Chapter 3 Dreams Are Like Mirror Images

Please! Please! Please!" she cried in pain.

"Please!!!" she increased the pitch of her voice to know if someone would hear her and come to her rescue.

"Shut up, no one can hear you, even if they hear you, no one will come here," the boy currently having his turn in her said slapping her hard.

She kept crying and begging them to let her go but they won't listen to her as they kept taking turns raping her.

"Please," she said weakly and passed out, the guy currently taking his turn on her, noticed she was no longer breathing and became scared, "I think she's dead" he stuttered looking at the others in the room.

One of the guys rushed to her and checked her pulse "She's still breathing, but I think we should go now, she might die, her pulse isn't very strong" he said.

"But I haven't even had my turn yet... Gosh, what's this?" the last guy amongst them nagged.

"Am out, I don't want to get into trouble" the second guy said and quickly left the room, one after the other they left the room leaving her there.

**

"Mum, Mum help me" she cried walking towards their house, she was very weak and was walking as fast as her leg could carry her, she couldn't bear the pain again

"Dad, Mum, help me" she shouted, she was very weak so she couldn't increase the pitch of her voice.

She managed to make it to the doorpost but stopped when she heard a gunshot she gasped and quickly covered her mouth so she won't make any sound, she walked to the window and saw her dad laying on the floor and her mum was on her knees while one of the killers had a gun pointed on her head.

Xiomara jolted up at the sound of the gunshot, she was breathing heavily and sweating furiously, she grabbed her bedspread tightly trying to catch her breath.

She looked around taking notice of her environment, she had a sign of relief noticing she was still in her luxurious bedroom "It was a dream, it's just a dream" she calmed herself down.

"Oh you mean the same dream you have been having for a year plus now" her subconscious screamed at her.

She closed her eyes as the bright morning sun reflected its room "Why do I keep getting this dream" she thought out loud, "It's tiring" she added.

A soft knock was heard on the door interrupted her, she stared at the door and then at the clock beside her bed "oh my God" she didn't know it was this late, last night was hectic for her.

"Come in" the door cracked open revealing Yvette.

"It's morning ma'am," Yvette said.

"Am not blind you know" Xiomara replied sarcastically getting off her big king-size bed.

"The family members are here" Xiomara turned to her giving her a confusing look.

"For the family breakfast which you proposed days ago" Yvette added, she could read the look Xiomara was giving her.

"Oh! right, it's Friday already" Xiomara muttered.

"All of them?" Xiomara inquired

"Yes Richelmo was the last to arrive," Yvette said "They are all waiting at the dining table ma'am" Yvette added.

Xiomara closed her eyes touching her forehead, "I will be done in ten minutes" Xiomara said walking towards the bathroom

"Sorry to a bug in but didn't you have the same dream again" Yvette stopped Xiomara on her track.

Xiomara turned to look at Yvette "I would appreciate it if you leave me alone Yvette" her voice came very rude with lots of commands.

"Am sorry, just that I might have someone who has solu....."

"Get out" Yvette was cut short, she gulped and bowed slightly before leaving the room.

Yvette has served two bosses which made Xiomara her third boss but out of them all, Xiomara was the kindest and the most ruthless, she has a funny skill of switching characters.

"You suggested the family breakfast so I thought you would be the first on the table," Richelmo said on Xiomara's arrival at the table.

"You are no different from me, I was informed you were the last to arrive, I bet you stayed glued to your phone waiting for a cancel call," Xiomara said making Rosalia snicker.

"I guess you are still the same Xiomara Della Rocco I used to know" Richelmo scoffed staring at her.

"I don't know if that is a compliment but I would take it as one"

The maids served them food and excused themselves leaving only Yvette in the dining room.

"Rosalia, I was informed your business failed again"

"Tell me, the number of times your business failed, I already lost count," Xiomara said looking sternly look.

Rosalia stole a glance at Yvette before turning to look at Xiomara, "I can see they are tipping you off well" Rosalia said, she was sure that it was either Luca or Yvette that told Xiomara about her failed business, she did everything possible to keep it out off the press.

"Of course they do, should I show you how good they are?" Xiomara asked, Rosalia, didn't say a word as she kept staring at Xiomara, the two engaged in a staring competition for two minutes before Xiomara dropped a fat brown envelope in front of her.

"What's this?" Rosalia asked.

"It's right in front of your darling, take your time," Xiomara said smiling, Rosalia picked up the envelope and froze at the sight of what she saw.

If the Rocco family has a black sheep, Rosalia was the one, she is Richelmo's twin sister which made her the second child in the family, since Richelmo was born first, Rosalia had a wayward character of being a club stripper, a drug addict and a pornstar which wasn't good for the family reputation.

"That's how good they are," Xiomara said and Rosalia gave her a sharp look "Are you keeping tabs on me?" Rosalia asked, the pictures she was holding were pictures of her dancing at a VIP club two nights ago, pictures don't easily get linked from that club besides the club paid heavily for her service so they won't betray her that way and for Xiomara to have it, she must have placed a spy on her.

"Tabs? no am trying to preserve the family name Rosalia," Xiomara said and Rosalia scoffed.

"Preserving the family name, more like preserving your name" she muttered.

"I can hear you, am right here and am certainly not deaf" Xiomara reminded her with a big smile on her face.

"So, what are you going to do, kill me?" Xiomara snickered on hearing her, she dropped her spoon and sipped her wine.

"Why would I do that?, Don't worry Rosalia I don't have plans of killing you, at least not yet," Xiomara said.

"As for what I would do, am going to give you one more chance, you will receive some cash in your account soon, do whatever you want to do with it but just know that if I don't get good feedback on the business, and your character, am cutting you off"

Everyone present glanced at her surprised at what she just said.

"Cutting me off in what aspect?" Rosalia asked.

"You will know when you fail again, you have no idea how much this family has lost all because of you and I won't put up with your nonchalant attitude as your mother did, never," Xiomara said.

"Do not bring my late mother into this" Rosalia said getting furious

"She would be so disappointed so don't try to justify your actions Rosalia, and before I forget, you have just six months to prove yourself to me, and it's your lady chance because you won't be getting another" Xiomara paused and looked at her.

"You would be twenty-five years this year, I think you should consider getting married, I can set you up for a few blind dates" Xiomara added and Rosalia burst into laughter.

"Am not that bad you know and I certainly don't need your help to find a man, besides you are not my mother?" She said and turned to her food, she knew Xiomara called for a family breakfast to nag them, she always does that.

"And you Richelmo" Xiomara started looking at him.

"I would highly appreciate it if you did stay away from Aurelia Tomeo, she's bad news and I don't want her associated with my family," Xiomara said.

"And I would appreciate it even more if you can stop keeping tabs on me, you don't decide whom I stay or associate with, it's none of your business," Richelmo said.

"It is my business, you should watch out son if you don't want to end up like your father"

Richelmo banged his hand angrily at the table scattering Delfina and Rosalia and making the plates make noise.

"Are you threatening me?" Richelmo asked and Xiomara scoffed.

"A butterfly thinks itself a bird, don't push me by making the same mistakes your father and mother make, am still nice to you because I like you and most importantly, I consider you as my family, so better watch out," she said with a grin.

"Speaking of father, I spoke with the doctor," Richelmo said staring deeply at Xiomara while still standing.

"About?" she looked less worried and was busy with her food.

"After you visited, last weekend, his condition got worst" he paused.

"So, what's your point exactly?" Xiomara asked raising a brow at him.

The dining table become quiet and tense as the atmosphere changed completely.

"You seem to have a lot of time free from your schedule, you now go for hospital visitation," Xiomara said breaking the long stare.

"He's my father!" his tone was rather too high.

"I didn't say otherwise" Xiomara snapped. Richelmo stared at her for a while before storming out of the dining room, he had had enough of Xiomara for the day.

"Mum" Delfina spoke for the first time since the family breakfast started.

"Yes darling" Xiomara replied turning her attention to her.

"Can I talk to you about something" she stuttered every syllable as if she was scared of talking.

"Sure, anything," Xiomara said smiling.

"I read the tabloid this morning, Assemblyman Borreli is dead," Delfina said with a calm sad tone.

"Oh is he?" Xiomara commented

"He died alongside his family in a fire outbreak, the tabloid says you were the last to visit him," Delfina said.

"Is that true?" Delfina stuttered.

"I think you should focus more on your studies honey and quit reading the tabloid, they lie"

"But?" Delfina stopped halfway looking at her mum, she's just seventeen years and the youngest child in the Rocco family and of course, Xiomara's biological child.

"Nevermind," she said focusing on her food, Xiomara glanced at her and then at Yvette.