A N D R E A

I knew red was the color of extremes, but until today I didn't know why.

I learned the hard way that red is the color of everything beyond reason because it is the color of blood.

The very life of a person, and so many times I've watched this very life slowly leave the people I love. And the last time I watched it happen, I was responsible for it.

Everything after the moment I shot him was a blur; all I could remember was painted scarlet and echoed of bullets with the faintest memory of the fact that I'd somehow managed to call Alex despite Carlo dragging me away.

He hadn't stopped me from contacting her, but he'd gotten rid of my phone soon after. It was a sobering thought that I was nearly responsible for the death of my children's father. Yes, children. Carlo had held my pregnancy over my head, and he'd acted like he didn't want to harm me in his subtle threats.

Except I hadn't realized then that there were a lot of ways to harm someone without even touching them.

Carlo was not the friend I thought, and this captivity I'd surrendered myself to was not ordinary either.

Carlo still thought he could make me fall in love with him if he was kind to the twins. While he treated me decently, especially through my pregnancy, I couldn't even bring myself to give him an inch inside my heart when he was also partly the reason my children might've never gotten to meet their father.

A cry broke through my haze, and I straightened, walking over to Vittoria's crib, Riccardo followed soon behind his sister, and soon two babies were crying, and a mother who had no idea how to keep them safe.

I peered over Vittoria's crib, her ice-blue eyes that were exactly like Lorenzo's hit me like they had when I'd seen them for the very first time, and like always, I felt guilt wash over me whenever I looked at my babies because both of them looked exactly like their father. I picked up Vittoria in my arms and balanced her on my hips. When I got around to Riccardo's, she stopped fussing as her eyes widened when she saw her brother lying in the crib, and the most beautiful smiles adorned both of their faces as they cooed at each other like they hadn't just been together before their nap.

Tori brought her hand up to my face just as she started struggling in my arms. I had to tighten my hold on her before I could leave her on her playmat.

She got fussy as I put her down but settled again when I placed Riccardo next to her and just sat there, watching them. Carlo had gotten almost everything for them, and while he had been kind to the twins and me so far, there were also times that he wasn't, especially when he would be drunk. I didn't know what was going on with him, but lately, he'd been drinking more and more, and it was making me realize that I was losing the only friend I'd had. Perhaps, it was time, I let go of this warped routine and found a way to get back home.

It had been over a year and a half since I'd been here, and I hadn't even breathed freely in so long. I didn't know where I was, but I didn't remember getting on a flight, or being sedated, so it had to be somewhere in The States.

The place was secluded, in the woods, and there was no way I could run through the woods with two babies when I had no idea how far away civilization was. And I'd tried that before, though it was when I was still pregnant with them, and my attempt while could be classified as brave, was gullible at best. I'd nearly lost my babies because I'd been starving and dehydrated for God knew how long. I suppose it was a silver lining of Carlo finding me that time... After that it became clear that if I was to abscond, I couldn't do it at the first whim.

Patience was a virtue after all. And I'd decided, I'd embody it.

You might wonder why I hadn't tried to reach out to anyone from the family if my escape attempts were such a bust. I'd tried, but I couldn't bring myself to call in case I got the news that Lorenzo didn't pull through. The thought of finding out that I might've killed him was scarier than not knowing at all, and so I'd kept putting it off; however, I was beginning to realize that I could no longer put it off.

Riccardo and Vittoria were getting older; I didn't know anything about Carlo's motives, nor was I any closer to figuring out what was it that he wanted from my husband. All I had was one name in my arsenal, and I wasn't even sure if it was anything valuable.

Riccardo rolled over his belly, and Vittoria joined in on his baby babble, and even though I didn't know what they might've meant, I felt my lips stretch into a smile just by looking at them.

Feeling the urge to hold them, I picked them up and placed both of them on my sides as I cooed at them while they played with their rattle. Perhaps it was the fact that I was holding them. Or it was because I was tired of living in this limbo in a place that had become a prison for me that I decided I was going to put the little money I'd been stealing from Carlo over the weeks to use and find a way to contact Alex.

Even if Lorenzo was dead, I owed it to my children that I found it out and that they could at least get a chance to meet their family.

However, if Lorenzo were alive, he would want payback, and the fallout of my naive, cowardly decision would be here to bite me in the ass. After all, I knew better than anyone he wasn't the most forgiving man, and with the way everything had gone, I was positive he'd assume getting pregnant was part of some elaborate scheme I had. As it seemed, my reality was going to get a lot more complicated than I was used to, and it was all because of the decisions I'd made when I was terrified.

I knew I should've told him that Carlo had found me twice, both times with a threat that I had failed to recognize because of my loyalty to our friendship. At Roberto's birthday party, Carlo had broken the news to me that I was pregnant, and I hadn't believed him then because I was on the pill, but something he'd said had always irked me the wrong way.

I couldn't shake the smile on my face even as I walked through the crowd toward Alex. However, I didn't get a chance to go to her as a whisper in my ear had my back straightened, and I followed the person to a dark corner, ensuring no one in Lorenzo's family could see me with him.

"Do you have a death wish?"

I hissed, my eyes narrowing as Carlo stood with his back to the wall, appearing unfazed that he'd just walked into his enemy's liar.

"If you don't have a death wish," he leaned down, his lips brushing against the top of my head, "you'll listen to what I have to say."

I looked over my shoulder and pulled us aside, making sure it was in the blindspot of the many cameras Lorenzo had around the place, "Make it quick,"

"Fine." Carlo smiled, but it was the same one I'd been on the receiving end of in all the years I'd known him, "does your husband know you're pregnant?"

I nearly choked on my spit, "What? It can't be. No, no." I shook my head almost frantically when Carlo's hands came on my shoulders,

"Why not? Because you were on the pill?" He shook his head before he spoke again, "you'd be surprised how easy it is to buy people."

"What do you mean?" I couldn't help the sudden bite in my voice or the tension in my body.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty head about." Carlo straightened, "you do need to worry about staying alive and keeping your child alive because I can help you, Andrea."

"And what do I have to do in return?"

At that moment, I knew I'd made a mistake not telling Lorenzo the first time Carlo had found me at that party, "Kill your husband."

I stiffened, and my eyes narrowed to slits, "Why so you can have me for yourself? I think the only person I need to be saved from is you. Get out!"

"Lorenzo Santini will die. Your help only means I can persuade him to let you and–" his eyes fell to my stomach before his lips curled as he forced the words out, "your child alive."

"I won't help you, Carlo."

He merely smiled, "You will." He leaned close until his lips were right next to my ear, "Keep your husband away from the salad. It's got seafood flavoring, and he happens to have a severe shellfish allergy."

"How?"

"I know a lot. Trust me. You'll want to heed my warning."

And just like that, he turned around and left, and I was left standing in the darkened corner with my limbs shaking and a near animalistic desire to find Lorenzo and get him away from there.

The next time Carlo found me, Lorenzo had been gone, and he had handed me a gun and instructions and left. I didn't know what to do when Lorenzo came back. I'd taken the gun out intending to tell him the truth, but I'd watched as he'd closed off in front of me, and the ice in him had frozen all over again.

However, something was a little unhinged about him because he'd acted in anger. He'd provoked me, knowing that his actions were scaring me, and in the haze of the moment, I hadn't even noticed when my fingers had pressed down on the trigger. I only realized when the gunshot echoed in the room, and Lorenzo's eyes widened as he looked at his abdomen, where blood was pooling out from a gaping hole.

Everything that happened after that was a blurry mess that I couldn't remember. Sometimes I could still hear the ringing of bullets in my ear, but Carlo claimed he hadn't shot the second bullet, so I was more terrified and confused than I'd ever been, but there was nothing I could do if all I could see were smoke and mirrors.

The door closed with a loud thud downstairs, and I rushed down, knowing Carlo was back home. I wanted to go and decipher his mood and figure out if it were one of those days I'd have to lock myself and the kids in a room because Carlo was shit-faced, and when he was drunk, he was dangerous.

I tip-toed down the stairs,  gasping when I saw his beaten face. Carlo's lip was busted, and he had a black eye with numerous scratches all over his face. He looked up at me and his face twisted in anger,

"Congratulations, you're still a married woman."
My throat tightened, "What?"

"The fucker Lorenzo woke up."

His words were everything I'd wanted but had been too afraid to voice out, but knowing it now, I couldn't stop the spark of happiness from buzzing in my blood at the news.

I didn't kill him.

* * *
So what do you think? I hope I managed to answer some of your questions about what really happened!

Thank you so much for reading, please don't forget to vote and comment! Chapter 2 should be out tomorrow !