The room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. No one did as much as move a muscle or blink.

Kate avoided looking at Fredo for the fear of what she would see on his face. Never for a second did she think that someone else might recognise her,much less know her real name and the crime she committed.

"I know that you and I have issues," Fredo's voice came out cold;Very cold. "Your business is with me,Sancha. Leave Kate out of this."

Sancha titled her head to one side and let out an amused laugh. "Oh, you're still so naive my dear Freddy. Miss Allegra Dante here,should be able to confirm that. She is not from where ever she told you she's from. She's originally from Verona,Italy-"

Kate glared at her. " Lasciami spiegare a suo modo."

" In modo da poter dirgli più bugie, no. O forse dovresti fare questo, ma conoscendo Fredo, probabilmente troppo tardi."

"Let that be my business," Kate snarled.

"So that you can-"

"Enough!" Fredo shouted, silencing the both of them. "Kate,let Sancha speak first, okay?"

Sancha clucked her tongue. "Such a ill mannered young lady. As I was saying, Allegra Dante aka Kate here,is the daughter of a well known business man, Lazaro Dante. Her parents loved her so much that they would do anything for her, but like any spoilt little Richie rich, it all went into her precious little head and she started going to parties,taking booze and doing drugs."

Kate bowed her head in shame. Sancha made everything she did sound like a sin and Just as she said earlier,Fredo would be really mad that she hid the secret from him.

"One night,she just killed her parents,shot the Cook's wife and ran away. She's Italy most wanted criminal for about six years now,right? Yesterday marked the sixth year you've been on the run."

Fredo stiffly turned to face Kate,who was staring at anywhere but him.

"Kate, is it true?"

"I-"

"Look at me when you're talking!"

Kate jerked her eyes to his. The cold look in them had her taking a step back in fear. The fact that she was the reason why he looked so cold made her feel guilty already.

"I tried to tell you, but-"

Fredo's jaw dropped open. "So I have been harbouring a criminal all the while?"

Kate flinched as if he just hit her. Summoning up courage, she took a step closer to him bit stopped when he took a step back as if he couldn't bare for her to be near him. Tears of rejection filled her eyes,but she didn't let them fall. Crying would only make the matter worse.

"Hear my side of the story first,Fredo. Please?"

Fredo nodded stiffly.

Kate took in deep breath,exhaled and began to speak. "Thank you. My real name is Allegra Dante. My parents, Lazaro and Athena Dante loved me a whole lot,since I was their only child. Six years ago,on Christmas eve,my boyfriend,Craig Lawson, and I went out on a date.

"But before I left, I had a fight with my parents. I returned home really late and went to bed. I woke up early to apologize to my parent and tell them about my engagement to Craig, I found them lying in a pool of blood instead." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she relived the moment she found her parents dead body.

"Believe me, I didn't kill them."

"Why should I believe you? From the very start,all you told me were lies. Katherine..." He scoffed. "That's not even your name. Whoever you really are,I don't give a damn. The thought that I harboured a criminal in my house and even allowed you to come close to my daughter is making me sick."

Kate's tears turned into full blown sobs. Her ears refused to believe what she was hearing. Fredo hated her now. He hated her.

Oh God,please let this be a dream. Please.

" sono innocente,per favore credimi." Kate sniffed.

"Since I don't understand a word you just said, I don't believe you." He combed his fingers through his hair. "You would surely pay for everything you did, I would personally ensure that,Murderess."

Kate flinched again as if he'd struck her. But nevertheless, she closed the distance between them and tried to touch him. Fredo shrugged her off and moved back until he was far from her grasp.

"Fredo,listen to me. Why would I kill my parents? They gave me everything, i-"

"You're still denying what you did?" He snarled. "You disgust me."

It stung to see him condemn her and call her names. Kate thought that he would support her when he learned about her past. didn't he also promise that her past didn't matter? What changed now?

"Did you also lie about the gunshot wound?"

"Yes. I-"

He cut her off sharply. "That's it. Every word you breathe is a lie. Everything you ever told me has always been lies." Fredo buried his face in his hands with a deep sigh.

A whimper from behind Kate had her turning around. Kelsia stood still with tears running down her cheeks too. Her small lips trembled as her body racked with her cries.

Kate felt miserable. She felt like the most wicked person on earth right now. Just like she have always done,she hurt the two people who have become important to her these few days.

"I believe you,Kate." Kelsia said. "To me you'll always be the Kate who brought a magic that made Christmas better this year. I know you can't hurt anyone. I believe you."

Kate sank to her knees and pulled the small girl into her embrace. Kelsia was yanked out of her hand in the blink of an eye. Kate got up to see Fredo holding his daughter away from her with hurt written all over his face.

"Kelsia is too small to know what she is saying," Sancha joined Fredo and Kelsia. "I don't believed you either."

Kate wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You don't have to. I'm glad that I told you the truth,so even if I die or go to prison,I would be at peace. Take care of your father for me Kelsia. Keep him happy when I'm gone,just promise me that you'll continue to celebrate Christmas and I'll be happy."

"Don't go!" Kelsia wailed Ama she struggled to get out of her father's grasp,but Fredo held her firmly.

"Miss Dante, you're under arrest for the illegal immigration and also the murder of your parents and Miss Emily Watson." Police man 1 told her as the other policeman showed her the arrest warrant.

Kate allowed them to place handcuffs on her wrist without any resistance on her part. They started to lead her out of the house but Kelsia's high pitched cry made her stop and turn around.

"Kate," Kelsia cried as she wrapped her arms around Kate's waist. "I won't let them take you away. Please stay,don't go. You promised that this Christmas would be great, you haven't baked me cookies,you didn't make me hot cocoa. Please don't go."

Kate began to sob uncontrollably. "I'm sorry,Kelsia."

Sancha came to drag Kelsia away from her. Kate watched it all through her tears. She didn't miss the tears in Fredo's blue eyes,even though he didn't let it fall.

"Ti amo più della vita stessa. I am telling the truth, Fredo."

" bugiardo. Ora lo prendo cura di lui, spero che tu debba andare in prigione. addio." Sancha replied with a smirk. "Take her away officers."

Kate was on automatic mode as they lead her into the waiting car and pushed her in the back seat. Her eyes never strayed from the door,in hope that Fredo would change his mind and appear in the door way just to see her one last time to say he believed her.

He didn't.

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Translation:

1).  Let me explain to him in my own way.

2). So you can tell him more lies? No. Or maybe you should do just that,but knowing Fredo, it's too late.

3). Please believe me, I am innocent.

4). I love you more than life it self.

5). Liar. I would take good care of him now, I hope you rot in jail. Goodbye.

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Gosh, I nearly cried when I wrote this chapter. It wasn't easy writing about it.

Drop your comments and let me know how you felt when you read this chapter.