Forbidden Fate

Chapter Thirty Six

Harper

After I spoke to my grandfather, Matteo and I made our way up to the room my mother was staying in.

The doctor was already there checking her over when we made our way inside. Her eyes were full of concern.

Matteo gripped my hand in his, knowing I needed his reinsurance that everything would be ok, but would it be? Looking at my mother like this broke my heart when it shouldn't do.

"Is everything ok?" I finally have the courage to speak up. The doctor's eyes lock on mine.

"No, she's sustained a lot of tearing in her vaginal and anal areas. It looks like she has had a miscarriage in the last week as well, but I can't be too sure until I look at her properly. The scarring on her back is severely infected. I won't be able to treat any of this here. She's going to have to come to the hospital."

My stomach drops at the pain she must have felt. "Matteo, something needs to be done." How can my grandfather have such vile men working for him?

"Can I be the one to kill them?" Hugo says. His voice is harsh. Nothing like I've heard him sound like before.

"Be my fucking guest," Matteo says, knowing this will be good for his training.

"I'll come to the hospital with you," I say to the doctor. She nods at me before telling Matteo to help my mother up to the car.

Sergio comes with me to the hospital while Matteo and Hugo stay here to deal with my grandfather's men. I know they will have to go through him first, and I hope he lets them. Otherwise, I'll have lost all faith in him.

A couple of hours later, the doctor let's me go into the room to see my mother. Her face is cleaned up but still looks a hell of a mess. I close the door behind me before taking a seat next to her.

"I'm surprised you came here." She says, shocked. I nod because I am, to be honest.

"I want answers; that's why I'm here.
I said we would talk, so we will. I want to know everything." She places her pale hands on her lap before taking a deep breath.

"My father's men started abusing me when I was twelve. They didn't rape me. It wasn't like that. They wouldn't dare do that, but it was beatings. They would hit me all the time. My father was never around. All he cared about was money. He never cared about me. Well, that is what it seemed like at the time. My only friend was my mother, but my father turned her into a shell of a woman. She was lonely. She cried all the time. I somehow hoped that she would have gotten away from him, but in the end, this life killed her as it will me. I won't hate you if you decide to kill me after all; I am the one that put you through all this. I should have never agreed to give you to your father and Adriana."

She looks at her hands, lost. I don't say anything because it's true, but what is there to say because everything happens for a reason and if she didn't do that, then I wouldn't have had Gabriel.

"I read your diaries, not all of them but some of them; what happened after you met my father?" She looks up at me looking lost.

"Adriana tried to get me to seduce George, but it backfired. He fell in love with me. We started an affair, well, I wouldn't call it then when she knew I was sleeping with him; I was never meant to get pregnant, you know, but he put holes in the condoms. When I found out I was pregnant, I was so scared, but he was over the moon. He was so happy thinking it would work out; then he told me that we would run away together and raise you but that all changed. I don't know why. I don't know what happened. He wouldn't tell me, but he said he had to plan my death, so he found a druggy and shot her up with heroin before paying a tattoo artist fifty grand to give her the same tattoo as me before burning her to death and then he told me that I had to wait until you was three before we could run away together I had to lay low. I used to dress up as a maid and sneak out when your father was away on business trips just to hold you at night. I never told him; I acted like I never cared for you throughout the years, but I did. I don't think I ever stopped; I don't know why Adriana chose me to do all of this. Maybe I looked weak and lost, but I knew they knew who my father was. They wanted his money. I was meant to have half, but as you know, that didn't work out."

She looks away as I tear slips. "I wish this changed things, but I don't think it will. I'm sorry that you had a horrendous upbringing. I really am, and seeing you like this hurts me, but Adriana treated me like shit, and I would never ever dream of leaving my child. I will always be thankful to you for saving Gabriel." She nods as her bottom lip quivers at my words.

Does it make me a horrible person for not forgiving her? I squeeze my eyes shut before I stand up to leave.

"I will tell you this, mum; I promise you I won't leave you in that house again. You will come back to Italy with us, but I haven't decided where you'll stay." Her hopeful eyes meet mine.

"Thank you." She whispers before looking away. I nod before walking out of the room.

Sergio takes me back to my grandfather's house. The car ride is quiet, and I'm thankful he's giving me the time I need because my head is all over the place right now.

When we pull up, Matteo and Hugo are looking pissed off. I step out of the car and head towards them.

"What's wrong?" I ask, confused at why they're out here and not in the house. Hugo walks back into the house, giving us a moment to ourselves.

"They aren't any cameras down there, so we don't know who the men and none of them are going fucking admit it. They are all fucking cowards." I don't think I've ever seen Matteo so pissed before.

I don't really want to go back and ask my mother about it, but if it's the only thing that is going to work, then it's got to happen.

"Why don't you ask my grandfather to get photos and get Hugo to show them to my mother? Then he can deal with them. Hugo will be taking over at some point. He's got to step up and do it. I know he will want to."

I can tell he's thinking about it. "Do you think he can handle it alone?" I nod because I know he will be able to.

"I think so, but can I speak to you about something? It's about Hugo taking over. I want to help him as much as I can. I don't want control over it, but I want to change how men act with women. I said it from the start, and I'm going to stick with it. I'm going to ask my grandfather for ten percent of it that way; I have a say. I'm going to sign the rest away to Hugo, but I need to keep a foot in the door, Matteo."

I hold my breath waiting for his response; the last thing I expect is for him to grab my neck and kiss me.

"Angel," He breathes out. "That's a great idea." I smile against his lips as he kisses me one more time. 

"Come on; we need to speak to your grandfather before we head home; you can fill me in on your mother as well." I nod, knowing I'll half to tell him everything she told me.

~~~~~~~~~

We made our way back home after another two days with my grandfather. I suggested he come back with us, but he wouldn't have it.  He said he was still strong enough to look after his men for the time being.

We've come up with a plan to have Hugo fly over and train with Matteo for six months after my grandfather has shown him the ropes of everything. He hasn't told him he's taking over yet. He wants to see how he deals with his men first. I've already told him he can't change his mind because there isn't anyone better to run other than Enzo, but he would never agree to it. 

My grandfather was thrilled that I wanted to keep ten percent which I knew he would be. He also had files of his men, along with photos that Hugo showed my mother. They were twenty-three men that raped my mother. Twenty fucking three men!

When she told Hugo I was sick. I couldn't imagine what she must have gone through; I couldn't understand how my grandfather didn't know,  but then again, he didn't even know what was happening back when she was younger.

I still haven't decided what to do with my mother after everything she told me. I know now it wasn't her fault. Yes, she is still a little to blame, and I don't think I'll ever fully forgive her, but after learning everything, I'm not surprised she clung to my father. He showed her what love was, even if he was faking it at first.

I know I don't want to kill her. She has suffered enough throughout the years of torture that she has received, but I won't ever let her near my children, so where does that leave her?