Page 47 of Corrupted Union

Which means I slump to the ground.

Emilia rushes over to me, pushing Henry out of the way, which is impressive because I know she’s been struggling to walk with her pregnancy. “Fran? Oh my god. Are you ok?” She tilts my head up, looking into my eyes. “Are you ok?”

“What’s going on?” Henry asks.

“Get help,” she says to him, not taking her eyes off me. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.

Henry runs out of the room, and that’s the last thing I see before darkness covers my vision.

* * *

The most painfulthing about getting married is that my father won’t be there to walk me down the aisle. He wasn’t there for Emilia or Gemm, and he won’t be there for any of our other siblings’ weddings. He died a few days before Emilia got married to Marco back when I was only fourteen.

I remember his funeral vividly.

He looked so strange in his coffin. The makeup on his face was to give him life, but I knew he was gone for good. That he’d never open his eyes again. My siblings and I waited in a line to view our father. Mom was crying non-stop, and despite what she said to me—about how I was partly to blame for his death—I only felt pity for her. She lost the love of her life and had to take care of six kids. It was before the twins were born. Mom didn’t find out she was pregnant with them until a month or so after Dad’s funeral. The timeline was close enough for her to convince all of us that they were Dad’s kids.

But now that Emilia told me the truth—that they’re Franco’s kids—it all makes so much sense.

Emilia didn’t cry as she stared down at our dad. She had to be strong for the rest of us because between Cecilia, Mia, and Mom, there was no end to the intense crying. Even Gemma was shedding tears. Antonio kept a brave face, even though it was obvious he was fighting back tears.

As for me, I kept my tears hidden, using my hair as a barrier between myself and the rest of the attendees. There were so many of Dad’s men I didn’t know. It seemed strange how he had this entire other life with his job that none of us kids were a part of. These people were strangers, and yet, they knew my dad.

His funeral service passed by with Franco and Emilia giving eulogies for Dad. This was before Franco moved in, before he started abusing my mom, before he changed the dynamic of all our lives. He used his brother’s death as a way to gain power. I always though that was disgusting.

At the reception, which was held in a community center across the street, I kept to myself. I watched as Emilia comforted a crying Mia. Watched as Gemma and Antonio got into a fight over some spider. Mom, as always, took Antonio’s side over Gemma. Cecilia remained by herself as well, praying. I didn’t share the same level of faith as her, so I didn’t even have God to turn to.

A woman I didn’t know sat down at the table with me. She was middle-aged with graying hair and laugh lines around her eyes. “How did you know Riccardo?” she asked, taking a bite of cheese from the plate in her hands.

I stared at her.

“My husband worked for him,” she explains, pointing at a burly guy laughing in a corner with more of my dad’s employees I’d never met. “Riccardo was good boss. How did you know him, dear?”

“He was my dad,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

She placed her hand behind her ear. “What was that?”

I cleared my throat and tried again. “He was my dad.”

“I’m sorry. I still couldn’t hear you.” She scooted closer to me. “What did you say?”

“He was my dad!” I screamed. She blanched. The room went quiet as everyone looked at me. Even Mom looked at me, a frown on her face. The woman seemed so affronted that I screamed at her that it just made me hate her. I’d never hated anyone before, but I hated her in that moment.

I pushed my chair back and walked to the restroom, shutting the door behind me. Through it, I could hear the chatter resume.

I went into a stall, sat on a toilet, and bawled my eyes out. I lost my father. He’d never make me smile again or comfort me or walk me down the aisle someday. He was gone.

I stayed in that bathroom for the rest of the reception.

Not even Emilia came to check in on me.

CHAPTER11

Leo

“Congratulations.”

Henry is standing outside my house after I open the door. The bastard, despite his words, looks annoyed with me.

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