Isadora's life has been a series of unfortunate events. Raised in the presence of an abusive father and tragically losing her mother due to the resulting trauma, Isadora finds solace in distancing herself from her once cherished religious beliefs.
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"I'm Leah," she introduced, her voice shaky. "My mother Amanda, and that's my little brother Gabriele."
I looked at Leah, then at her family. Her mother's eyes were filled with sadness and fear, and the trauma she had been through was evident in her eyes. Gabriele, who appeared so strong , held onto her tightly, trying to comfort her as she sobbed silently.
I returned my gaze back to Leah. I could see the fear and turmoil in their eyes, and I couldn't help but wonder how long they've had to endure this lifestyle.
"So if I wasn't here, who would have saved her?" I asked in a quiet tone. Leah's expression turned even more somber, and a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
"Nobody," she said, her voice heavy with sadness.
"We could have kept banging and crying, pleading that he stops, but no one would have saved her, Us."
I was taken aback by her words and my heart clenched in pain for them.
"It's been like that for years, except for the times our older brother, Alvaro visits," she continued.
My ears perked up with interest. "How often does he visit?" I asked, desperately wanting to know more.
"Ever since he joined the mafia, he's never been with us. He left home when he was fifteen, and we rarely hear from him ever since" she explained.
15? That's such an early age, but then again, it's the mafia we're talking about here.
"So when he visits, what does he do about it?" I inquired. She sighed, and shook her head.
"He doesn't know about my dad's abusive ways." She murmured, her voice barely audible over the sound of the air con.
"How is that possible?" I asked, trying to understand. She took a deep breath before continuing, her hands visibly shaking.
"My dad has always been in the mafia, but he never abused us. At least, not me and my brother Gabriele, mom told us that he has always been like that."
The information didn't surprise me, but it made me extremely angry.
"Why did she marry him?" I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper. But Amanda heard me. I could tell by the way her shoulders tensed and her grip on the sheets tightened.
My question had clearly touched a sore spot for her, and immediately, I was filled with regret. I muttered an apology, but Leah shook her head with a sad smile.
"It's okay, Isadora. You have every right to ask, after all, you're a Delfavero." She said, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.
I simply nodded, giving her the space and time she needed to explain.
