The Unknown Family

Portrait

LIVIANA 

Once I had finished adding the herbs and spices to the chicken like Andrea asked, it was time to eat.

Rina, Andrea, Leo, Luca, Theo and I were all sat at the dinner table, waiting for the other three who were yet to arrive.

"Liv! Stop drinking the wine!" Rina scolded once again as she saw me take a sip from my glass.

"It's just blackcurrant!" I smirked back, taking the refilled glass from Leo's hand underneath the table.

"Bullshit." All our heads snapped to the doorway, where Vito had just called me out, a smirking Xavier next to him.

I smiled at the both of them, and leaned into Xavier's side as he took the seat next to me.

"I thought you said you wouldn't drink while I couldn't." He said, fake hurt lacing his tone.

"It's just blackcurrant." I smiled innocently.

"Blackcurrant flavoured wine." Andrea chuckles.

We all got comfortable in our seats, still waiting for Gio who was late to dinner. Which is weird, because Gio is never late to dinner. 

"Liv, go find Papa, he's probably still in his office." Rina told me, rolling her eyes as she did. 

Gio really is a workaholic.

I did as she asked, standing up from my seat and putting the napkin in my lap on top of my empty plate that I have every intension on filling. I kissed Xavier's hand which was latched onto my waist, not wanting to let go of me. 

He smiled up at me as I left the table, heading down the corridor that held all the offices for Gio and my other siblings. 

Wondering down the corridor, I glanced around at the photos that decorated the walls, shining down on the frames through the glass was the beaming sun that brightened the dark hallway. 

My eye caught one image, one that wasn't here before. 

In the middle, was Gio and my mother. 

Both of them wore smiles on their faces as well as the wedding rings on their fingers. In my mother's arms, resting on her hip, was baby Theo. He has his same curly brown hair, and bright green eyes. He was dressed in a mini version of Gio's black suit. 

In front of my parents, were Leo, Luca and Andrea. They too wore the suits. All of their curly hair a styled mess on their heads, their eyes shining in the reflection of the sun. Andrea was sat on a chair infront of the gap between our parents, with Leo and Luca under each arm as the leaned into his sides for a hug. 

Next to Gio, in the far left, was Rina. She had straight hair like our mother, but still the redish-brown colour as the rest of the family. She told me when we first met that she dyes her hair black to look like our Nonna, Gio's mother, who passed away when she was little. 

She was dressed in a black knee length dress with a sweetheart neckline, and a pair of red heels to match the red ties of the men in our family. She was wearing the exact same clothes as our mother, even the diamond earrings in her ears and necklace around her neck. 

On my mother's side, was Vito. Once again wearing the suit and red tie. He couldn't of been older than thirteen at the time, but he still had that deadly look on his face. Threatening anyone he saw less than family. 

And in Gio's arms, was me. Wearing a black onesie with a red roses flower headband, my little brown curls just starting to grow with my goofy baby smile. Even in the photo, Theo was reaching out to me. His little hand holding onto my foot. 

I smiled as I studied the portrait on the wall. 

This is my Italian family.

And I will never forget the French one either. 

I went to turn away, but as I did, a hand clamped shut over my mouth. 

The smell of chloroform engulfed my senses as I fought to get free. 

Kicking my legs around in a fight to escape, I ended up knocking a vase off of the table beneath the family portrait. 

The crash echoed through the corridor, but was drowned out by the sound of Gio's office door flying open. 

"LIV!" 

That was the last thing I heard before I drifted off into the land of the unconscious. 

That...and the sound of a gun shot.