Chapter 4 A Part of the Truth

Elena's Gustaw pov

I could barely make out what was going on, as I had been placed behind Luca, who had a very broad back.

I could only hear the gunshots ringing out from a distance. Oddly, I wasn't scared because growing up in the Gustaw family, bullet was a familiar and occurring sound to me. I heard them so much when I was young that it became a normal occurrence, though never comfortable.

Had Kitana really carried out her threat to stop the wedding?' I thought to myself. 'No! She wouldn't have been so crazy as to have men enter into her father's estate. How did they enter unnoticed, by the way?'

Luca shot at one of the gunmen, blood spilling on his suit. Then turned to me and whispered, "Can you run in that gown?"

"Yes, I can."

"Alright. Do you see that Rolls-Royce over there? I will count to four and at the fourth count, we'll make a run for that car. Capische?"

Before I could answer him, Luca turned towards his security personnel and some members of the Moretti mafia clan to also give them instructions.

He started counting loudly and they all made a circular formation around him and me.

"One.....two......three......four!"

At the fourth count, everyone started running towards the car, still in the formation and shooting at any attacker in sight.

We entered the car safely with two security details at the front; the others rushed into two other black cars, and then the three cars zoomed fast out of the Gustaw estate with Luca's car in the middle.

Hours Later****

I woke up panting, my heart thumping hard against my chest. One would think they wore boxing gloves.

I had a scary nightmare, something about running, but it was hazy now and when I woke up, I realized that I was in a strange room.

The room smelled really nice but it had a male scent and it looked luxuriously furnished for a male. I wondered whose room she was in until I saw Luca's portrait fixed on the wall.

I said to myself, "I must have fallen asleep on the ride here because I was still in my wedding dress.

I stood up when I heard loud voices outside the door and wanted to ignore them, but a statement caught my attention: "What if her father staged the shooting so he would disrupt the wedding?"

I quickly came down from the bed and headed towards the door but halfway there, I decided that the wedding gown was too bothersome and would give me away immediately.

So I quickly took off the gown, headed to Luca's walk-in closet and picked out a black tee shirt and joggers pants.

They were very big but more manageable than the wedding gown. I moved outside quietly, with bare feet and hid behind a pillar.

The voice I had heard before started talking "All I'd like to know is, how exactly did a group of black-clad shooters enter into a heavily guarded estate unknown to everyone? The wedding took place in a tent that was located inside the estate. That is close to the family mansion, deep inside the estate and no one saw these men come in? How?"

"I agree with Diego, Luca. Something is not right and we have to find out what it is to be sure that we didn't bring trouble with us when we signed up for this marriage deal."

"I hope my father is happy, as he finally got what he wanted. When he found out Antonio Gustaw's secret, I told him to report it to the other families or let it go. It was a long time ago but my father had to set his greedy claws on the Gustaws and I got a wife for it, all in the name of a f*cking alliance. I hate all of this. It's just as you said, Romano. How sure are we that the Gustaws will not plan something nasty because of this union or maybe they've already started carrying out the plan with all that?"

I could not bear having my family's name smeared badly so I pushed the door open and said, "Have you thought about other reasons why shooters would attend your wedding aside from the fact that they could be from my family? They could be from anyone-my family, your family, karma ripping you or even an angry ex who doesn't want you to get married. There are numerous reasons so you should not just pin it on mine alone."

The three men in the study stared at me in shock but Luca recovered first "Were you eavesdropping? What are you insinuating with your little speech and why the hell are you wearing my clothes?" he asked the last question with an amused expression in his eyes.

Emboldened by the amusement I saw in his eyes, I replied, "I wouldn't call it eavesdropping because I could also hear you from the next room. Secondly, I insinuated what I said, then I borrowed your clothes because the gown was uncomfortable."

The other two men in the room looked at Luca, then me. They gave each other knowing looks and smiles, then said, "We have to go meet the others now, Luca; please excuse us."

I watched Luca wave them away and wondered what the looks and smiles were all about.

I moved towards him and said, "Can you give me some updates, please? How is my family?"

"Your family has almost cost us our lives and why the hell are you in my study without knocking or even getting approval to come in? He asked, irritation evident in his eyes.

"My family cost you your life? I told you that it could be an angry ex of yours or the greed of your father, as you put it. I am here because I'd like to get an update about my family. Where's my phone? My belongings?"

"Your mouth! Your smarty mouth!" Luca said angrily, then calmed himself down and said, "Your family is safe. Some of them suffered some injuries and three security personnel at the gate died but other than that, everyone else is fine. I will send someone to go over and bring your phone and other items immediately."

Relief washed over me after hearing that my family was safe. I turned like I was about to leave the room but I suddenly remembered the secret they talked about earlier so I stood behind me lost in thoughts.

"What secrets are they talking about?"

Luca turned and saw me still standing in the room, "What are you still doing here? I believe I have answered all the questions you asked. Is there something else you want?"

"Well, yes, but I will ask that after this first question. What secret does my father have that made him agree to this marriage alliance? What did he do?"

"Well, you should ask your father that, and not me. I am sure you heard during the conversation with my most trusted men that I didn't even mention the secret to them so who are you in the grand scheme of things?"

"Just answer the damn question and stop being so uptight."

Luca's eyes tightened and I knew he was about to give me an angry retort but I was already bracing myself to give a clapback but it never came as a soft knock on the door interrupted us.

One of the guards poked his head in, "Your parents are here, Mr. Moretti."

Luca looked at the him in confusion and frowned, "My parents? They've never... what are they doing here?"