Chapter 38

Just by the look on Francesca‘s face, it felt as if I had entered a battlefield. Lucio and Enzo were seated next to Francesca and while Lucio and Enzo gave me a nod of acknowledgment Francesca did not.

“Serena, please sit!” Lucio guided me to the table while Gio scoffed and walked past me to sit next to Enzo.

“I thought I scheduled a meeting with the Capaldi’s for you today,” Lucio told Christian who held my hand and sat down next to me. “I did, but I canceled it.”

“Starts of great, canceling meetings for...” Gio rolled his eyes at me. Once again I felt attacked because I did not ask Christian to cancel any meeting, he on his own and apparently it was important— but it was not my fault.

“Give him a break, being at squirrel’s side is much more important than a meeting with that twisted family, right dad?” Enzo winked at me. It felt good to know that he still treated me the same despite everything that had happened.

Instead of opening my mouth I had definitely learned my lesson and decided to stay out of it. “Dad, I’m sorry for canceling the meeting but I hope you can understand that I had to be here.” He said and gave his mother a look.

“Sure, but please discuss it with me next time, you aren’t in charge yet,” Lucio told him and turned his attention back to me. I felt awkward as it was and on top of that, I was in the middle of family business. “Serena, how’s the baby?” Lucio asked me. He was someone who had been as a dad to me and I wanted him to care, but he had already made clear what he thought about this baby and I did not know for how long I would’ve been able to play dollhouse.

“Good, the baby is fine!” I tried to sound as cheerful as one could be, but judging by the stares I received I had definitely pushed it.

“So, you came to apologize.” Gio started and looked at Francesca who had been quiet this entire time. I shut myself down and had no idea what to say or how to start this somewhat unfair apology.

“Mom.” Christian saved me and grabbed his mom’s hand from over the table. “Mom, she came all the way over here to fix things and she did it on her own so the least you can do is look at her in the eye.” He said, making his mother lookup.

If looks could kill I would’ve been dead right now. “Tell her that she can go back from where she came from.” She told me and all I could see in her eyes was hatred. This issue seemed to be a bit deeper than me calling her names. Gio snickered at his mom’s reaction and leaned back while crossing his arms.

The thing which had surprised me most would probably be that Christian had introduced me as his fiancée and they still treated me like this. Imagine if he didn’t?

“That’s enough, I won’t let you talk to her like that...both of you.” Christian directed at his mom and his brother. He was right, this time he was immediately sticking up for me. “You guys have seen the state of this family and you’re just going to keep going?”

“What state?” Francesca scoffed and shot daggers at me. “She made that name for herself, I didn’t do anything.”

“Didn’t do anything?” I whispered to myself and was on the verge of exploding, but Christian held down my hand. It appeared to be that him coming along was indeed for the best.

“Aunt Cesca, I hope you’re realizing you are not only hurting Serena but also Christian and this entire family with these fake rumors going around. People won’t take us seriously if we don’t stand strong.” Johnny showed up out of nowhere and took a seat next to me.

“Serena is a good person, that day you just happened to push her buttons.” He smiled and threw his arm around my shoulder. Francesca seemed startled by Johnny’s presence. “This is a family matter.” She told him.

“Yes, and I’m a Lamberti and Christian is right, you owe her an apology,” Johnny spoke.

“Do you hear this Lucio? This is because you gave your brother too much power—that his disrespectful kid can come in here an-“

“Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?” Christian interrupted his mom and looked at Gio. "It's the same with Gio and uncle is dead, so how about we let his soul rest in peace?"

I could not even start thinking about what they would’ve done to me if I had shown up without Christian. They would’ve destroyed me.

“Look—I’m sorry for disrespecting you, I never meant to do that.” I tried to budge in the conversation once again, but by the look on Francesca’s face, I could tell that she wouldn’t let me. “But you did.”

The way this woman carried herself was unbelievable. It truly seemed as if she did not realize her own mistake, while I could recognize mine. “And so did you...”

“I mean...I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to but you attacked me and-“ I tried to recover myself. “I never attacked you!” Francesca lied.

“No, you attacked her first. If you think that you can come in here as commoner while not even a few months ago you were hanging from a pole, you’re wrong!” Gio yelled.

“You’re poisoning this family, and you haven’t even been here for that long!” Francesca followed as the two continued to take turns insulting me. I thought I was strong, I thought I could come here and apologize—but the words ‘poison’ had stabbed me in the heart. Those were the exact words several foster families had described me as. Maybe I was the problem? Maybe I was wrong?

I felt my head spin at the comments getting thrown at me and was desperate to leave the room. My hands were getting sweaty, my hearing started to fade and I could not go on for much longer. “Are you alright?” Johnny whispered in my ear and held my back for support while I tried to answer him back.

My eyes drifted to Lucio who had a pitiful look on his face as my eyes begged him to end all of this, but instead, he looked away. So much for taking care of me.

“Enough!” Christian yelled and slammed his fist on the table. After everyone went quiet I was finally myself again and could relax. “Look at her? Are you guys serious? She’s pregnant!” Christian placed his hand on top of mine and looked at Johnny. “Go get her some water, please.” He told him and just like that Johnny was gone.

“Do you want to step out for a second?” Christian whispered in my ear and helped me get up. “I’ll take her,” Enzo spoke and walked over to me to grab my hand. He led me out of the room and closed the glass sliding door.

“For all it helps, they also don’t like me.” He patted me on my back. “But I’m happy to have you here, so please don’t judge this family by the behavior of two people.” He tried to comfort me, but the damage had already been done.

“What about all those other people?” I asked and leaned against the wall with my eyes closed, thinking about all these ‘families’ who did not agree with me being here. Enzo did not know what to say and was saved by Johnny who handed me a glass of water while Enzo made his way back inside.

“Are you okay?” He asked me and rubbed circles over my back. “I’m fine.” I managed to get out but was still shaken up. Through the sliding door, I could hear that they were still in the middle of an argument and nowhere near finished.

“Uncle wants to stand up for you, really— but by doing so he might make it worse,” Johnny spoke before he prepared himself to go in again, but I stopped him by grabbing his arm. “I’ll go with you,” I told him. Running away from the situation wouldn’t do me any good. We walked back in and just as before Christian held my hand as I sat down.

“Mom, just apologize.” Christian tried again but Francesca shook her head. Even though I had not expected an apology from his mom and had decided to be the bigger person, he was determined to not make me leave without one. “No.”

“Christian, it’s okay let’s go,” I whispered to him, but he ignored me. “Aunt Cesca, you have to apologize.” Johnny agreed with him.

“So you are not going to apologize?” Christian spoke defeated and glared at his mom. “I...really hate you.”

“Christian!” Lucio yelled and turned to Francesca who had frozen up by Christian’s unexpected words. “You don’t mean that,” Gio whispered in disbelief.

“I do, you guys are ganging up on her, and dad’s just sitting there. You too Enzo, the two of you are not that much better!” He called them out. I suddenly thought of Johnny’s words about Lucio not being able to do anything, but it was still the bare minimum to shut up his wife.

“You’re bullying her, you’re bullying my child which means you are bullying me. I can’t forgive you for that.” He spoke and looked at Lucio who had still not intervened. “Dad, you said Serena is like a daughter...”

Those words had pained me just as much as it had probably done to him. Would any father let his daughter get attacked like that? I wouldn’t know.

“Francesca...Gio, apologize.” Lucio finally spoke. They had both turned their head to Lucio and were waiting for him to take back his words, but he didn’t.

“Are you nuts?” Gio asked his dad, while Francesca remained quiet, probably out of respect for her husband.

“Call me nuts again,” Lucio spoke in the most serious voice I had ever heard him. “I’m sorry,” Gio mumbled.

“I know you want to rob me of my position, but I’m not going anywhere— so the best for both you and your family would be to apologize.” Christian said.

“Are you threatening my family?” Gio asked. As expected he was good at turning around people’s words and had also done it to me before. If he hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t even be sitting here.

“Yes,” Christian spoke as everyone at the table went in complete silence. The way he said, yes, made me flinch and wonder if this was the right way to demand respect. At times I forgot about who he was, but each time I got reminded of it I was thinking about what the hell I was even doing here.

Gio stood up from his chair while Christian released my hand and did the same. “Chris?” Johnny tried to save the day, but before anyone could do anything— Christian walked around the table to grab his brother by his neck and pushed him against the wall.

Was he really willing to go that far for me?