*Evangeline's POV*
The soft creak of rosary beads sliding against each other was the only sound in the car. My fingers clutched the ivory crucifix tightly, the worn metal edges digging into my palm as I fidgeted.
The window next to me blurred as we sped along the road, but I kept my head turned, letting the gray sky fill my vision.
Your father is dead.
Your father is dead.
Your father is dead.
The words replayed to me,each time adding grim severity to the situation but my numbness wouldn't let me cry.
My chest tightened again, and I forced down the sad lump rising in my throat. The air felt suffocating, heavy with unspoken tension,his scent and my probability to just lose it all and run mad.
Something hot formed in my eyes and I blinked fast, trying to hold back the burning tears as I felt the weight of his gaze on me.
It only lasted for a second but it felt like he had sent heat waves to my cheek for at least an hour.
I wondered if he could sense that I dreamed about–no,it made no sense.
I wished more than anything Luca was driving me there instead,but all contact I had with him was by phone,and will have to be even more limited now that I had Vincenzo breathing down my neck.
I squeezed the rosary harder, my knuckles whitening.
The memories came flooding back, breaking through the numb fog that had settled around me since we left. My father's voice from our last conversation echoed in my mind.
"I hate you."
I had yelled a few days prior when I found out I was to move to the house Vincenzo got me.
The last memory I gave him was me scolding him,even though he had tried all his life to shield and exclude me from his life in the mafia–I still selfishly stood and judged him.
And now he was gone. His life, his choices, his love,his protection.And I hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye.
Or make amends.
As my mother has decades earlier,now I'm officially an orphan.
"Evangeline?"
The sudden grunt from Vincenzo startled me back to the present,his index was gently tapping the wheelchair.
"We're here."
I turned, blinking as the large gates of my father's estate came into view.
My stomach churned. I wasn't ready for this,but I don't think I could never be ready.
Vincenzo's finger momentarily stopped tapping and against my better judgement,I looked his way to see why.
His eyes searched mine,his brows slightly furrowed,he seemed to be at the verge of doing something–or even,perhaps saying it.
Was he concerned?
Whatever it was,he decided against it and got out to open my door.
I sighed and stepped out of the car,walking as far as I could to put as much distance as I could between us.
My aunt, her face lined with grief, rushed towards me the moment I was off the driveway, her hands wringing nervously. But instead of enveloping me in a comforting embrace, she stopped, her sharp eyes flitting to Vincenzo.
"Why did you bring him here?" she hissed in a low voice, though it was loud enough for him to catch. "This is a private family matter."
Before I could respond, my brother stepped in from behind her, his tone firm. "Aunt Cecilia, Vincenzo is to be part of this family,I'm glad he brought her in one peice.Don't be disrespectful."
His words startled me, My gaze flicked toward him, but before I could dwell on the oddity of his defense, I was ushered inside by Aunt Cecilia mumbling profanities in Spanish.
The now somber halls of my father's house closed in around me, and soon, I was standing in his bedroom,along with my aunts and a few of my cousins who didn't even like him.
"We will bury him before the weekend."Aunt Cecilia announced to the room.
No objection came.
"And about the press?"she asked. "I think it's best we don't have a lot of people involved in this,its wise people think he is still alive,Robert isn't exactly the best…representative."
By representative,she meant Don. Aunt Clara took off her dark glasses and smacked her lips.
"Evangeline,you brought your fiancé?"
Really? He literally just appeared and everyone was more concerned about him than my wellbeing.
He wasn't even in the room and somehow he won't stop looming over my life.
"The staff told him I fainted and he decided to drive me here himself."
"I already scolded her."Aunt Cecilia chirped,wrapping her hands around my shoulders protectively.
"Don't."Aunt Clara objected. "With Robert as head of us,we might actually need to kiss that ego maniac's ass.With this wedding at foot,we are bound partners,and we can milk that until we can firmly stand.So to everyone in this room,you better flash your pearly whites at him each chance you get."
"This is pathetic."someone groaned.
"So you want us to kiss his ass." another chimed from the end of the window.
Aunt Clara put her glasses back on and blew her brother's body a kiss.
"Also lick while you're at it."
The room mumbled a defeated agreement and sighed collectively.
A pang of selfishness bit into me-thinking this wedding they so relied on wasn't going to happen at all.
But this was all the more time to run.
"We are the Hidalgos"Aunt Cecilia huffed angrily, "We don't need to suck up to anyone for our survival."
"Cecilia–"Aunt Clara began. "You have to be reasonable if we want to keep being 'The Hidalgos'"
In the midst of all the commotion,I let my eyes go to the bed,and felt something within me sink when I saw his face.
It looked so-unlike him,the man I knew was a burst of audacious life and energy,whatever was on the bed didn't resemble anything close to my father–at all.
My knees buckled, and I clutched the rosary tighter, letting the tears fall freely now.
A small sob escaped me and before I could muster any form of decorum into my skin,I was wailing like a child at the foot of the bed.
***
The sun had long set by the time I found a quiet corner on the balcony. The cool night air did little to calm the turmoil inside me.
My father's body was sent to the morgue already,cause of death was cardiac arrest-Marlene had locked herself in her room and refused to play host and my aunts were taking charge.
My still blurry gaze went down at my phone—multiple missed calls from Luca that my phone had automatically silenced.
My head was aching fervently from all the crying and my heart was in an even worse state.
Vincenzo was in proximity but I needed some sort of comfort. I had to.
I hesitated before finally pressing the call button. When his urgent voice came through after one ring, it was a sharp contrast to the peace-like silence around me.
"Are you okay?" Luca asked quickly.
"I'm...safe," I whispered, my voice dehydrated."I'm at my father's house."
"Oh–what did he call you for?"
"He's dead."
There was a long three second pause. "I'm so sorry Evangeline,"
Hot tears ran down my cheeks and I didn't attempt to stop them. I pinched hard into my palm and sniffed.
"Are you okay?"he asked next."Should I come over?"
I cleared my throat. "No,no-my fiancé is here–"
It was only after I said 'my fiancé ' that I realised how blasphemous it sounded on my tongue,and especially to Luca,of all people.
"I'm sorry."I whispered,collecting myself.
"Lets focus on the plan for now."He suggested. "Are you still going to be available tomorrow?"
I frowned " Luca, my father just died."
"I know you are grieving right now but think about this–the timing of it.His death could be directly linked to Vincenzo."
"What?"His words hit me like a bucket of cold water. "What are you saying?"
Luca's voice hardened. "With nothing in his way,that man could do anything to you without repercussions and I have no doubt he will abuse the power. Men like him do these all the time and now without your father,you are no longer safe–and who is to say he isn't the one behind it in the first place."
My head suddenly turned heavy and the railing was doing little to support my weight.
I glanced around the balcony in a daze,my chest heaving as I remember the cold look in his eyes when I told him my father was dead.The thought wasn't far-fetched,they were practically enemies,it might actually be him.
Might-innocent until proven guilty…right?
Luca's voice cut through my thoughts. "If I can't be there,you need to promise to update me every two hours. I'm not joking, Evangeline. We can't take chances. Your life could be at stake."
I opened my mouth to respond, but the sound of footsteps approaching made my heart skip a beat. I hurriedly hung up and deleted the call log, my fingers trembling. When I turned, my breath caught in my throat.
Cameron?
He stood there, swaying slightly, clearly intoxicated. His eyes raked over me with a disturbing intensity. "Evangeline..."
My stomach flipped. "Are you drunk?"
Cameron was one of my father's many business associates(not the legal kind) and according to Robert's not so gentle hints,had Vincenzo not shown interest,I might have been contemplating running from him instead. He possessed the strong delusion that he and I were meant to be.
He just arrived here a few hours ago and from the little I could make out his dim lit face,he was either drunk or high.
"My Evangeline."He took a step closer, ignoring my question. "How are you darling? Oh, you sweet little thing–it must be so hard on you.Come here-"
"I'm fine." I took a cautious step back, trying to put distance between us. "I think you should go."
But before I could move further, his hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly. He yanked me towards him, his pungent breath hot against my skin. "Come on, princess. You can't be all alone in this big jungle, Let me take care of you."
I tried to steady myself as I fought to claw my way out of his grip. "Get your filthy hands off me!"
"Filthy?"His black pupils dilated on me. "You never change do you? A sweet perfect Evangeline Hidalgo can't stain her perfect little conscience huh?"
"Don't let me repeat myself."I say firmly and his eyes glinted,grazing over the v-cut on my silk dress.
"Quite hypocritical now that you are to be wed,to the biggest filth in the game isn't it?"
His hands grabbed my chin and I sent my leg to kick his groin but he grabbed it,raising it over his hip.
"Just like that love,"he laughed,pining my hands down. "Tell me,is this how he treats you?"
"Cameron!"I screamed as he licked my neck. "Get off me!"
His grip on one hand loosened and I scratched his face with my nails,leaving a bloody trail that I'm sure will leave a scar.
Looking at him made me so angry,I wished I completed those combat lessons my dad forced me into.
He bit his lower lip and smirked,looking turned on by my resistance..
Before I could form another scream,a deafening crack split the air.
I barely had time to register what the sound was before I realized that Cameron's grip on me had loosened. I stumbled away,my heart thundering in my chest.
It was then that I looked up.
Vincenzo stood on the floor above us,his silhouette sharp and commanding against the yellow dim lit house behind him. The gun lowered,but a murderous stare so clear in his eyes,I could swear I had seen that look somewhere.
How long has he been there?
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Cameron screamed at him,grabbing his shoulder blade,red tint beginning to pour out of his hand already,littering his crispy white dress shirt.
Saying nothing,Vincenzo calmly raised the gun to him again.
"No!!" I screamed,my voice blending with another blood curling sound of Vincenzo's bullet hitting Cameron.