Ethan Theodore.
Location: New York...
"She looks dangerous", K said, as he passed the tablet to me.
I stared at Ava Moreno's picture for a moment then kissed my teeth, "She looks like she's in danger"
K grinned silently and continued, "The weird thing is that I think she's actually in a relationship with your brother, Leo"
My eyes widened. "How do you know that?"
"Well it's just speculations but I did quite the investigation, and I saw couple of their pictures online where they got caught by paparazzi. Other than the shipping by people like they were celebrities, I'd say it's not really clear what their relationship is. One thing I know is your father could be crazy like you said but he can't go as far as wanting you to marry your brother's girlfriend", He replied.
"Then you might not really know who my father is", I smirked.
"...The plane has now arrived at JFK Airport, New York..."
We got off the plane and walked to where the cars were parked for passengers.
"I tried to get a car but for some reason, the driver kept declining the request",K informed me and I frowned.
"What about the Airbnb and the car I'd asked you to rent?", I asked.
"I already got those checked"
I let K come with me from Italy because I could need some assistance here. At least, if everyone are being insincere with me, I'd have someone who I could feel free with.
"I'll just get a taxi or Lyft or Uber or something", I said, getting frustrated already.
"Ethan", I heard a familiar voice called out. I knew exactly who it was but it had been thirteen long years since I heard that voice so I earnestly prayed it wasn't who I really knew it was.
I raised my head up and saw my step mother, May Avila, who was Leo's mom, dressed impeccably in a puprle dress and her lips lacquered red as blood, waving at me from the backseat of her red Range Rover. She blew out a kiss, and gave a half smile, a dishonest one.
"Ethan!", She called out again, like we were friends.
"Who is that?", K asked
"She's nobody", I shrugged and we walked over to the car.
"What do you want? How did you know I arrived?", I inquired without doing the courtesy of greeting her or acknowledging her presence.
She didn't reply. "Are you just going to stand there and start asking me questions?"
I sighed. "I'm not going with you"
"You just arrived in New York after thirteen years and you think you know your way around already? I don't think you looked around but if you did, you should know the city isn't quite how you left it."
I rolled my eyes. "And I know really well that if you'd taken a good look at me, you'd know I'm no longer that nineteen year old teenager anymore"
"Tell that to your father because he made me cancel my vacation just to bring you home".
"Let's just go with her, Lucenti", K whispered to me.
May Avila smiled. "Your...", She looked at K up and down then back to me, giving me a taunting smile. "Your young man here seems quite reasonable"
I ignored her. The driver wanted to come down to open the door for us but she stopped him.
I hissed silently and K opened the door. We got in. K sat at the front passenger's seat and I sat beside her, the place instantly feeling suffocating. Expensive luxurious pefume clawed at my senses, like mixture of different flowers, rose, jasmine, myrrh and they almost made me throw up. That was her usual perfume. Her scent, that same scent.
That scent I smelled in my mother's room the day she died. I hated May. I hated what she did to my mother. Here she was in the car, playing an elegant murderer, wearing the same smile she wore on my mother's funeral.
I looked out the heavily tinted windows as the car drove through the busy streets of New York.
I remained still as I sat. I couldn't really figure out the exact thoughts that ran through my mind. I just knew I had series of them. My eyes hidden behind the dark sunglasses and my jaws clenched tight.
The city had really changed like May said.
The city had changed. Or maybe it hadn't. Maybe I did.
The city I'd buried. The city I'd buried everything I owned in. My mom, my peace.
Here I am again in a city I'd sworn to myself that I'd never set my foot in anymore.
"So, Mr Ethan Theodore or should I say Lucenti De Luca?", She started, the mockery trailing in her voice.
I ignored her.
"Still as talkative as ever, I see. It's been what? eight years? thirteen years?", She tapped her manicures on her birkin bag and continued. "It's not like anyone cares enough to be counting"
"You seem like you do, May"
"Still of venom, I see. You came back at an interesting time. There's a lot of mess, and there's lot of clean up to do. I think you'd be useful for that.", Her smile faltered for half a second.
"I didn't come to be useful. I came for the truth"
"We'd see about that, Mr Lucenti De Luca. And oh, truth is subjective in this family, sweetheart"
"Then I won't hesitate to burn down the lies until the bones remain". I paused and leaned in, just enough for my breath to brush her cheeks.I continued, "And if your bones are among them, I won't flinch."
The car lurched forward, but I didn't lean back. I watched her carefully, studying every flutter of her lashes and every shift in her expression.
I wasn't the boy she once dismissed.
"You must really do think you're something now, Ethan", She said, catching her breath as she moved away from me.
"I am something you should be careful not to cross", I replied and smirked.
We arrived home and we met my dad standing at the entrance of the door like he had been longing my arrival. I scoffed silently as we got down from the car.
"Ethan!", He called out with a wide smile.
"You and I know you aren't really that happy to see me", I said, passing my coat to K.
"Still feisty, are we?", He asked and paused. He continued. "Who is this young man?", he asked me, looking at K.
K quickly bowed curtly to him, acknowledging his presence.
"I don't think his presence is really a business of yours", I retorted.
"This mouth, that mouth is always the problem", May chipped in. "You've been saying everything and you haven't asked about your brother", she said again.
I tilted my head to the side and stared deeply at her before speaking. "A brother? I don't remember having one", I answered.
"Your brother is terminally ill and that's all you have to say?", May replied, glaring wickedly at me.
"Why is everyone telling me about Leo's terminal illness as if I'm a doctor", I laughed briefly and continued. "I hope he gets well", I whispered to May and smirked.
"We need to talk", Shawn said, staring at my face, probably the scar on my face.
"Go on", I shrugged and crossed my arms.
Shawn looked at May and I think that meant for her to leave.
She rolled her eyes. "I'm his stepmother. Anything you want to say to him, say it while I'm present. After all, he is only here because my son who is actually good at what he does, is currently unable to perform his duties", She tightened her lips, giving the impression that she wasn't ready to leave.
"May, this is a private issue, my dear", Shawn said to her, giving her a brief kiss on her cheek.
"If anyone should leave...", she paused and faced K. She continued, "It should be the stranger from Italy"
"K, excuse me for some moment", I said to K with a wink and he nodded before walking away.
"Of course. Anyway, darling, I'm off to check on Leo at the hospital", May announced and walked away.
After May and K left, the silence thickened between my dad and I. We could almost hear each other's thoughts.
I leaned on the silver railings, and searched thoroughly for my cigarette in my pocket.
"I must have left it in the coat I gave to K earlier", I thought to myself, smacking my teeth.
"So Mr Lucenti...", My dad finally said after he faked a cough.
I stared at him. "How did you know about that incident?"
"What incident", he feigned ignorance.
I sighed.
He continued "You should watch out for the snakes in your midst"
I did not reply. I just nodded my head and looked away.
"Ethan, you do know why you are here, don't you?", he finally asked.
"I don't", I crossed my arms and turned to look at him.
"You will eventually get to know why you are here. We are meeting the Moreno tomorrow morning", He said. He didn't wait for my reply. He just went inside.