Bella's POV~
"Right. It wasn't because Nonno pointed out that one woman that you were interrogating was caught in my room right?" He teased.
Of course it was, but I wasn't about to admit that shit to him.
So, I did the next best thing to shooting him. You know, because I had already shot at him once today, if I did it again, our Nonnos will have my rear.
So, in a moment of thought, I swiftly brought my elbow up and dug it into his ribs causing him to react exactly like I wanted.
"Ah! Shit! I was joking!" He rasped, covering himself from anymore abuse.
"Damn right you were!"
All joking aside, we had business to get to.
Damn, this all. Why couldn't it ever just be like it once was? Just Anthony and Isa?
Why did we always have to face things like these?
"What are we going to do?" I sigh, trying to not begin crying again.
"Whatever you want to do." He said, as he takes one of my hands into both of his.
Isn't not about whether I want to or not anymore, the fact the we unknowingly, and I am using the word loosely here, made the Oath years back, doesn't give me much of a choice now.
"My nonno, he is right. Nani doesn't have enough time for all the proper documentation to be put in for a proper wedding...so, I guess we can both dress up as if we are getting married, but nothing will happen between us, at least not until we have gotten married officially." I say.
The expression on his face, informs me of what he is thinking before he even utters a response.
"You mean…" he mutters, clearly confused.
Ugh. Looks like I'll have to rip this bitch off like a band-aid.
"What I mean is that until you don't fucking put a ring on my finger...I'll never truly be your wife. Even if I do have to marry you… you won't get jack shit from me. I'll even go as far to say, I'll be sleeping in a different room. Do you get the picture now?" I asked, walking away from him.
As I walk into the house, I run into Jasper and all the other males currently residing within the house.
"Maledetti intercettatori." I spit, walking past them and towards my Nani's room. (Damn eavesdroppers.)
My anger dissipates by the time I reach Nani's room. I am shocked to see her nurse has put her on oxygen.
She looks frailer than before, even though she is still sitting in rocking chair by the window, she looks smaller than before.
"Nani…" I whisper brokenly.
Her head moves to the side in acknowledgement but other than that she keeps rocking back and forth staring out the window.
"She is growing tired." I hear my Nonna Franny (Swantorini) say, behind me.
Nani.
"How long does she have Nonna?" I ask, brokenly.
My heart giving a painful squeeze as I watched her rock back and forth in her chair.
"Less than a couple of days, I'm afraid. I didn't wish to put the oxygen on but she has been having trouble breathing as of yesterday afternoon.."
My poor Nani. She is growing weaker by the minute.
Why did life have to be so cruel? What did I ever do to deserve such poor treatment of my loved ones?
The only thing that made me feel a bit better was the fact, my Nonna Franny was once a doctor, so she knew her way around a gurney, and a full hospital room.
"I know what you're thinking Isabetta, and this isn't your fault. Your Nani is getting older, and unfortunately these things happen with old age. It couldn't be prevented." My Nonna Franny said, gently patting my arm..
"How long do you think she has Nonna?" I ask, saddened.
"I'm not entirely sure. Could be a week more or less, don't go doing something stupido, understood?"
Oh no, she is using the 'no nonsense' tone on me. Damn, she meant business.
"No, nothing stupid." I mutter slowly walking out of Nani's room, with Nonna Franny on my heels.
"What are you going to do, tesoro?" She asks me concerned.
"I need to speak to everyone. I have to...I have to…" I mutter, overwhelmed.
I couldn't lose my Nani. Not her… Dio mio, not her. I can't handle it. The pain of even thinking about it is tearing me apart.
"What you need to do, cara mia, is calmati." I hear Nonna Franny order as she pushes me onto the chair.
Her voice was beginning to sound muffled and far away.
Now, my legs felt as if they were lead. My arms did too. Was the hallway always this tiny? Why did it feel as if the walls were getting closer to me?
"Julene, go to the kitchen and get me a bibita, and a sugary treat!" She orders, kneeling before me.
I was alright. I wanted to tell her so badly not worry, but my mouth wouldn't move. As a matter of fact...my lips and fingertips were growing numb.
"Sip this…" she ordered as she put a straw to my lips.
I felt as the sweet lemon-y drink went down my throat. The walls seemed to stop moving, and my lungs were now slowing down to breathing normally.
"Here, eat this. It'll make you feel better." Nonna Franny says.
I nod, quickly chewing the jelly candy I was given. Mm. Lemony.
"What happened here?" I suddenly hear someone else ask.
"She saw how Nani Marie is doing." My Nonna explained.
"Oddio. Why is she so pale?"
'When did he get here?' I thought, confused.
"She had an anxiety attack."
We all turned to see Edward and everyone else standing there.
"Anxiety attack?" My Nonno Felipe (Swantorini) asked, surprised.
"They usually have a trigger. She started having them shortly after her parents died." Carlisle explains, walking over to me and kneeling before me to look at me in the face.
"You are going to have to lie down for a while." He says.
"Like hell I am! I am fine now. I need to speak with all of you. Now." I say standing up.
I looked at my Nonno Felipe (Swantorini), silently asking for his help.
"Do you wish to go to the sitting room, or the dining room, tesoro?" He asked me.
"Sitting room is fine." I say, as he gestures for me to follow him.
We all moved silently as we all walked into the large room.
I couldn't help marveling at the spacious room. It had beautiful overstuffed white sectionals, and a white mahogany glass table, with a beautiful dark maroon, plush carpet underneath it.
Even the edges of the walls had beautiful cromwell fixtures on it.
"We wished to speak to us all, dolcezza?" Uncle Marcos asked as he and his wife Cathalina walked into the room with their sons Felipe and Marcus.
"Yes. I don't wish to exclude anyone, now...would I?" I mumble.
"What's going on, principessa?" He asked as he sat down.
"Everyone here has somehow gotten it into their heads that I am weak and can't make decisions on my own." I begin, not letting anger get the best of me.
"Hang on, we have done no such thing." Senior spoke from behind one of the sectionals.
"Oh no? What about keeping the true meaning of the Giuramento di amore?" I ask, raising a brow.
"You were seventeen, Isabetta. What exactly would you have done?" He asks, challengingly.
"I know for a fact that I would have understood. How is it I was capable of acting out Clausola Femminile yet I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to be married to someone who happens to be the next Capo?" I ask, my hand itching to pull out my gun.
How stupid does he think I am?
"You let my nipotina act out in the Clausola Femminile?" My Nonno Felipe (Swantorini) asked, fuming.
"Hold on there, Felipe. My daughter in law made the mistake of hiring someone without doing a full background check. We all paid highly as we later found out she was there to harm us all, especially Isabetta. By the time we discovered foul play, we were too late. Isa had been put in harms way. We asked her if she wanted retribution, she agreed to act out the Clausola." Nonno Lesandro ( Masen) explained.
"Dolcezza, is this true?" Nonno Felipe Swantorini asked, as he turned towards me.
My family's eyes were wide with surprise and amazement.
"That is true. So, again. How is it I was able to kill someone in cold blood, but I can't decide
whether the Oath stands or not?" I ask again.
"We only—" Elizabeth began.
"Do not say it! If you value my sanity, do not say 'you only wanted why was best for me'!" I ground out.
She flinched back into her seat.
"I don't think any of you fully understand how hurtful your actions were to me. If it were up to me, you'd all be rotting in hell." I spit.
"Isa, I completely understand your anger towards these people and their misguided actions, but aren't you taking things a bit far, cara?" Uncle Marcos asks.
"They have been pushy, sneaky and assholes no less. I may sound harsh but think of all the shit I have been through since mamma and papá been gone. Everyone one of you could have done something. Instead I felt isolated and alone. If it weren't for Nani, I would have left long ago and disappeared." I confessed, looking into my Nonno Felipe and Nonna Franny (Swantorini ) sadly.
"I will honor my Nani's last wish but I hope you real that my relationships with all of you are far from ok. Esme, Sully can I speak with the both of you alone?" I ask.
As both of them move to stand so do Aro and Carlisle.
"Where do two think you two are going?" I asked as I watched them near us.
"With you?" Aro says, confused.
"I believe I said I needed to speak to Esme and Sully alone...so why are you two idiots coming along?" I asked.
"Well…" Carlisle says, nervously before raised an eyebrow at him.
"Nothing. Leave us be. If I catch any of you spying on us, I'll make sure you get a bullet to the ass. Do you understand me?" I threaten.
They all nod, gulping nervously before they scurried back to their seats.
Good. Glad they got my message loud and clear as I lead Esme and Sully towards the solarium that is located upstairs, since I wished to be near my Nani.