THE INVISIBLE HEIRESS

CHAPTER TWO

I had booked the next early train to Milan,back to the Faction. I couldn't rest easy,with all the thoughts and questions swirling around my chest from yesterday.

I arrived in Milan,at the rain stop,I looked around and it was as if I never left. The familiar scent of summer flowers withering away and autumn slipping in. I entered a cab and drove off to the place I had known as my home.

I pushed open the gate,their security had tightened after I left,the few one who knew me greeted me with a nod.

I walked into the living room and I saw Ma Kate walk out of the study room with her hands wide open. The security must have buzzed her.

“Oh my dear Lia.” She said and enveloped me into a tight hug. She continued smiling, “Oh how much I have missed you……how long has it been…..four years…..five years?” She asked gently and sat down on the couch.

I sat down across from her, still smiling. “It's been five years Ma Kate,and I missed you too…..I missed the Faction a lot. You guys have tightened security I see.”

“Oh my dear,with the capo getting weak,we had to.” Ma Kate said and dusted her skirt.

“Oh my dear,you must be so ... .famished,you could have called that you were coming…..I'd have had the butler make your favorite meal.” Ma Kate said.

“Indeed I am famished,the ride from Sicily to here was extra long,it felt like eternity.” I said, rubbing my stomach,and stretching my arms.

Ma Kate walked into the large kitchen,with me trailing behind her.

“Ohh young miss!!” The head chef exclaimed the moment he saw me.

I ran to him and gave him a hug.

“I have missed you so much.” I smiled and said.

“I have missed you too,my dear.” He replied with a bright smile on his old wrinkled face.

“She just got back from Sicily,I was thinking if you could make her something to eat before she starts to walk like a ghost,like how she did when she was younger.” Ma Kate said and they all burst into loud laughter,including the other maids.

“Ohh… I remember that,not to worry,dinner would be served in 30 minutes.” The head chef said and ruffled my hair.

“Oh no…..I don't think I can last that long……I think I might turn into a zombie.” I said sarcastically in a very funny Italian accent.

We all laughed heartily and Ma Kate pulled me into the study room and we both sat on the couch.

“So tell me my dear…..how is Sicily? How are you fairing?....Just talk to me.” Ma Kate asked excitedly.

“Well Sicily is great, the weather is lovely and around this time over there,the autumn breeze blows coily all over the places and flowers swirl around the ground. I have a good job,a nice apartment and a car…..so far so good…my life is going great.” I said calmly.

“Oh…..kayyy?? Is that all?” Ma Kate asked and stared at me intently.

“Yes….should there be more?” I asked back, confused by her reaction.

“Well no…it's just that you didn't mention any man or…woman in your experience.” Ma Kate said and scratched the back of her neck.

“Ohhh…Ma Kate…..okay there was..a man….my boss…he has a wife and he still wants to be with me.” I said, dragging my words slowly to create that tone of suspense for her.

“Oh that's f****d up.” Ma Kate said.

The head and some other maids pulled the trolley of food in and began serving. They served us both and left.

We were having barbecue steak and mushroom soup. My favorite.

“So that is all?”Ma Kate asked again,as she dug into her steak.

“Uhmmm…..I did meet a guy at a masked ball,but he was acting weird and strange.” I said and sipped a spoonful of the soup.

“Weird and strange…..how?” She asked and continued chewing her food.

“He asked about my past,which brings me to a certain question……Do you know anything about my life before the Faction?” I asked and dropped my fork.

“Oh no …..don't be silly dear,it's the same story,Capo found you after a war and he brought you home.” Ma Kate said and drank from her glass of water.

“I know but I should at least have fragments of my pasts.” I said and sighed loudly.

“Maybe the trauma was too much and you chose to forget it.” Ma Kate said.

“No….not at least to the extent of forgetting my own name.” I said and shaked my head sideways.

“What do you mean,forget your own name?” Ma Kate asked and stopped eating.

“The man called me a name there…..and I felt a strange connection with that name…it was….Ly….Lyanna Dorva.” I said trying g to remember.

Ma Kate choked on her food and started coughing. I had to rub her back so that she would calm down.

After she calmed down,she held my hand and looked me in the eyes.

“Your name is Maria Thompson…..you see those men,they would say a lot of things to get into your head.” Ma Kate said. “So it's best you don't believe him and stay away from him.” She added.

I heaved a sigh and replied bluntly. “Okay.”

“I'll see you later dear, I have some business issues to attend to,in the meantime you can explore around the mansion.” Ma Kate said and climbed up the stairs.

I could tell from her tone and the ways she behaved that she was lying. But I brushed it off,saying,she's hiding or for a reason.

I walked into the library and I passed by the books I had once read,they were arranged neatly into a corner. I picked one up and an envelope fell out.

I picked the envelope and opened it.

Inside it,there was a paper and on the paper was written

Serial number 079

Experiment successful

Lyanna Dorva