My Crown

Chapter 34

She is crying again.
Everytime I see her, she is crying.
What reason does she have to cry?
Antonio treats her like a fucking princess.

I ignore her and go on with my work. She will shower, go downstairs and put on her usual fake smile.
But she's miserable.

It is so strange to look back on those days; when Antonio first brought her here.
She had nothing back then. No family, no friends, not a dollar to her name.

I never would have guessed that blonde cry baby would end up being one of my best friends.

I never would have made it out without her.

But am I really out?

She never made it out. Here she is, buried beside Isabella.

I have to give it to her, she turned our little makeshift burial grounds into a full blown cemetary.
Venus, Isabella, Maria, Rosa, Ella, Sara, Shakira, Crystal, they each have a headstone. Even mama.

She did good.

But that's just Caroline, isn't it. Pure goodness.

I used to think she smiled to make herself look better than the rest of us, when really, she was hiding her pain because she was so lonely.

I am so sorry, Caroline. You deserved so much better.

This time I cannot hold my tears back. My throat burns with a need for me to cry out. To mourn every single soul laid to rest here but I can't. I refuse to.

Not until I avenge them.

And I will avenge them.

I have no right to mourn. Not when I allowed myself to forget. I let a man distract me and she paid the price.
While I was being a weak little bitch, Caroline was in that witch's clutches.

Susanna.

She will pay.
It takes a special type of evil to have another woman beaten and raped for days until she was beyond recognition. But to tape it and broadcast it to every mafia family?
To have the entire Underground watch the humiliation, degradation and demise of the Donna?

I thought I knew what anger was when Luciano tossed me aside.

This, this is pure rage.

Susanna will burn. She will burn every day for a very very long time.

I will give her the most gruesome death of them all.

I will bathe in her blood and relish in her agony.

That bitch will suffer a fate worse than death.

Caroline.

I never thought I'd see a smile like yours in a place like this.
I already miss you. You will never be forgotten.

Rest. You have earned it.

"This place sure has changed." I freeze at that voice.

It couldn't be.

I turn around and there she is, looking badder than I've ever seen her.

She has aged a bit, and her hair is dyed blonde, but it's her.
She takes off her enormous sunglasses and I can see the redness in her hazel eyes.

"Melly." I cannot believe my eyes. "Is that you, Liza?" God, I hate that name. "Or was it Mimi?" She is still angry.

"I go by Ashley these days." At least, that's the identity I used to come here.
"That's a stupid name." I can't help but smile as I go hug her.