"You search for pearls you find shells,

You desire love,but you only get regrets"

....................................................

Shelly came for living to only see the little guy in surprise.

He was sitting on Vincenzo's lap, enjoying the food like he hasn't eaten in ages.
Vincenzo's cold eyes softening taking in the small guy.

Shelly knew he was cold hearted,his words showing it clearly.
But the guy she stared at right now,was soft and vulnerable.

He had goodness,but he didn't showed it to just anyone.
His cold face,a requirement for his business and position.

"Good morning Vincenzo"

She says, making him to look up.
His smile vanishing and coldness replacing it.

He nodded in acknowledgement,making the kid to sit on the sofa and eat.
The young boys brown eyes fell on her and she politely smiled in return.

The boy looked away shyly, moving away from the food.
Vincenzo took notice of this and didn't like it a bit.

"Aiden have your food."

He ordered and got up, the boy nodded shyly.

Vincenzo came towards her,his handsome stone like as usual.
Greeting her with a kiss on her cheek,he called for the staff.

"Get comfortable here. I will have them place your stuff in the room next to me."

She nodded.

"Where's your mom?"

"She will be coming in a while. I will inform her of your arrival"

"Thank you"

He nodded and left,just like that.
The boys eyes fixed on his back,afraid of him leaving him alone in this big place.

Shelly approached the boy,staring at his beautiful striking features first and worn out attire later.

"Hello ,I am Shelly"

His eyes were scared,refusing to shake her hands.
She pulled back her hand in awkwardness, attempting to relax the boy a bit.

"He will be coming back,don't worry"

The boy doubted her words but still nodded nonetheless.
Continuing with the dishes placed on the table.

She picked up a strawberry from the top of the pancake, making him to stare back at her.

"What? You don't want to share?"

The boy remained silent,just staring at her.
But then he picked another one and offered it to her.

"Amara said to always share"

And that's when he smiles and his words made her to place her hand on his head in comfort and love.

Aiden was a wonderful boy she thought,but the question remained.

What was he doing in Accardi Estate?

...................................................
Vince pov

"What do you mean,they are refusing to cooperate?"

"Sir,my apologies but they refuse to leak inside infor-"

"Bullsh**!"

"Please understand Sir,we tried but he still refuses.However our sources say that they are meeting tomorrow at the 3 rd junction."

"Who is leading the meeting?"

The line went silent and my patience was breaking.
These people can't do one thing right.

"He is back Sir...and he is doing it again"

"Who?"

"David Rousseau Sir,he is back with  stronger ally's this time. He is deliberately blocking all our deals and turning our allies against us."

My blood boiled listening to his name.
He was the main culprit.
He and his greed for power and money.

He made Alessa do all his dirty deeds,he fuck*** used his daughter for business.
He used her innocence and turned her into a serpent like him.
If it wasn't for him,she would have still been alive atleast,if not with him.

"Get my men ready,it is time to show that bast*** his true position. I won't hold back this time"

"Yes,boss. When do I make the arrangements for?"

"Call for a meeting tomorrow,I want each and every member to be present there"

"Understood Sir"

Ending the call ,I ran my hand through my hair.
My head placed on the sofa in fatigue and frustration.

"Sir,the boy..."

Looking up at the maid,I encouraged her to continue.

"He seems to be having a nightmare..."

I got up instantly and moved towards the guest room.
The very thought of him having suffered atrocities at such a young age made my heart cringe.

This world is truly a harsh place to live.

I entered the room to see him convulsing in the bed,tears running down his eyes as he tightly clenched the bedsheet in his small hands.
Sweat covering his forehead and eyes closed tightly.

Holding him up in my arms,I made him to settle in my lap.
His small form thrashing in my hands.

" Leave me! Please stop . ..stop... save me please... ! They are hurting me !! Amaraaaa!"

"Shhhh"

I whispered near his ear, tightly hugging his small form.
His tears were ruining my shirt but I didn't care.

He thrashed continuously,his body struggling to get out,but I refused.
He could harm himself if I didn't stop him.
I have done it in my nightmares and he could too.

I know how it messes with one's brain and this child was too young for all this.

Minutes passed and he was tired now,his thrashing has seized and he was heavily breathing on my chest.
Eyes looking up at me with tears,body limp in my arms.

Removing the wet hair from his forehead,I soothed him with my hand.
The new clothes I got him,drenched in sweat now.

"It's fine now...I am here"

I tried to console him but he kept staring.
As if he knew I was lying.

"No... nothing is fine...they have hurted her....they said they will hurt her if I ran from them...and I ran away...I am a bad brother...I hurted my Amara"

"Shh..relax.. nothing will happen to her. I will find her for you"

He suddenly sat up, looking at me with hope.
His small hands holding my large ones tightly.

"Really? You will look for my sister? They ..they had her...they hurted her...they had that stick...they hurted her with it. Once...they hurted me also with it..it was very painful"

My eyes softened,just how much atrocities have he and his sister have suffered.

"We will find her together and that's my promise"

He smiled , hugging me tightly and breaking down in tears.

I am sure I can find his sister easily,it was a minimal task for me considering the web of contacts I had.

If I could help unite then,I am sure a good deed once in a while wouldn't hurt.

I laid down on his bed, encouraging him to come to me.
Placing his head on my arm,he layed down with me.

His small arms circling around me for a hug and I smiled and held his wrists in a comfortable grip.

"Who are these people that have hurted you. Do you know their name?"

He remained silent, moving his head in a no.

"Don't be scared. I am here.. they won't hurt you anymore"

"I don't know who they are...just that they...they took Amara away from me...they kept me locked in a room...they only gave bread and milk."

"Did they hurt you?"

He remained silent, snuggling closer to me if possible.
His voice coming out shaky and scared.

"Once.. they hit my back with a stick....they made Amara see it...she was crying all the time ....they hurted her more"

I clenched my fists,just how inhuman can these people be.
Hurting a kid like this.

"They took her away...I..one day I ...I saw them bringing her here...she was here.. you must be knowing her...I am sure...I saw her"

I tried recollecting my memories.
Why will they belting a girl here,this is connected to me now,I have to get to the root of this .

Amara

I haven't heard of that name before,maybe a picture could help.

"Do you have a picture of her? Or a drawing perhaps"

His face saddened.
Head moving in a no.

"I...I feel like I have started forgetting my Amara's face...I haven't seen her in a long time...after they took her away"

Just how is this kid surviving without anyone to take care of him.

"How long since you saw her the last time?"

"It's been years...more than 3 years...I don't even know if she is alive...if she was alive...she would have tried finding me...my Amara wouldn't have left me alone!She promises me...I want to see her "

If she was here,it will be even easier to find her.
Maybe she was here as a maid or something.

"Tell me more about her Aiden,how she looks,what she loved doing?"

I asked trying to lighten his mood,his lips curled in a smile as he described her.

"My Amara?"

I nodded and he continued.

"She has big brown eyes just like me,her smile...it was the most beautiful in the world.
Her hair brown and straight..like a waterfall falling in waves...her nose,a small one like a button."

I smiled,the way he described.
The girl sounded beautiful and I told him this.

"She sounds beautiful"

He chuckled at this,lifting his face to look at me.

"Yes! She is beautiful! Most beautiful in this world! But...she is thin..her bones were visible..she used to give all her food to me..maybe that's why"

He saddened,I can see how much he loves her.
And the way he described her,I could tell she is a selfless person who loved her brother with her everything.

"She loved playing with me,I used to get on her back and she used to give me a piggy ride. She worked whole nights sometimes at a diner and I used to accompany her....my Amara is very hardworking"

"You know where she worked?"

He again moved his head in a no.

"I know ..I went there but the place is locked"

"Anyone else you know here, someone who knew Amara?"

He again moved his head in a no.

"We have no one"

"You have me now"

He smiled hugging me tightly this time.
Arms around my neck and face on my shoulder.

Soon he was deep asleep in my arms,when I slowly laid his head on the pillow and made my way to the balcony

Lighting a cigar,I called one of my top investigators.

The coldness of the night,syncing perfectly with my cold voice.

"Boss! A very good evening!"

"Good evening! I want you to find me about a girl."

The line went silent for few seconds,as I exhaled the smoke in the air

"Brown eyes,brown hair,average height.
Worked as a waitress in a cafe 3 years back.
No contact after that "

"Sister of Aiden Luca, no family in picture"

"Name boss"
And I knew he was noting down the details .

Holding the railing,I whispered her name, feeling a sudden warmness at the way it sounded from my lips.

"Amara Luca"

.....................................................

Shelly was having a late night snack as she saw him standing at the railing.

The smoke of Cigar leaving his lips, making the dark aura around him to intentsify.

Before she could stop herself,she was already standing behind his broad frame.

"A nice view you have here"

He turned his neck to look at her,face expressionless and cold.

She sighed and stood next to him on the railing.
The cold winds making her to close the front of her silken robe.

"Can't sleep?"

He questioned and she replied after a minute.

"Just trying to adjust..change can be difficult"

He didn't reply after that,long silence extending between them.
Which she decided to break with the question that troubled her.

"If we go ahead with this proposition,what are the chances we will live happily?"

He turned towards her,his eyes akin to deadly cold orbs that only give coldness.

"Happy? I am sorry miss Shelly if in anyway I made you to assume such thing. Look around me,my life,my work. Do you think I give a sh** about happiness?"

She remained silent,this man didn't cared about his own happiness.
How can he make her happy.

"I know your family want's you to settle down with someone. My mom thinks this someone can be me. You may also think so. But let me remind you, because I think you forget easily"

He stepped closer to her,making her back to hit the railing.

"I cannot give you happiness or the shi* they call love.I don't deserve any girl let alone someone like you.So if you want a husband who adores you and treats you like a princess that you are, don't mind my language...but I am not fuck*** eligible for it"

She kept staring,he looked in a very bad mood today.
But who doesn't have mood swings in this world.

"But you have goodness in you...why do you hide it? The kid..you took him in ,took care of him..now you are looking for his family"

His jaw hardened.
Not happy with her questioning him.

"Didn't I made it clear that I hate people intruding into my business? Stay away from it Shelly"

She stepped closer,daring him more

"Why? You want people to only see your cold side..when it comes to showing your good side,you are afraid. Afraid to get hurt again...to be betrayed just like she betra-"

"Shelly!"
He roared, making her to go silent all of a sudden.
His anger coming to her as a shock.

Pressing her tightly on the railing behind,he warned her with all the coldness he could muster.

"Everyone here is forbidden from talking about her..one word about her and I won't be able to control myself"

She was not going to back down,she could see how much he was hurting himself by doing this.

Daring to place her palms on his face,she closed her eyes and sighed before starting.

"Stop trying to push the shards deeper into your heart. Just pull them out and leave them open to heal with time. I have done what you are doing and trust me..It took near death experience to open my eyes to reality"

He had creases on his forehead,he could see that she was trying to help him
He he ain't needed any help .
He just wanted some time alone.

Pulling down her hands,he asked her to leave him alone.
Not liking the way she knew what went inside him.

"Leave Shelly... please"

"I will Vincenzo but just think about what I said. You are a great man..don't ruin your future like this"

She was gone but the soothing winds now felt like needles piercing his skin.
His grip on the railing tightened as he looked up at the ful moon.

He generally stood here and tried connecting to Alessa in this natural silence,but surprisingly today someone else has managed to enter his mind.

He looked back at the boy peacefully speaking,and he couldn't help whisper the name that made him feel sympathy and pain all at once again.

"Amara"

When he thinks about the girl's struggle ,he can't help wish he found her and Aiden before.
They had suffered so much more than he had suffered in his life
Maybe they wouldn't have to suffer so much if he was with them.

She single handedly grew up her brother,made him attend a school and feeded him.
He can't imagine the kind of life they had with no roof over their head and no slipper in their feets.

Life is very unfair sometimes.

While rich drown in oceans of money, making more from each penny.

The poor struggle to fill their tummies and cover their heads, trying to save every penny.

................................................