Ariana's POV:
I was very stunned to see them here. I didn't ever imagine in my wildest dream that they would be here.
"They are my... friends, Noah and Jessy. The ones that I told you about." I said, still in a daze.
"What." My family was also stunned because I have told them about my friends before.
My friends were also surprised to see me. They immediately came towards me and stood before me and looked at me again as if they couldn't believe that I was really there.
"What are you guys doing here? Didn't you say that you were going with your family for vacation?" I asked them confused as to how they had the connection with my family.
"Princess, you met them? Did you like my surprise?" Nonno came towards us after seeing us all standing together.
"So you invited them here." I asked, stunned.
"Yes. I have invited them as our family does business with them and I also know that they are your friends." Nonno said.
"But they are from Texas and we are here in Italy. I don't understand nonno." I was still very confused.
"Ariana, so you are the princess of the Romano family." Jessy said surprised.
"Yes. I had told you before about this." I said.
"Yes you did but I didn't link that with this family. I just thought that your family just had the same name as this." Jessy said.
"Do you know what your family's main business is?" Noah asked.
"Yes. I know that." I said, surprised.
"Then we will talk about all of this later. It will be easier to explain then." Noah said with a smile.
I nodded now, understanding a little bit that they were also involved in the mafia business somehow. I was surprised to say the least.
After he said that, we didn't continue on this topic and went along with the banquet. After some time it was time to cut the cake. So we brought the cake in and placed it in front of nonno.
"Dad, now let's cut the cake." Papa said.
Then the happy birthday song started playing in Italian and all of us also sang it.
"Buon compleanno. Buon compleanno. Buon compleanno." We all cheered and clapped for him while singing.
(Buon compleanno: Happy birthday)
With that nonno cut the cake happily. He first fed the bite to nonna and nonna also reciprocated. After that he fed me the second bite. I was so happy that tears nearly slipped out of my eyes. In his eyes, after nonna, I was the most important person to him. I happily ate it and also fed him a piece. I also smudged some on his nose and chuckled. He also playfully glared at me. All of the people present there chuckled at our playful acts.
After that, he fed the cake to everyone else in our family. After that, it was time for the gifts. I have already prepared a gift for him after thinking very much. I just hope he likes it. It would be the first time that I will be giving him any gifts.
Everyone gave him the gifts. First nonna gave him a gift that was a little album containing their pictures from the moment they first met to now. Those pictures also included the family. It was very sweet.
Today, in the banquet not only mafia businessmen were present but there were also normal regular businessmen. So the gifts have to be according to that. It shouldn't have to be some dangerous things like guns or other things that can give them a clue as to who we were.
"Wow nonna. It's so beautiful." I said.
"Thank you princess." Nonna said.
After that all of my family members gave him the gifts. He also liked them very much. Now it was my turn. I was a little nervous as to whether he would like it or not.
I went to him slowly and gave him a box slowly.
"Nonno happy birthday. I wish you to live a long and happy life." I said with a smile.
He smiled at me and took the gift from my hands. He opened the box and took out my gift which was a vintage pocket watch. On it was engraved 'Your empire lives on'
He was surprised, this I could tell from his expression. He then looked at me proudly and patted my head. He was a little emotional as well. The engraving on the watch was to always remind him that we are here and his empire, that he has built with so much hard work, will never collapse. He understood that.
My family also looked at me proudly and smiled at me. I also smiled at them.
"Thank you very much princess. I will always keep it with me."
He smiled and kept it in his pocket. I was very happy that he liked my gift. I had put so much thought in this gift with hope that he would love it. Now, I was satisfied.
After everyone gave him the gifts, the songs started playing and everyone began to dance around. Noah and Jessy had been quiet since they arrived and just stood by my side. They both went to dance together. I knew that we would talk after the party but still I was anticipating it already. I was just standing there when someone walked towards me.
"Hello Miss Romano. Would you like to dance with.." The man was talking when he was abruptly disturbed.
"What do you think you are doing Marco?" Aldo fratello asked with a cold face. Marco was immediately scared.
"I...I was just asking Miss Romano to dance with me. But I...I just remembered that I had to take an urgent call. So please excuse me." He said and immediately fled away from there without waiting for a response.
"Thank you fratello." I said because I wasn't comfortable with dancing with anyone I didn't know.
"You don't have to be polite with me princess. I knew that you were uncomfortable so I came here." Aldo fratello said. Just then papa came to us.
"Princess, can I have the pleasure to dance with you?" Papa asked while extending his hand.
"Yes papa. I would love to." I said and placed my hand in his.
He led me to the dance floor and we danced slowly to the rhythm. We enjoyed it very much and then I went to nonno and danced with him. Then one by one all of my brothers came and danced with me. I got exhausted by the time all of them danced with me.
It wasn't an easy thing to be the only sister to 13 brothers. Others thought that I was very lucky and it was an easy thing to do but only I know how I handle them and their childishness. Yes I was the luckiest girl to be the sister of 13 brothers but when they fight with each other for my attention it gets hectic.
Still I was very happy that they are my brothers.
I went and sat down at the table. I sighed as I felt relief the moment I sat down. Suddenly there was a hand in front of me and gave me a glass of juice. I glanced up and saw that it was Valente. I was surprised to see that he had given me juice. I was also a little happy that he paid me that attention.
"Here. Drink it. I think after dancing for so much time you would be thirsty." Valente said with a small smile on his face that was barely noticeable but I still noticed it somehow. I didn't expect to know his expressions so clearly. I was a little surprised with that.
"Thank you." I said and took the glass from him and sipped the juice. It was my favourite juice, mango juice. I was surprised that he somehow knew my favourite juice but then it can also be a coincidence.
"You don't have to be so polite." He said. I nodded and we just sat there in silence while I drank the juice. It was not an awkward silence. It would not have been more than a few minutes that my brothers, my overprotective brothers, came.
"Princess, are you very tired?" Emilio fratello asked.
"No fratello. I am fine now." I said with a smile.
"Valente, come let's go over there I have something to discuss with you."
Tony fratello said and took Valente away from here. Before going with him Valente gave me a small nod and I also nodded back. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to spend more time with him but I also knew that with my brothers around it would be almost impossible.
"We should go home if you are feeling very tired, twinnie." Twinnie said.
"No it's okay. I am feeling fine now. We will all go together." I said and he nodded.
We then chatted for some time and nonno and nonna also came to sit with us. They are getting old now so they were also tired after socialising all this time. After some time it was time to go home and we all went home.
I didn't forget to bring Noah and Jessy with me. I needed answers from them.
After coming home I saw that all of us were tired from the whole day's work and party so we decided that we will talk in the morning. Zia arranged the rooms for Noah and Jessy and we all went to sleep. We really were exhausted.
*****
Although we have come to Italy, papa didn't stop waking me up as usual. I got up and got ready. I was very much looking forward to today as they will finally tell me the truth. I went downstairs after getting ready and went to the dining room. I saw that all of them were also coming there just as I reached. Noah and Jessy were also already there.
"Good morning everyone." I greeted them and they all greeted me back. After that we sat at the table and had our breakfast. It was a tradition in our family that on the dining table we can't talk about work. So after having our breakfast we went to the living room.
"Now Noah, Jessy, would you tell me, how you guys are here?" I was not able to hold back my eagerness anymore.
"Alright alright. We know that you are very eager." Jessy teased me.
"So as you know that the Romano family's main business is the mafia, our families are also connected with them." Noah said.
I nodded. I guessed this much when he asked me if I knew about the family's main business.
"So what is your families' business and why did you guys come here?" I asked, not understanding this point.
"Their families' main business with us is that they are our spies. When we need them they go in covertly to the enemies' base and get the information. They are the agents that we call when we have to use them to infiltrate the enemies' camp. They are also excellent in their work and top of the group. After their mom and dad they are going to take this responsibility. They have already received the training that they need. They are the top agents that our mafia has." Nonno said proudly.
I was very shocked. I felt my eyes widening. I couldn't believe that my two best friends were so amazing and talented. I was also happy that my friends were connected to my family so they are now closer to us.
"Wow. Really. That's so awesome. But you guys also have to go on dangerous missions right?" I asked, concerned.
"Yes Ari but isn't that our work. Mafia life is not so easy and we have to take every step very carefully." Jessy said.
At this time her aura was completely different from the one that I was familiar with. Gone was the aura that gave the feeling of a warm and cheerful person, in its place was the aura of a cold and calculative person.
"You are right about that. So are you here because of a mission?" I asked as I anticipated their answers.
****
Hello everyone. Here's another chapter.
Happy reading.
Love, Stella.