The messages keep coming. Every single day, I receive a letter without fail. This goes on for a week. The notes are usually one sentence long, but they taunt me with the knowledge of the identity of Claudia's father. After the first few days, I refuse to open them, choosing to burn them instead.
Whoever thinks to torment me with this should reconsider. I'm done playing what I can only describe as a sick game. Two days of no new letters and I thought it was finally over. But I was wrong. I was wrong in thinking that throwing away the letters would make it all stop.
Browsing the internet in my room, I'm shocked to see a pop-up appear on the screen. At first it's empty. But then it fills with the same sentences I've been receiving in letter format.
SILLY GIRL, IF YOU ONLY KNEW.
THE MAN YOU PROFESS TO LOVE – DON'T THINK I HAVEN'T HEARD.
I try my best to exit the window, pressing all types of keys, but it's in vain. It keeps on running.
THE MAN WHO RAPED YOU IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
YOU'RE MARRIED TO HIM.
The text suddenly stops and my computer crashes. I'm still looking at the blank screen, shocked by what I'd read. Is he implying Marcello is the man from that night? The simple notion of it makes me laugh. Really, all this trouble for what? To make me doubt my husband?
Whoever it was should realize just how far-fetched the idea that Marcello could be Claudia's father is....
I shake my head, determined to put this out of my mind forever.
When dinner is announced, I go downstairs and notice that everyone but Assisi is already at the table. Marcello is deep in conversation with Claudia, and they are discussing some text she'd had to read as part of her homework.
"But it's not very logical." My daughter notes, eyebrows knit together in consternation.
"I think you're just advanced for your grade, Claudia." Marcello nods. "Have you tried telling that to Mrs. Evans?"
"Yes, but she wants me to go the traditional route. She says I shouldn't miss out on a normal education." She sighs, clearly disappointed with her teacher's approach.
"Lina, there you are." Marcello gives me a bright smile as I take my seat. I nod at them, urging them to continue.
As the courses come and go, I can't help but stare at the two of them, looking for any similarities. Damnation! Now that the idea was sown into my head, I can't help but think about it.
There isn't much to go off. The only thing they have in common is their lightly colored hair. In fact, the more I stare, the more I realize that it's the same shade of blonde.
Lord! I must be going crazy.
"Lina?" Marcello calls my name, frowning.
"Yes, sorry I didn't hear you."
"You've been lost in thought for a while now."
"Just thinking about my design." I quickly lie, forcing a smile. Good Lord, if he knew what I've been thinking about...
The next course is served, and I see Marcello looking a little disconcerted.
"Something wrong?" I ask as one of the staff members places a plate in front of me.
"I've given specific instructions to avoid sea-food." He notes, picking at his food.
I look down into my plate and see that it's a sea-food medley.
"Ew." My daughter makes a face, pushing the plate away from her.
"Why?" I ask, my eyes still on my daughter.
"I have seafood allergy." He shakes his head, raising up to go to the kitchen to inquire further.
"Wow. I have seafood allergy too." Claudia exclaims. Marcello stops in his tracks and half-turns towards Claudia, his expression inscrutable.
"I'll tell them not to make this mistake again." His voice is tense, and my doubts suddenly double.
Surely it's just a coincidence?
The following days are even worse. I watch Marcello and Claudia even closer, studying their interactions and their behaviors. Suddenly, I see a pattern in everything.
This is getting to me too much. Especially when I search the internet for types of evidence that two people could be related. Short of a DNA test, another far less reliable method is to compare blood types of the parents.
I pause for a second to think. My blood type is 0 and Claudia's is B. I study some charts and the father can only have a B or AB blood type. Ok, so there's not much to go off. But because I'm so paranoid, I end up asking him late at night in bed.
"Where did this come from?"
"Oh, I've been reading some wellness tips and they take blood type into consideration." The lie rolls easily off my tongue, and I feel a twinge of guilt. I'm going crazy, but if he says 0 or A, then I can put my worries aside.
"Hmm, that's interesting." He turns towards me, his face mere millimeters away. "It's B, I think."
"Oh." It's all I can say.
"Any tips for me?" He jokes, tugging me closer.
"I'll read up and tell you?"
"Deal." His mouth comes down on mine and I lose track of everything else.
Because this is the man I love.
"LINA, PAY ATTENTION." Enzo snaps his fingers in front of me.
"Sorry. I've been a little distracted lately."
I'd asked Enzo to meet me at a nearby case. I needed someone to confide in, and for all our friendship, I knew Sisi wasn't the best option in this case. Not only because it was her brother I wanted to talk about, but also because she's been too distant lately.
"I see that." He leans back in his seat, studying me.
"Is he mistreating you? You can tell me anything, Lina. I'll make him rue the day he was born if he did anything..."
"No, not at all." I cut him off. "It's not that. He's been nothing but wonderful." I quickly say. I've noticed in the past that Enzo doesn't have the greatest opinion of Marcello, and I have to wonder why.
"You've lost weight, and you look gaunt. What am I to think?" He arches an eyebrow at me and waits for me to talk.
"I..." I start, not even knowing where to begin. "I love him. I love him like I never thought I would." I clutch the cup of coffee in my hands, lowering my gaze. "He's amazing, thoughtful and oh, so kind. He's everything I could have asked and more."
Enzo snickers at my words, and I raise my head. "Which is why I don't understand why you hate him so much."
"Have you heard anything about his past?"
I shake my head. "Only a little... not much."
"Did he tell you he asked for your hand years back?"
"He did mention that."
"Rocco accepted the match. It was a few weeks before..." He trails off and I know he means the incident. "After that, his father suddenly died and Marcello went missing."
"Why did papa never say anything?" I frown. I hadn't realized how serious the marriage talk had been.
"It was too late by that point." Enzo grimaces. He means I was already damaged goods by then.
"Is that why you're so against him? Because he left the famiglia?"
"No." Enzo's lips curl around the corner sardonically. "It was because of what he did before he left."
"If you're talking about the orgies, then I've heard about that." I suddenly say.