EVE

Chapter Twenty-eight

*TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️*
Mild forms of racism.
Panic attack.

(...is mistaken as desperation for something wholesome.)

•Eve•

After getting dressed quickly I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked at my legs still particularly afraid that they were overexposed. Deciding that now wasn't the time for this, I walked towards the door and the sound of the thongs against the floor alerted the Don that I was coming.

He opened the door for me and I walked out giving him a small smile. My anxiety was at an all-time high. Before all this, I was a very social person, but somewhere along the lines, I lost that love I had for socializing. I felt the bitter bile at the back of my throat and I sincerely thought I was going to pass out.

The Don placed a hand on the small of my back as he guided me down the stairs.

"Don't be nervous. You being nervous makes me nervous." He joked.

I let out a small laugh, happy that he chose to lighten the mood.

"Why would you be nervous? They are your family." I stated.

"Well mio piccolo luna, my family can be quite judgmental and insanely critical." He simply said.

"You shouldn't be nervous because you know them," I answered.

"I am nervous because I know them." He answered.

"Well, thanks for the pep talk." I softly said, my nerves showing through my shaky hands.

"Hey Vigilia, relax. I'm just messing with you." He said with a small smile on his face, slowly turning into a goofy grin.

"Don't do that." I simply said miserably holding back a chuckle.

Getting to the bottom of the stairs I noticed the three siblings sitting comfortably in the living room watching TV. The living room was huge. It had an open design that connected it to the front door and what I assumed would be the kitchen. The walls were a peaceful cyan blue and white. The furniture was off-white leather. It is so we'll keep that you'd assume it's brand new. The placement of the cyan and white made the house seem as if it was a part of the sky. The fireplace was off-face brick and it had charcoal tills around it. The flooring was of cream marble which completed the house. 

As Alberto and I approached them, my heartbeat increased. I was definitely beyond nervous.

"Guys this is Eve. Maddalena and Angelo, I believe you've met her before. Eve, the one in the blue trunks is Nichola and that's Massimo in black." He introduced.

They all looked at me in a bored expression. My anxiety was starting to escalate. I felt like I should say someone but I had not the slightest clue on what to say. Why were they staring at me? Did I put something on my face? No, I don't I checked in the mirror, if I did I would have noticed it. I nervously played with my hands with my head bowed.

"Hey, Eve," Massimo said with a large smile on his face while standing from his seat.

"Hey," I responded.

"You're quite...tan. Your skin is beautiful." He pointed out with his smile still plastered on his face.

"Cut it off, Massimo," Alberto warned.

"You're quite the melanin 'queen'" Nichola pitched in.

"I understand why your name is Eve now," Massimo added.

"We were about to head to the pool, can you swim?" Nichola chipped in again.

"I don't think so. Their kind are afraid of water I think." Massimo replied on my behalf.

"I knew you were into employees Alberto but I would have never thought you would stoop low enough to entertain the help." Angelo fired, shutting down his brothers.

"Oh come on. You know this isn't going anywhere. He will get bored eventually. There isn't anything spectacular about her either than her murky skin." Nichola responded to. His brother.

"It's a phase and it'll pass. It always does." Massimo simply said walking around me and inspecting me like I was some piece of meat. I could feel his eyes analyzing my body. He was taking in every curve, every arch, every mark, he was taking all on me in, in a condescending manner.

I just stood there in silence. Tears threatened to fall but I held them in place. Every single word they uttered pierced my soul. Their words were dismissive of whatever the Don and I had as a fling, a phase, a passing stage. To them, no eternal bond could exist between the Don and I. I was merely a fascination to him and just like any intriguing thing I would eventually lose my element then he would simply move on to the next woman.

Why had I been so foolish? How can I be so naive to think that the Don had taken a genuine interest in me? I am a common maid, a slave, an abducted girl who has lost everything and everyone she knew. I am a stranger in my own body failing to recognize who I had become. I'm nothing outside my melanin and the Don would soon figure that out. I'm a nobody and the Don doesn't deserve a nobody.

Still holding back my tears, I excused myself from the sitting room. Their continuous taunts fell on deaf ears and I had begun to internally grill myself. My feet carried me back up the stairs and to the Don's room. Gracefully closing the door, my tears finally escaped my eyes. I locked the door behind me and staggered to the bed.

I sat at its base with my knees on my chest. The hot tears never ceased flowing, some fell onto my thighs and knees. I couldn't get a hold of myself. The thoughts were overwhelming me.

"You're nothing"

"You'll never amount to anything."

"The Don doesn't want you, he's only using you and once he's done with you he'll get rid of you."

"You're foolish to think he likes you."

"You're alone."

"No one cares about you."

"If you killed yourself, no one who'd care."

I felt my eyes get heavy as I hyperventilated and the ringing in my ears got louder. A darkness was overcoming me and I was too tired to fight it off.

[AN]

What a family.
I have no words.

Some of you might be thinking "They didn't do much".

You have to remember that Eve's mind is fragile. She still hasn't correctly processed her kidnapping and the events that followed. She's lost her sense of self. So anything can trigger her. Plus where she's from there is no racism. Zimbabwe is an African nation, more than half the population is black. All the black people here are too occupied with their lives to be focusing on what other races do to them. There might be racism here but it's minuscule almost insignificant.