HIDDEN

Chapter Two

No. 77, Via delle Chiese, Palermo,

Triffani stopped kicking and stomping on Reena immediately when she heard the voice.

“Mother, what brings you outside? Shouldn’t you be preparing for our guests?” Triffani asked with an overly sweet voice as she turned to face the person.

“Who are you beating up? I don’t want to be paying compensation fees this month again.” The woman asked as she sighed and massaged her temples.

“One of Highe’s whores.” Triffani responded.

“She is lying! My name is Reena and I was sent here by Madam Anthonia.” Reena said as she stood up in pain and snatched the letter from Triffani and showed the woman the letter. “She told me to give it to Madam Macmerri.”

“Mother, don’t listen to her. She is lying.” Triffani said as she snatched the letter from Reena.

The woman was loss for words upon seeing Reena. Reena looked at the woman and found her familiar. She looked like Reena but she was much older, had straight hair that was as brown as hazelnut and blue eyes. The woman held Reena’s hands and began to cry.

“Mother, why are you crying?” Triffani asked, surprised to see her mother crying. “What did you do, Reena?”

“I don’t know.” Reena answered, confused on what was going on.

“How is Anthonia? I hope she is fine.” The mother asked as she let go of Reena and she cleaned her tears.

“She is dead and in her dying moment, she told me that I should come here and find Madam Macmerri and that I should give her ashes to her to spread in the Ionian Sea.” Reena answered as she went to her luggage and brought out a wrapped vase.

“My mother is dead but I have my daughter back after twenty-three years.” The mother said as she collected the vase and tears began to flow again.

“Daughter?!” Both Triffani and Reena exclaimed in shock.

Even the gateman was shocked but he didn’t say anything.

“Amare, bring Reena’s luggage into the house.” The mother said and the gateman began to carry some of the luggage and put into a car that was parked near the gate.

“Are you Madam Macmerri?” Reena asked as the mother held her hand.

“Yes, I am but you can call me mom.” Macmerri said as she took her through the compound to get to the mansion.

“Wait, all those letters were true. I have an elder sister and she is the one.” Triffani said as she followed them.

“And you beat up your eldest sister on your first meeting.” Macmerri said as she shot Triffani a glare.

Triffani knew she was going to suffer the consequences of her action later at the hands of her mother.

“Welcome to your new home.” Macmerri said as servants opened the door of the mansion.

Reena was stunned at the interior of the house; it was beautiful. It had marble floors with tall and evaluated ceilings. When they entered the house, they didn’t enter any room but a long passage which had many doors on its left and right and a helical staircase as the end of the passage. They were windows in between each door on each side and the windows had lace curtains over them. Reena wondered why they will be lots of windows and doors in one house. She had never seen a mansion in her life before and now she was seeing one for the first time.

“Why are you surprised? Surely, you must have seen a secondary mansion before.” Triffani said. “Unless, you have never seen one in your life.”

“I have never seen one in my life. I lived in a single bedroom apartment back in Northumberland.” Reena responded as she looked around in awe.

“Grandma didn’t give you anything?” Triffani asked.

“She preferred to live in simplicity and comfort. She never did like huge mansions.” Reena responded.

“That was my mother. I will grant her last wish by spreading her ashes in the Ionian Sea.” Macmerri added as she handed a servant the vase Reena had given her. “Keep it in my room.”

“Let us continue our preparation as we are having some very important guests.” Triffani said. “I hope you didn’t forget, mother.”

“Reen, please feel free to walk around as this is your family’s house. Triffani and I have to prepare for our guests that are on their way.” Macmerri said as she and Triffani walked away, leaving Reena alone.

Reena watched them walk away and noticed how the servants were looking at her. They looked at her as if she was one cheap w***e. She began to walk around before she decided to enter a room. She entered the room only to see a man sitting and crossing his legs and smoking. He looked at her with cold, heartless eyes which made her to shiver in fear. His hair was as red as copper, eyes were as green as the grasses of the field, skin that shone as freshly furnished mahogany, lips that look like he was inviting you to kiss them. He smiled at her and signaled her to come closer. His smile looked like he was inviting you into the lion’s den. His face was like a handsome well-chiseled marble sculpture. He gave off the aura of a king or an emperor that was highly respected. Reena walked towards him and sat on the chair opposite him.

“What is your name?” The man asked as he let out a puff of smoke which made Reena to cover her nose and mouth.

“I cannot answer if you continue to smoke. I can not stand it.” Reena responded.

“Darling, you will have to manage as I like to smoke.” The man said with a smile.

“Then, I will be taking my leave.” Reena said as she stood up to leave while still covering her nose and mouth.

“But you still haven’t told me your name.” The man said as he dropped his cigar into the ash tray that was on the stool by his side. “I am just asking because you don’t look any of the members of the Cillvery family that I’ve seen before. White hair is a rarity.”

“My name is Reena.” Reena responded as she stopped and looked at him.

“And my name is Shigent Jonn.” The man introduced.

“You are Priaz’s brother?” Reena asked.

“Yes, I am.” Jonn replied. “How do you know Praiz?”

“I am his ex-girlfriend.”

“And who dumped who?”

“I dumped him because he cheated on me with my ex-bestfriend, Stephani.”

“So, we do have some connection like I hope.” Jonn said, “You’re a pretty lady. I hope I see you at the meeting.”

“What meeting?” Reena asked, confused on what Jonn could be talking about.

“If you don’t know about the meeting, then you aren’t a Cillvery family member but just someone who looks like one.” Jonn said as he stood up, walking towards the doors, “I wonder what made my brother cheat on such a girl as beautiful as you unless you’re lying.”

“Stop talking like you know me.” Reena said with a particular glare in her eyes, “Don’t act so haughty.”

Jonn began to laugh and looked at Reena.

“No one has ever threatened me before; talk less of a woman who doesn’t know her place in society.”

“I know my place in society; it is to destroy egos of men like you.”

A servant entered the room and they immediately felt the atmosphere and pressure of the room was not welcoming.

“Your presence is required, Master Shigent Jonn. Most of the guests have arrived and the meeting will soon begin.” The servant said as they bowed their head in fear, “Reena, Mistress Triffani asked that you stay here away from the meeting and if she sees you in the meeting, you will be sorry.”

“You addressed her by her name, even though she is also a guest?” Jonn asked, surprised at the servant’s attitude towards Reena.

“I was informed that she is a w***e of Master Highe and that we should give her no respect.” The servant responded.

“Jonn, go for your meeting and servant, tell Triffani that I have no reason to leave this room or go to the meeting.” Reena said as she went to sit down.

“Let us be going, Master Jonn.” The servant urged.

Joon looked at Reena who was sitting down and had a somewhat angry look on her face and wondered who she truly was.

“Let us go.” Jonn said as he left the room with the servant.