They Don't Know Me...

Chapter One: Prologue

For a year I've been here in Italy going to school with my brothers who don't know who I am...

I ran away after my mom died. My stepfather is still looking for me but I don't care anymore.

I had to make sure he wasn't following me for a while so I covered my tracks. Mom taught me how to survive and how to protect myself. She even put me in girl scouts to teach me wilderness environment.

At the age of 13, I already finished high school and was the most smartest and toughest kid in this boring town. Even though I finished high school I still attend school so some people think that was a normal household.

But back to what made me run... I came home early one day from school skipping at least two classes and heard yelling.

Mom had met John about two years back and married him a year later making him my stepfather. I saw them arguing and started filming what happened. What shocked me was that John actually killed her in front of me.

I ran away and cried. I jumped when my phone ranged and saw it was John.

I answered it after calming down and faking that I wasn't just crying

"Hey?" I said

"I'm sorry sweetheart. You need to come to the hospital. They just took in your mother," He said

"What?! Is she okay?" I asked not wanting him to know I was there to see him

"I don't know yet," He said

I hung up and immediately went to the hospital. Once I got there they told me my mother didn't make it.

I was still crying when they said it was an accident I knew John would get away with this since he was a detective. A social worker came to talk to me but before I could say anything John answered

"Sofia can live with me till she's 18. It's just one year. I'm her stepfather,"

"I appreciate it but what about any blood relatives?" the worker asked

"Mom never talked about it. I don't know who my father is or if he's still alive," I said

"Okay, then you'll stay with your stepfather. I'm sorry for your loss," she said and left

We went home and I went to mom's art studio and locked the door. Mom and I used to paint every day and were always a mess afterwards.

I looked at her table and started going through it when I found something. It was a small box with letters and photos inside. As I looked into the box I saw her wedding ring with a letter tied to it.

'I fucked up please forgive me. You'll never see me again just tell my boys I will forever love them

I turned it around and saw someone else's handwriting saying, 'Don't ever call them yours. You left our five boys to fuck another man!! You cheated on me and just disappeared?!!

I was shocked. Looking through these other letters I saw that all of them were sent back to her and weren't even opened. One stood out though. It had a different surname on it.

I decided to open it and read it.

My dearest lover

By now I'm sure you hate me as well. But I have to tell you something. It's been three mounts since I left and today I found out I was pregnant. It has to be yours since I didn't have sex with Santo in a year.

I skip the rest and read the last one she wrote. The one that she wrote on the day I was born.

My dearest...

You are sending back the letters without opening them so this is my last letter to you or my sons. I gave birth to my baby girl. Sofia Isabella Russo Garcia Marchetti. I gave her all our surnames that in hope one day she'll bring our families together.

Until that day know I will always love you

I looked at all these letters and wanted to scream.

I saw a stack of money and a new id for me and her ready in a bag next to a bag of guns and other weapons.

I spend a week with John and after I heard what he wanted to do to me I had no choice but to run away.

I grabbed the bags and then to the airport where they kindly so helped a lost kid on her plane to Sicilian Italy.

Getting there I dyed my hair, and I wear contacts that make my eyes brown. I changed myself so that he can't find me. I even got a job and a roof over my head because I knew my money would last forever.

I'm no longer known as Sofia Isabelle Russo Garcia Marchetti but now known as Mia Gozbi and this is my story.