Bella's POV:

I took a deep breath and unlocked the door then went inside. My dad was sitting on a couch with remote control watching TV. My mother was probably in the kitchen preparing lunch. I was scared of my dad; he was a bizarre human with a cold soul. As long as I was under his roof, I try to stay away from his shadow.

Despite not wanting to talk to him, I had to get his permission to join this stupid summer camp. I already knew what his answer is going to be. In my seventeen years of life, he had never let me out of his sight.

"H...hey, dad," I said feeling uncomfortable.

He did not glance at me; his eyes were stuck on the television.

"Dad, there is this summer camp that principal wants me to attend, it's a part of education. I want your permission to join it," I said looking down at my feet.

"Tell me more about this camp?" He asked me glaring at me.

"Uh...it is about teaching us, how to live without luxurious," I explained, struggling to talk to him because of fear.

"Sounds good," he said giving me hope. "Are there going to be boys?"

I sucked in a sharp breathe. I knew lying would get me nowhere except trouble.

"Yes, dad, my whole class is going," I answered him.

I knew why he was asking about boys, particularly. He did not want me to get close to any boys and lose my virtues. He did not know that I hate men because of him and never want to get close to one.

"I think it's not safe for a young girl to go and stay in camp with a bunch of horny boys. Give a medical leave and stay at home like a good girl," he said leaving the living room.

I was angry at my dad's stupid ideology. I wanted to yell at him that he needed to trust me. I wanted to beg him to let me attend this summer camp because he was jeopardizing my graduation.

Graduating from high school was the only way I could escape from this house and I didn't want to risk it. He wanted me to mess and fail so he could control my life. However, I had plans of escaping this hell; I had plans to protect my mother and my younger siblings from him.

I rushed to my room in anger and shut the door. I sat down on the bed and ran my hands through my long hair in frustration. I wanted to tear down everything, especially the walls of this house so it can allow us to breathe.

I heard the knocks at my bedroom door and opened it. My mom entered my room, looking frightened as she locked the door behind.

"Do you want to go to this camp? Is it important?" She whispered.

"Mom, it's really important...if I want to graduate. I sold my phone to collect the money, I just needed him to sign my form," I told her knowing that she couldn't do anything except pitying me.

"They'll accept my signature, right?" My mom asked and I nodded my head.

"Today, your grandma called, she invited us to spend summer vacation with her," she said.

"Dad is not going to allow us to stay there. He never let you go alone anywhere." I said dejectedly.

"He already said yes. He has booked our tickets for tonight. Your dad has some work; he is not coming with us." Mom informed me.

My eyes widened in surprise to find out that he was allowing us to spend vacations at grandma without his excruciating presence.

"Where is your form?" She asked. I pulled out the form from my bag and handed it to my mom.

She signed it and handed it back to me.

"Our flight will leave at three in the morning and your school bus leaves at eight, so you would need to spend a few hours at the airport. In the morning, you can go to school and leave for the summer camp. How does it sound?" Mom asked with raised eyebrows.

I gulped looking at her. "It sounds dangerous but not impossible."

She left my room and I started packing for the summer camp. One thought was running in my head, if my dad catch me, he will surely torture me then kill me slowly.

-🖤-

Gabriel's POV:

I heard the knock and opened the door.

"The dinner is ready, we are waiting for you," Harry said.

"I'll be there in a second," I said with a polite smile.

I was freaking out thinking about having a conversation with them during the family dinner. It all felt like a foreign concept to me.

I sprayed some cologne and looked at my sweatpants and shirt thinking it was formal for the family dinner. I went downstairs to the dining room where everyone was already settled on their respective seats. I sat down on the empty chair beside Nick, he smiled at me, and I returned an awkward smile. The silence was uncomfortable on the table. They started to pass dishes to each other and urging me to try everything.

"So, Gabriel, do you like Italy?" Nick asked.

His sudden question caught me off guard. I awkwardly put the spoon down which was in my mouth and looked at him.

"Uh... I have lived there all my life. I guess, it says all," I answered nonchalantly.

"So, it's your first time in the US?" Matt asked.

"Yeah... I have traveled before. Last year, I went to Istanbul with some of my friends but never got the chance to visit the US." I said.

"I like your accent, it's really strong," Harry said.

"Mom and dad like to speak Italian. I speak English when I am in college or with friends, maybe that's why it's strong," I said.

"I wish Andre and Francisca could also come with you," My mother said looking gloomy.

"Dad has some important meetings and mom doesn't like to travel without him," I replied.

Frank and Pamela looked at with pained expression when I called Andre and Francisca, mom and dad. I didn't understand why they were hurt. What I was supposed to call my adoptive parents in front of my real parents? My whole twenty years of life, I have called them mom and dad.

Suddenly an uncomfortable silence fell in the room.

"I heard the Italian girls are very beautiful. Do you know any gorgeous models in need of boyfriend?" Harry asked giving me a playful smile.

Pamela whacked him on the head and he rubbed his head with a pout on his face. Matt and Nick gave him an amused smile.

"Mom, can you not hit me in front of my new brother? I have an image to set," Harry said.

Pamela and Frank shook their heads at Harry.

"When is your camp starting?" Matt asked.

"It will be starting a day after tomorrow," I replied.

"It means, we have a whole day tomorrow to spend with you. How about we all go to a picnic?" My mother suggested.

I panicked at the suggestion because it was already unnerving to sit and make small talk.

"Nick and I plan to take Gabriel with us to meet some friends if it's alright with him," Matt said.

I sighed thanking the god. I would rather spend time with my brothers than my parents.

"Yeah...I wouldn't mind tagging along," I said.

"So, are you happy there with Andre and Francisca?" Pamela asked making me froze in shock.

Matt, Nick, Harry, and my father stared at me inquisitively.

"Yes. In fact, they treat me like I am their own son, like they haven't adopted me from one of their friends," I said trying to sound natural.

"Do they take care of you?" She asked.

My hands clenched the spoon firmly. Her questions were making me angry. I didn't want to ruin the first family dinner by exchanging hurtful words and having a painful conversation.

"They are my parents so of course, they take care of me," I said.

After that statement, I couldn't finish dinner. I needed to get away from them.

"I still have a jet lag, so excuse me," I said getting up and leaving the dining room. I made my way back to my room and called my parents.

"I think...I messed up. They asked me if you guys are taking good care of me," I told my dad on the phone.

"What did you say that we don't feed you properly?" Dad joked making me smile.

"No. I said you guys are my parents, so obviously, you take good care of me. But it was harsh." I mumbled.

"They are your parents, Gabriel. They probably just wanted to make sure that you're happy," mom said taking the phone from dad.

"Yeah, you are right," I said.

After bidding goodbye to my parents, I went to bed and fell in a deep slumber.

Next Morning

Next morning, I woke up and went downstairs for breakfast. I tried to open up to them putting past aside. My brothers shared their stories and I enjoyed their company a lot.

Nick was kind of mature and goal ordinated person. He had a girlfriend Nina; they had been dating for three years. Matt was single, scared of commitments, but a great person. Harry was a playboy; he trips at the sight of a gorgeous woman. Matt and Harry were funny and liked to quarrel about everything.

When the evening approached, Matt and Nick told me to get ready. An hour later we left the house, Matt drove around and showed me some of the famous places then he took us to the restaurant where Nick invited his girlfriend. She was also a medical student. When Nina arrived, we ordered dinner. She initiated a conversation with me. After talking to her for a while, I found her friendly, funny, and sweet. She was gorgeous with long red hair and black eyes. She was slim but tall, perfect for my brother. Slowly, I started to warm up to my brothers and Nina. I had a great time with them. Then Nina left and Matt decided to announce his plan.

"Are you up for some drinks? We are going to the club." Matt said.

We arrived at the nightclub; there was a long line of people waiting for their turn to enter. Matt whispered something in the ear of the security guard and he let us in without any questions. As soon as I entered the club, loud music started to give me a headache.  Nick and Matt told me to follow them. The three of us made our way to bar through the crowded dance floor.

"Tonight's drink is on me," Matt yelled.

We ordered our drinks and sat down at the booth in the center. I noticed a few men sitting in the corner booth dressed in black suits like some security officials or mafia members. One of the men eyes connected with mine, we stared at each other. I broke the staring contest and looked away. I shook my head and gulped down my drink. I looked back at the corner booth to find it empty, it was weird.

Matt was dancing with some woman while Nick was talking to some friend, but I wanted to use the restroom.

I asked the direction of washroom from a bartender and left. I entered the bathroom and did my business. I was washing my hands when I saw blood flowing out from one of the cubicles. Before I could do anything, the door opened of the cubicle opened exposing two men standing over the dead man. They were dressed in black suits and holding guns in their hands.

"What do we have here?" A man said, smirking and stuffing his gun in the holster.

The other man kept his gun pointed on my head, ready to blow my brain up.

"Are you a reporter? Did you film everything?" The other man asked eyeing the camera hanging around my neck.

I glanced at the dead man; fresh blood was oozing out from the hole in his chest tainting white tiles of the washroom. I knew there was no time to save him, as he was dead.

"Ralph, what do you think we should do with him?" The other man asked with an amused look on his face. I had no idea what I needed to do at that moment to escape without hurting them.

"Will, I think we should remove the evidence. In this case, I think we should kill the evidence?" Ralph said, laughing maniacally.

They took the step closer and I pushed them both making a run out of the bathroom. I went to the bar again to find Nick and Matt busy. I didn't want to spoil their fun and drag them away, so before those two bastards would come to catch me, I dashed out of the club.

When I was out of the club, I sprinted in the other direction while they followed behind me. I was making a stupid move by running because I had no idea where I was going. Unfortunately, I came to an abrupt stop when I realized there was no way from there.

"Where do you think you are going?" Will asked.

They were circling around me ready to strike me. My dad had trained me day and night for fourteen years. I knew how to fight and shot, though I was trying to avoid it. Without thinking much, I hit the one on the knee with my leg making him stumble back and punched the other on the face; the sickening sound of bones breaking filled the air as blood started to gush out from his nose. The one on the ground tried to get up again, I punched him on the jaw and he fell down on the ground spitting blood.

I knew they would not come after me now. I hailed the cab and got inside then I texted Matt asking him to send me the address of the house.

___________________________________

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