Secrets

"Carmella?" Aria asked confusedly lost in thought. "Yeah what's wrong if we ask her for help besides we're not going to ask her directly, she'll do it herself" Lucia applies. 

"But how? Not that's she can stand up against Riccardo?" Mattie submitted. "Really? You guys can't see" she giggled at them. This bitches can't see Riccardo's falling weak because of this girl. "Oh my gosh! Bitches!" She rolled her eyes. Aria and Mattie are not getting the amusement that's pack Lucia's face. Aria knows Riccardo doesn't play with Carmella but not standing against his will, the mafia hood has been his priority, dreams, and future since childhood. That's not going to change because of a simple agent girl.

"Riccardo can kill for her, she's the key to his heart now"

"Carmella?" Mattie asked again confusedly,

"Yes Mattie, that's what Lucia is saying but that will be interesting. Since Riccardo has a heart that beats for Love, I never think he'll stand this low to choose an ordinary girl. So the hard lord has a heart, great!"

"Why the excitement?" Mattie is still in confusion

"Yeah bitch speak up" Lucia added sipping up from her glass of wine.

"Riccardo's now has a weakness that will be used against him and that means Riccardo can't offer her as the ultimate sacrifice"

"That's can't be, that's a fucking lie. We all know Riccardo valued nothing in this world than the mafia hood, it's his destiny to lead us and nothing is going to change that!" Lucia exclaim, she knows Riccardo valued Carmella but not to dumping the mafia hood for her sake. Even when a man fell in love he still sacrifices that love for the sake of his people, she trusts Riccardo and always has faith in him. nothing is going to change that's!

" Seriously I'm lost," Mattie said.

"Then shut the fuck up asshole!" Lucia roars.

They both slept on the same bed backing each other, this is not the plan he wants, he was hoping after the sex they had things might change between them but now now it's worse all thanks to that brat whose mouth never stops running.

He draws closer to grads her on her waist. " I hate this" he whispered. 

"What?"

"This way, you're too far from me"

She laughed and smirk "far you say? Are you not the mafia lord! Who's command had power over humanity! Sorry, I'm not in for you!" She roars draws away from him. "Don't touch me you murderer!" She tossed away his arms. Riccardo however despises the way she treats him even the thought of her calling him a murderer till this day hurts, that's word burns his heart. He certainly doesn't want her to see the beast in him so he chooses to leave her in the room alone.

Carmella hates every thought of him keeps on punishing innocent people with little offenses, she knows Mia talks so much without thinking but she's used to her silly attitude. She never wanted to be here behind him or being involved in his life. The mission was to get his trust and know where the documents are. 

A guard steps in which interrupt her mood. "Lord, the maids are here to attend to your needs" announced the guard,

"Thanks, let's them in" she replies getting up from the bed.

"Lord!" They bow down their heads for submission include Anna. "My lady, the Lord wants you to be ready before noon," one of the Maiden said, she smirks" what's a lord". She was assisted to the bathroom. The maiden holds her hand for her to enter the bathtub. They all place all she needed on the bed top waiting for her to take her bath but Anna stays behind to helps her wash her body, which is an order that must be follow given by the Lord.

"My lady, your days are numbers," Anna said silently watching if the others are peeping or overheard what she said. "What do you mean?" Carmella asked anxiously.

"Sh sh sh" she placed her finger across her lips. "They must not hear us, keep your voice down" she added

"Who's are they?" 

"The Lord's, they're watching your moves"

"Who the fuck are the lord's isn't it Riccardo. He always watches my movement in this gosh forgetting place!" She speaks out in frustration. "My lady keeps your voice down, I begged you" 

"Tell me who's are them?"

"The highest court lords, they're the ones who make all rules and follow the ritual of the forefathers of the Francesco family from all centuries. They're....." She was stuck in fear of the thought of talking about the highest court of the mafia hood which was kept secret all these years.

"I don't understand, Anna please tell me the truth please" as she placed her hands on the shivering arms of Anna. "You can trust me" she pleaded

"From all ages, is traditional to be followed all the years and existence of the Francesco family" She started crying "it's horrible my lady" Carmella was confused but if it makes her cry like this means there are more to the mafia hood that the ears can hear. She draws closer to her,  " Hey, listen to me, I need this information to bring down this Mafias hood and I need your help on this"

"You don't understand Carmella, no one can bring down this Mafias hood. It's had been for centuries to centuries before the existence of government most of them are in the government ruling. Everything is corrupt Carmella, the only thing they're fighting for, is to be the next to lead"

"What?" She was shocked at the confession of Anna, but is she saying the truth? Doesn't that mean even the ISS is involved? She looks at the shivering Anna hands both warps together. "It's their destiny, they're all beasts living inside the human body. Listen to me Carmella you can't trust anybody not even Riccardo or Leonardo" as she drags her with force speaking frightened-looking directly at her eyes.

"Leonardo?" She asked surprisingly

"Yes, they're all part of it all. They have been trained and irritated in this Mafia hood right from childhood. It's their destiny to continue what their forefathers started years ago. Even if they don't want it there's no choice either joined or death".

"Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into but why do Riccardo keep me captive?"

"You're the next ram for the ultimate sacrifice, he's the lord is a decision he had to make. A ram needs to be sacrificed for the next lord to be born"

"What?" She can't believe what's she was hearing, she was kept here all because she was to be sacrificed to what exactly?

"Is the custom of the Francesco family, they've no choice but to do it"

"I'm...." 

"Yes, that's one of the reasons you need to get the hell out of here as soon as possible"

She swallows back her saliva gathering in her mouth at the shock of the news she was hearing. 

"What do you know about the highest court lords?"

"They're not human but spirits living in the flesh of humans, theirs lives are places in a little native pot at the center of the highest court hall. That's all I know from now someone will tell you the rest you need to know from behind the walls"

"Who? And what walls?"

"You'll soon find out my lady but never discussed this with anyone remember you can't trust anyone here"

"Why me?"

"Looks Rosa Benito, that's my promise to made to Giorgia before her death and I will forever keep that promise"

"How.. do .. you know about my biological name and my mother"

"I know you have a lot to ask but you've to wait for the right time to come, now we've no time to waste. Trust me, we've to leave before they become suspicious of us" she said quietly. 

"What about the ISS are they involved in this too?" As tears immediately run down from her eyes.

"Yes, the only thing the ISS is fighting for is to get the position of the lordship from the Francesco family. They all know the secret in this Mafias hood"

"That's means I have been using all this while?!" 

"My lady, please keep it down I know how you feel but you have to be strong. There're more to this than you think"

"What do I represent in this?" 

"You represent more than you can think, it started years ago and this is not the time to discuss it. I'll come back tomorrow midnight noon at that time, the members of the mafia hood will be in meetings make sure you're ready"

"Ready for what?" 

"To leave this place, someone will be expecting you outside the wall, Giorgia will be happy to see you afar you've grown"

"My mother?"

She nods, " wipe your tears my Rosa, there're more to do" she wipes her tears with her hands and fakes a smile on her face, acting everything is going to be alright.

"How do you know about this?" 

She smiled, "it's a long story but not now"

"Once more happy birthday Rosa for becoming plus one today"

She looks stunned at Anna, words stuck in, how did she know? It's has been a month since she was kept captive in this mansion and she didn't tell anyone about her date of birth or whispered to any walls about it. Not even Riccardo himself, life has become the nightmare that finally comes to reality in her life. what the fuck is all this! There's no truth anywhere not even the ISS.

"My lord, is everything okay?" Asked one of the maidens. 

"Yes!" she answered back at the top of her voice. 

"Okay my lord" 

"Let's go" Anna applied. They came out of the bathroom, Carmella tried to look normal after Everything her has heard from Anna. She never knew how  Anna knows about all this even her mother's name was mentioned in the process. What the hell is going on here? She looks back at Anna who's acts as normal like nothing happened between them in the bathroom. The maiden's attention to her, a maid presents a lovely dress to her. "What's the occasion?" She asked gaping at the glamorous dress before her. "The Lord wants you to wear this" the maiden replies.

"For what exactly?" She asked.

"You'll find out soon my lady" Anna answered. She now understands by the way Anna answered her showing Riccardo's planning a surprise party for her.

 He sat on the bar store side, sipping on his sorrow. On one hand the mafia hood and the legacy of the Francesco family and the other, the woman he has always dream of having in his life. Things are becoming hard to decide, Love and richest has become his choice to make. He stares at the bottles of wine he has finished all this while and only seen the appearance of Carmella's face on it. "Always protect the girl you choose on that day" those words keep on playing in his head. Bella was right, it seems she had known what will happen after all this time. That's the reason he has to make the difficult decisions in his life to keep Carmella safe all this while, but she would never understand what's he had to go through to keep her safe, the sacrifice, the pains, and sadness. All to keep his word to Bella and to the woman whose his heart belongs to. Bella never seems related to Carmella in any way, he later finds out she is a nanny to Carmella at the age of 5. 

He continues with his drinking then he asked the barman for another bottle of wine. 

"Is this your surprise gift to her? " Matteo asked walking closer to him. "What's exactly do you?" 

"I mean today is her birthday and you're here drinking out your sorrow on the drinks.

"Are the preparation ready?" Ignoring his question. "Yes they're" 

"All waiting for you my lord"

"I see" he sip another glass and turn at him 

"So what are we waiting from" he stands up from the bar rolling chair. " What's about her?" Matteo asked, " are you going to let her die?" He added stepping closer to Riccardo.

"I think it's will be best if you shut your mouth up!"

"You know you can trust me, we've to make a move before the circle did, her life is in danger as long she's here with them in the same roof, Riccardo!"

"I fucks know!" He yells at Matteo.

"For fucking sake I know! and I don't want to lose her the same I lost my mother!" At this time he was down, down to sadness the mafia hood has taken everything he cares for. First, his mother, then Bella, and secondly, his father. He knows his father never met for any wars to happen, he tried to keep the peace but in the end, he had to choose the life of his wife or his son. After some years the father has to die for his son to rule the next generation of the mafia hood is a prize to pay for and a prize to gain at the end that's the way the mafia hood operates.

It's just decided to be made and that's all. "I want her first birthday with me to be memorable" he finally said and drop the glass of wine on the floor. Matteo realizes the misfortune upon Riccardo, a promise has been made and a vow has been taken there's no going back on this. He swore to stands by his side no matter what decision he made.

That's his word "loyalty" 

Carmella finished with her dressing, "my lady is time to go" said the maiden's, she looks at Anna who's eyes were on her. She replies with a sufficient head nod. She leads by the maids and guards, walking her down the stairway. Approaching the hallway, Leonardo appears from nowhere in front of her.

"I want to be the first to wish you happy birthday on this day, happy birthday Carmella," he said to place a kiss on her cheeks. She stares in the direction of Anna as she moves her head sliently not to trust him. 

"The time has come, today is the day you've to get those documents and bring them to me" he whispered to her ears. 

"I haven't forgotten" she replies in whipping

"Good" he embraces her. " I love you Carmella"  that's the last word that came out of his mouth. Carmella stood in surprisingly looks at him, what's did she just heard love from Leonardo? This must be crazy! Crazy, after all, she heard from Anna today? Someone needs a nap to recall the situation she's in.

" Go on they're waiting" he added. She looks at the hall door opened wide for her and her maidens to enter back at Leonardo who's slimed at her.