"There is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief" -Aeschylus- *** Phoebe's P.O.V I feel sick to my stomach. I never intended for any of this to happen. It's not my fault! I am totally innocent. It wasn't my fault that they wanted to take me to the place I have always dreamed of and it's not my fault that any of this happened. I watch as the police begin isolating the incident spot, my sister holds my hand tightly as I cry on her shoulder. Both of us are the only survivors of this tragic accident that kills four other people. And two of them are my parents. The police began guiding us and some paramedic stuff runs toward our way. They bring us into an ambulance as we make our way to the nearest hospital. I cry the whole way there. What should I do? I ask myself. The car crashed as soon as it saw a truck and it moved over to the forest area where two people were walking by, and our car lost control and hit them, while crashing on the tree and flipped over at the same time. My sister holds my hand and she has a wound on her head, but since the two of us are at the passenger seat, with seatbelt on, we didn't hit the car's front window like our parents. Just like that, just like that, they are gone. If only, if only I didn't ask them, but then again, it's not my fault. It's never my fault. "Nooooo!" "Noooo!" I scream as I suddenly hear the door slams open, awakening me from my sleep. "What the hell!?" I hear a voice enters the room and I see walking in Edgar along with Viktor following him from the back. I slowly open my eyes and try to move my body around and sit up on the bed. I can feel myself sweating, and my breath sounds heavier than usual. It takes a moment for me to gain my composure back and I run my hands through my hair and slowly taking a deep breath. These two men keep on staring with me for a moment, before I take a glance at them first. "Why did you scream like that? It's heard to the living room, you know." Edgar speaks looking a bit pissed off. I look down and try to not mind his harsh tone, as I slowly reply. "I was having a nightmare, that's all." He sighs and tries to read me. I just hope he would stop doing that because I'm starting to feel uncomfortable. "Whatever, now, you haven't had breakfast, right? We'll be waiting for you on the dining table." My eyes widen and I stare at him in a slightly surprised expression. He notices it too and stare back at me. "What?" He asks in a monotone. "Wait, I'm invited for breakfast? Seriously?" He turns his head away, not trying to answer my question, and just speaks in his usual low tone. "Be quick." With that, he leaves the room, and Viktor is grinning the whole time, and before he leaves, he turns his head to mine and speaks. "Well, it seems like someone's getting on his soft spot." I don't understand what he is saying but before I can really ask, he has left already. Sometimes I wonder, are all Mafia members having some kind of bipolar traits? Because so far, this one does. I try to get up from the cloudy bed, because this bed is very comfortable, it just sucks how I had a nightmare on the first night of sleeping here. When I finally have the strength to walk, I head on to the shower and have a quick shower, and then I brush my teeth and tie up my hair in a high ponytail. I sigh as I look at my own reflection in the mirror. I still Donny believe that any of these is even real, but right now I have to deal with it. I change into a t shirt and a shorts and head out to the dining room which is located a few steps from the living room, and right across the kitchen. When I arrive there, everyone is already there, and there is one guy that I have only seen once since I arrive here. I think his name is Nikolai or something, and he gives me a smile which makes me feel a bit cautious, even though it's a genuine one. "What is she doing here?" Ivan gives me a stern glare, clearly showing his displeasure with my presence. Matvey smirks at me and Viktor just laugh at Ivan's reaction, meanwhile Edgar is looking as expressionless as usual as he turns his head at me. "If I'm not welcomed here, I'll just leave." I tell them truthfully, as I'm about to make my way out from the dining room, but as I turn my body, I hear voice speaking. "No, stay, you can eat with us" I turn around and see Nikolai standing up and smiling at me. I look at the rest of the boys, Viktor and Matvey are just grinning as they look at their food and Ivan is the only one who looks uncomfortable, meanwhile Edgar has no expression on. Well, maybe it's four against one, so maybe I'm okay. I walk toward them and sit next to Nikolai, because he seems the nicest of them all, but this seat is also right besides Edgar, for he sits on the top edge of the table. I don't know why the arrange the table like this, basically the two seats near Edgar are empty. "Oh, you better not sit in there, it's-" Viktor is about to say something but he's cut by Edgar's voice. "It's fine." which makes everyone in the room looks surprised except for, well, me. I try to not mind it so much and look at the plate in front of me. It's some classic Syrniki, a cottage cheese dumpling kind of food. It's a Russian style breakfast. And it's the first time I try this kind of food, so I'm excited to try it. I begin eating in peace while still noticing all eyes are on me. Well, this breakfast is delicious indeed, I wonder who cooks this meal? As I'm eating, an old lady enters the room, and she looks like one of those head of housemaid, but she has a warm expression on her face. "I brought tea for you all." She speaks and everyone in the room nods. She begins pouring tea to everyone and then it's my turn. "Here is your tea." She says gently at me, and I smile at her as I murmur a small thanks. "Have some tea, Edgar." She pours the tea on Edgar's cup. "Thank you, Anna." He actually thanks someone for the first time. It's surprising. She politely nods and leaves the room as soon as she is done. "Today, we're going to retrieve our weapon back, get ready." Edgar begins speaking, and I try to not get involved in their conversation as I take a sip from my tea. "Are we going to one of their headquarter in Moscow?" Nikolai asks him and he nods. "Bring a hundred of our man, it will be enough to take care of his men, as soon as we get the weapons, retreat, we don't want to lose more of our men, not until I'm truly fighting Pietro Beneventi himself." The men nod and as soon as I finish my food, I try to excuse myself, and I can feel their stare at me. Still, I keep on walking like I don't notice them. "Are you just going to let her wander around freely in this house, Edgar?" I can hear Ivan groans unhappily. "She wouldn't dare to escape, but if she does, I'll handle her myself." "She might be dangerous." Ivan insists. "If your definition of dangerous is having such a beautiful face and alluring body, then yes, she is dangerous." Matvey speaks in a teasing tone, making Ivan groan in frustration. He really doesn't like me, does he? "I can assure you, she is harmless." Edgar speaks again in a final tone, which shuts everyone up. As I walk away, I meet the maid I saw earlier. I believe her name is Anna because that's what Edgar calls her. She smiles at me and I try to greet her. "You must be Phoebe, right? The lady they took in?" She asks me with a gentle expression. "Yes, that would be me." I tell her. "You are certainly a fine lady, I'm sorry you have to be involved in all of these." I shake my head. "Please, don't be, it's their fault." "But I have to apologize in the behalf of my young master and I know that you are a good lady, you don't deserve this, I heard they even locked you on the basement prison for a week, that place is horrible." "Yes, it was, I thought I was going to die in there, but for no particular reason, I was moved into a decent room, so I guess I don't feel as suffocated now." "I will be there if you ever need anything." She smiles reassuringly at me. "Thank you, I would really need that." She excuses herself and I'm now lost. What should I do now? I'm kind of scared to wander around because there are many dangerous looking men here, and some of them may do something to me, so the best idea is to get back to my room. When I'm about to get back to my room, Edgar walks toward my way and gives me a meaningful look which leaves me confused, and then he moves his hand to my hair, and then he whisper slowly to my ear. "You left this." he says as he puts something on my hand. My lucky charm. I thought I lost it here. So all along, it's with him? I can feel my cheeks slightly redden as his hands touches mine. "Thank you."