𝐎𝐥𝐝-𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 | 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚣𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘.

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 | "𝙸'𝚖 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢."

[ This chapter contains sensitive topic: murder. I tried my best not to elaborate, but if it's too much please don't move forward and skip. ]

Joe.

We spent the day answering the cops and providing them all information we could give to testify against my father. While doing so, I realized how much sacrifice my mom and my siblings did just to make sure I was safe. Yes, there were times when I would think that none of them actually cared about me except my mom of course but now I want smack myself in head for jumping into conclusions when I don't really know what happened.

I grew up mad at the people that let me grew up without having to deal with this crap of a person. I feel like a bad person.

And I haven't seen him by the way, they said he's still in the hospital but police were guarding him. Apparently he, with a bunch a people were part of a fucking gambling group and were suspects for several crimes here in New York and honestly, I just want him away. Away from me and my family. He's such a mess and even though he is still the person responsible why I am here on this Earth, it doesn't give him the right to put me through so much.

Let alone he needs to be punished for things he did.

"You ready to go?" Mom asked me, grabbing my hand to do her usual motherly squeeze. Ben mentioned that it was his favorite thing, please remind me to squeeze his hand when I hold them. "Where is Ben?"

Speaking of Ben, I forced him to go to home because it's just Thursday tomorrow and I couldn't afford to be the reason why he would lose his job. Luckily he wasn't so persistent and gave up. I love a bottom bitch.

"He needs to go home, Ma. He has work tomorrow." I said, smiling. I don't know if Mary still has the moving-to-Burbank mindset but I'm not coming. I don't know where Burbank is and I don't want to leave Ben behind.

"You're not coming with us to Burbank, are you?" It caught me off guard, I looked at her confused but she gave me a smile instead. "Ben talked to us when you are asleep. He asked us if we would let you stay with him, with a promise that he will take care of you." Mom wrapped her arms around me. "I trust him."

I just looked at her. I couldn't say a word, goddamn it. My mom looks so happy. "A-are you sure you trust Ben?"

"I trust him more than I trust you-"

"Mom?!" It made her giggle, pinching my cheeks. I hate it when she pinches my cheek when I was younger but now I'm gonna miss that pinch when they move to Burbank.

Where even is Burbank?

"It's in California." Mary interrupted my another aloud thought, smiling as she approached us. "The cops said we can move back home. John is on his way. No one's moving to Burbank."

"That's a fucking relief then!" I muttered out, hugging my mom back. "Let's all go home?"

Mary and mom looked at each other. "Let's all go home."

-••

Ben.

"Oh my god.." Uncle Fred lets out a gasp, placing a hand over his mouth as he look at me and Uncle Jim. "Oh my god."

Ronald Martin Mazzello, used to be a person of interest. Now a main suspect for my grandparents' murder. Ten years ago, Nana found out that the empty house three blocks away from ours is a drug laboratory. It happened when Nana and Uncle Fred were jogging around the neighbourhood and noticed the unusual activity. They went to police and Officer Leech led the prior investigation. Turns out Nana was right, it is indeed a drug laboratory. Five out of seven suspects facilitating the place were arrested but not the two main ones.

The crime scene was clean and neat. Everyone thought my grandparents moved out but the truth is, they were kidnapped and murdered. Officer Leech's team were able to find their bodies but Uncle Fred asked to keep it a secret from everyone, buying the plot of the killers so even them won't think that they're under surveillance. It was my high school graduation, no one marched beside me. My parents died a long time ago, causing my childhood trauma that led to me being homeschooled.

My grandparents were the only ones I have. Of course I still have the loving husbands but it feels different. I feel empty. The last thing that made me feel alive were taken away from me. It became my life-long goal to find out who killed them. Now that I have figured it out, the anger just went to the level my blood boils. He could've killed the only person I love. That's too much.

He should fucking die.

"Whatever you have in mind, don't do it." Uncle Jim reminded me, obviously reading what's inside my mind.

"You can't straighten a crime by covering it up with another. Life doesn't work that way." Uncle Fred said in between his sniffs. He tries his best not to show much he is affected of the news. He always is the tough guy.

All I had to give is a weak smile. I can't cry any harder, I saw the contents of the envelope earlier when I got home. "I don't know what to do."

"Do you plan on letting him know?"

I looked at them with a puzzled face. Joe has to take in a lot now that he's with his family and I don't want him to worry. Besides, the fucking mastermind is inside the jail.

"You have to tell him, it's his dad and being his boyfriend- he deserves to know." Uncle Fred ruffled my hair. "We're here. We're your family now. We got this." He then pulled me into a hug that I gladly accept along with Uncle Jim caging us both in-between his arms.

I couldn't help it, I let out a soft sob. I'm still lucky.