Chapter Five
1095 Words
At nineteen, my life no longer belonged to me.
Mia.
My father?... What did he mean my father?
This is crazy. There is no way this was real. I thought, rubbing my arms while I shook inside like I was feeling cold. This was too much and I felt like bawling but I couldn't. Stefano would probably slap me to kingdom come.
I stood there feeling like I've felt my whole life, alone. Though I should have been used to the feeling, the cold realization that I might die in a strange place away from anything familiar seethed through my body in about of an icy-cold storm that only ranged inside of me.
"This is a mistake?" I said under my breath, looking at my hands, flicking at my nails waiting for him to react. I had learned, within the few hours I had known Stefano that he was a reactionary man. The kind who reacted emotionally and abruptly without thinking first. He was also egotistical. If an involuntary action like a cough earned a glower, I hesitated to consider the result of disagreeing with him.
"You think I made a mistake?" I flinched at his cold tone.
"No, no. That is not what I meant" I pleaded in barely a whisper, silently praying that he would not fixate on the fact that I meant he made a mistake.
I had a terrifying premonition that Stefano had killed people for less.
"What did you mean then?" I shivered convulsively, my bare feet suddenly feeling frozen. My hair had become undone, few tendrils brushed my face, like a caress. I had been standing for almost two hours; I was overwrought and hungry. At this point, I wanted to tell him anything he wanted to hear if only I could be sure I would be safe.
"Your mother once worked for me," Stefano said, smirking as he rammed his hands in his pocket. I wondered about that smirk, but I didn't have much time to think about it because he turned his back and ordered to be given way.
"Come" he commanded. And I followed him. I felt their eyes on my back, making me super conscious of what I wore and how I must have looked but none of them said a word to me, in fact, Paulie, whom I expected to say something sleazy did not utter a word.
I was lead into a spacious dining room. A small woman stood beside the table with a tray clenched against her apron. She gave me a tight smile as she moved one step back to allow me to sit, the various types of food on the table beckoned me. I sat slowly.
"You do not sit until I tell you to" the anger in his voice though unwarranted was real, so was the murderous look on his face.
I stood up abruptly, flushing but also scared. I kept remembering everything Tony and Paulie had said about this man. How ruthless he was, how unreasonable and unforgiving. Now having met him, I knew he enjoyed having power over the lives of others.
"I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"You're damn right it won't" After that he threw a fit, demanding a lemon cake instead of the chocolate flavored one laid out perfectly as the dessert.
I waited for him to start eating to avoid another faux pas. The food both looked and smelled delicious, Stefano took up eating like it was a course that needed to be studied, he ate a lot, wantonly. His weight finally made sense.
I ate a bit of everything. It was the first time I had eaten since I turned nineteen, the thought froze my hand, a wave of loneliness, fear, and self-pity sweeping through me.
"Eat...We don't have much time" I wanted to ask for what but I held off my tongue.
Over the next few minutes, we ate in silence though he grunted once in a while.
While I ate, I realized that if he became full before me, it would be the end of my meal as well, so I ate a little faster until I couldn't eat anymore.
"Are you done?" He asked with his mouth full.
"Yes," I nodded, hiding my disgust.
"Take some cake" I started to say no, but the look he gave me halted the words on my throat.
I took a piece of the cake, and with so much feeling my heart breathed the words happy belated birthday.
For the first time in a long time, I wished I could indulge in a much-needed cry. But while my grandmother wasn't fond of me, she was right about one thing; tears did not belong in my eyes. They were a luxury that bypassed my pedigree.
I was so caught up in my thoughts. I wasn't aware that Stefano was done with his meal and leaning back on his chair, staring at me. He had a calculated look on his face. I found myself dreading what was coming next.
"From now on your name will be Ursula" I heard him say. "It's foreign and mysterious" he added "Why in god's name would your mother name you Ameria? Its a name for failures, do you want to be a failure?... Do you?"
I shook my head, clenching my fingers defensively "Answer me, Ursula, do you want to be a failure?"
"No," I said timidly, watching as he dragged back his chair coming to stand behind me. I flinched, feeling my heart stand still afraid that he might hit me just for kicks. He touched my shoulders slightly, leaning to breath into my neck.
"I'm about to take you out in an adventure" he whispered into my ear. "come on" my breath hitched getting up to follow him until we ended up in a room amidst exquisite furnishing in which a stunning woman sat. She rose gracefully when Stefano entered the room, a smile plastered on her face. She wore a beautiful short dress that clung to her, showing off her endless legs in heels too high it was a wonder she walked at all.
"Alright" Stefano rubbed his hands together in glee "Ursula, do everything she tells you" he pointed at the beautiful woman, whose smile hadn't changed.
A few hours later, I was pimped up, looking like a super-model. Numerous photos of me taken and Stefano was to choose one which he said brought out my natural color. That is when I realized that what was coming next would not only be the beginning of the end, but it was going to my end.
- Writer
