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Chapter 29: Their Truth

"Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief, or ignorance." -W. Clement Stone

Isabella POV

I groan from the pain shooting in my head. I choose to ignore it as I immediately hop up from the place in my bed, rushing out my door. I rush down the never-ending hallway until I reach Mateo's room. I barge into his room, not even knocking. I see his empty bed, "Mateo! Are you in here?" I shout. Wait! what time is it?

I look at the clock on his nightstand. 3:28am. If it's that late, why isn't he in bed? Did they have to take him to the hospital again? Why wouldn't they wake me? Calm down Isabella, I'm sure he's somewhere. 

Gaming room. Nope

Library. No (not even Ricardo).

Movie room. Not there either.

Maybe the living room. Maybe Alessandro didn't want him to hurt himself by walking up the stairs either. You should have tried that first Isabella! 

I slowly walk into the living, trying my best not to get my hopes up. As soon as I enter the living room, I'm lifted off the ground by two arms that have wrapped around me. 

"You're finally awake." The voice of Mateo enters my ears. My tense muscles relax after hearing his voice. Soon my moment of relief is replaced by worry. 

"Mateo Romano, put me down! I'm heavy what if you hurt yourself more!" I raise my voice at him; attempting to wiggle out of his arms. He winces. His grip loosening as he does, finally letting me back on the floor.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry. That was too loud wasn't it. Do I need to get you something pain meds, an ice pack? Hurry up and sit, please, I'll get you an extra pillow. Or do you need to go back to the hospital?" I stammer out quietly, Mateo just smiles at me. I hear a laugh sound through the room. I blush at just now noticing all the eyes that are focused on me. 

My entire family sits in the living room, looking between me and Mateo. I look towards where the sound came from to see none other than the triplets, Abel, Alvaro, and Apollo. Abel and Apollo both looking around the room, looking everywhere except me, while Alvaro just shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

Almost like they were all three connected they all started pointing fingers. Abel and Alvaro pointing at Apollo. Apollo pointing 2 fingers at each of the other two. Two of them (I'm sure you can guess which two) began to argue with the other over who it was.

I let out a laugh of my own at them. They're definitely brothers.

"What are you all doing up so late?" I asked just now beginning to take in their tired faces. Mateo grabbed my hand in a tight grip; leading me over to the couch where an area was made for the both of us to be able to sit.

Dad turned to look at me with a guilty expression on his face. "Principessa, we have something we want to tell you." (princess)

I looked around the room, all of my family members with either guilty or nervous expressions on their faces. I know it has to be something important because, for once, Pavel doesn't have his nose in a book.

"It's about what happened today-I mean, yesterday, right?" I guessed, eliciting nods from all of my family members.

"Isabella, we do own a family business called Romano Incorporated it's been in our family for decades, but we have another family business we haven't told you about." 

"Oh, well that isn't that bad, is it bad to own 2 different businesses or something? Is that why those bad guys were chasing us?" I hypothesized, that must be it. 

Mateo squeezed my hand, I looked to him to see him looking towards the floor. His thinking face plastered on. What's he thinking so hard about?

"No, sweetheart that's not it." Nonna informed me, my eyes scrunch up as I try to think of another possible answer.  I look to dad, as he looks down at me with both guilt and love in his eyes. 

"Then what is it? Come on, just go ahead and tell me." I begged, the anticipation beginning to get to me.

"Isabella we're in the Italian mafia." Dad announced. I look to my father's eyes searching for any sign of amusement, any sign of playfulness. I looked over to my brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, looking for any sign that they were all playing some prank on me. They didn't.

"What?" I whispered, eyes filling with tears. All the puzzle pieces coming together. The guards stationed around our house, all the mysterious conversations in Italian, John never being arrested but simply disappearing into thin air after I told them what he and Larissa did to me, why everyone was scared of my family at school. How did I not realize before? How could be so, so stupid?

"So, you-you all h-hurt peo-people?" I mumbled, tears beginning to fall from my eyes. Pulling away from Mateo's hand but his look of hurt didn't go unnoticed.

"I'm not going to lie to you Isa or sugar coat it, yes we do hurt people. But it's important to note that we only hurt bad people. People like John and Larissa, people that are awful, people that deserve. We don't hurt anyone that doesn't deserve it."  My cousin, Sergio, explained in the softest voice I've ever heard him use. 

"It was all of you, the people that made John disappear."

"Yes, that was us."

"B-but can you bla-blame us Bella, he-he hurt you. Plea-please, please Bella d-don't be mad at us." Ilias said, on the verge of tears. More tears fell from eyes as I look at my family. I know it's bad to hurt people, but shouldn't be ok as long as they're bad people, right?

"Would it-it make m-me a bad per-person if I don't thin-think you're b-bad people." Everyone's head turned towards me as fast as lightning. They all looked at me hopefully.

"No, no it doesn't. That I can say with absolute certainty." Pavel added with a smile playing on his lips. 

I looked at him, returning the smile. 

"I think-I think I can be fi-fine with it." I said; attempting to wipe away the tears falling from my eyes. Ilias squealed happily at the news, coming over to hug me. Everyone's faces broke in smiles as they turned to who they we're standing next to either hug or high-five them.