Chapter 93 - Messing With Mind And Heart

Persephone fell silent. "I did. After she died. I didn't want to remind Papa of her especially when he has someone else in his life and heart. So, I abandoned my red hair for something common between me and my stepmom. I didn't want to feel left out. I wanted to be loved by her. So, I dyed them black like my stepmom." 

Lara smiled while shaking her head after hearing Persephone's reply. "To be honest, I never thought you were one of those people." 

"One of what?" Persephone whispered. 

"One of those who change themselves just to feel accepted," Lara replied in a warm voice. She sighed and then added, "You always gave me a different kind of feeling whenever you used to help me in the kitchen. You never tried to hide what you were not. You always have this air wildness accompanying you wherever you go. The kind of wildness that can tempt the nun to be rebellious for a day." 

"Perhaps, you wrongly assessed me," Persephone replied and sipped on the soup prepared by the elderly lady. 

"Nah, I have been bad at many things but reading people is my forte," Lara answered her. "Never saw someone as unrestricted and wild as you ever in the fifty years of life." 

"Now, you are certainly wrong, Lara," Persephone said. "Unrestricted and I don't sit well in the same sentence." 

"If your mama was alive, would she be happy seeing you so pessimistic all of a sudden?"Lara raised the question. Seeing this ever-lively girl in a bleak mood was making Lara depressed for certain reasons. She didn't know why but her heart was urging her to console her. 

"She is not alive, Lara. So, I don't see any reason to find your question significant," Persephone's reply was harsh but Lara didn't blame her. 

"I have a night shift tonight. You can rest here as much as you want. Nobody will disturb you here," Lara replied instead. Even she could sense that Persephone didn't wish to go back to her room today. Although she was curious to know the reason for her gloominess, she didn't dare to step on her privacy. If it had something to do with her husband, both of them could work through it. 

"Thank you, " Persephone didn't know what else to say. She was just happy that she didn't have to face Villain for some time. But at the same time, thinking how she would not be able to see him or bask in his scent, an uncomfortable feeling rose in her gut. 

However, she then hardened her heart and chided it to be more logical. She couldn't tolerate another blow to her dignity. Ah, here comes dignity again. 

[I don't love that man yet the thought of going away from him is piercing my heart. Could it be that I have developed Stockholm syndrome?]

[Oh God, I am screwed. Damn you, Villain.]

[I don't love that man but I am missing his voice calling me Red.] 

[I don't even love you, mean Villain yet you are messing with my head and heart.]

…

When Persephone was convincing herself that she had developed Stockholm syndrome rather than fallen for her sinful gorgeous yet evil captor, Santiago was rocking in his rocking chair, basking in the darkness of self-pity and regret. 

The lights of the room were off. Curtains were closed. Rain was falling heavily. Thundering and lightning accompanying it. 

He didn't want her to fall sick because of her stubbornness.The weather had turned cold and she was still wearing summer clothes. However, he lacked the courage to go to her and bring her back to their room. 

When recalled her parting words, a pang burst through him. Since the first day, he wanted to get rid of her. And now that she wasn't in front of his eyes, he suddenly didn't like this feeling. 

He must have lost his brain cells or why else would he be thinking like that? 

His phone rang saving him to avoid answering the questions that were surging in his head one after another. 

"Killian?" Santiago murmured. 

Killian frowned when he heard Santiago's weak voice. "Are you still alive, bastard?"

"Alive and well, much to your bother, eh?"

"Doesn't matter to me if you are alive or dead," Killian's reply was callous just like him. 

"Ah, I see," Santiago murmured."Why did you call then?"

"For official purposes obviously," Killian wouldn't forgive him for the shit he pulled. He dropped the bomb at the last minute preventing him from following him just for that Principessa. 

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Kill, "Santiago weakly said. 

"Stop talking as if we are closed," Killian growled. 

"And you stop spending time with Nash. His temperament is infectious, didn't I tell you before," Santiago said. "Let's stop pretending, brother. Just come to the point." 

"Sure," Killian said, derision dripping from his voice. "Sent your words to Alessandro. He is ready for exchange. However, it's not clear if Nicolas Scuderi will be involved or not. And the mysterious group has not stopped looking for our traces." 

"I don't think Nicolas will be absent. She is his beloved fiance and judging from the way he was looking for her all over the globe, it's hard to imagine him not present there, " Santiago said with a scoff. Just the name of Nicolas Scuderi was enough to spoil his already rotten mood. If he could, he would just twist the bastard's neck with his hand. 

"Fiance or ex-fiance?" Killian murmured. "Did you forget the parcel you sent him? You think he will marry her now? You must be kidding, right? Those conservative bastards wouldn't accept anyone less than a pious and pure wife." 

How could Santiago forget the bloody sheets he had sent to Nicolas Scuderi in the name of Don Marino? He wanted to rile up the bastard and he succeeded but he had another intention behind all the efforts he put in by sending those sheets. Persephone didn't want to marry Nico, so he helped her in his own twisted way, and provoking Nico was just the extra benefit. In reality, he was just breaking their marriage alliance. However, he would rather die than accept it out loud. He didn't even tell his real intentions to Killian either. 

"Even if he ends up breaking his wedding with her, he would be with Alessandro while taking his daughter," Santiago replied. "They have a thing for saving face." 

"Santiago?" Killian murmured a while later. "I committed a blunder. The woman in the Scuderi house...she messed up all my future plans." 

Santiago had a bad premonition about this matter. Of course, he knew what woman he was talking about. He had once told him that he had a spy at Scuderi house but never told him who exactly. 

"What did she do?" Santiago questioned him. 

"She killed everyone in the family except for Nico and his sister, " Killian's reply affected Santiago.

"Didn't she know you would kill her if she did something wrong?"

"Oh, she so damn well knew. Isn't it the reason she had a leverage over me?" Killian was enraged. 

"Leverage over you?" Santiago repeated. "And what it may be?"

"Information on Alicia, " came the reply. 

"You are in great trouble, Killian." 

….

"Nico, I brought you soup," Sofia's soft voice was heard outside the door.

Nicolas groaned as he held up his throbbing head in his hands and sat on the bed. He didn't have any energy to hear consolations from the people visiting his residence every day but since he was the man of the house now, he had to put his shit together and behave like a man. 

Gone were the days when his parents used to deal with the guests. 

"Come in," He said once he checked that he was in appropriate clothes. 

Sofia was dressed in a casual black blouse and a white skirt. Her now dyed blond hair was tied in a ponytail. As she entered his room, she greeted him with a slight smile and positioned the tray carrying soup and a few more dishes on the table. 

Since the day his parents and grandfather died, she had been frequently visiting his house. The usual Ginevra who used to hate Sofia's guts didn't mind her presence in their house. She let her do whatever she felt like as long as she succeeded in feeding Nico. 

"You don't have to do this," Nico reminded her. He had always been cold to her and today was no different. And Sofia was kinda used to his coldness towards her and she didn't actually mind his behavior with her. 

"Don't want you to die of starvation...who would put my feet on the ground if you die or worse disappear because you forgot to eat," Sofia's reply was dry and full of sarcasm. Truly, Nico didn't need her gentle or kind words. He has had enough of them since last week. 

"Right… I won't die until I find your sister," Nico murmured and sipped the soup hurriedly. 

"Right...you have yet to find her, "Sofia said. A bitter smile tugged on her lips as she noticed the empty spot over his bedroom wall. 

"What are you looking for?" Nico directly asked her. 

"There used to be a portrait…"

"Burned it ages ago…" Some people shouldn't remind anyone of their existence even after they had long perished from the face of the earth.. And Lucien was one such person.