Running away from this horror house, I feel my heart clench, and tears fall from my face. Am I not good enough, Nikolay?
                                     ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Amelia's POV:

My brothers were right. I should have listened to them. I thought quickly, getting into my car and leaving his home. Tears continue to trickle down my face as I drive to my brothers' house. My heart continued to clench, and now including the feeling of my throat closing as I try my best to hold back sobs and drive carefully. What do I even tell my brothers? All of you were right. I could tell Teresa...but she's been acting weird lately. Whenever we would hang out or contact each other, she would ask a random question about Nikolay. I remember a few weeks ago Teresa and I had a girl's night at my place and started to feel each other in on what each other had been up to and she asked me pretty typical questions and then changed. How's it been with Nikolay? Is he treating you right? Have you seen his office? Have you accompanied him to any business meetings? I understand this is my first relationship, but I'm ninety-ninety percent sure those aren't regular questions to be asked.

Driving into my brother's driveway, I did my best to control my breathing and get myself together. Getting my handheld mirror from my purse to see my face had puffy red eyes, and noticeable tear streaks on my foundation, overall anyone would be able to tell I was crying. Rummaging through my backpack, I find lipgloss and foundation powder. Trying my best to blend the foundation I already had on, it didn't look as bad as I thought it would, but I could tell the difference. Quickly applying my lipgloss to my chap lips, after grabbing my backpack and suitcase, I lock my car and make my way to the front door.

"Lia!! I missed my baby sis." Max says excitement evident in his voice. I still have the keys to the house, but Max must have been waiting at the door for me to arrive.

"Hi Max, did I miss anything?" I ask trying my best to sound cheerful, but my tone ends up sounding more shakey and unsure. Max looked at me for a second before stepping aside and letting me in.

"Are you okay, Amelia?" His tone was changing to one of curiosity and worry. Yea, Max, I had a fantastic day; first, I lost my lesson plan, then caught "my boyfriend" for lack of a better word fucking some woman, and finally, all of this had to happen the anniversary weekend of our papa's death. I can already feel my eyes start to water, thinking about that.

"Of course. I'm just tired, and I had a long day with my class and thinking about Papa. Do you smell something burning?" I hated that I didn't listen to them and now feel too ashamed to tell them. Before he could answer, I felt two arms pull me into a tight yet loving hug.

"Little sis, I missed you." Nickolas says, giving me a light squeeze before letting me go. I could tell me moving out, affected him since he said that almost every time he saw me, he would ask if I was safe and remind me not to talk to strangers. The death of our papa deeply affected him and almost made him a little paranoid, in my opinion. "Are you listening? Alex and I decided to make dinner instead of having Rosa prepare it. We are making everyone's favorite." He smiled proudly at his words, but all of my brothers could barely make toast.

Setting my things down near the staircase and following Nickolas to the kitchen. It seems like I'm having a lot of bad luck with the kitchen today.

"WHAT THE FUCK DOES BROIL MEAN?!? Hello, Amelia." Alex yelled in frustration, holding a piece of paper in one hand and a lobster in the other. I couldn't help but chuckle at him. "Tell me you know how to broil a lobster." He said, turning his gaze away from what I assume is the recipe to me.

"Hi, Alex, have you tried searching Google for the answer?" His temper always got the better of him. Looking around, I see a variety of food and all of my brothers except Bradford. Max had taken a seat at the kitchen island, and Nickolas was standing next to me.

"Something came up last minute. Brad will try and make it later tonight." Nickolas says, walking away from me to finish what he claims is cooking.

"I'm going to take a nap, please get me when it's ready. Max, please make sure those two don't burn the house down." Giving them my last attempt at a smile and leaving the kitchen. Grabbing the things I brought me and making my way to my old room, I let the tears that I had been holding flow freely.

Locking the door and emptying my hands, I sob no longer caring about hiding my happy facade. Slipping off my shoes and getting into bed, I can feel the panic attack come back with the tears. I cried because of Nikolay's betrayal. I cried for being too naive and not listening to my brothers. I cried because of this happening so close to my papa's anniversary. I miss him so much. Even though he wasn't my biological father, I was treated and loved as if he was. I fell asleep to memories of him.

"Knock!!"

"Lia?"

"Come on, it's time to eat!!"

Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I hear Max outside my door. Surprisingly I had a somewhat peaceful nap. From what I can remember about my short dream, papa, all of my brothers, and I was in Papa's home city of Bordeaux, France. I've been there once as a child with all of them.

"I'll be out in a minute!" I said, getting out of bed. Opening my suitcase and grabbing makeup remover wipes, I decided to take my makeup, not caring about how puffy my eyes were. Walking into the dining room, my brothers were already seated. Alexander sat at the head of the table, and surprisingly Bradford sat at the other one, Nickolas sat next to him, Max sat next to Alex, and I decided to sit next to Bradford since we hadn't spoken in a while. Brad smiled at me once I sat. Looking at the food that was prepared, it looked better than expected. We are having surf and turf due to my brothers' love of seafood and steak, and they must have known I wouldn't be picky about what we would eat either.

"Nickolas, would you like to say grace?" Brad asked, but we all knew that his asking Nickolas was not a question but a polite statement.

"Yes. We thank you, God, for being able to gather each of us together, and we are also thankful for our health and safety. In Jesus's name, we pray, amen." Nickolas kept it short and simple.

"Would you like any meat before it's all gone, Sissy?" Brad asks, already cutting a sliver from a stake. When Papa passed away, Brad took over as the father figure and learned more about Papa's company. When he became head of the household, I started to notice he became harder and stricter on my brothers compared to me. I believe that Bradford is the main reason why each of them became overly protective. He probably still sees me as the scared and abused little girl that Papa introduced as his new little sister.

"No thank you, I think I will just eat some shrimp and lobster." I smile and tell him. He nods and places the cut on his plate along with his bigger cut stake.

I didn't realize how much I missed my brothers as we reminisced about childhood memories with Papa. I told them about how much I love being a kindergarten teacher and my class, and about how it was going with living by myself. The majority of the time, they smile and listen, but once in a while will give each other a distinct look. Being around them did help lift my spirits and forget about a certain Romanian, but know this feeling will last long once I go back to my new home. After eating, everyone chipped in to help clean up the dining room and dishes since Rosa and the other housekeepers were dismissed till Sunday. Once everything was clean and put away, Bradford claimed that he and my other brothers had some business they needed to wrap up and locked themselves into their joint offices. Ugh. . . I'm stuffed. Checking my phone one last time before bed, Nikki I mean Nikolay called me thirty times and texted me fifty times. Who cares about him, anyway? Sadly I do. Turning my phone off and placing it under my pillow and drifted to a dreamless sleep.

Sunday came faster than expected. I thought standing in front of Papa's grave. Verino Xander: Here lies the beloved father of five. That is what was engraved on his tombstone. My brothers, a couple of Papa's old acquaintances, and I stood in front of it. Tears trickled down my face as I listened to the words some of his acquaintances and Bradford said. Looking at the faces around me, the majority of the men around me held a stone facial expression and watery eyes. Nickolas was the only one out of my brothers, who showed his true emotions and let silent tears fall from his face. Right as I place a yellow rose in front of Papa's tombstone I feel multiple glasses of water droplets and hear thunder. Is this a sign? Papa loved thunder and lightning storms.

"Let's go, Lia." Alexander says gently grabbing my shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.

Goodbye, papa. I love you.