REESE

chapter twenty.

Third Person POV:

There is beauty in innocence.

Every child should see the world through a pure lens. A lens that is not spoiled by adult affairs. The concept of innocence is an instrument for dealing with problems like uncertainty and helplessness. If children knew just how helpless they actually were in the grand scheme of things, they would be spending the entirety of their childhood paralyzed by fear. Innocence warns off fear. Once fear becomes instilled in the heart, it is next to impossible to remove. Children should grow up happy, loved, and clueless to the reality of our cruel world. But sometimes things are simply just out of our control. Seeing the world unsoiled by greed, corruption, war, pain, and death is a privilege.

A privilege that was not awarded to any one of the Di Genova siblings.

At the tender ages of just twelve, eleven, eight, and six, Alexander, Gavino, Maximus and Rocco Di Genova watched helplessly as their father took his last breath. They watched in utter agony as the eyes of the man who raised them, who protected them, who loved them, closed right before their very eyes, never to be opened again. It was an experience that left a huge gaping hole in the middle of their hearts, a hole that would remain in its place for the rest of their lives.

That was the exact moment fear made its way through the cracks of their innocence. No longer did they believe that human relations last forever, no longer did they believe that life was just one big fairytale where mothers and fathers and their kids lived happily ever after. They began to fear the unknown. Little did they know that another loss that would take place six years later would completely shatter every last strand of innocence the four boys had left.

Little did they know, that same loss would become the foundation that ripped the innocence from another child. That loss became the blueprint for the pain, fear, and hurt their little sister would inevitably suffer from.

It was a perfect domino effect.

Twelve years ago...
Lombardy, Italy

Two weeks.

A short amount of time that seemed to hold a monumental amount of pain. It had been two agonizing weeks since the sudden death of Arabella Di Genova. Two weeks since five kids were reduced to being orphans. Two weeks since an eighteen-year-old boy was forced to become the sole guardian of his four younger siblings. Two weeks since the future of the Italian Mafia was once again pushed into jeopardy.

The mafia world was in disarray. News of the untimely demise of the Italian Donna spread like wildfire, engulfing everyone it came in contact with, into a state of shock. Six years ago, Alessandro Di Genova's death was regarded as an open invitation. An invitation for anyone to come and try to pursue the land and resources that were held in the Italian Mafia's name. Plans were made, alliances were broken, missions were led by rival mafias in hopes to destroy the Italian empire, and bloodshed commenced, but the outcome was one that no one could have foreseen. Arabella Di Genova rose up and declared herself as the new head of the Italian Mafia, eliminating any existing threats to the empire she had been a part of since she was a teenager. The Donna made sure nothing changed after her husband's death, she didn't let the Italian empire fall, instead she led her mafia to the top, surpassing the rank the Italian's once held while under leadership of previous Dons.

After Alessandro, people thought that the Italian reign would finally come to an end. People thought that the Di Genova family would crumble without the guidance and support of the head of their family, but Arabella proved that the world made a fatal mistake by underestimating her. She became more known than her husband, Arabella Di Genova became a woman to fear. The rest of the mafia world was smart enough to take a step back. The Italians had once again asserted their dominance and sent out a clear message to their alliances, partners, rivals, and enemies.