Accepting Fate - Book 2

Chapter 1 - Seeing You Again

Asimina

It's been a year and a half since I've seen any of them. Thinking back, I remember, Jaz stayed on the floor, facing me, watching me cry, as her tears fell. She had no idea what happened, yet the sight of me broke her heart. I laid there, trying to figure out what went wrong.

It was nightfall by the time I decided to get off the cold floor. I didn't make it far, just to the couch. It took hours for me to form words. I poured my heart out and gave Jaz all the details. She had no answers and couldn't understand.

Exhaustion finally consumed me. I remember being in and out of sleep. Jaz left messages for Petro all through the night. He never responded, never answered. The last time I saw him was in the kitchen at the Malibu house, before I passed out. His cold eyes still cut through me. Raffaele, I haven't seen since the night we fell asleep together for the last time. My heart still wants to belong to the man that drove a knife through it. I love him so much, it's painful to wake up, to breathe and even exist.

The next morning, I left for New York with Jaz, moving to be closer to her. I used the money from my father's life insurance to buy a place, open a gym, and settle into a new life without the Morelli's, or my family. Jaz has been my rock; without her, I don't know what I would've done. To this day, I break down. We were raised with family values, loyalty. I guess that is why the betrayal still burns me to the core.

I had been in New York for a few days, when I started to feel sick. I hadn't been eating; I wasn't looking after myself, so I thought nothing of it. Jaz, however, bought me a pregnancy test, the positive test left me with so many mixed emotions. I was carrying Raffaele's child.

I accepted that the love of my life didn't want to be with me, but for the sake of my son, I made several attempts to contact him and Petro. The result, they blocked our numbers. To this day, no one knows of my son. My beautiful boy, who's not even one yet, is the only reason I'm piecing myself together.

My sisters, although they did text and call, the conversations were brief. They became different and distant. I was forbidden to talk about anything relating to Raffaele. They would hang up if I tried. I understand they're both in love with men that are part of his empire, but it still hurts. Both my sisters didn't want to be in the middle and risk their relationships. If I'm honest, I wouldn't want them to lose the men in their lives and feel as miserable as I do.

I sit back in the chair with my eyes closed, while Jaz finishes my makeup, or as I like to call it my mask. The one that hides the tear-stained cheeks, the one that hides the cracks. I'm back in California, back in the house that has so many horrible memories. When I unlocked the front door, the shattered frames had been cleaned up—the pictures placed in new frames and hung in place. I'm assuming it was one of my sisters. I had Jaz remove the pictures; I couldn't stand to look at them, happy moments that will never be again. I replaced them with pictures of Nathan.

I've tried to build myself up, find the courage for when I face them again. Tonight, came around too quickly; I'm not ready, I don't think I will ever be prepared. I managed to piece little pieces of my heart back together, and just with their thoughts, I shatter all over again. What did I do? Is the question on repeat in my head.

"All finished," Jaz's cheerful voice has me opening my eyes. "You look beautiful, Mina."

I glance into the mirror. I don't feel beautiful; I don't see it. I see someone who's broken and lost. I put on a meek smile for Jaz.

"Thank you, it's amazing," It's not a complete lie. She's a perfectionist.

"Mina, are you sure about this?" She places her makeup brush down and looks at me through the mirror. "I don't want to see you broken again," she whispers and wipes a tear away.