Leon Monzato's Obsession (Monzato Brothers 2)

Chapter One

Bella

The wind is cold even though the sun is up and it's only afternoon. I hugged myself because the jumper I am wearing right now is thin. I stared outside the window to witness the poor and dangerous neighborhood in Rome. There's a lot of people avoiding our neighborhood because of the high crime. Even in my own household, we have crime, you know. And I'm one of the victims.

"Stupid! Where is my food?!" I shivered in fear as I heard Papa yell outside my room. My palm went cold in an instant.

I guess he is drunk again or he is under the influence of drugs again or both. Who knows? Every day, I'm always having this game I made up inside my head, guessing if he is drunk or high. That's his favourite combination of bad habits.

I came out of my room and a hard slap welcomed me. Again, I flinched from the pain but remained calm even though I'm scared for my own life right now. I'm scared of him every single day. He is my biggest fear.

"Where is my food!?" He shouted right in front of my face. I stepped back in fear but I managed to open my mouth and speak.

"W-we don't have any m-money to buy some, Papa." My voice was full of fear. Stuttering in pure horror.

As expected, I got another slap from him. I can smell the scent of alcohol. He is drunk, again. A flood of tears fell down my eyes instantly. I have been experiencing this kind of brutality since I was a fourteen year old girl, but the sting of pain of his slaps and punches is still the same as before, painful.

"What are you doing, then!? Standing there like a f*****g i***t!? Go out and find some money to cook some food! You are a useless little child! You are damn lucky that I haven't disposed of you yet, you rotten useless child! Such a worthless woman!" He shouted in my right ear. I'm used to this kind of shouting. I'm used to this kind of insult from him. Physical and verbal abuse is part of my daily routine.

After shouting from his lungs, he walked away like nothing had happened a few seconds ago, leaving me standing and crying. I wiped my tears and I began to walk.

I walked out of our apartment to go outside to save myself from another slap or, worse, beating. I bet both of my cheeks now are red. I looked like a red tomato again.

I go down the stairs while thinking about where I would go to find some money to cook some food for my drug and alcoholic father? I don't have a job, and I don't have even a single centavo in my pocket. I have tried searching for some job since I just graduated from secondary school weeks ago. But nothing. They said that they would want to hire me but they think I will just bring some trouble to their small business.

But, no one is hiring me because of the bruises all over my body. They told me that they didn't want any trouble. My father is abusing me, almost brutally abusing me. And the bruises are not fading quickly because I do have sensitive skin. I bruise like a peach.

"Why are you crying, Bella?" I heard a woman's voice, her name's Leandra, the nice old lady next door. I smiled sadly because I knew she would just send some pity on me. Like usual.

When I didn't answer her, she spoke again. "Your father slapped you again. Your cheeks are both red. Come, I will cook for you and your father.'' I nodded, then started walking. I was sobbing while walking behind her. I do not want to cry but I cannot help it. This day is too much for me.

I walked behind her silently. I wiped my tears and stopped myself from sobbing.

Her apartment is close to ours. It's only two doors away. She always help me in this kind of situation. When I say she's always helping me, I mean every day. Slapping and beating up is always happening every day to the point that it is part of my everyday routine. I would be so lucky if there was at least a day that would come by without me getting beat up, but that day never came.

"There, sit. I will prepare something for you. You need to eat a lot because you will get sick. Your father's violence will kill you. If only you acknowledge my offer to stay with us." She shook her head in dismay,

Leandra offered me to move into this apartment together with her son but I refused. Mama will be back after she's done working in America, so I need to be inside our apartment. Even though she's been gone for almost five years without any calls or letters, I'm still waiting for her because she told me she would be back.

I'm holding to her promise.

"Here, put the ointment on your cheeks." I did what she said. It's always like this. If not slap, punch and other violence. My body's numb already. This is not new to me. It's like a routine.

I flinched when the cold ointment touched my right cheek. I felt a pang of pain but I endured it. I'm lucky because Papa only slapped me today. If he is drunk and under the influence of drugs, I will get beat up to the core, bruises all over my pale skin.

"I cooked some spaghetti earlier but I will make more pie to fill in your stomach. The brutality of your Papa is out of hand. You should be in college, studying for your future, not his every punching bag. Dios mio."

I didn't speak another word because she was right. The violence is getting out of hand but I cannot do anything about it. He's the only family I have here in Rome. My mother is in America right now, working her ass off. But it's already five years. I received no letters or calls from her. I don't know if she still remembers me, her only daughter, or if she's still alive. I don't know what is happening to her right now because, like I said, we have had no new contact for the last five years.

But still, here I am. Staying with my father even though I'm being abused physically and verbally, because I'm still holding on to my mother's promise that she will be back for me. She's the only reason why I'm still here. I'm holding to her promise.

My thoughts came back to reality when Leandra put a plate full of spaghetti in front of me. I looked up to her and she was smiling genuinely, sadness and sympathy were visible in her eyes, but I ignored it. I smiled at her warmly.

"This is too much, Leandra. I will just eat half of it and I will take the other half of the spaghetti to my father." I said and she shook her head.

"You finish that plate. I will put your father's food in some container and you will bring it to him. Now, now, eat and finish that plate to regain your energy. You look like you're about to break because of those bruises all over your body."

"I cannot eat all this, please?"

She shook her head and she motioned her hand to dismiss the subject. "Finish that, my child. I'm not only cooking for my family, but for you as well. You're a beautiful young woman, your father shouldn't mistreat you like that. You should enroll in college to have better life opportunities."

I shook my head as I took a bite of my food.

As much as I want to go to college, my father wouldn't allow it. He barely looked at me. I graduated from my secondary school with honors but he never congratulated me. Leandra attended my graduation ceremony weeks ago. Leandra supported my school the moment my mother gave her a task to look for me while she was gone.

"I will enroll you at a community college this September. What do you want to major in?" She asked while working in the kitchen, preparing some ingredients for her next dish.

"No need. I don't wanna impose, but thank you for asking."

I don't wanna enter college anymore. I just want to find a job, to earn clean money to support myself. I'm so fed up with my everyday life together with my father. Maybe if I'm earning some money he will change his treatment for me. Just maybe.

Or, I would just save up my money to support myself in college. I'm only nineteen years old, being late on enrolling or finishing my studies is not a problem to me. Education is education. People's individual achievements are not a race after all.

"Are you sure? Because, I know Helios knows a good community college for you, my dear.'' Leandra asked. I smiled at her, genuinely feeling the swollen feeling on my cheeks because of the two hard slaps I received earlier from my not-in-so--loving father.

"Yes. But, I would really appreciate it if you could help me find a job. Anything is fine for me. I just want to do something instead of waiting for another beating from Papa." I looked down, feeling embarrassed.

She looked at me with sorry eyes. I smiled at her to lessen the awkwardness in the air from the sudden brought of beating topic. I am so thankful that she doesn't approve of how my father treats me every day, but I cannot do anything about it. I'm so done with all the painful abuse but I cannot let myself leave him alone because he is still my father and I promised to my mother that I will take care of him until she come back from her job.

Will she come back? It's been five years with no contact whatsoever, here I am. Still hoping and waiting for her every single day of my miserable life.

I shook my head to remove the thought from my head. She will be back. I just need to be positive and gather more patience to wait for her. She will be back for me because I'm her daughter and she promised me.

Just be positive, Belle. You're long wait will be over soon.

I laughed out a heavy sigh and I continued eating the food Leandra served me. I needed to get full and hydrated so that my body would survive if ever my father decided to beat me up again.

"Here." Leandra put down a medium tupperware in front of me containing spaghetti and some grilled asparagus. "Give this to your father later when you get home. Eat up, you needed that.''

"Thank you for this." I smiled cheerfully.

"Anything for you. You know that you're like a daughter to me. Please, think about moving here."

I just smiled at her and I continued eating. I don't wanna squeeze myself into their small apartment. She's living with her husband and their only son, Helios. They feed me and father because I don't know where my father is spending all his money from his work as a construction worker. We are too much of a problem for them. I don't wanna intrude anymore. I'm lucky that her husband is a very kind and understanding man.

"I will call my friend. As far as I know, her boss is looking for a new maid. I will sign you up. Let's see if you can get the job. That way, your father will not lay his heavy hand on you again."

"I will look forward to that, Leandra. Thank you so much."

"But I'm not promising, yeah? If you don't get the job, I will find another one for you until you get hired."

I nodded. A little hope will not kill me. I just need an escape from the years of violence in my own household. From my own father's wrath.