Chapter 52

I smacked my head on the table multiple times in a row— while Luna glared at me.

“I told him I loved him!” I mouthed. It was the day after I had embarrassed myself and confessed my feelings and even I could not understand how one could go from liking someone to loving someone.

What was even more embarrassing was that he did not have a single reaction, not one.

“Baby that’s the least of your worries, worry about important stuff like meeting your parents.” Luna tried to shift my attention. Today was the day I would be meeting the Alfonzo’s once again— and I had expected to be nervous, but I wasn’t.

I had dreamed of this moment for years, but now that it was here I did not feel a single nerve. “Thanks for coming with me, I really can’t do this alone.” I sighed at Luna.

Faith was busy with her own life, and Olivia was a bit too close to Vincenzo— so I had also taken my distance from her but luckily I had Luna instead. Today I would officially be meeting the Alfonzo’s and Luna had agreed to come with me. Even though I was not exactly nervous, I did not want to do this on my own. “Speaking of the devil.” Luna chuckled as I looked up at Christian who had walked in.

After his breakdown, he acted as if nothing happened, just how he had completely ignored the fact that I told him I loved him—but there was nothing I could do to take it back. The truth was that I did love him, and I was not embarrassed to admit it.

“Are you guys ready?” Christian asked me and avoided all eye-contact. The fact that I didn’t know whether it was because I had confessed my feelings or because he felt embarrassed about me seeing the vulnerable side of him made matters even worse.

“Yes,” Luna told him and dragged me from the chair. “Did you still not tell him about Beau?” She whispered in my ear while I punched her in her flanks. Beau had texted me and told me not to trust anything Vincenzo said and that it was all a trap, just like Christian had told me—but I had yet to tell him the truth.

I knew Beau told me not to tell our parents anything, but he seemed broken and lost which was why I was even considering going against him and tell the Alfonzo’s the truth. Fabio was obviously an abusive, controlling freak and I needed him to be saved. “Right, sorry,” Luna whispered.

We followed Christian to the car and sat down in the back, while he was at the front with Johnny. “You didn’t tell me he was coming!” Luna whispered in my ear. What did she expect? He was his cousin.

The only thing going through my head was Christian. Why was he not saying anything to me? Did I scare him off?

“Serena, how are you feeling?” Johnny asked—completely ignoring Luna’s existence. It had appeared to be that besides me and Christian also they had their own issues.

“Good, nervous— but excited,” I told him. The only thing that did worry me would be their opinion. What if they did not like me? I remembered Emmanuella told me that they had two more children after I was born, a set of twins— Luke and Carmen. Would they like me?

I was not worried about Matteo or about Emilio and Marcello— because I knew they liked me, but I had yet to meet the rest of my family and did not know how they would receive me, but it could not be any worse than the Lamberti’s did, right?

After a long drive, we had finally arrived at the huge Alfonzo estate. I stepped out of the car with sparkling eyes and thought about what my life would’ve been like if they had never sent me away. “Still not nervous?” Christian asked and locked his hand with mine.

I felt my heart beat and looked down at our intertwined hands. This was the first time since I told him I loved him that he had actually acknowledged me. “I’m good.” I managed to get out and looked the other way.

Before we had even reached the door, a man I recognized as Matteo ran out and made his way over. When he stood in front of me he froze for a few seconds and stared into my eyes. With each second he got more and more tearful until he had finally broken down and grabbed me from Christian to pull me into a tight hug.

“My Angelica, I knew it was you.” He cried into my arms while I awkwardly hugged him back. I did not know how it felt to have parents or to be loved—so this was all new to me.

I knew it was you, those were the words I had been waiting for my entire life but now that it was here I did not felt a thing. Did I feel happy? Yes, I did—but I was not emotional.

“I won’t ever let go of you again, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” He repeated over and over. After he had pulled away he held my arms. “Let me look at you, you’re beautiful.” He told me while I was still unsure of how to react.

“How has Christian been treating you?” He looked behind me. I turned around and also looked at Christian who had an uncomfortable look on his face. “He’s been amazing.” I smiled at Christian.

Our relationship did not start off well, but it had grown a lot and I had considered him someone I could rely on. So much to the point that I had told him I loved him.

“Johnny, nice to see you.” Matteo greeted him before he focused his attention on Luna. “Uhm, that’s my best friend— Luna,” I told him.

Matteo immediately walked towards her and grabbed both of our hands. “Thank you, thank you for being Angelica’s friend.”

Angelica...

Even though it was supposedly the name I was given I did not like that name. My name was Serena and that was the only name I felt comfortable with. “Come on, let’s go inside— everyone wants to meet you.” He grabbed my hand again.

“E-everyone?” I stuttered. I was still a bit traumatized from meeting the Lamberti’s and did not want to go through all of that again. “Just your mom and your siblings, I would like to introduce you to the entire family but considering the circumstances...”

“Right.” Christian agreed. Matteo led us inside and walked us through the house. “I’ve dismissed everyone for today.” He told me as if it was the most normal thing to have people walking around your house.

He stopped at a door and turned around to look at me one last time. “Your mom has waited on this very moment since the day we gave you away.” He smiled at me with a tearful look in his eyes. In the past, I had a list of questions about what I wanted to ask my parents, if it was hard for them and why they never came looking for me—but at the moment all of this felt overwhelming.

The moment Matteo opened the door I counted five people staring at me. Emilio, Marcello, a woman and two others who I had yet to meet. I awkwardly stepped forward while the woman pushed the others aside so she could get to me.

“Am I dreaming?” She whispered to herself and looked into my eyes. Her shaking hands moved to my cheeks and she gently caressed my face while tears were streaming down her face, but crazily enough I had no reaction.

“Can I give you a hug?” She asked and once I nodded my head— she did not hesitate and pulled me into her arms. “I’ve been waiting for so long.” She sobbed.

Emilio and Marcello walked over to me and joined the hug, while the two in the back had their arms crossed and looked right through my soul. I had not expected everything to go perfect so I was completely prepared. “From now on, don’t go anywhere.” Emilio stroke his hand through my hair.

Matteo also joined the hug and pushed Marcello and Emilio a bit to the side so he could hold me again. If this was what a family felt like—it was definitely suffocating.

“Sir, I think we should let her and the baby breathe.” I heard Christian’s voice as they all pulled away in unison. “D-did I hurt you?” They all started throwing questions at me with worried looks on their faces.

Christian being worried for me and the baby was actually kind of cute.

“No, I’m fine.” I smiled and looked at my family. My family. They seemed like nice people who would accept Beau with open arms. “Carmen and Luke— come and say hi to your big sister.” Matteo walked to the two teenagers and grabbed their hands to pull them forward.

Luke gave me a fake smile and an awkward nod—at least he tried, while Carmen’s face said enough, she did not want me here. “They look alike, don’t you think?” Emilio asked Marcello who agreed.

“I’m Lita...I’m your mother.” The woman pushed her own children to the side to hold my cheeks again. “You being here and giving me another...grandchild, is all so much at once—but I wouldn’t want it any other way.” She looked down at my belly.

Why wasn’t I feeling anything?

They were nice people and I was happy but where was this so-called ‘family bond’ I had always dreamed about?

Matteo looked behind me to look at the others. “For today, let’s not talk about any business or what’s about to come—I want to spend all the time we have on getting to know Serena.”

“Yes, we want to hear all about you and Christian—and that baby of yours.” Lita spoke while I turned around to face Christian, but no matter what he would not look me in the eyes.

“I’m sure Serena has a lot of questions, come on.” Matteo grabbed my hand and guided all of us to the living room but all I could think of was Christian.

I told him I loved him, only for him to avoid me like this.

“You guys go ahead, I’ll be right there.” I smiled at the others and pulled Christian back to the hallway so we had some privacy, and only one sentence could leave my mouth.

“Are you not going to say anything back?”