"How come you never introduced us to your son, Don Basilio?" One of my father's obnoxious friends asked.

My dad chuckled and placed his hand on my back, so I stepped in to fill in the blank, "I had other priorities," I answered vaguely, hoping he'd not ask any further questions.

Instead, a female friend of my father's, cladded in too many diamonds, looking kind of desperate to prove her riches, stepping closer to my father, she asked "Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe finishing my education," I say nonchalantly, most of the people in the mafia world are not that keen on education, on the contrary, they find most people with education to be arrogant and obnoxious, they prefer that you work for the family and gain the "work experience" that you need, that's why I wasn't surprised when my father's friends laughed about this, going on and on about how it's a waste of time and money.

"What did you major in?" Asked one of my father's friends who had been quietly observing the interactions.

"Right now I'm doing my doctorate in business administration," I answer his question honestly, making my father uncomfortably quiet, and his other friends gobsmacked.

"What's the point anyways? It's just a piece of paper," the woman on my father's side voiced her unnecessary thoughts.

"Well, it has helped my business and investments," I replied, taking note of Rosario's presence beside me.

"You seem very passionate about your studies," the quiet friend stated.

"I am, it was my mother's wish for me to finish my education before she passed away," I said.

"You must be very proud of your son, Don Basilio," he stated again.

The woman by my father's side, answers for my father while she rubs her hand up and down my father's arm, "of course, after all the money Don Basilio spent on his education, he better take after his father."

This strikes a nerve, and it must be the nerve connecting between my brain and my mouth, "that's not true," I say getting their attention, "I paid for my own education, I don't accept things just because they're being handed to me," I take a dig at all of them, even Rosario who was a bystander, "and I take after my mother" this time taking a dig at my father.

My father chuckles and removes the woman's hand away, he pats my shoulder, "to answer your question, Don Giovanni, yes I'm very proud of him, and yes he does take after my late wife, she was very smart after all, and never took things for granted," My father said trying to lighten the tension in the group.

I scoff internally, such a hypocrite, after all, he was like his friends, he didn't want me to study.

Don Giovanni smiles and nods his head, satisfied with my father's answer, then he turns his attention to Rosario, "You're very lucky to have a smart and strong-willed person as your partner Rosario," I feel his hand slither around my waist, pulling me closer in his arms, I stand still.

"I'm very lucky indeed," Rosario smirks.

The woman who had been standing by my father's side and rubbing herself on him, finally had the decency to leave, and instead came a younger-looking woman who now stood by Don Giovanni's side, "are you planning on having kids together?" She asked, her tone too sweet to be real.

I look at Rosario who happens to look at me, with him? No! Sorry, mom, I love you, but I'm not following in your footsteps.

"..." both of us don't say anything and my father redirects the conversation to a different topic.

After a while, I lose interest in the conversation and excuse myself from the group, but before I can leave, Rosario stops me by grabbing my wrist, "where are you going?" He asked.

"To get something to drink," I frown at him, what the fuck is the matter with him?

I glanced at the faces of the group, most had an intrigued look on their faces, except for Don Giovanni's daughter, who looked like acid was poured on her heart.

Yup, definitely something going on between her and Rosario.

The wedding reception was inside the mansion's great ballroom, it was large enough to fit a dancing area, a bar, and tables for when the dinner would be served.

I nod at the bartender and he comes closer, leaning over the bar to hear me over the DJ's music "do you have anything non-alcoholic?" I asked.

He looks over his shoulder, then back to me still leaning over the bar, "uh, water?" He laughs awkwardly.

I chuckle at his awkwardness, "water would be great," he grabs a glass puts two cubes of ice, and a slice of lemon, pours some water and puts a thin straw in it, then he placed the glass in front of me with a black napkin underneath, "thanks a lot." I turn around and lean my back on the bar, sipping my water while taking a look at the ballroom, people were dancing and drinking, and while observing them I couldn't help but remember the awkward first dance with Rosario as a "married couple", like Teegan would say, "insert eye roll emoji."

Both of us were not used to not being in the lead while dancing, at first, he pulled a few dance moves on me, and practically was showing off about being the dominant one through leading the dance, but I pulled a quick one on him and dipped him, smirking at his shocked expression, whispering to him, "You're leading because I'm allowing you to, not because you can," we were both men, after all, we are not that different in the physique, he a bit more muscular and taller than I am, but nonetheless, I'm not that bothered about my masculinity.

I look to the right, the whole wall was adorned with double glass doors, I can exit through one of them and no one would notice. I want to leave, but I also want to visit my mother first, maybe after dinner, when everyone is a lot more drunk and won't be paying attention.

I stay at the bar sipping my water until the glass is empty, "more water?" The bartender asked.

"Sure," I nodded.

He fills the glass again, and lingers in his spot after he hands me the glass back, "so, not drinking today, huh?" He asks, leaning over the bar again.

"I don't drink," I stated.

"Are you a recovering alcoholic?" He again asks.

"Not that it is any of your business, but no, I'm not." I clarified.

"I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, I mean you're the groom and I thought you'd be getting drunk on your wedding day, it just made me wonder," he says.

"I'm the groom as well, and you don't see me getting drunk," Rosario said as he crept closer to me, "done flirting with my husband?" He asked putting his hand around my waist.

"I'm sorry sir," the bartender apologized as he backed away from the bar, "I was just trying to make a conversation." He explained.

I would have been bothered if he was threatening an innocent man, but I really can't trust anyone here, especially noisy ones.

As another guest comes toward the bar, Rosario orders the bartender to get back to his work.

A moment of silence passes as I boringly spun the melted ice cubes in the glass with the straw, Rosario leans in, "break time is over, dinner will be served soon," he says next to my ear, making me shudder in disgust.

"Can't say that like a normal person can you," I stated not really waiting for a response back I turn around and walk ahead of him.

True to his words, dinner was served as soon as everyone got seated. I barely ate anything, the steak was undercooked, and I can't eat raw meat. I tried to focus on other things that were served but the portions were small, and before dinner ended, the cake was brought out so we can cut it, then people went back to drinking and dancing.

Some time passes by, and once I lose sight of both Rosario and my dad, I leave the ballroom through the patio doors.

The sky was dark, and the garden was very lit, and well kept, I walk through the pathways, and I head to my mother's tree.

It's very tall now, taller than me.

I take a deep breath, the smell of roses and flowers so familiar, I look around me, and I can picture my mother trimming the garden, humming to herself a song She was obsessed with.

I walk to the iron gate, this was the restricted area, this is where my mother's grave is, I say restricted because my father would punish me if I came here, that's why I planted that tree.

I guess I came here a lot after my mother's death.

This area was surrounded by tall trimmed trees that looks like a tall box from the outside, you'd have to walk a bit more to reach her grave.

Her gravestone was right in the center, it was a very simple and sleek cuboid stone, with rose engravings, it stood tall in the center among the field of white roses, similar to the one I have on my suit.

My eyes sweep across the engravings on the gravestone.

Here lies
Rosabella Potenza
1970-2008
Beloved wife, and mother

"Hi, mom..." I greet her first, biting my lower lip wondering what I should say next, looking at the blanket of roses, "I hope it's warm in there,... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I didn't come to see you all these years, I uh... I actually left this place once I turned eighteen, you'd be happy to know that I went to school, online school but I graduated nonetheless, um..." I hesitate, looking at the ground, wondering if the words are engraved on the stone floor, "I-I uh... I almost died, but don't worry I'm alright now, someone actually saved me, his name is Tobias, I would go and visit his grave and ask him to look after you up there, so mom, if you do end up meeting him, please look after him as well." I look over my shoulder, "I better get going, I still have to stop by my old bedroom before I leave, I don't know if I'll get to see you again, so take care I guess," I awkwardly mumble before turning around and leaving, take care? She's dead for God's sake.

I leave the garden going through the servants' entrance, passing by the kitchen, I grab a loaf of bread, and a bottle of water, most of the kitchen staff and servants ignored me, but the head chef decided to speak his mind, "was the food not to your liking sir?" He asked, there was a moment of silence before everyone busied themselves again.

"I'm sure the food was fine," I tried to assure the elderly man.

"But the servants said you didn't eat," he said pointing to the plate with a steak sliced once, yup that's mine.

"I can't eat raw food," I explained.

"But no one told us," he looked scared.

"Don't worry about it, I didn't take it to heart, and neither should you," I said.

Seeing the bread in my hand, "Would you like me to whip something quick for you?" He offered.

"I appreciate the offer, but no, I'm alright with this," I said lifting the loaf of bread in my hand.

He nods his head and with that, I leave the kitchen going to the main entrance hallway, just as I was about to go up the stairs, someone stops me again.

"Elia!" Called Don Giovanni's daughter, making me pause, "have you seen Rosario?" She asked, shifting in her place.

"What's your name again?" I asked making her face fall and her cheeks turn red.

"Valentina," she says crossing her arms and perking her chin up.

"No, Valentina, I haven't seen Rosario," I answered.

"Isn't he your husband? Shouldn't you know where he is?" She asked, her tone to a normal newly married person would probably have made them insecure or doubtful.

But I'm not normal, so I taunt, "that, I am," I rub it in her face first, making her eyes twitch, "but it doesn't mean that I'm gonna cling to him like a desperate creep," I say making sure to take all of her reaction in, her face red, her throat dry which made her gulp more noticeable, her hands gripping her biceps, her now crossed arms look like a protective move instead of a defensive one.

"I'll make sure to give him a heads up once I see him, now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to take care of," I say turning around and leaving her alone in the hallway.

It doesn't take that long to reach my old bedroom, I had folded the clothes I came here with neatly on the bed, and after putting my loaf of bread and water on a table for a second, I search through my pockets for the bottle of pills, it only contains the different medications I need to take in order for my body not to develop an infection and start rejecting the heart planted inside my chest.

These medications are very strong and have different side effects, such as weakening my immune system to stop it from fighting the foreign organ, weight gain, tiredness, dizziness, and some more. This is why I'm very particular about the food and drinks I intake, It has been like this for the past three years and I intend on keeping myself healthy, and actively work on improving my immune system.

Once I've collected the bottle, I grab the bread and start eating quietly in the silence of my old room.

If I close my eyes, I can still remember vividly sitting in my old room like this, eating alone, it's like the past is repeating itself, but I don't want to remember.

I take another bite of the bread and stand up, busying myself with getting undressed and changing my clothes while I finish eating.

Once I'm in my own clothes and the suit is back on the hanger, I take the pills and gulp them down with water.

I look around me, everything is in its place, phone, wallet, and the empty bottle of pills in my pockets, I put my shoes on and grab the water bottle, I'm getting the hell out of here.

I exit the bedroom and head to the ground floor, down the staircase, then out of the unreasonably large front doors.

Outside of the mansion, Westly stands at the bottom of the steps, looking both nervous and determined.

I sigh, Poor thing.

"Sir, you can't leave now," West says taking a step closer.

I don't want to waste my time chit-chatting so I'll give him the choice to determine his future, "either they will punish you for not stopping me, or I will punish you for stopping me, make your choice," I wait a few seconds for his response, taking my time descending those steps, once I'm standing on the pavement I walk ahead, he stands still, you can see his face turn pale, the closer I got the paler he became.

I move to walk past him but he grabs my wrist, I turn around, his face both apologetic and scared, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave," he says voice trembling with fear and desperation.

I feel bad for him, I do, from the moment I met him, I could see that he wasn't the fighting type, I sympathize with him, and probably Rosario and my father knew I would, but that doesn't mean I will let him go scot-free, I need to make an example out of him just like the others before him.

I clench my hand into a fist and swiftly punch him in the gut very hard, knocking the air out of him, he falls to his knees, one hand on his middle and the other on the ground holding him up, he dry heaves, coughs, and gasps for air.

I watch over him for a second, "tell that bastard that he has two months before I file for divorce, I think it's more than enough time for him to get his shit together," he grunts and coughs some more, his head now resting on the pavement, I watch over him a little bit more, before turning around and walking away.

He'll survive.