Costanzo unlocked the door to Francesco’s room and slowly entered. He had a tray of omelettes, bread rolls and water with him in his hand. When he entered he found Adele laying on her bed with her back to him. But he could hear her sobbing quietly.

His heart broke as he noticed Adele must be distressed. He spoke softly “Adele. Are you alright? I brought you some omletes in case you are hungry. Tonight, we eat dinner abit later than usual since ..... there are things happening.”

Adele sat up on her bed and spoke without turning around “By things happening you mean my family getting hurt in the cellar and more people brought to this mansion blindfolded and tied up in boot of cars? I know all about it. The window in this room has a good view of the front yard. I have lost count of the number of cars pulling in front of this mansion since this lunch time. When does it ever end.” She then turned around and screamed. She had stopped sobbing now and was in total shock. “What happened to your face? Who did this.” She then stood up and walked up to Costanzo who still had a tray of food in his hand. She looked at him with horror. As she was standing in front of him, she shakily reached her hand up and stroked his cheeks “You need to go to the hospital.”

Costanzo spoke “I am so sorry. I forgot I looked so bad. I should have put some plasters on. But trust me this is nothing. I have been in much worse shape. I am a boxer.”

Adele gasped “You are a boxer?”

Costanzo nodded “Yes. I am. I will tell you all about it if you sit down and eat something. Francesco told me to bring you food and make sure you eat something. I am not allowed to go downstairs unless you have some omlettes.” he then walked to the bed and put the tray down and sat down. He then turned to Adele “Come sit.”

Adele slowly walked to bed and sat down facing Costanzo with the tray between them. Adele spoke “Costanzo.... How are my parents? How is Angelo?” Are they ..... still alive?”

Costanzo nodded “They are alive. Don’t worry. Now eat something.”

Adele shook her head. “I’m not hungry Costanzo. Your uncle’s guards are most likely leaving my family down there with no food. How can I eat knowing my family are suffering from pain and most likely are going to be starving?” She then covered her mouth and shook her head and started sobbing again.

Costanzo looked devastated “No. No. Stop. Please don’t cry. Francesco would kick my backside for making you cry. i am supposed to come up here and calm you down and convince you to eat something. Come on. Don’t do this. But you are wrong. Your family are given food. They aren’t getting hurt right now.... not anymore.”

Adele stopped crying and brought down her hand and spoke sounding abit hopeful “What is happening to them then. Are they going to be set free? Please tell me the truth.”

Costanzo spoke “Well. That is a question I can’t answer yet. I wish I could. Lets say it hasn’t been decided.”

Adele looked at Costanzo with a questioning look “What are you saying? Please tell me anything you know about my family.”

Costanzo took a deep breath “This is the question, I was dreading you would ask, yet I knew you would ask me. I am not supposed to tell you this. I shouldn’t raise your hopes but ..... Francesco is in a meeting room downstairs right now trying to convince my uncle to spare your family’s life. They have been in there for heaven knows how long. Maybe an hour. I don’t know of the outcome. I was in there for a while but I am not my uncle’s favourite nephew so Francesco at some point sent me out with the excuse to get the chef to prepare something for you and come up here. Please don’t ask me any more about your family. I don’t know anything else. But Francesco convinced my uncle to call it a day on hurting them for today.”

Adele looked saddened “Francesco promised me he will keep my family safe. Do you think he would break his promise.”

Costanzo’s eyes widened “He has promised you that? Really? Well. If he has made a promise to you he won’t break it. He would keep his word at any cost. He has a good chance of convincing my uncle to spare your family since he is his favourite nephew. You should see how my uncle’s eyes lights up when Francesco enters the room. he is my father’s son apparently. But on the other hand. I am not that popular. So it may help whatever case Francesco is putting on the table for saving your family if I am not down there.”

Adele spoke “I don’t mean to be persistent. But can you at least tell me what happened to your cheeks. They look so painful. Was it .... your uncle? Did it have anything to do with you taking my family’s side? Who did this and why? I really need to know”

Costanzo sighed “Look.... let’s not go there. But for the last time, this is nothing. Really. Don’t worry about me. I am used to getting my face beaten up. Francesco and I used to box in illegal underground clubs in New York and used to get good money too.”

Adele gasped “Oh. No way. That is unbelievable. What did your parents say about all this? How did they let you do something so dangerous?”

Costanzo looked saddened “For the records, back in new York we had one parent only. My father. My parents divorced years ago and my mother handed the custody to my father. I never saw her after she left. Now you asked about parental view. Lets say Francesco and I had no curfew and no rules of discipline back in my fathers house in new York. My father was hardly ever at home anyways to check on us. We were mainly raised by house keepers and my fathers business partners and body guards. They provided everything we needed in our mansion but no one really was in charge of our up bringing. Francesco and I did whatever we wanted but there was one rule that we couldn’t break. We were never allowed to go to our fathers business meetings or know anything about his deals with his clients in any way. We tried many times but failed to convince our father to tell us more about what he did. but we put some pieces together by eavesdropping here and there.”

Adele spoke “It’s all so insane. How is this possible? Your father let you do whatever you wanted. Wasn’t he afraid that something could happen to you?”

Costanzo shrugged “Why would he be worried about any dangers to us. He had recruited the best tutors in martial arts and combat skills for us. Francesco and I are good in self defense. Well. Francesco is way better than me but I can hold my own.”

Adele asked “Sorry if I am curious but if you were free to do as you pleased how come your father was so strict about not letting you and Francesco learn anything about his line of work? he could as well let you in his world.”

Costanzo started laughing and then he started coughing. Adele was looking at him with disbelief “Why are you laughing. Why are you acting so strange? I asked you a real question.”