Broken Princess (Criminal Heirs, #1)

Chapter 5 - Vanessa

My lips parted to speak, but the sound of a chair crashing to the ground cut me off. I turned to see an elderly woman slowly making her way towards me, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"It can't be..." Her voice trailed off, and she gasped, "Vanessa?"

Before I could react, she rushed towards me, her arms outstretched, and pulled me into a tight embrace. Her grip was surprisingly strong, and I could feel her heart beating wildly against my chest.

For a moment, I was taken aback by her sudden display of affection, but then I realized that this woman must have known me from before.

Perhaps she was a long-lost relative or a family friend that I had forgotten about.

"W-who are you?" I asked quietly, observing the woman.

She was beautiful. All the people-the elite-I had met were.

A look of disappointment covered her face but a clearing of a throat interrupted her.

"Anthena, let the child relax. She has only just arrived." Felicity said, walking towards me. "This is Anthena De Luca, your grandmother."

Grandmother.

I had a fucking grandmother.

The word itself seemed foreign and absurd to me. I had never even known that I had a family, let alone a grandmother.

But before I could gather my thoughts to ask, Felicity approached us.

"Anthena, let the child breathe for a moment," Felicity said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Vanessa has only just arrived," she paused for a beat, turning to look at the last occupant in the room. "Angelo..."

I turned and looked at Angelo, not sure what to expect.

"Angelo..." Felicity said, the warning clear in her voice.

Angelo's gaze drifted over me, his cold eyes assessing my presence in the room.

For a moment, I felt like a fly caught in a spider's web, completely at his mercy. But then his expression softened, just a fraction, and he tilted his head in a subtle gesture of invitation. I hesitated for a moment, but then slowly approached and took a seat next to him.

As I sat down, my eyes were drawn to the plate of steaming food that had been placed in front of me. There were so many forks and knives, arranged in a precise and intimidating manner. I felt a pang of anxiety grip my stomach - how was I supposed to know which utensil to use for each course?

I tried to discreetly study the silverware, but it all looked so confusing.

Hell, everything, from the moment I stepped into this world was confusing.

I looked up to find Angelo watching me with a faint hint of amusement in his eyes. It was clear that he was well-versed in the art of formal dining, and probably found my confusion entertaining.

I took a deep breath and tried to compose myself, determined not to let my nerves get the better of me.

I looked up to see everyone staring at me-observing me. With either hope or disbelief.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Umm, hello, my name is Vanessa?" I tried to break the tension in the room because it was choking me.

"W-we know," Anthena said, smiling tearfully, "I just don't think you do."

"Excuse me?"

"Anthena," Felicity turned to look at the older woman warningly. "I told Vanessa that I will explain everything tomorrow."