Page 4 of Reign of Fate

“Like Mommy?” I know that Adriana doesn’t remember her mother, but when she started asking questions, I explained that Mommy had to go to heaven, but she loves her so much, and she always will. I have pictures of Maria all over Adriana’s room and throughout the house. I tell her stories about her mother all the time to keep her memory alive.

“Yes. Just like your mommy,” I answer.

A couple of months later…

“Daddy, where are we going?” Adriana asks. We’re barely out on the main road before my chatterbox starts asking questions. She loves going for drives because we usually end up going for ice cream.

“Do you remember that woman we saw a few weeks ago, Elisa?” I wait for her to nod before continuing. “I thought we’d pay her a visit. I hear she’s been very sad since her husband died. I thought we could give her some company. I’m hoping we can make her smile today.” I spare her a glance, then turn my gaze back to the road. “It’s not far. We’ll be there soon.”

“Do you think she has cookies?” Adriana asks. My kid has the biggest sweet tooth.

“We don’t ask, Adriana. We wait until she offers.”

“What if she doesn’t offer?”

“Adriana,” I warn.

“I might get hungry,” she persists.

I turn into the driveway and park the car. “Be a good girl and remember your manners.” She gives me a smile that would melt the iciest of hearts. I blow her a kiss into the mirror where she’s watching, then get out from behind the wheel and come over to unbuckle Adriana from her car seat. She grabs her stuffed bunny and holds my hand as we walk to the door.

I knock on the door several times and when there is no response I decide to turn the knob, finding it unlocked and walk inside. Immediately, I can hear music wafting through the hall, leading into the living room. Elisa is sitting at the piano playing the sad song by Eric Clapton, “Tears in Heaven.” Her fingers paint a portrait of sadness and loss as they move over the keys.

Here I thought my biggest problem was having Adriana approve of Elisa, and now I believe it’ll be convincing Elisa to let go of a ghost. I wait for her to finish, then call her name.

“Elisa.” She looks over her shoulder, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears, then lowers her gaze to Adriana, holding tightly onto her Penelope Bunny. She quickly wipes the tears away and rises from the piano bench, straightening her shoulders and putting a smile on her lips.

“What a lovely surprise,” she says quietly. She comes over to us and crouches to meet Adriana at her level. “Hello there, I’m Elisa. And who might you be?”

“I’m Adriana,” my daughter announces brightly. “You’re really pretty.”

“Well, thank you. I think you’re super pretty,” Elisa tells her. “I love the butterfly clips in your hair.”

“Mrs. Withers put them in. Daddy tried, but he couldn’t do it. He says his fingers are too big.” That’s my girl, throwing Daddy under the bus.

ELISA

What an adorable little girl. I know she belongs to Ivo because her eyes are just like her father’s, both in shape and color. Adriana has the same smile as her father as well. This is one of the few times I’ve ever seen Ivo smile since his wife’s death, and he looks even more handsome when he does.

Ivo used to smile all the time when Maria was alive. They were a love match, and even in a room filled with people, no one else existed but the two of them. Maria was a wonderful person. I didn’t know her as well as I would have liked, but any time we chatted, we had a great time.

We were all saddened by her loss. I remember going to her funeral with Guido. There were so many people in attendance that you could barely move within the crowd. We didn’t stay long. That was just before Guido had his accident. Our lives changed drastically after that.

It wasn’t an accident. It was a brutal attack on one ofUltimo Morte’swarehouses, and Guido was the casualty. Guido and I were engaged to be married, an arrangement that our fathers discussed and set. Guido and I got to know one another, and I found I liked him, and he liked me. It was a good place to start for an arranged marriage. He was a smart, good-looking man who took the time to get to know me.

After Guido was told he might never walk again, he tried to call off the wedding. No one would have blamed me, my father said. But I believe that marriage is about respect and caring for another person. I knew I cared for Guido and insisted that the marriage move forward. At first, Guido held out hope for a miracle, but as time wore on, he lost hope and his zest for life.

When he decided to join Raffaele and the other men for dinner two months ago, I was so happy. That day, he seemed extra sweet, kissing my cheek, holding my hand, and asking me to play for him. We spent the entire day together, talking and even laughing, until it was time for him to go.

“I love you,” he said before he left. “You gave me a reason to keep living when I was ready to give up. Thank you, my love.” Those were his final words to me.

Our marriage wasn’t a traditional one. Guido and I were best friends, and we loved each other as such. No one ever knew the extent of Guido’s injuries, only Guido and I. Guido wasn’t able to perform his duty as a husband. This was the reason he wanted to cancel the wedding, and when I refused, he had to tell me the truth. I told him I didn’t care, and I’ve kept his secret all these years.

I’ve never been tempted by another man, not ever. However, I can’t deny that Ivo is the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on. His rugged good looks, strong jaw, dark wavy hair, and full lips make him seem dangerous and mysterious. He’s tall and built like a wrestler, with big arms and thick thighs.

I focus my attention on Adriana to avoid Ivo’s eyes. “It’s hard to get those clips in. I have trouble myself some days,” I tell her. Her tiny giggle is so cute as she covers her mouth with her hands.

“Will you teach me how to play the piano?” Adriana asks, looking past me to the baby grand at the far end of the room.

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