Third Person's POV:
Parkers sat there looking bewildered. They didn't know how to react to this. When Ariana said she wanted to tell them something, they had thought of many scenarios but they couldn't, for the life of them, think that she would have told them this. They couldn't believe that she had kept it secret for so many years. When they thought that she was going to the bakery she was in fact doing something so dangerous.
They just couldn't wrap their minds around this shocking truth. They looked at all of them, bewildered. Then they remembered that not so long ago they were looking at them bickering around and having fun like any other normal family.
They just couldn't imagine them being a ruthless mafia family. But if they think about it closely they could see some clues like how cold the brothers looked and how all of them commanded attention and respect without doing anything.
It all made sense now. How she has gotten kidnapped and how they finally found her. They just thought they were different from others because they were from a prestigious family and were businessmen. Who would have thought.
Evan looked at Hollan and saw that she was looking pale faced and was trembling. He thought that she was shaken and that's why she was looking like that.
"Hollan are you alright? It's alright we will sort this out calmly. Just tell me what is on your mind, alright?" Evan tried to comfort her but she was looking like she was lost in her thoughts and couldn't hear anything.
"Hollan, Hollan." Evan called her and shook her. Then she looked like she was awake from whatever thought she was lost in.
She looked up at Ariana and looked like she was very confused as to what to say.
"I...I don't know what to say."
"Evan, Hollan, I know that it is all very confusing and you are feeling like she has kept a massive secret from you and I know that we all also kept it from you and I am not saying that you have no right to be upset but I am only saying that you should listen to her first. Try to understand her and us also. That's what I am only asking." Leonard said when he saw that they weren't reacting much and Ariana was looking down.
"What did you use to do there? Did you do any illegal things?" Evan asked, fearing her answer.
"No dad. I was the youngest there. So I was only responsible for training myself and doing some odd jobs that weren't illegal and didn't endanger me."
"Oh." He nodded and seemed a little bit relieved.
"Then did you know from the start that they were mafia?"
"No. I only knew some time ago. They all were worried that someone would try to harm me and they told me so that they could prepare me mentally. The ball that happened a few days ago was also for announcing my identity to the mafia world. Everyone knew that I was kidnapped in childhood so the announcement was made so that everyone knew that I was finally found."
"Oh that's why you told us that it was a business ball." Hollan said.
"Then are you also mafia?" Hollan turned to Leonard and asked him.
"Yes we all are. Gabriel is the mafia of New York and we are the mafia of Italy. We are the biggest in our region." Leonard explained as much as he could.
"Hollan, Evan, Ariana told you the truth because she knew the danger that this life brings to us. We all know that you guys are normal people trying to get by but if the enemies are targeting us and come to know about you then they will also target you and we wouldn't want that. That's why Ariana and we all thought that it was best that you knew the truth." Isabella said.
"I understand that but as you can expect, it is very hard for us to understand all of this right now." Evan said.
"Yes and we understand you totally. You can ask anything that you don't understand." Ariana said, trying to be as gentle as possible.
"Sigh. I... I don't know what to say. I just can't accept it knowing that you were in danger and you didn't tell us. You even went and joined a mafia. It's all too much. Ariana to be honest I am disappointed in you. You shouldn't have hidden the truth. Still I am grateful to that guy that saved you from danger when I couldn't." Evan said softly as he knew that it would hurt her but he couldn't act like nothing is wrong and everything is alright.
Ariana felt her heart sink into the bottom. She knew that the result being not in her favour was great but she still felt that maybe they would forgive her but she knew that he was more disappointed in the fact that she hid that she was in danger and didn't tell them the truth.
"I am so so sorry dad, mom. I know I should have told you about it but at that time I felt that I shouldn't trouble you. I didn't know that it would hurt you so much at that time. Now that I think about it I know that I was wrong." Ariana felt immense guilt at this time but she knew that she can only try and repent for her mistakes.
They all felt silent. No one knew what to say. They all felt conflicted.
"What do you guys do in the mafia? Do you guys do illegal things like kidnapping and trafficking?" Hollan asked and turned pale at the thought.
"No no. We don't do things like that. We are mostly in the arms dealing. We have a moral code that we don't deal in kidnapping and human trafficking. We also try to stop it as much as we can." Gabriel explained.
Evan and Hollan sighed in relief and thought that at least they don't do such horrible and immoral things.
They sat there for some time chatting and clearing their doubts then they went home. Although they talked and got a clear picture of what they do, they couldn't completely let go of their apprehension. When they parted, the atmosphere was heavy.
"Princess, don't worry. Give them some time to adjust and I am sure they will come to accept it. After all they are your parents and they can't just abandon you. They love you so much to do that." Leonard said gently.
"Ok nonno. I know that. I just feel bad that they have to endure this. I just don't want anything to happen to them. I just want them to always remain happy." Ariana said.
"I know. Now go and get some rest. You need it." Isabella said.
"Twinnie, let's go. I want to sleep with you today. We haven't slept together even once since you came back. Now let's go." Matteo said, trying to get her mind off the matter. He wanted to take care of her tonight as he knew that she would have trouble sleeping tonight. Ariana also knew that he was trying to take her mind off but she still went ahead. As she knew that otherwise he would not let her off.
They went to her room and Ariana changed her clothes while Matteo went to his room to change his clothes. After that they went and slept on the bed side by side. Ariana was having trouble sleeping as what had happened today kept replaying on her mind repeatedly.
"Twinnie, don't worry. I know that uncle and aunt will be back to normal. Just give them a few days and then they will accept all of the mafia related things. You have us with you so don't fear anything." He tried to comfort her as much as he could.
"Sigh. I know twinnie. But I am afraid, what if they can't accept it and come to hate me that we are in this business. What if they said they don't want me anymore. You know, twinnie, I have always depended on them since I was young. I always told them all of my troubles and always felt that if they were with me nothing could go wrong. In my whole life I have just kept this secret from them but I know that it was the biggest one. Now I think that I should have told them the truth from the start."
"If you have told them the truth then you also know that they would not have let you join the mafia and you would not have gotten this good. Twinnie, to get something in our life we have to sacrifice something else. We can't always get everything." He said seriously.
"I know that you are right. I would have to lose something for the things that I was getting."
"Now, twinnie, you can't do anything. Just calm your mind and get some sleep. Now we can only wait for their decision patiently. Whatever will come, we will all face it together." He comforted her by hugging her lightly. Ariana also nodded and drifted to sleep after some time from the gentle comfort from her twin.
*****
After coming back from the Romano mansion the Parkers were very conflicted. They didn't know what to do in the given situation and what way would be best to lead ahead. They were so conflicted that they couldn't decide on anything.
"Evan, what do we do? Do we just pretend like nothing happened and move forward like before or do we do something? What can we even do? They are her biological family and powerful at that. Even if we tried we can't do anything to them." She sighed in frustration. They didn't know that when they had gone there they would receive the shock of their life and had to deal with something this big.
"Hollan, I know what you mean. Let me ask you a question. Do you feel any less love for her than you did before going there?" He asked her seriously.
"What are you talking about Evan? How can you even ask something like this? Of course I still love her as much as I did before. No one can measure my love for her. I just didn't give birth to her but I haven't treated her any less than my daughter. You know that." She said hysterically.
One thing that was clear to them was that the love for their daughter would not diminish even a fraction no matter what happened.
"I know. I know that. I was just reminding you that Ariana is still that daughter that we love so much. Nothing can change that fact. No matter what happens. So what we can do is move forward and try to make it as much possible as we can. We have to be there for her also. I can imagine what she is going through right now. Life has chosen her destiny and we can only support her through. If we try to stop her then that will only make her feel restrained."
"I know that but I will need some time to accept it. But we will talk to her tomorrow and assure her that we still love her as we used to before." Evan smiled gently at her. He loved her wife so much that no one can deny it. When they were at the lowest he still had her and that's why he was where he was all because of her.
Hollan also smiled at him. She knew that this man loved her and understood her completely after being married for so long. They went to sleep as today has exhausted them beyond their limit.
Tomorrow will be a new day and a new day brings a new hope. They hoped that they could go forward with this situation and solve this dilemma.
****
Here's another chapter.
Happy reading.
Love, Stella.♥️