CHAPTER 54: HARD NEWS

In the wake of Luciano’s exit, Salvatore sighed dramatically, and then followed it up with a statement.

"I hate when Luce is angry. Although, I’ve never seen him this angry before."

Vittorio stared at him with brooding eyes, as he gathered his thoughts.

"You think he is ever going to calm down?" Elio asked, finally lifting his head up.

"Piccolo, I don’t know. I really don’t know. This is different. It cuts deep." He shook his head hopelessly.

"He will calm down," Vittorio finally said. "He’ll have to because there are tough decisions that are to be made. As for now, all we can do is wait for him."

"Whilst challenging him at every turn? Is that wise Vitto?"

"Salva, if I don’t risk my head by challenging him, he will drown in his hurt, and Neravalle will fall. I’ll gladly give up my head so that doesn’t happen." He turned, and walked towards the direction where Elio was standing.

"Good man," Salvatore muttered under his breath.

"Piccolo, take this key to Aurora’s room. Open the door for her. But make sure she doesn’t do anything irrational."

"Me? You know Aurora would never listen to me," he said as he accepted the keys from him.

"Tell her it’s an order from Luce. Go." He tapped his shoulders, and then gently shoved him towards the door.

"Why did you lock Aurora in her room?" Salvatore’s piercing gaze roamed all over his face.

"Mind your business, Salva," he moved towards a different exit door. "Oh, and Salva?"

"Sifratello."

"Stay and ensure Luciano is fine. He’ll need at least one man by his side."

"Can I ask where you’re headed?"

"No."

He shut the door behind him, as he walked with determination to his destination.

On arrival, he knocked once, and pushed the door open.

"Valentina?" Natalia jumped to her feet, and hurried towards the door.

She paused on seeing Vittorio walk into the room instead.

"Where is Valentina?" She asked, looking through him.

He shut the door behind him, and rested his back on it.

"Natalia, there is something you need to know."

"Yes, I need to know where Valentina is," she said through a tear stained face.

His eyes accessed her eyes. Not only were they reddened, but they were also swollen from all the tears she had cried.

"You won’t be seeing Valentina for a while."

Her eyes widened a little. "No," she whispered breathlessly. "He did not hurt Valentina, did he? What did he do to her?"

"I need you to not rile yourself up unnecessarily. Give me the chance to explain."

She swallowed hard, and sniffled. "Alright," she bobbed her head. "Go ahead. Explain to me why I can’t see my friend for a while. Let me see if it makes any sense."

Vittorio cleared his throat, but it was just a way to stall the inevitable.

"Luciano has locked Valentina up in a cell."

"What?! Why would he do that?! I want to see my friend right now. I demand to see her!"

"You can’t, okay? You can’t. Maybe if you both had been honest about your true identity from the start, then it wouldn’t have come to this."

Natalia began to laugh. It was staccato at first, but then she just couldn’t stop.

Vittorio observed her silently, and with pity in his eyes.

He felt terribly for her. That reaction was borne out of pure fear and frustration. Two emotions he knew very well.

"I don’t understand any of this," she said through her laughter. "What has Val done to be thrown in a cell?"

"She’s Valentina Wallace."

"Okay, and?"

"Luciano’s full name is Luciano De Luca Alvarez."

Her heart doubled, and she backed up. "No." She shook her head, her laughter instantly ceasing.

"I’m glad you recognize the name. Now you see why–"

"That can’t be. Fate is not so cruel to play such a sick joke. He is not an Alvarez."

"But he is. He is Matteo Alvarez’s son. Luciano is angry."

"I don’t care if he is angry!" She raised her voice.

Vittorio’s brow lifted in surprise. He didn’t know Natalia’s voice was capable of such high pitch.

"He had no idea what Val has been through in the last twenty years. I was there. I saw everything from the lens of someone older, and more mature than she was at the time. There is no psychological torture Valentina hasn’t endured. It turned her suicidal. She will not last a week in a cell. Does he want her dead?"

Her head shot up when Vittorio did not respond.

She saw the grim look in his eyes, and her heart twisted.

"He wants her dead, doesn’t he? To what end? Will that bring back his dead father?!"

"Mind your words, Natalia," he warned with a low growl.

"Or what? You’ll throw me into a cell too?" She laughed. "You might as well do it. That is my best friend. My sister. You don’t expect me not to defend her when Valentina will give her life for me."

"And you’re sure you know her? You are sure you know everything about your friend, and her loyalty to you?"

"Of course I do! Valentina is the most loyal person ever. Even I fall short in comparison to how fiercely loyal she can be. But that’s not even the point. The point is she needs to get out of that cell. Because if anything happens to her, I’ll—"

"You’ll what?" His words were gentle, yet they carried an amusement that wasn’t so subtle.

In that moment, Natalia realized the futility of her words.

How could she do anything when she herself was locked up in the room? Surrounded by strangers she had no affiliations with.

"Please," she begged. "Get Valentina out of the cell. If not for anything, but for my sake." She lifted her head so she could stare into his eyes.

"And what makes you think I’d want to do that for you, Natalia? What makes you think I have the power to do that?"

Her chest produced an ache from the slash of his words.

Perhaps, she thought she at least meant something to him. And if not, he was decent enough to not deny her a favour for the mere fact they were both humans, and she was begging.

"Don’t do it for me. Do it because it’s in your nature to be kind. You are close to Luciano. He’ll definitely listen to you."

Vittorio observed her wordlessly. It was good she knew she didn’t have any control over him, to lower her expectations.

So he didn’t understand why he felt like he had just pushed her so far away, she would never draw close again.

And that feeling–it crippled him in a way.

He cleared his throat, as he turned towards the door.

"This goes without saying, but you are not to leave this room. Sonia will provide all of your needs."

He reached for the door handle, but her question stopped him from opening it.

"Do you promise to help Valentina?"

He inhaled sharply, before his lips slid open in response. "I can’t give you my word for something I’m not certain of."

And with that, he walked out of the room.

Natalia crumpled to the ground, as fresh new year’s spilled out of her tired eyes.