Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Sophie's POV ~

I stayed in bed for the rest of the night, the last thing I wanted was to go downstairs and see anyone in Thiago's family. Thiago must have come back to our room late last night because I don't remember hearing him, and he must have left early because when I woke up he wasn't there. He definitely slept here last night though, I could just tell. The only time so far that I got up this morning was to take a shower and brush my teeth, apart from that I stayed in bed and watched TV, half the time I was distracted by my own thoughts but the TV was good background noise I suppose.

My stomach rumbled just when there was a knock on the door. I sat up properly and called to the person to come in, my throat aching from speaking for the first time since Thiago strangled me.

Paola walked in with a tentative smile on her face, she was still in her pyjamas but they were expensive posh ones, unlike my plain black shorts and white t shirt. "Sophie? Come downstairs and eat something."

I shook my head at her even though she was being nice I was too upset to eat. "Please?" I shook my head once again and looked away from her. I heard Paola let out a sigh before she walked over to the bed. "Move over then." I moved over onto 'Thiago's side' of the bed and she got in next to me.

I waited for her to say something but she didn't, she just looked at me with sympathy and sadness in her eyes. "Sophie.." As soon as she said my name I felt the last of resolve wash away and I broke down infront of her. She wrapped her arms around me as I cried into her chest, the comfort from a mother making me cry even harder since I hadn't felt like that since I last saw my own months ago. I sobbed for ages, the memories of Matteo and Thiago coming back to my mind along with the way our honeymoon was ruined by Antonia. "Shh Sophie it's okay sweetheart."

"I'm sorry for ruining your weekend." About 15 minutes later I moved away from Paola and wiped my eyes. "What are you talking about? It wasn't you, it was Matteo and Thiago." I sighed and shook my head. "Mia thinks I did, Carlotta hates me, Matteo well I know how he feels about me and Thiago...he keeps breaking my heart everyday." I felt a few more tears roll down my cheeks when I thought about Thiago.

"Firstly yesterday wasn't your fault. I'm sure Mia didn't mean it, she just doesn't like confrontation. As for Carlotta she doesn't like you because of her relationship with that horrible girl who Thiago was engaged to."

"He was engaged to her?" His mom nodded. "You didn't know?" I shook my head and rubbed my sore eyes. "No, I just knew he was with her for four years." I think she could tell I was hurt by the fact that Thiago was with Antonia because she gave me a caring smile. Paola nodded and ran her hand through my hair in a motherly way. "All of that is over now though."

Her eyes landed on my neck and a frown instantly replaced her smile. "Did Thiago do that?" My eyes widened a little, I had completely forgotten about trying to hide the marks that Thiago had left yesterday. "He did, didn't he?" Anger was evident in her eyes and I shook my head. "Please don't say anything to him, it's okay, really I'm fine." I didn't want her to argue with Thiago over this, it would have been another thing for him to be angry with me about. Now that he's changed back to his usual ways as soon as we got back to Milan he wouldn't care about leaving marks on my body, he would make sure that 'I learnt my lesson'.

"Sophie it's not okay, whether it's my son or not or whether you pushed him so far that he hit you, it's never okay." Paola shook her head and got up. "Come on, let me get you some food." She held her hand out to me and I reluctantly took it.

We started the long walk down to the kitchen, I was on edge every time we went round a corner gripping my phone tightly in my hand. "Relax, they've all gone out to sort out Dominico's birthday tomorrow; Dominico is in his office." I nodded and quietly walked with her downstairs. We got to the kitchen and even though I had seen it last night

I was still mesmerised by the amazing kitchen. "You have a beautiful home." I looked over at Thiago's mom who was pulling out ingredients to make something, she gave me smile. "Thank you. Do you like pancakes?" I nodded just as my stomach rumbled loudly reminding me once again that I didn't eat anything at all yesterday. "I'll make a few extra just in case." I blushed at Paola's amused smile. "Do you need any help?"

"No sweetheart you just sit down." She gestured to the table by the huge french doors opening out into the garden. I sat down and ten minutes later Paola placed a stack of blueberry pancakes infront of me causing my mouth to water. "Wow." She chuckled and sat down next to me. "They're all for you." I gave her a grateful smile and started eating the amazing pancakes.

"I'm sorry about everything that happened yesterday Sophie, you didn't deserve what happened - both yesterday and when Matteo hurt you." I kept my eyes down on the food infront of me, I didn't really know what to say to her. "I don't belong here Paola...I shouldn't be Thiago's wife and I shouldn't be living in Italy, or wearing designer clothes which I haven't earned, or throwing away my career for someone who I know I will never be able to love."

She looked a little taken aback by my words. "Why can't you love Thiago?" I gave her a sad smile and put my fork down. "I can't lie and say I don't have feelings for him, because I wouldn't be so hurt by everything he's done if I didn't. But, we don't get along and he's hurt me too many times for me to just get over it and move on.We're not right for each other...and Thiago will never love me. Not like he loved Antonia who is exactly the type of girl he needs."

"I disagree Sophie, you can love him if you let yourself. Thiago is a difficult person to understand, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you, he might even love you." I scoffed at this and shook my head. "He doesn't love me, he wouldn't have strangled me yesterday if he loved me." I gestured to the bruises on my neck causing Paola to sigh. "Sophie, I'm telling you this because I've been in your position, sort of. You can't leave now, you're Thiago's wife, even if you divorce him and move back to London you'll always be a target. You're not safe without him now, you might aswell try and get on with him because you'll have a hard marriage with him if you don't."

"But he broke my heart Paola. I've tried, I gave him everything." She smiled and wiped away a lone tear off my cheek. "He's not perfect Sophie, but he is trying. Matteo and Thiago were best friends, they never argued and they did everything together since Matteo was born. This is the first time the two of them have stopped talking, Thiago did it because of you. He doesn't show it but he does care."

We sat in silence for a moment before the sound of the front door opening caught my attention. Paola gave me an encouraging smile. "It's okay." Seconds later the four siblings walked into the kitchen. I kept my eyes on my phone purposely avoiding making eye contact with any of them.

"Did you get everything?" Paola broke the silence by questioning her kids and Matteo responded to her. "Yeah, we would have been home earlier but this idiot was too picky on the colour of the icing on the cake." I heard a chuckle which I instantly recognised as Thiago's before Mia spoke. "The green that you and Thiago chose was ugly, trust me daddy will be happy I changed it."

"Oh please, it wasn't that bad. I'm sure he's not going to even care much about the icing." Thiago's voice brought a shiver to my spine when he spoke, I didn't know if it was a good shiver or a bad one.

"Just because you don't have any taste that doesn't mean daddy doesn't." The four of them began to argue with each other over the icing colour, from the way they were arguing I could tell none of them were really angry at each other. It seemed like Thiago and Matteo were fine with each other too, something I didn't expect to happen. Eventually their mom finally interrupted them with a question. "You spent three hours designing a birthday cake?" I could tell she was shocked and amused at this. "It's harder than it looks mom, especially when you have to go with Carlotta and Mia." Matteo's comment caused Carlotta to quickly respond.

"Matteo do you ever take the blame or do you just shift it to us? You and Thiago designed an ugly cake first, if you had listened to us then we would have been done in half the time." I rolled my eyes at Carlotta's voice and continued scrolling through my instagram feed becoming bored of their topic.

They filled their mom in about everything else that they went over with the event planner for tomorrow's party whilst I just sat awkwardly eating my pancakes.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Nothing, we're all free today; we were supposed to spend time with dad but he's busy with something for the rest of the day." Matteo responded to his mom's question, when he spoke I finally looked up at the four of them for the first time since they entered the kitchen.

Carlotta and Matteo were standing by the breakfast bar and Mia was sitting down next to them on one of the stools. Thiago was standing near the door leaning against the counter. His eyes were focused on me when I looked up, meeting his gaze for the first time today. I held his stare before I decided to break it and take the final bite of my last pancake. I put my fork down on the plate catching the attention of the other three siblings and as I stood up Paola turned towards me. "Do you want anything else Sophie? I can make you something else if you're still hungry." I gave her a small smile and shook my head. "No I'm fine thank you."

"Sophie you should spend some time with Thiago's sisters today, get to know them." My mouth dropped open as an awkward silence took over the room. "Uh.." I heard Thiago chuckle at my reaction from his place by the door causing a blush to rise to my cheeks. "I'm taking Sophie out for the day mom, that will have to wait."

I turned to him and frowned but nodded anyway, there was no way I wanted to spend a day alone with those two, I'd rather be with Thiago. "Oh okay. Well have fun." She gave me a smile and I nervously returned it before making my way over to the door ignoring the eyes of Matteo, Carlotta and Mia on my back.

I passed Thiago and started walking upstairs but I knew he was following behind me. We walked into our room and I put my phone on charge before making the bed trying to avoid speaking to my husband. "Get changed we're going out to meet someone." I ignored him keeping my eyes on the bed infront of me.

"Don't ignore me Sophie." I rolled my eyes and put the pillows back properly on the bed before laying the throw down neatly. I heard Thiago's footsteps behind me before his hands went around my waist causing me to jump. "Do I need to punish you?" His voice came out husky and deep as he placed his chin on my shoulder.

"Do I need to elbow you in the stomach?" I felt the vibration in his chest when he chuckled in response. "You're lucky we're in my parents house or I would have shown you exactly what you get for ignoring me." His hands slid over my hips to my ass suggestively causing me to scoff. "I'm not a child Thiago."

"Then stop acting like one." I turned around in his arms

with a glare on my face. "Get your hands off me." He shook his head. "No I'm okay, you're my wife I can do what I want." I rose an eyebrow at him. "Does that mean you can hit me when you want too?"

Thiago sighed and stepped away from me, he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Just get changed. Now." He looked at me expectantly but I shook my head. "Tell me who we're meeting first. I'm not getting involved in your mafia business again.""It's not to do with the mafia...entirely. We're meeting my friend and his wife for lunch, he just happens to be in the mafia." I rolled my eyes and walked towards the bathroom. "Do you know anyone who isn't some how associated with the mafia?"

" You weren't, but then you married me." I scoffed and turned towards him. "I would give anything to not be married to you right now." I didn't wait for him to respond I just slammed the door shut.

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Thiago and I walked into the restaurant where we were meeting his friend Lorenzo and his wife Sara. "Did he force his wife to marry him aswell?" Thiago's grip on my hand tightened and I heard him mumble something to himself .

"Shut your mouth, keep your stupid comments to yourself." I rolled my eyes whilst we waited for someone to show us to our table. "Maybe you should keep your comments about my clothes to yourself then."

"Oh come on Sophie look at your clothes, what happened to the ones I got you." I glanced down at my red cropped sweatshirt and black trousers with a split in the side.

"These are nice Thiago and I don't want to wear those, I hate you so I hate them too." Before Thiago could respond with whatever rude comment was in his head a waiter came over to us. "Would you like a table for two?" He smiled whilst picking up two menus. "No four please, we're expecting two more people." I gave him my own smile and he nodded. "Sure follow me." He directed us to a table towards the back of the restaurant and Thiago and I sat down opposite each other.

"Would you like anything to drink?" I opened my mouth to respond but Thiago beat me to it. "A bottle of your best white wine." I frowned at Thiago who was glaring at the waiter, the poor guy nodded and scurried off to get the wine. "There was no need for that Thiago. I don't want wine anyway, I want water."

"He had his eyes all over you, he should be taught a fucking lesson." Thiago pulled out his phone and started typing with a glare on his face completely ignoring the fact that I wanted water. "Thiago stop that, you can't have someone come and beat him up. He can't have been older than 18, just leave it." Thiago looked up and sent me a glare. "So you liked it then? Having another fucking man's eyes on you?" I scoffed in disbelief. "What the hell are you talking about? Stop acting like a child Thiago. Put your damn phone away."

He sent me a final glare but still put his phone away which I was thankful for, the last thing I needed was for Thiago to have a waiter beaten black and blue for smiling at me. "You're pathetic."

"And you're a fucking slut." I rose an eyebrow at him. "Sorry how am I slut? I've been with one person, who happens to be my husband. Unlike you , I'm faithful to you, no matter how much of a dick you are." Thiago rolled his eyes and leaned forward resting his elbows on the table.

"Maybe if you weren't such an ugly stuck up bitch I wouldn't have had to go elsewhere for it." I stayed silent this time, not having anything to say back to him. I think he knew he went to far because he couldn't look me in the eye after he said that. The waiter brought our wine to the table with four glasses but only I looked at him when I ordered a large bottle of water. We stayed sat in silence for the next few minutes, it took everything in me to stay in my seat and not leave the restaurant. I only stayed because I knew it wasn't safe for me to leave without Thiago.

"Sophie-" I cut Thiago off and shook my head. "Don't." Before he could speak again a tall olive skinned man and a shorter brunette walked up to our table.

"Thiago." He looked up to see his friend and forced a smile onto his face. "What's up bro?" Thiago stood up to give his friend a hug, I figured I might aswell make the effort to be nice to Sara and maybe find someone who doesn't hate me, maybe then I'll actually have a friend who I can talk to about all the shit going on in my life.

I stood up and introduced myself to the stunning brunette who gave me a hug. "Sorry we couldn't make it to the wedding Sophie, it was such short notice we didn't have time to fly to Milan." I smiled at her and shook my head. "It's okay, honestly, don't worry about it."

We sat down and ordered our food. Thiago and Lorenzo were talking for a while in Italian which just irritated me even further, I could pick up a few words here and there but their fluent Italian was difficult to understand for me yet. I knew they were talking about the mafia as soon as I heard the words "l'ho ucciso." Come out of Lorenzo's mouth which means I killed him.

"So Sophie what do you do?" I turned towards Sara who was fiddling with her wedding ring on her finger. "I was a teacher in London before I met Thiago." I glanced over at my husband who was already looking at me. "I had to stop teaching when I moved to Milan because of the language barrier."

"Oh, have you started learning Italian yet? You live in Milan, it won't be too hard for you to pick it up, especially if you and Thiago go out a lot." I gave her a forced smile and nodded. "Yes I've started learning, Thiago does most of the talking when we go out but it still helps I guess."

It was true that Thiago did most of the talking but we hardly ever went out. Thiago went off to that horrible building where they basically run the mafia from and I stayed home. The most I ever did was go to the shops for food and necessities but all I needed to know was how to understand how many euros I needed to pay which was pretty easy.

"What about you? Do you work here in Sicily?" She nodded after taking a sip from her wine glass. "I'm a nurse." She gave me a smile showing off her perfect white teeth and her dimples and I couldn't help but think she was so beautiful, especially compared to me. Throughout the rest of the meal my mind kept going back to Thiago's comment 'Ugly stuck up bitch.'

I got to know Sara a lot more throughout lunch and she was such a nice person, she seemed too sweet and innocent to be married to someone in the mafia, but I guess I'm the perfect example of how something like that can just happen out of no where.