird sounding, let know if it is.