ANNE POV
NEXT DAY
It was a cloudy Sunday morning, and I had to meet up with the old lady I met yesterday at the Torrio's mansion. I got into my car and headed to the mansion. As I drove, my phone beeped, reminding me that I had to prepare Harvey for a board meeting tomorrow. I made a mental note to figure that out later.
I arrived at the Torrio's mansion and parked my car beside the building. I approached the gate, trying to come up with a convincing reason to gain entry. I rang the gate bell and waited for the security guard to respond.
A young, fair man emerged from the security quarters. "Yes? How may I help you?" he asked.
"I'm here to see my grandma, she works as a nanny here," I replied.
"Oh... Jack's nanny... Ma'am Adira?" he asked.
"Yes... yeah, Grandma Adira," I said.
The security guard walked over to a phone on the side of the gate and made a call. He seemed to be speaking with Ma'am Adira. After a brief conversation, he hung up and opened the gate, letting me in. I nodded my head in appreciation as I entered the mansion.
As I approached the main door, it swung open, and Ma'am Adira greeted me with a warm smile. "Good morning, child," she said, inviting me in.
I followed her through the sitting room to an old library. She motioned for me to sit on the couch, and I did. She left the room briefly, returning with a tray of drinks. She served me a bottle of soda and sat down beside me.
"I have a lot to tell you today," she said, her expression serious.
"Thank you, ma'am. I really need every detail," I replied, my voice filled with anticipation.
Ma'am Adira took a deep breath before beginning her story. "Before Sir and Ma Torrio died, I overheard them arguing. She was warning him not to cross the Giordano's, and she sounded terrified. But Sir Torrio was fearless. They were arguing about something Sir Torrio had discovered regarding your parents' death."
My heart skipped a beat as I listened intently.
"From what I heard, the Giordano's killed your parents," Ma'am Adira continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think your parents had a business deal with them, but something went wrong. Sir Torrio was searching for you before he died. It seems the Giordano's are also looking for you, maybe because they think you'll be a threat to them in the future."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I processed her words.
"The Giordano's are searching for me?" I asked, surprised. "But I work with them" I said
Ma'am Adira looked at me with concern. "You work for Giordano's? , how come they don't know it's you?." she asked
"Yes, I do, it's probably because I was employed by Harvey and he has nothing to do with their illicit activities" I said.
Ma'am Adira's expression turned grave. "You have to quit that job for your safety before they find out. Those people are ruthless. They kill, kidnap, and do all sorts of terrible things. They even own a drug-dealing company. Sir Torrio mentioned that before he died."
I nodded, already aware of Giordano's reputation.
"I know they're bad people, but I need to be close to them to know their every move," I explained.
Ma'am Adira's expression turned stern. "True, but you need to be careful. Don't let them find out your real name."
"I won't let them know it's me," I promised. "What really happened to Sir and Ma Torrio?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
Ma'am Adira's eyes clouded over. "When Sir Torrio found out about your parents' death and the Giordano's drug-dealing company, he confronted Mr. Leonardo Giordano. I think Sir Torrio was friends with your parents; they did business together. So when he spoke to Leonardo, that's when he was threatened to stay quiet. But Sir Torrio refused to back down."
I listened intently, my heart heavy with emotion.
"Why didn't anyone report to the authorities?" I asked
Ma'am Adira's expression turned bitter. "The Giordano's are literally the authorities. They have eyes and ears everywhere."
I nodded, understanding.
"Yes... Sir and Ma Torrio were not involved in any accident. That was a lie the authorities told the public," Ma'am Adira continued, her voice cracking with emotion.
"Some gunmen came to the mansion at night and shot the Torrios. They took them away in one of their cars through the private road and pretended it was an accident scene."
I felt a wave of anger wash over me
"Whoa... that's pure evil," I exclaimed. "What about the Torrio boy" I asked.
Ma'am Adira's expression turned sad. "His uncle took him to live with him. Poor Jack lost both parents in one day... I feel so sad for him."
I nodded sympathetically, feeling a pang of sorrow for the young boy.
"Thank you very much for all the information, I am really grateful," I said, standing up to leave.
"It's okay, but please don't let anyone know I told you all this. Let it be between you and me," Ma'am Adira said calmly.
"I won't let anyone else know," I promised.
"Are you all alone in the mansion?" I asked.
"Me and some other help," she replied.
Ma'am Adira escorted me to the gate, and we exchanged appreciative glances.