Song for the Chapter: FLOWERS, by Samantha Ebert (It's so beautiful, sent to me by someone so precious. Kindly try to listen somewhere in the middle of the chapter, if possible, please 🙏🏻🥹)

This chapter is dedicated to Margaret827

I did not know the chapter would take this turn. Having some of it and their ideas written down already by GOD'S Grace. 💜💜💜
Much Love to you, querida hermana.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

So I brought it up in a desperate prayer
LORD, why are YOU keeping me here?

Then HE said to me,

Child, I'm planting seeds.
I'm a good GOD
and I have a good plan
So trust that I'm holding a watering can
And someday you'll see
That flowers grow in the valley

So whatever the reason
I'm barely getting by
I'll trust it's a season
knowing that YOU'RE by my side
Every step of the way
And I'll be okay

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Vincenzo felt the foggy haze engulf him the moment he left the main party grounds and stepped into the private room for the meeting.

He could feel a veil trying to blanket his consciousness as a glass was placed into his hands.

He found himself drinking from it against his own will.

"How much did you put into it?"

"Enough that he won't remember anything that has happened during the past hour to 3 hours or more."

Am I hallucinating?

He could hear so many voices. And he felt the memories of what they were saying begin to fade away, including how he got there.

"And the wench? Is she on her way?" A voice filled with venom spat out.

"Right on time, capo. She will be here any moment from now."

"Bene(good)."

Yet, something else was happening to Vincenzo. As he felt his subconsciousness trying to fade away, he could remember only two names.

"JESUS", spoken by a soft voice... Violet.

He whispered the NAME too... JESUS, and felt the haze begin to clear.

When he returned to his normal state, he found Lilith clothed in barely anything sitting on his lap.

He tried to push her away which seemed to surprise her. The clearing away of the haze had caused him to remember the conversations that had gone on when he was out of his wits.

Trying to push her away even further, the door to the room opened.

And there, standing in the dimly lit doorway, was Violet, his wife.

~~~

Violet thought she could not have been broken further, but she was far from right.

She did not know what to do as she saw the smirk on the alluring young woman's face in the private room at the party grounds.

LORD, do I have to go through this pain and disappointment too? What am I to do?

"LORD JESUS, please help me," she whispered quietly.

And this time, her SAVIOUR did respond, as though HE had been on guard, waiting for her call.

Violet still did not understand how HIS reaction of Silence and HIS quick responses worked in different circumstances. But, she was willing to follow HIM through it all.

And, right there and then, through the Eyes of her LORD, she saw what really went on.

Visions of a hazed Vincenzo being led into the room, being given a detrimental substance to drink—all of it flashed before her eyes in a split second it seemed.

She even saw beyond that—all the way to the night of her abuse and attack. He had wanted to help, but the haze caused by the same evil throng that filled the room at that very moment hindered him then too.

Thank YOU, FATHER, she thanked HIM from deep within her heart. She would have been blind to the real truth if she had not remembered to call on her SAVIOUR.

And, as HE always did, just at the right time, her SAVIOUR showed her the Cross—and the Power thereof, with a memorised passage from the Holy Scriptures coming to mind.

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;" she had begun to recite it out loud.

And she could see the demonic throng begin to quiver and flee in various directions, stumbling over each other as they passed through the window to escape.

"and having spoiled principalities and powers..." she continued.

She could feel and see the rage coming at her from the orchestrators of the plot.

Yet, they were also struck immobile by The Power in the WORD OF THE LIVING GOD. Their source of defence—the evil throng—had already taken flight.

"HE made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it," she concluded and approached her husband.

Grabbing him by the hand, she led him out of that room and he willingly followed her.

~~~

After the clearing of the haze and having Violet see him in a compromising position, Vincenzo had feared what her reaction might be.

Can't I do anything right by her? How will I ever make her understand?

Those had been his thoughts till she shocked him with a sudden change in her countenance and visage.

As she recited the verse he recalled long ago from the BIBLE, and judging the reaction of those who had tried to implicate him in their evil scheme, he could not deny the reality.

His wife—and yes, no longer that girl—was a stronger warrior than any of the commandants in the kingdom's army—any kingdom's in fact.

He could not help but smile as she approached and took him by the hand and led him out of the room towards the parking lot.

Vincenzo did not know how, but, he felt within himself that she knew and understood all that had taken place.

There is a lot I am yet to learn about her, he acknowledged. But, am I truly willing to find out every single bit of it?

Once again, the other side of himself tried to tug him away from going in that direction. Trying to rebuild the walls which had been slowly cracking.

All the while, he had thought he was only getting close to her to get rid of his guilt. But, he found himself questioning his true motives.

"You don't have to lead me all the way to the exit, Violet," he declared with his typical voice. "I know the path there."

She immediately left his hand and pulled away.

"I came with the driver," she mumbled not quite meeting his gaze. "I will leave with him then."

She reached for her phone and called the driver, the sting from his words still present.

Violet knew of the fog that had clouded Vincenzo's mind, and that knowledge had bolstered her confidence to drag him out herself.

Yet, his recent remark had brought her into low spirits once again.

How could I even forget? Above all, he is still Mr Icy, Violet chided herself.

On the other hand, Vincenzo had felt the pain and disappointment when she quickly dropped his hand after his remark.

What is wrong with me? Vincenzo thought. I never seem to say the right thing.

And that was unusual and uncharacteristic of him. He felt his "normal" change tides whenever Violet was around indeed.

He had not meant his remark to inflict nor cause her any pain. Truth be told, he had said it out of the shame—yet another new feeling—he felt with her finding him in that compromising state.

Though in a strange way he could not quite put his finger on, he felt she knew everything that had actually happened. Yet, the shame was still lingering.

As the driver pulled up, Violet tucked both her phone and her pain away—each into its own compartment—and willed herself not to cry.

For the day had been trying indeed, and she felt every bit of that weariness as she approached the car.

But, as she did so, she felt a strong hand take hold of hers and tug her backwards.

Startled, she whirled around to find Vincenzo staring at her with his chilly piercing eyes—yet, there was a new emotion in those icy eyes she could not quite decipher.

"Wh—?"

But, Vincenzo interrupted and spoke to the driver who had gotten down to open the door for her.

"Take the lead," his authoritative voice commanded. "I will take her home myself."

Yes, he had not allowed his icy side to take the lead this time around as he finally decided to acknowledge the truth to himself.

And that truth? Was that he felt and knew she was not ordinary. And, he wanted to know who the rare gem was.

And above all, The Power of her GOD she seemed to wear as a cloak wrapped around her... the same GOD he had once known.

He thought he did not feel he was completely ready to give the thought of HIM another try. But, in order to understand her—his wife—he felt he might just give in.

~~~

Isabella was not sure whose zeal outweighed the other's. She knew CHRIST, their LORD, could change a person.

Has HE not done the same with me? She thought.

But, the eagerness and determination with which her newly converted brother threw himself into everything about CHRIST shocked even her. Making her wonder if she had not been doing enough.

She had overheard him preaching to his peers at school, making the case for CHRIST, the Salvation HE brought and the truth of the Imminence of HIS Soon Return.

Which he was doing at that moment with their mother.

"So, mamma(mother), these are not facts that can easily be shelved. What are the odds of all these prophecies being fulfilled in ages past, and still being seen today?"

Queen Giulia had always borne a soft spot for her younger son. But the change in him, and the things he explained to her were not only baffling but, surprisingly beautiful to behold.

Yet, she held on to the grief from the past, which was the only thing that was hindering her from accepting CHRIST herself.

"I see your point, figlio(son)," she responded rather... reluctantly, it seemed to Isabella who was watching from a seat some distance away.

"So, if all these are true, you must make a decision now, before it is too late."

Clearing her throat, their mother rose to her feet.

"I think I have to check up on Ginevra. Her symptoms have been acting up recently," and with that being said, she left the room.

If there was a word beyond frustrated and desperate, Isabella knew that would be the right thing to describe her brother's state after their mother left.

He looked so distraught and disappointed.

"You know? It's okay," Isabella said softly, trying to help calm her elder brother. "We have done our part in declaring the Truth. It's up to GOD to finish the work in a man's heart."

"But she is so close," Alessandro turned to face his sister, a sheen of tears glistening in his eyes—something she had thought she would never see in him.

"I guess it's hard to watch someone you love remaining on a path you know would lead to their destruction," Isabella wished she could do more to comfort and assure her brother to leave everything in GOD'S Hands.

He sighed and dropped his face into his hands, sighing heavily.

"I know..." his muffled voice sounded behind his hands. "I just wish there was a way to get her to surrender."

He moaned in frustration and Isabella only gave him a soft smile.

Indeed, this is not the same Alessandro. Thank YOU, LORD, she thanked her LORD quietly within her heart.

YOU are still in the business of working YOUR greatest of miracles—working in the heart of men, even as YOUR HOLY WORD says.

~~~

Sitting in Vincenzo's Maserati, Violet leaned her head against the window as it drizzled outside—just perfect enough to suit her mood. Her mind raced a thousand miles at the thought of the man who sat and drove next to her.

LORD, could there really be any purpose in this union? She had to consider.

It felt like a rollercoaster with Vincenzo. He would prove a rare kindness and out of the blue display his cold nature—as though it was a part of his inheritance from birth.

She just could not understand him. But, unbeknownst to her, was that Vincenzo was also preoccupied with the same thoughts about her.

Well, not the same, but similar.

What made Violet so peculiar? He found himself questioning as he mindlessly navigated to the Villa.

FATHER, can any good come out of this marriage YOU have called me to? Violet asked quietly within.

But, no reply seemed forthcoming—again.

But, it was in that moment, that a song began to play on the radio Vincenzo had unconsciously left on.

"Well blue skies and hillsides
feel so far away
And I wrote in my notebook
that I've seen better days
Than the ones as of late

I can't bear the weight
The rain won't stop pouring
out my window pane

And I haven't left my bedroom in 76 days
I wish something would change
Cause I'm losing faith..."

The words hit Violet like a tornado, as though her LORD was speaking to her at that very moment.

She was still learning the diverse ways through which her SAVIOUR answered her seemingly unanswered questions.

"So I brought it up in a desperate prayer
LORD, why are YOU keeping me here?

Then HE said to me,
Child, I'm planting seeds.
I'm a good GOD
and I have a good plan

So trust that I'm holding a watering can
And someday you'll see
That flowers grow in the valley

So whatever the reason
I'm barely getting by
I'll trust it's a season
knowing that YOU'RE by my side
Every step of the way
And I'll be okay"

On reaching the Villa, the quiet couple disembarked with the same silence.

She turned to enter inside, hoping to finally give in to the urge to throw herself on her bed, with the day's events still replaying, until a voice called out to her.

"Violet?" An uncharacteristically soft voice called out.

Turning around, she was surprised to see the waves of emotion showing in the normally icy piercing gaze.

She realised she could count on her fingers how many times Vincenzo had called out her name.

He looked at her for an uncanny moment of silence before finally speaking two words.

"Thank you," a rare smile played at his mouth.

And that was when she felt the peace and assurance from her SAVIOUR.

I know why I have brought you here. Just patiently hold on, MY child...

And with those words came a new resolve.

She could and would not question her SAVIOUR'S choice for her life.

No matter what... even if I am shattered into pieces in the process, I will stay by his side.

She found HIS Strength pouring into her soul as she finally decided to accept HIS Will.

And... I will love as YOU have commanded me. With every shred of my broken heart, LORD, by YOUR Grace, I will not give in to the pain. Yes, I must love... like I have never been hurt—broken or not.

Smiling back, she knew there was no need for words. She felt that somehow, he also knew her heart.

Turning after that, she entered into the place she now called home.

~~~

"I want results, girl!" a furious Giuseppe shouted to the maid in front of him.

"I'm... I am so sorry things did not turn out as planned, Capo," she managed to stammer.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Giuseppe paced in his home office.

Finally claiming down a notch, he turned to face the maid again, causing her to flinch.

Good, you must fear and tremble to do my bidding.

"It is time for Plan Three."

———————————————

Hi lovely family 🥰

I hope we are all doing well by GOD'S Grace.

Please, let me know your thoughts on this chapter as well.

I am so grateful for all your comments and votes. They mean so much to me—more than you can ever imagine. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🥲🥰

Yours In CHRIST,
Love,
Phela 💜💕💞