Page 14 of Monster in Disguise

But the real bullies here are not us. It's Mother Superior and her army of nuns and novitiates, who have turned their backs on us because of our "sinful" actions. As if we weren't still human beings deserving of love and forgiveness. But I've learned toignore their hateful words and focus on protecting my daughter from their cruelty.

"We should have used salt instead of sugar," I say, my voice laced with a hint of bitterness. They are going to great lengths to impress this new priest, and I can't help but feel a little resentful. What is the point?

"Lina, showing some rebelliousness? Who would have thought?" Sisi teases, her eyes sparkling mischievously. But then her expression changes, and she leans in closer.

"I'm not sure how true this is, but I overheard the other novitiates talking. Apparently, the new priest has some powerful connections. That's why Mother Superior is so obsessed with everything being perfect."

"Connections?" I furrow my brow in confusion.

Sisi glances around before leaning in even closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"The Italian mafia." She reveals, and a disbelieving laugh escapes me.

But as I lean back and catch her suspicious gaze, she questions, "Did you already know about this?"

"No, no, of course not. It's just that I can't believe that," I immediately say, not wanting to admit that I was laughing at the irony of the situation. But if the new priestismafia... then I have to wonder which family he belongs to. I can't say I know a lot about our world either.

Most of the things I'd heard had been by eavesdropping. No one would tell me anything otherwise. I'm most familiar with the New York mafia and the five families. Agosti, my family, and then there's Lastra, Sisi's family. There are three others, Marchesi, Guerra and DeVille.

"That's what they were saying," she shrugs.

"I want some too!" I look down to see Claudia pointing at the frosting. She must have seen us earlier. I can't refuse her,so I make sure no one's watching before sneaking a spoonful of frosting to her.

"It's good," she smiles as she licks the spoon, and I can't help myself. I lean down and kiss the top of her head.

"Are you done with your batter, moppet?"

She nods, and I go over to check the texture. Seeing it's all right, I prepare it for the oven, breaking it up into smaller pieces. Claudia joins me while Sisi continues her own decorating task.

By the end of the day, we have enough batches of cookies and cupcakes for the entire nun population and the special guest. I am a little biased against the man already, if he is indeed mafia. My lips curl in distaste at the thought.

We finish cleaning the kitchen, and then we go back to our room. There are three beds inside now. Until a few years ago, there had been only two, as I'd slept with Claudia on one and Sisi on the other. But with my little troublemaker growing so fast, we'd had to request another bed. It hadn't been the smoothest process, and I'd had to get Enzo to intervene.

Speaking of Enzo... he hadn't visited in a couple of weeks. It's worrying since he sometimes visits weekly. I've been meaning to call him to make sure everything is ok. Maybe I should do that soon...

The followingday we all gather together for Sunday service. Familiar sermons echo through the church walls, filling the space with a sense of peace and devotion. But towards the end, Mother Superior's voice rings out above the rest.

"Sacre Coeur is honored to welcome Father Antonio Guerra, one of the brightest priests of his generation. He has beenblessed to study under the greatest theological minds at the Vatican, and we are grateful that he accepts our invitation."

A young man, no older than thirty, steps forward from behind the altar. It's Father Guerra.

His appearance is nondescript, yet there's something about him that immediately sets me on edge. As he surveys the congregation, his gaze seems almost predatory—like a hunter searching for prey.

A cold shiver runs down my spine as his eyes lock onto our group, and for a moment, I think I see a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth before it disappears just as quickly. Maybe I'm imagining it...or maybe not. I always trust my instincts when it comes to people, and in Father Guerra's case, they're telling me to be wary.

Little do I know that my initial impression of him will prove to be true in ways I could never have imagined.

Marcello

AGE EIGHT

Anoise jolts me awake. I take a moment to realize I'm not dreaming and that my eyes are wide open. It doesn't seem like it, though. Maybe because everything around me is enveloped in darkness.

Trapped in this tiny place, my legs are stiff from crouching. I once again attempt to test the strength of the lock with my hands. I push once... twice... it doesn't budge.

I don't know how long I've been here. I've slept a few times, but with no light, I can't even tell if it's day or night.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. But memories of how this all started assault me.

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