Sold to the Capo-Chapter 87: WHO’S THE MAN?
ADRIANA’S POV
I was led into a room and told to wait there by Salvatore who said he had some things to do.
As I sat back on the bed, I sighed, looking around the imposing design. It was beautiful here but I felt out of place in this strange new place.
My gaze darted to the windows and I walked over there, peeking out of the them, nostalgia hitting me as I remembered when I would go over to the windows in Vincenzo’s mansion to check the guards patrolling about.
Now, as I looked outside, there was nothing but flowers and a small stream by the side. No guards like the mansion. Just a few littered about with no weapons in sight. It all felt so weird.
With a groan, I went back to the bed, sitting on it heavily, the soft mattress dipping under my weight.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and I scrambled up, opening the door to reveal a short young woman in a large tee shirt and leggings. She was probably around my age, her chubby face littered with freckles that accentuated her beauty.
"Hey" I voiced out, seeing how she was just staring at me.
She blinked, her brows furrowed and I noticed her give me a once-over like she was trying to gauge the type of person that I was from my looks. If that’s what she was doing then she’d probably come to the conclusion that I was a really terrible person because my appearance had to be horrible.
"Hey" she finally said, a satisfied look in her eyes as she looked me in the eyes, her hazel eyes unblinking.
Hazel eyes.
They reminded me just of Vincenzo’s. Even though hers seemed to have more life and joy, I couldn’t help but think of those dark eyes of his that always pinned me to a spot and rendered me speechless when they gazed at me, the little flecks inㅡ
Holy shit...what’s wrong with me?
I groaned outwardly, my hand rubbing my face. "I’m Adriana" I finally introduced myself, not wanting to be called weird by the woman who was staring at me in a questioning way.
"I’m Dora..." she introduced.
A small smile curved my lips and I waited for her to state why she was here.
"Mr Salvatore said you’re from Signore" she asked, her eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Signore?" I muttered trying to remember where I had heard that before.
Oh... my heart deflated again as I remembered the cabin where that girl had died. She had muttered a "Signore" to him before she had passed away.
She was a member of the Haven then and that’s what Vincenzo went by here.
"Yes" She toyed with her red hair, her eyes wide as she looked at me.
I shrugged like it was nothing. "Yeah, I do know him"
The small smile on her face morphed into a full blown grin and she inched closer, excitement in her voice. "Then I think I owe you a tour of the haven."
Before I could answer her, she had already grabbed me by my arm, pulling me out of the room. "I’ll show you everyone. Vernon used to say he’s safe with Signore, have you seen my brother?" She asked, looking up at me.
She had a certain childlike attitude to herself despite her age but I didn’t mind it, she was just being free with the people around here.
"Vernon?" I didn’t know him a lot but I knew he was a member of the Garots...so she was the reason he had signed a contract with Vincenzo.
"Yes, my brother. About... 6 foot tall, red hair...brown eyes" She described, turning to look at me, waiting for me to say something about her brother.
I quickly nodded. "Yes, I know...I know him but not that well" I quickly added, a nervous laugh escaping me.
She nodded silently, a look of melancholy passing her face. "He’s not much of a talker, even Signore said so. Vernon will be done with his service to the Signore in a few weeks. He said they have something important coming up, were you aware?" She asked turning to me and my stomach churned.
Vernon may not make it out alive but I sure as well wasn’t going to tell her that. "No, I don’t"
"Makes sense" she nodded to herself, muttering something I couldn’t hear. "Mr Salvatore said Signore sent you here to take care of us since he’ll be busy so he sent his wife. The kids here will love you, I’m the oldest person here so I’m like a mother to them but it’s better now that you’re here" She smiled at me and this time, I gave her a really genuine smile without forcing it.
We were rounding the corner and as I looked at the large paintings on the walls, my chest tightened and I forced myself to stare at the door at the end of the hallway and not on the painting.
Everything seemed to oddly remind me of Vincenzo.
"How did you get here anyways?" I had to ask her, hoping that she wouldn’t find my question offensive.
She shrugged, gripping my arm tightly but a smile remained frozen on her face. "I don’t like to talk about my experience but everyone behind this door has been through hell already. We’re all victims in the hands of people who thought they ruled the world, who knew a mafia don would save us? Every single one of us owe our lives to Signore and while it means we can’t see our loved ones for a while, we would choose this over our lives anyday" She smiled at me even though her expression had tightened.
I felt bad for asking, of course she wouldn’t want to share it with me. I thought about how long it had taken me to talk to Vincenzo about my experience, I didn’t even know what she had been through and I didn’t want to think about it.
"I’m really sorry" I whispered, using my second hand to squeeze hers.
She nodded and looked back at the door. "Now, let’s introduce you to everyone in here. I had to call them from their rooms to be here today to greet you" she grinned, her cheerful demeanor back.
I nodded, my heart thudding for no reason I tried to get myself together. The Haven was a very important thing to Vincenzo and this was the first time that I would be introduced to it and the thought made me nervous.
She opened the door and pulled me inside and my breath hitched.
I stepped inside hesitantly, my breath catching as a room full of faces turned to look at me. Children—some barely five years old—and teenagers filled the large space, their eyes calm as they stared at me.
The room wasn’t lavish, but it exuded warmth. Soft rugs covered the wooden floors, and shelves lined with books and toys decorated the walls. A few older kids were perched on beanbags, while the younger ones sat cross-legged on the floor. The light chatter in the room quieted the moment I stepped in, and I suddenly felt very self-conscious.
"This is her! She’s from Signore." Dora announced proudly, practically beaming as she pulled me forward.
"Hi," I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.
One of the younger kids, a little girl with pigtails, tilted her head and squinted at me. "Are you his wife?" she asked bluntly, her innocent voice echoing in the silent room.
My cheeks burned as a wave of murmurs rippled through the kids, some agreeing and some disputinh it. "Uh, no, I’m not—"
"She’s kind of like his wife," Dora interrupted, waving a dismissive hand as though my clarification didn’t matter. "And she’s here to help us. Isn’t that great?"
A few of the children nodded cautiously, while others exchanged skeptical glances. I didn’t blame them. I probably looked like a mess—neither had they ever seen me. They were likely to be cautious.
Before I could say anything else, the door behind us slammed open. "Dora!"
I turned to see Salvatore striding into the room, his expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement.
"Dora, what are you doing?" he scolded, his tone firm but not harsh. "I told you to let her rest."
Dora rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms. "She’s been resting long enough. I just thought it was important for her to meet the people Signore has saved. And for them to meet her too, she’ll be staying with us anyways, best to let them know her now"
Salvatore sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You don’t get to decide that. She’s a guest here, not one of your little projects, Dora."
"I’m not a project," I muttered, feeling the need to defend myself even though I agreed with him.
Dora ignored both of us, grinning as she gestured toward the room. "Look at them. They’re happy to see her. Aren’t you guys?"
A few of the kids nodded eagerly, while others giggled behind their hands. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
"Fine," he muttered, sighing. "But next time, you ask me first."
Dora smirked, clearly victorious. "Whatever you say, Mr. Salvatore."
He turned to me, his expression softening. "Come on. There’s someone I want you to meet."
"Who?" I asked, but he only shook his head.
"You’ll see."
Curiosity gnawed at me as I followed him through the main house, Dora staying behind with the children. I tried not to focus on the unfamiliar surroundings, instead keeping my eyes on Salvatore’s broad back as he led me to a large wooden door at the end of the corridor.
He paused in front of it, glancing at me with an unreadable expression. "Ready?"
"For what?" I asked, growing more nervous by the second.
He didn’t answer, instead pushing the door open to reveal a man standing in the center of the room which looked like a living room.
The first thing I noticed was my suitcase, resting on the floor beside him. Relief washed over me—finally, something familiar. Vincenzo had indeed sent it over.
But then I looked at him.
He was in his forties, his sleek black hair brushed back neatly. His sharp blue eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made me freeze. He was tall and impeccably dressed, but there was something about his expression that caught me off guard.
There were tears in his eyes.
"Adriana," Salvatore said, his tone softer now. "This is Mr. Michael Carraro."
The man didn’t move at first, his gaze locked on me like he was searching for something. Finally, he took a step forward, his hand trembling slightly as he extended it toward me.
"Hi. Your name," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "What is your name?"
I hesitated, unsure of why he was so affected by my presence. I had never seen this man before and why was he here anyways? "Adriana," I said quietly.
His lips curved into a small, bittersweet smile, though the pain in his expression didn’t fade. "Adriana," he repeated, as though testing the sound of it.
I tilted my head.
Who was Michael Carraro?
