Page 111 of La Dolce Vita

"From the beginning. It's how we met. That wicked, evil bitch she did this!" Marietta turned away. "Isabella sent me that tape and Lorenzo found it in my hotel room. We fought. He thought I was trying to hurt him. It's how we fell in love because of her."

"That make no sense!"

"It's the truth!" Marietta shouted her down.

"Who else knew about this? Who?"

"Giuseppe Calderone. He was blackmailing Lorenzo. He had to kill him."

"Oh my God," she said in disgust. "Oh God, I'm going to be sick."

"It's not his fault, Catalina. Isabella is out there trying to destroy him just like his mother. She's torturing him. And yes he's been running from that mistake for years. Years! He loved your father. He loves your brother. He loves this family. He made a mistake!"

"A mistake? That's not a mistake? Do you know how many people died because of this mistake? Mirabella could have died and you wouldn’t have known her. If Lorenzo hadn't killed Giuseppe Calderone to protect the mistake, that bomb would have never been planted in the car. That mistake killed Fabiana."

"It's in the past," Marietta wept.

"It's not! Armando has the tape, Marietta. He has it. And now they are going to war with him. He'll use it and Giovanni will be destroyed. Lorenzo will be killed. Nothing you say or do can stop it now."

"No. No. Please... no," Marietta wept.

Catalina went to her and wrapped her arms around her. They sat on the bed and cried. "What are we going to do?" Marietta asked. "How do we stop it?"

"I dunno. I don't." Catalina cried.

***

Mirabella thought she heard yelling. She carried Gianni on her hip, and Eve trailed her, reading to her from her favorite book. Her daughter did so from memory. But she was a fast learner. Mirabella knew she would be reading on her own before primary school. When she arrived in the hall, she found Rosetta. The sight of her stopped Mirabella. Rosetta had her ear to the door of Marietta's room listening.

"Rosetta!"

The young girl nearly jumped out of her skin over being caught. She looked at Mirabella with her eyes stretched wide.

"Come with me! Now!"

Mirabella turned and walked out of the hall, and Rosetta was quick to follow.

"Why were you listening to the door?" Eve asked her. Mirabella glanced back to see her following. Rosetta smiled at Eve and took her hand. They turned down the hall, and she found that the open terrace was clear of the men and family. She set Gianni down.

"I'm sorry, Mirabella. I'm so sorry. I heard yelling. And then crying. I wasn't sure if I should knock or..."

"Save it!" Mirabella said. "Sit down!"

Rosetta did as she was told. Mirabella paced. She knew it was risky bringing Rosetta back into the family with so much going on. She had hoped the girl had changed. But it was evident she hadn't been properly motivated.

"I won't have it. Do you hear me? I won't have you snooping around this family stirring up trouble. Not again. I brought you here because you are family. And I want to teach you what that means. But if you think I'm going to let you bring drama into our lives after everything we've been through this year you don't know me."

"I apologize. I do. I know this is a chance for me to change. I am so grateful. I didn't mean to cause trouble. Not now or before. I only wanted..."

"Save it," Mirabella said. "Why are you here anyway? Weren't you supposed to go to Paris with Catalina?"

"There was trouble in Sicily. Giovanni's men were arrested. Dominic had to fly and come bring us here."

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Mirabella pulled out a chair and sat. Cecilia walked in. She froze at the sight of Rosetta. She glanced to her Donna.

"Take the kids, Cecilia. Get them dressed. I think Giovanni has Gino."

"Si,Donna," Cecilia said. "Come, Eve."

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