Page 6 of Monster in Disguise

PRESENT DAY

As I stand in front of the imposing Lastra mansion, memories flood back to me with a force that takes my breath away. The grandeur and opulence of the building only serve to amplify my feelings of discomfort and unease.

This was a place I never thought I would have to return to—not after finally escaping this life for good. But as always, fate has a way of pulling us back into the places we thought we had left behind.

It's been a week since my brother's sudden death, and I still can't fully process it. Despite our lack of closeness, his passing has hit me harder than expected. He may have caused me pain and suffering in the past, but in the end, he did me the greatest favor by helping me escape this world. And for that, he earned my loyalty and respect.

It's a strange feeling to mourn someone who was both a source of torment and salvation.

But now, I am faced with the consequences of my actions. My best friend is in the hospital, and I only have myself to blame for it.

Guilt gnaws at me as I think about him lying on a hospital bed, fighting for his life. His wife, Bianca, has forbidden me from visiting him—and rightly so. I deserve her wrath, and his absence only serves as a constant reminder of what I have done.

I take off my coat, already sweating under the weight of guilt and anxiety, and nod at two bodyguards before approaching the doorbell. An older woman answers the door and gives me a quizzical look—of course she wouldn't recognize me. It's been too many years, too many lies and secrets built up between us all.

"I am Marcello," I introduce myself, watching the woman's face light up with a smile.

"Signor! Venezia will be overjoyed to hear that you have finally arrived."

"Finally?" I question, curiosity piqued.

"Yes, Signor Valentino had informed us of your impending return. It is such a shame he passed away. May he rest in peace." The woman makes the sign of the cross with her hands as she speaks.

"Please, come inside," she gestures for me to enter the grand hall. As I step inside, I am hit with a wave of familiar scents and sights. Memories flood my mind, unbidden. The screams... The pain...

"What is your name?" I ask the woman, trying to push away the unwelcome thoughts.

"Amelia, signor," she replies politely.

"Amelia..." Her name triggers a memory within me. "That Amelia?"

"Si, signor. Your brother rehired me after you had left," she confirms, and I feel a small sense of relief wash over me.

A soft voice, laced with uncertainty and longing, drifts down from the top of the grand staircase. As I lift my head to meet the gaze of the speaker, my heart tightens in recognition.

It's a young woman, her delicate frame clad in a flowing blue dress that brushes lightly against the stairs as she descends. Her mahogany curls cascade down her shoulders in perfect ringlets, framing a heart-shaped face with strong cheekbones and slanted hazel eyes.

She looks just like her mother.

"You must be Venezia." I manage to relax my features into a pleasant smile, not wanting to frighten the girl away with my own troubled expression. She nods shyly before taking a few hesitant steps toward me and Amelia, who hovers protectively at my side.

"Signorina." Amelia greets her with warmth and affection, clearly showing a close relationship between them.

"You've grown so much," I remark, trying to find common ground with this girl who once seemed like a mere child to me. "Last time I saw you, you were only about this tall." With a gentle gesture of my hand, I indicate that she had only reached my thigh when we last met...when she was just five years old.

"One does that in ten years," she says, but immediately lowers her gaze as she realizes her tone.

"Signorina!" Amelia's outraged voice chides.

"I know I've been gone a long while. But now I'm here. And I'll do my duty for this family."

"Really?" Venezia snaps at me, her eyes narrowing. "Like you did with my sister? Tell me, will you send me away too?"

"Signorina Venezia, your brother meant well," Amelia tries to interject, but Venezia does not stop.

"He meant well when he called her aDevil's childand gave her away to a convent?" Her voice is full of malice as she emphasizes Devil's child. I have to briefly close my eyesat her accusation. How does she even know? Venezia's tirade continues, and I know I have to do something about it.

"Enough!" My booming voice reverberates through the room, causing both women to shrink back in surprise. Their eyes widen as they stare at me, caught off guard by my sudden outburst.

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