Prologue: Call this home?

Caitrona Balboa first saw Adonis Dellucci when she was fifteen years old and fell in love with him, knowing fully well he's an adult and she was just a teenager.

She grew up in a small rural area with her nonna, her mother was from Africa and her father an Italian, not just an Italian but a well known business tycoon in the field of fabrics.

Her mother, Rhoda Williams who was claimed by her father Giovanni was killed by breast cancer couldn't live to see how bright her daughter is. Ona had been living with her grandma ever since.

The first time Ona and Donnie collide was the day Caitrona threw mold on him immediately he stepped out from his car on her way from school, he wanted to get angry at her but he couldn't because Ona was an unforgettable beauty even though her skin tone was a shade of what nobody would ever imagine.

Her dark skin glowed in the eye of Donnie but he couldn't look more because she was just a teenager.

Adonis Dellucci had been helpful towards Ona, no more till Donnie travelled without a word, she calls him uncle DD and Donnie hates it when she calls him that way because it made him seem old for his age then.

Ona's father on the other hand decided to bring her back to the Balboa Mansion after what seems like ages, Ona had no choice because her father threatened to take her grandma far away from her reach if she doesn't comply with him.

He only wants her to come back to the Balboa Mansion because of the media and the rumours circulating around about him abandoning Rhoda when she was pregnant with Caitrona in her womb because of his father.

Caitrona has to comply to her father's requests even though she knew that Avala her step mother and Gracie her step sister will be in same house with her.

She knows the suffering that is about to hit her but there is no more Uncle DD to save her adult ass as he once did with her teenage ass.

_

It a sunny day, and Giovanni Balboa sent men in black suit which I guessed must be his guards to pick me up from my small rural town in Sicily, where I had lived for twenty-three years.

Now I don't have a choice but to start afresh in Milan and attend Bocconi university, business school in Milan.

Bringing me back to what they called home, an unfamiliar territory, to the Balboa Mansion in Milan.

I arrived at what they called my new home, my worst nightmares and these witches won't let me be on my first day.

"Caitrona..."

I turn around to look at Graciela, Avala's daughter who kept on yelling my name like a chihuahua dog.

"Aunty is talking to you, why are you not answering her? Are you deaf?"

"It's alright, Mia Cara Graciela,"

Avala, the mistress to Giovanni Balboa and Graciela, her daughter.Even though she is married to my so called father, to me, Avala Contenese is still a mistress to this walls of the Balboa's.

“Caitrona just came from a rural side of Sicily today, she probably can't fit in so suddenly,” Avala sheep in a fake smile.

“Humph,” Graciela rolls her eyes looking at me angrily.

Who in this world calls his or her mother Aunty? This is so unthinkable and unrealistic.

Avala smiles as she twirls her dark brown hair. “There is a banquet tonight and only distinguished guests are invited, I don’t need to explain further to you do I?

Only distinguished guests are invited... Rubbish. I angrily thought.

“Caitrona, since you just came here, you should dress properly,” Graciela voice out with a smirk.

Who the hell does this tiny beans thinks she is? I am way older than her but no manners already for her age, so bad.

“This child,” Avala giggles with her eyes closed, knowing fully well that her daughter is throwing hate speech at me.

“Just look at how poor she looks, her skin so dark, she doesn't even look like one of us, from this family,”

I gave them the deadliest glare that I can master. With my arm crossed to my chest, tapping my feet impatiently.

“please, you all should know that you're the ones who needs me more than I need you, and don't forget that it was your sugar daddy that begged me to come over,”

The looks on their face was priceless.

Graciela groans. “How dare you,”

I smirk as I walk two steps closer to Graciela. “How dare... Who?” I let out a laugh. “I am just a human, forget about my flawless beauty, you're just a tiny beast in a clad human form, so that means I'm nothing like you even though we bear the same surname, we might not even come from the same father”

The look on Graciela's face can kill me instantly. She roared like a wounded animal.

“You stupid wild brat,” She roared like a wild animal as she walks few steps closer to my standing point , “see, if I don't rip you...

“Stop this at once,” Avala get holds of Graciela before she could devour me.

Avala frown was quickly replace with a meek smile which I found odd.

“Mia cara,” she calls as she walks closer and held my shoulders with both hand, “Caitrona, we will all be a family from now onwards, we should be harmonious...

She lets go of my shoulders and lift up a pink gift bag that was beside the couch that was given to me by her.

“Here, I specially designed this dress for you from my designer since I know you will be joining us soon, so when it's time you can wear it to the banquet,”

I raised a curious eyebrow at her. “No, thanks,” I shove the bag away from my face and it fell to the floor. I can hear Graciela's murmurs.

Immediately, Avala puts on a sorrowful face of pity. “your Papá will definitely hope for you to officially be introduced to everyone,”

With a tired sigh, I collected the gift back from the floor and look deeply at her. “Okay, thanks,”

She smiles, and so did Graciela. “See you around,”

They both exit the door with happy faces.

Immediately the door was closed, I open the gift bag and what I saw was so seductive, I grin at the thought of what they have planned.

“ No problemo, since you want me to wear this and embarrass myself and since you want to do the sly things too, then I'll play with you all,”

I talk to my  conscience. “You think I'll destroy myself, but instead it will be a big slap to the Balboa's face,”

Just watch and see, I am Cai, the daughter of an African woman and so does that blood runs in my vein.

And what did you say? “See me around?

I'll definitely be around...

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