"Love is a friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses." - Ann Landers

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Athena Giudici's POV

              I WOKE up a bit sick, dizzy, light headed and with a dry throat. My eyes darted to the clock on my side table and it's already one in the afternoon. I dragged myself out of the bed and pick up my dirty clothes along my way to the washroom. I tossed the dirty clothes into the laundry basket and then walk to the sink and wash my face. I drank some water from the tap without care until I felt the moisture back in my throat. 

I look in the mirror and saw my reflection. I cringed when I saw the mascara smudges under my eyelids, cheeks as red as the ripe tomatoes, and chopped lips. I could see the dry lipstick still on my lips. I could also smell my breath reeking of alcohol. 

I quickly clean my face and brush my teeth, then had a shower. I got changed and then headed to the kitchen to have some coffee. Just as I reach the door, my phone rang. My eyes landed on the clutch sitting on my other side table and I hear my phone ringing. I quickly closed the distance and pulled my phone out. 

"Hello," I spoke as soon as the call connected. 

"You sounds all right, baby doll." I heard Dean's relieved tone on the other line. "I've been calling you like countless times already. I thought something's wrong. I'm guessing you're not going in, today," he blabbered and I sighed. I really feel awful today. 

"Thank you for last night, Dean." Was all I said and continued pacing out of my room to the kitchen. 

"Pfft ..." he responded. "No hangover?" he asked after.

"Just a little bit," I answered briefly. 

"Great. I just called to know you're alright," he sounded dismissive and I knew he's busy. I heard shufflings of papers in the background and some familiar voices. "I gotta go, Enna. I'll talk to you later." Then he hangs up the phone.

I looked around my living room and nothing seems strange. No signs of Giovanni around, or if he was here last night. The tears starting to well up around my eyelids. The truth now really bites me real hard. It was painful. 

Maybe he had the tape that's why he doesn't need you anymore. He got what he needs that's why he's avoiding you. 

Dean's speculation is right. I needed answers and to clear all this mystery in my head. I dialed his number but it only directs me to his voicemail.

"Dammit!" I hissed in a mumbled tone with frustrations.

I quickly headed for the kitchen and made my coffee as I think over what Dean and I talk about last night. He must be right. Giovanni has the tape and it could be the evidence he was looking for his parent's death. Maybe the tape has all the answers to his family's death. I need to talk to him. Only him could confirm all these speculations in my head. 

Once and for all.

             I DON'T know how long I was talking to my mom on the phone. She's worried about dad. He was supposed to be home last night, but he didn't. She called him, but no answers. I dialed his number, but I get the same response. It directs me to his voicemail.

I tried again, and I sighed in relief when it connected.

"Hello," a melodious voice of a woman answered the phone. My eyebrows quirk in confusion and I pulled the phone away from my ears and stared at the number I dialed. 

Daddy. The crease lines in my forehead 

"Who's this?" As the voice getting clearer in my ears that it was a woman, the frown lines on my forehead deepened into an exasperated scowl.

"I should ask that. Who's this?" I asked in a bitchy manner. I don't care if I acted rudely. I just wanted to know why does she have my father's phone?

"This is Gisela Deloach, and who is this?" Her sexy and inviting voice is gone, replaced with an arrogance and snarky.

My temper rose up. "The daughter of the owner of the phone you're holding right now!" I grit out. 

"Oh ..." she gasped. "I'm sorry, but your father hasn't come back yet," her timbre toned down a little and now she sounded friendly. I scoffed inwardly. I still don't understand why she had his phone.

"And where is my father?" I asked, the sarcasm in my tone never left.

"He just went to pick up some cigars, but until now, he hasn't come back." Is my father smoking? I never saw him smoke? And why would he come back? Who is she? 

"And who are you?" I was holding my breath as I waited impatiently for her answer. My head is starting to throb. Gosh, every day, I'm receiving unpleasant revelations. 

"Just a friend," she answered casually and I knew it's more than that. 

"Are you the client he was supposed to meet?" I asked. I needed more clarification.

"Oh no, I'm not." I could feel she's chuckling. I don't know, but I could feel that she's not just my father's friend, but my father's bed warmer. 

My heart clenched for my mom and anger for my dad starting to bubbles up in my system. How dare him to cheat on my mom. And how long had he been cheating on with mom? What else is my dad hiding from us?

With my vexed tone, "then who are you?" I asked frustratedly.

"I told you. I'm just one of your dad's friend." She insisted. My temper exploded. 

"Really?" I said in sarcasm. "How far is that friendship goes? Until the bed-" tut.. tut.. tut...

I heard the dial tone. I pulled the phone away from my ear and saw that the call has ended. "Puttana!" I hissed in anger and deep frustrations.

I look at the clock mounted on the wall just above the television and it's almost five yet Giovanni hasn't called or texted me. He hasn't showed up yet, as well. I dialed his number and the same response a few hours ago, it directs me to his voicemail.

I frustratedly got up and decided to see him. I knew the top floor is his penthouse. Maybe he's up there. I quickly headed out with my phone and keys with me. I was stopped on my track when I saw Dirk, that security he sent with to spy on me. My eyes turn into slits when I realized he was still spying on me, but I suddenly realized, he will lead me to him. 

"Hey," he suddenly looks at me with apprehension. 

"Err," his hand reach the back of his head and massage it lightly as he fumbled for his words.

 "Where is your boss?" I asked.

"He has a sudden meeting Ms. Giudici," he said with hesitance in his voice. His eyes held more than what his words meant.

"Then, bring me to him!" I said sternly and he looks at me, hesitant.

"But Ms. Giudici, he doesn't want to get distracted when he is on a meeting," he reasoned out lamely.

"Just bring me to him, or I'll both bang your heads together!" I snap at him using my intimidating tone. "Gio wouldn't care if I interrupted him," I said with high confidence in my tone. Dirk nodded and I knew he'll obey. "Are you going to bring me to him, or I'll call him and end your career at this moment?" I threatened him and he apprehensively nodded his head.

"Then I shall bring you to him, Ms. Giudici," he said and I discreetly smirk. 

He guided me to his black SUV Lincoln park at the back of the building. Two other fellows in the same suit that almost the same height as him. The other one caught me my attention. The same face. Golden brown hair, deep-set eyes, dark and rounded. They have the same perfectly caved in cheeks sharpened his jawline. 

I look at Dirk and he answered the questions in my head. "He's my twin brother, Tirk. We are identical," he said and I nodded to the other guy. The guy just nodded.

Dirk opened the door for me and I climb in. Tirk sat beside me and Dirk on the passenger seat. The other guy in the driver seat. "And what's your name?" I asked the guy in the driver seat. He's a bit heavier than the two and look like an army. A scar on his forehead and he had a lean-jawed and hungry looking. He looks older that than the twins. 

"Joaquin Razo, Ms. Giudici." He just shot me a glance at the rearview mirror, and he concentrates on driving. 

The traffic was bad and finally, the SUV turned into a street. I read the street sign, and it said, Prince St. My forehead furrowed further as the SUV drove into the dark alleys and park in the small parking lot. Everyone scrambles out of the SUV and my heart suddenly races with fear. Negative thoughts suddenly clogged my head. What are they doing? Where did they take me?

"Gio is inside the diner, Ms. Giudici," Dirk said and I just realized, they were waiting for me. I quickly hop out of the van and followed him. The two left outside. He led me inside a very old diner. We stood at the back door as Dirk raps on the metal door. The door slowly opened and a head peak through. An old man about his sixties opened the door. He looks at us suspiciously and when he recognized Dirk, he opened the door wide and let us both in. He looks around before closing the door.

"Who is she?" he asked in his dark tone.

"She's the boss' girlfriend." Dirk answered briefly and he nodded. A hope rose within my gut. "He's inside," he cocks his head to the opposite direction and Dirk nodded. He guided me then along the small hallway, then into a door. We entered a what looks like a pantry. My throat suddenly ran dry when a waves of fear surges throughout my system. Where is Gio?

I looked around the pantry and all I could see were bags of flours, sugars, baskets of vegetables, piles of baking pans, and some other kitchen tools and other seasonings. "This way, Ms. Giudici," Dirk rounded the stacks of bags of flour that almost as tall as me, and then he opened a door. It was hard to recognize the door because it was covered with the flour unless you rounded the flour, either way, the door is too hard to notice.

Dirk walks in first and I followed him. "Easy with the steps Ms. Giudici," he warns and the wooden stairs made a soft faint creaking sounds as we step down the stairs into the basement, then a hallway. As we were approaching, I hear voices. 

"You know when I saw your father begs, it was the sweetest moment ever," I froze. I can't be wrong. That's my father's voice. He sounded so confident and smug. Did he kill Gio's father? He's the killer.

My heart doesn't want to accept the fact, but my ears heard it right. 

"Unrestraint him," I heard Gio's dark and lethal voice. By the sound of it, I knew he's going to kill him without a doubt. I quickly followed Dirk and I saw my dad held by Vito and Sai. From where I was standing, it's hard to see me, plus all of them were too engross of what was happening.   

"What did my mom and sister did to you to kill them, too?" Gio asked in his menacing tone. That tone that even the devil himself would cower.

"Well, I didn't. One of the only men whom you trusted did it for me. Carmine Castellano." Dad looks smug and I shook my head involuntarily in disbelief. Dad's lips are cut and the nose was bleeding. Blood smeared on his white crisp shirt. 

I saw his men walk to the table with a cloth in his hand. He laid out and my eyes bulged when I saw what was in it. I quickly covered my mouth with my palm in horror. My eyes flew back to Salvo who was looking at the knives laid on the table. His smug face suddenly vanish and a fear settled in his eyes. I saw how his Adam's apple moved up and down.

"Carmine Castellano?" Gio said rather a question than a statement.

I felt the tears brimming in my eyes. I can't believe my dad is a killer and all this information, it just suddenly dawns on me, my father is no difference of Giovanni. A mafia, a bloodthirsty human.

Carmine Castellano? That is his uncle who became his second father?  Each information made me shiver inside. 

"Yes. He rapes your mom. He had been in love with your mom. I was surprised to know that, honestly, it never dawns on me. Well, your mom is pretty, I can't blame him, he had this secret fantasy with your mom long before your dad dated her."

"How about my sister?" I stiffened as I waited for my father to answer it.

"Probably one of my securities. I don't know who." He nonchalantly responded. His tone only says one thing. He had been doing this and he's used to killings.

My God, I grow up with him knowing he was the best father. Angelo is right. Dad is heartless and selfish. He is not what he shows us. 

I stood there frozen, watching how my father spilled out all the information without a tinge of remorse in his tone. He sounded so proud. I suddenly felt gagging at the realization that my father is a killer. How did he manage to hide his true identity to us? 

"Argh ..." My eyes darted to Gio who is in a blur was already punching my father in the face, in his belly and its blow knocks my father real hard. My father groaned loudly in pain. Gio looks like a beast, ready to kill his prey. Every punch he threw it was powerful. Dad spits out blood as he jerks when he his powerful punch landed on his rib. 

I suddenly realized that he's going to kill my dad. "GIO!" I heard my voices aloud, calling for his attention. He suddenly stops and everyone's eyes landed on my direction. I step forward, where the light is and I saw how his eyes lit up as he faces me. My eyes were full of sorrow as I shifted my gaze to the two men I dearly loved. The two men who kept their true identity to me. 

Suddenly, I saw my dad pulled the gun from the security's waist and before I could stop him, he shot Gio. I saw Gio suddenly turns pale and blood gushing out from his chest. 

"NO......... GIO......." I screamed. Another loud bang and when I look where it came from ...  Isaias shot my dad. Dad fell on the ground. It all happens fast. 

"Dad......" I screamed and I don't know which one to rescue. 

"Gio..." I scream as I ran to Gio's side, "dad ..." then to my dad's side. "Call the ambulance!!" I shouted to particularly no one. I saw Isaias pick up Gio, together with another guy while Isaias was putting pressure on his chest. 

Dad was shot on his shoulder, blood gushing out non-stop. Two other men pick him up and they all ran outside with him. 

Dirk was literally pushing me out following them. As we were approaching the exit door, the blaring siren of an ambulance suddenly awakens my frozen muscles. 

"Drive Ms. Giudici back to her place." I heard Vito barked to Dirk as he shot him a deadly stare. 

"Ye-yes boss," Dirk tugs me to the SUV in the very back of the diner and I shook my head in disapproval. 

"I'm not going anywhere!" I yells and I felt the tears I've been holding streams down my cheeks. The fear then settled in my heart. 

"I'm coming with you!" I yank my hand away of Dirk's hold and strode off following Vito. "I'm coming with you, Vito!" I yells and Vito stops and face me. "I'm coming," I tried to sound intimidating, but I croaked. My voice betrayed me. My emotions betrayed me. My insides were shaking at the moment. The thoughts of Gio's dying makes me feel dying slowly inside.

Vito looks deadly hiding is true emotions under his cold exterior. "Ms. Giudici, it's better if you go home and take a rest. For now, I need you to listen carefully." Vito clenched his jaws. "You saw nothing. You will not say anything to the police and let us deal with this! You understand?" Vito's eyes were cold and determined.

I gulped audibly. I saw the desperation and fear mixed in those deep brown orbs. I found myself nodding, although my heart is filled with terror of Gio's life. After knowing that my father killed Gio's dad, I don't know if I still fear for his life. The ambulance left and I didn't see Isaias anywhere. 

I felt nothing for him at this moment. 

I watch Vito left and saw a couple of police car approaching the ambulance. Everything went a blur. I just found myself inside the van with Dirk and his twin. I sob inside the car as it drove off. I was shaking  uncontrollably, tears rolling down my cheeks incessantly. 

"Please don't take him away from me. I needed him. Please, Lord, don't take him yet. I needed him. I can't live without him, I can't..." I mumbled inwardly through tears. My shoulders shaking uncontrollably as I mumbled inaudibly.

"We are here, Ms. Giudici." I heard Dirk's voice and I climbed out of the van in silent. My head was hanging low as I walk inside the lobby then into the elevator. Dirk and Tirk were following me until I got into my condo. I let Dirk and Tirk inside. They objected, but I insisted. I know they are shocked just as myself. The two left in my living room as I headed straight to my room like a robot, heart in pieces.

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A/N: Here you go. I hope you all like it... Please don't forget to vote.