10 Years Ago
Fourteen years old Serena Evans sat on the staircase as her parents yelled at each other. She was used to it. Two of her twin brothers Scott and Stefano were in the meeting room with the rest of the 'family' where they waited for their mother to be done with their usual 'harsh' chatting with their dad. Serena wasn't allowed to join the meeting because her grandfather only allowed the official members of the 'family' who were way older than her. Sometimes she got confused about the term of the word 'family' itself and she used to ask her father, Thomas, which he just gave her a hug as an answer.
"You'll know it when you get older, sweetheart," said her father when she asked him a long time ago.
"But I'm already older," she replied back, "And mom won't tell me every time she comes out from that meeting room, and so's Scott and Stefano,".
"Well it's better you know that the meaning of family in my term is you, your brothers, and your mother," her father smiled at her as he caressed her cheek.
Thomas Evans never joined the meeting since he's not a 'family' member from the beginning. He came to New York twenty years ago after accepting a job offer as a civil engineer and met Lucia, Serena's mother, a few weeks after that. After a few months of courting and dating, he finally proposed to her and got married. The twins were born after a year they were married, seven years later, Serena was born and they felt that their little family was perfect.
It didn't last long though. Serena was only two when Lucia's grandfather died, and Lucia's father had to take care of the family business and named Lucia as his second in command as she was smart and skillfully trained in weapons. Thomas wasn't too happy about it. He tried his best to keep his children from involving themselves in the family business, but it was already too late for the twins. Apparently, Lucia's father, Giuseppe Verdino had been grooming the twins when they were still young and by the time they reached eighteen years old, they were already in too deep with the 'family' and Lucia had already trained them to be her successor.
Thomas was worried about Serena. He made one simple request to Lucia, not to involve their only daughter in this mess, but she ignored him. Things got worse when Serena witnessed her mother shoot a man in the basement and she had a nightmare for a few days, since then, her relationship with her mother was slowly growing apart. That's when the quarrelling started and until now, their fight was always about the same thing, Serena and the 'family'.
A young man in suits had stepped into the hallway and he gave Serena a gentle smile to her as he walked towards the staircase and sat next to her.
"Hey, baby girl," said the man who was the same age as Scott and Stefano.
"Hey, Hendrick," she smiled back at him.
Hendrick Metzger came from another 'family' and he was a good friend with the twins. Serena once overheard from her mother that Hendrick's 'family' were loyal associates. Hendrick was very fond of the twin's little sister and he knew that their father had always been against his wife for wanting their children to join the business.
"They're still fighting on the same thing," said Serena quietly.
"They just want the best for their little girl," replied Hendrick.
"Can you keep a secret?," asked Serena looking at him.
"Excuse me? Did you just ask your best friend whether he can keep a secret?," Hendrick gasped pretending to be shocked.
Serena giggled.
"You can trust me in anything, Serena," said Hendrick and held his hand into a fist so she could fistbump him.
"Alright then," she fistbumped him and sighed, "Honestly, I'm with dad in this, I've seen what mom is capable of doing and I don't like it at all,".
Hendrick went silent. He understood what she meant. Serena was an innocent young girl and hated violence. He wouldn't be surprised if she followed her father's footsteps, became an engineer or a doctor, instead of joining Verdino's family business.
"Why did you join, Hendrick?," she asked him suddenly.
Hendrick looked startled at her question. He took a deep breath before answering.
"It's a family business, Serena," he replied looking down.
"But you can refuse, right?," she asked again, "Like a choice?,".
"Yeah," he replied.
"Why didn't you?," asked Serena.
"Because I love my job," Hendrick replied again.
She nodded and went quiet again.
"Have you killed a person in your job?," she looked at him.
"Yes," he answered shortly.
"Why?," she asked.
"Because I have to," Hendrick answered, "And it's part of a deal to that person I kill,".
"Oh.. Okay," she replied slowly and looked down, "Killing is not always the answer, you know,".
"Serena, what you have to understand is…," Hendrick didn't get to finish his sentence when the door on the left suddenly opened.
Thomas and Lucia step out from the living room. Lucia's eyes were glassy and Thomas looked down in sorrow.
"Sweetheart, can you come inside for a minute?," asked Lucia as she gave a weak smile at her daughter, "Thank you for accompanying my daughter, Hendrick,".
Hendrick nodded as Serena stood up and followed her parents into the living room. She turns around at the door and smiles at Hendrick.
"I'll see you soon, Hendrick," she gave a small wave at him.
"Yeah, you too, kiddo," he smiled back at her.
Both Thomas and Lucia sat on the sofa while Serena took another one in front of them. They all went silent for a few minutes until the door opened and Scott and Stefano came inside the room.
"What's going on?," asked Scott.
"Yeah.. I think we're going to have a meeting, mom," said Stefano, looking puzzled.
"The meeting can wait, I've already told your grandfather," Lucia replied as the boys sat on the sofa with Serena between them.
"So, what's wrong?," asked Serena looking at both of her parents.
Thomas and Lucia looked at each other sadly before turning to face their children.
"First, we just want to let you know that no matter what we're going to say or happen, we always love you," said Thomas, "Always will.. Three of you are always our first priority,".
Scott and Stefano looked at the alarm and Serena frowned. Three of them sensed something was going to happen.
"Your father and I had decided to part ways," said Lucia sadly, "We still love each other but I guess our families are different and nothing can fix this,".
"I'll be going back to England once the paperwork has done and your mother and I have decided to give you a chance to choose whether you want to stay here with your mother, or coming with me," said Thomas, "No matter what choice you take, we still love you and respect your decision,".
"You don't have to make the decision now, we will give you time," said Lucia quietly, "I will let your grandfather know about it,".
Both of the twins nodded understandingly while Serena still stared at both of her parents.
"Is this about the family business?," asked Serena, she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
None of her parents answered.
"It is isn't it, right mom?," she looked at her mother.
"Serena..," Scott tried to stop her but she ignored him.
"Can't you just leave it to grandfather?," she asked her mother again, "I'm sure grandfather has a lot of trusted men to look after the 'family', and we could just live in England,".
"Serena, we can't just let grandfather hand it to other people that are not a family," said Stefano.
"I thought we still have an uncle and aunt," Serena scoffed at her brother.
Thomas stood up and walked to the window looking down.
"She's right, Lucia," Thomas sighed, not looking at his wife, "We could just hand it to your sister or your brother,".
"Father trusted me to handle it and I shall honor that," Lucia replied glaring at her husband.
"Well, go and tell grandfather you can't do it, mom," said Serena.
"It's not that simple, Serena," said Scott, "Once you're in, you're going to be in too deep,".
"And you enjoy it too, right?," Serena turned to look at him, "I bet you enjoy killing people like mom too,".
"Serena..," Lucia cast a warning look at her daughter.
"You know what mom, I think I'll just make it easier for you, I choose to go with dad," said Serena standing up and look at her brothers, "You guys can stay with your gangbang and don't bother coming to us when you're being chased by the INTERPOL or FBI,".
Thomas smiles proudly at her daughter.
"You're going to leave me?," asked Lucia sadly.
"Actually, mom.. You've been leaving me since you joined the business," Serena replied, "I have a request though, can I leave to England earlier then you, dad?,".
"Sure, when?," asked Thomas looking surprised, "I can arrange it with your uncle William, and you can go and choose your new school with him,".
"This Thursday," Serena replied.
"But that's in two days!!," said Lucia looking aghast.
"The faster the better, I don't want grandfather to coax me in the gang like he did to my dear brothers," replied Serena looking at her brothers again.
The twins look back uncomfortably.
"But you're my little girl, my only daughter," whispered Lucia.
"I'm also daddy's little girl and his only daughter," said Serena, "Unless you want to change your mind and come with us, mom,".
Her mother went quiet and tears started flowing from her eyes. Serena nodded understanding her mother's choice.
"Well I guess I have to start packing then," said Serena and she walked to the door, "It's a good talk,".
By the time she reached upstairs to her bedroom, tears had been coming out and she controlled her sobbed until she closed her bedroom door. She had tried so hard to be brave in the living room while she was facing her parents. She knew that this thing was coming, she knew that her brothers would choose to stay with her mom. She took out her luggage and started packing some of her stuff, requesting a few boxes from the butler so she could place her possessions inside.
The night before her departed, there was a knock at her bedroom door.
"Come in," Serena yelled from her walk in closet.
She was doing her last minute packing before her flight tomorrow morning. She stepped out from the closet and saw Hendrick in a suit sitting down on her bed.
"Hendrick.. What are you doing here?," Serena smiled at him, "I thought Scott told me that you were on a business trip in Chicago,".
Hendrick didn't answer but looked at the packed boxes in her room and her luggage that was still open.
"So it's true, you are leaving," said Hendrick quietly.
"I texted you yesterday," Serena replied.
"Well, I thought it was a joke," said Hendrick, "To get my attention,".
"Attention? For what?," she looked at him puzzled as she folded a few of her clothes and put it in her luggage.
"Remember you used to follow us around when you were a kid? Well, Scott told me that you have a crush on me," Hendrick replied, picking up her football trophy and putting it in one of the boxes.
Serene stared at him before bursting into laughter.
"Me? Having a crush on you?," laugh Serena, "Well that's the best gossip I ever heard today, apart from our butler who turns out that he had a wife and two kids,".
"Colton? Married?," asked Hendrick looking surprised.
"The one and only," Serena nodded.
They went quiet again only with Serena moving around in her room tidying up her things.
"Why can't you just stay here with your mom and your brothers?," asked Hendrick.
"Because this isn't my life, Hendrick," Serena replied, "I've witnessed a lot of horrific stuff that my grandfather and mom did, I don't know what I'm going to do if I accidentally watched the twins murdered someone or drug dealing or kidnapping,".
"So you're saying I'm bad too?," Hendrick asked her.
"I don't know how to answer that," Serena replied, throwing her stuffed bear into the box, "You did murdered someone.. Or is there more?,".
Hendrick didn't answer as he looked down. Serena's eyes went wide.
"Holy shit.. There's more? What the hell, Hendrick," Serena slumped on the window seat.
"Like I said, it's part of my job," said Hendrick.
"Like I said, you have a choice," Serena replied.
"Like I said, I love my job," Hendrick frowned at her.
"Wow.. That's worse than I thought," Serena sighed.
Hendrick glared at her.
"You think you're going to get out of this life, Serena?," Hendrick taunts her, "Because you can't, once you're in the family, you just stay in no matter where you go,".
"I don't care, I'll go anywhere as long as it's far away from here," Serena replied, "I don't even mind if I have to cut all contact from them even though they're my family,".
"Even if it's your mother and your brothers? Even me?," asked Hendrick.
"If I have to, unless you want to leave this, Hendrick.. And do a decent job," she looks at him sadly.
Hendrick shook his head and stood up.
"Then I guess this is goodbye then," said Hendrick and he walked to the door, "May you find happiness wherever you are, Serena,".
"Goodbye, Hendrick," she whispered.
With that, he went out of her bedroom and slammed the door. Tears started pouring from Serena's eyes. She had lost her best friend the night before she left New York.
She joined the big 'family' for dinner that night. Hendrick was there too but he avoided eye contact with her. All the time during dinner, Serena focused on her food and only talked when her grandfather asked questions. Her mother and her brothers had gone silent and only looked up if they wanted more food, Lucia's eyes were glassy with tears every time she looked at her daughter. Thomas had smiled a little and once or twice, she noticed her grandfather glaring at her father. Looks like he had started to hate him.
The next morning, she was up early and was down with her luggage in half an hour. Her parents, her brothers, and her grandfather were already waiting at the entrance hall. Lucia was crying as she hugged her youngest child and kissed the top of her head, both Scott and Stefano hugged their only sister in a tight hug. Surprisingly, Serena didn't shed a single tear and when her grandfather pulled her in a hug, he bent down his head to her ears.
"You'll come back soon, my dear," Giuseppe Verdino whispered, "You're going to run the business side by side with your mother,".
Serena pulled herself from her grandfather and frowned at him.
"I won't.. Even when hell freezes over," Serena said bravely, "I have my own ambition, grandfather.. Not trying to get killed or caught,".
He didn't look too happy as she pulled her luggage and followed her father to the car where he will drive her to JFK International Airport. Serena noticed her grandfather whispered something to her mother and they both looked at her. Giuseppe still had that firm look on his face and Lucia was looking sadly at her. She climbed into the car after putting the luggage at the back and they drove to the airport. She finally left New York, and after nearly seven hours of flight, she finally reached London where her uncle William was waiting for her at Heathrow Airport. A new beginning for Serena Francesca Evans in England.