AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Fee’s eyes are swimming with tears, her voice choked. “Lou and I… we’ll be staying at Zip’s apartment. Starting tomorrow.”
It feels like the floor has dropped out from under me. This can’t be happening. It’s just like when I couldn’t save my father—that same helpless, gut-wrenching feeling. I don’t deserve happiness. I never have.
“Why?” I manage to choke out. “Why are you running away from me? I’m trying to help you, to protect you!”
Fee’s face crumples, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Don’t you see?” she shouts, her voice breaking. “All I’m doing is hurting you! Gino wants to take everything from you because of me!”
Her words hit me like physical blows. I shake my head frantically. “No, Fee, that’s not true. This isn’t your fault!”
“How can you say that?” she cries, nearly hysterical. “Your business, Fucina, everything you’ve built—it’s all at risk because ofme. Because I killed Jonah.”
I reach for her, desperate to make her understand. “Fee, please. We can face this together. Don’t push me away.”
But she backs away, wrapping her arms around herself. “I can’t, Angelo. I can’t be the reason you lose everything. It’s better this way.”
I feel like I’m drowning, watching everything I care about slip away. “Fee, please,” I whisper, hating the desperation in my voice. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave.”
For a moment, I see hesitation in her eyes. But then she steels herself, wiping away her tears. “I’m sorry, Angelo. This is for the best.”
“Mom?”
Fee and I whirl around to see Lou on the stairs, her eyes wide, clad in her pajamas.
Fee gasps. “Lou! What… what did you hear?”
Lou looks between us, confusion clear on her face. “Just Angelo asking you not to leave. Where are you going?”
Fee’s eyes dart to me, then back to Lou. “We’re… we’re moving into Nonno Zip’s apartment tomorrow, sweetie.”
“What? Why?” Lou demands, her voice rising.
“Because we need to,” Fee says, her voice strained.
Lou’s face scrunches up in anger. “That’s not a reason! We can’t just leave!”
“Lou, please understand—” Fee starts, but Lou cuts her off.
“No! I don’t want to go! You can’t make me leave Angelo! I like it here!”
I watch helplessly as the argument escalates, Fee growing more frantic while Lou becomes increasingly defiant.
“This isn’t up for discussion, Lou!” Fee shouts, her voice cracking, two pink spots forming on her cheeks. “I’m your mother, and you will do as I say!”
A heavy silence falls as Lou’s pale face contorts with hurt and anger. “I hate you,” she spits out before stomping up the stairs.
The silence that follows is deafening. Fee stands there, chest heaving, tears streaming down her face. Before I can reach for her, she rushes up the stairs. I hear a door slam shut.
I’m left standing alone in the living room, despair washing over me. How did everything fall apart so quickly? And Gino… hatred burns in my chest. He’s the cause of all this.
As I sink onto the couch, my head in my hands, I’m overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. Fee and Lou have become my family, and now I’m watching them slip away.
And for the first time in years, I don’t know how to fix this. The great Don Pirelli, brought to his knees by love and a vengeful rival.
Fee istrue to her word and the next morning, her and Lou’s bags are stacked neatly by the front door. It’s awkward as fuck with Lou’s sullen silence filling the room.
“Lou, it’s time to go,” Fee says with forced cheerfulness, refusing to meet my eyes.
Lou turns to me, her eyes pleading.
