5 Chapter 5

The whole table was quiet and Lucia had started to play with her food. Antonio was still scowling as he finished his breakfast. 

"You should have kept her here," said Antonio angrily.

"I want my children to have their own choice no matter how I hate it," said Lucia looking at her brother.

Hendrick respects this woman as the Don but he had to agree with Antonio for this. Lucia should have kept her daughter in New York. Serena could have been together with him if she had stayed. They might have already married and have a few kids. Heirs for his own 'family'.

"She's part of this family, that means she belongs to our business," said Antonio. 

"You're forgetting that my daughter is also Evans," said Thomas quietly, "And Serena's right, we don't want to end up being hunted by law enforcement or in prison,".

"Oh shut up, Thomas.. This is actually your fault," said Philippa suddenly.

"Excuse me? And why is it my fault?," asked Thomas indignantly. 

"If you hadn't left, my niece could be together with all of us, our father could still be alive," replied Philippa. 

"What do you mean?," asked William.

All of them had looked at Lucia who finally put down her fork and knife on her plate. She took a deep breath before starting to explain.

"For the past five months, papa has been sending his best guards to look after Serena in England," Lucia told them, "We receive threats and the worst is, they send her picture to us in a café with her two friends,".

"Little did we know, it's actually a trap for papa," said Philippa, "While we were focusing on the safety of our niece, the enemy went straight to papa and ended his life,".

"The men in suits..," said Thomas, "Those are yours, right?,".

"Yeah..," Antonio replied, "Now you know,".

They were silent for a while until the sound of crowded footsteps and chattering sounds passed in front of the dining room. Hendrick and Hans pushed their chairs and stood up.

"They've arrived for the meeting," said Hendrick looking up at them, "We'll see you guys in the meeting room,".

Both of them walk out from the dining room while the Verdino stays for a while to explain some more to the Evans. Soon, Serena and Elizabeth came back downstairs wearing casual clothes and headed straight outside where the drivers are waiting for them next to a black SUV. Just as Serena climbed inside, the entrance door opened and Scott hurried to them and went inside the car as well.

"Wow.. I don't know if you like shopping, Scott," said Serena looking surprised, "You really have changed,". 

"Oh shut up, mom, send me to be your guard," replied Scott meekly.

"Awwwhhh.. Scotty's our babysitter," cooed aunt Elizabeth, "Looks like someone finally grew up,".

She pinched Scott's cheek and Scott struggled to free himself from aunt Elizabeth while the driver tried so hard not to laugh as he drove the car towards the gate. 

"Aunt Lizzie..," Scott groaned as he rubbed his cheek which had turned red. 

"So you're not joining the meeting?," asked Serena, "I thought you and Stefano are mom's best lieutenant,".

"Mom said your safety is much more important, and I agree," Scott replied, "And besides, I already know what mom's gonna say,".

"What is she going to say?," she looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

Scott shifted in his seat trying to look away.

"Scott," Serena called him.

"Grandfather's murderer, planning for counter attack.. And your safety," said Scott slowly. 

"My safety? I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much," Serena glared at him. 

"Well, you're not actually," said Scott and he start explaining about their grandfather's assassination.

Both Serena and Elizabeth were speechless. 

"He sent those men to protect me?," whispered Serena, "Wow.. I don't know what to say,".

"He really loves you, you know," Scott turned around in his seat to look at her, "He'll do anything to protect his family,".

Serena looked at the scenery outside of the car sadly. The last time she spoke to her grandfather was the day she left New York and it wasn't a nice conversation. 

"I'm sorry, Scott," Serena leaned her head on the glass window.

"Serena, you didn't know," Scott replied reassuringly.

"No.. I'm sorry for not talking to you, Stefano, and mom in all those years," said Serena, "I was.. I don't know, maybe angry because mom chose the gang over us,".

"It's alright, sis. I understand," Scott replied, "You did come back though,".

"For grandfather's funeral," Serena gazed outside, sadly, "He died because it's my fault,".

"Stop it, Serena," his head whirl around looking at her, "He died because he wants you to be safe, he wants you to live your life without fearing being killed,".

Tears finally flow down from Serena's eyes. Aunt Lizzie who sat next to her put her arms around Serena's shoulder pulling her into a hug. The car finally stopped in front of Fifth Avenue, they took a moment to straighten up and Serena wiped her tears and made sure there were no eyeliner streaks on her face. They barely got out of the car when Serena noticed two black cars approaching, windows sliding down and a few tips of machine guns coming out aiming at them.

"Scott!! Aunt Lizzie!! Get Down," Serena screamed as she pushed aunt Lizzie to duck down.

The sound of machine guns bullets rain on the SUV, surprisingly only cracking the glass of the window. Screams were heard around them as pedestrians and people outside of the vehicles ran for their lives. 

"Get out of the car!!," Scott yelled and pulled the driver towards his side of the door.

Serena followed behind Elizabeth crawling out as bullets still rattling out from the cars that attacked them. Scott took out his gun and shot back while the driver took out his phone calling for backup.

"Scott!! Give me your other gun," Serena shouted at him. 

Scott throws his other gun at her and continues shooting back at the enemies.

"Aunt Lizzie, I need you to run and get inside the building," said Serena as she checks the bullets inside the gun, "I'll cover you,".

Elizabeth looked at her with wide eyes. 

"Serena, you have to go with her," Scott shouted at her.

"And leave you two to deal with it? Fuck, no," Serena yelled back and turn back to look at her aunt, "Ready?,".

Her aunt nodded and Serena readied the gun.

"Now!!," Serena screamed and started shooting at the cars as her aunt ran inside Fifth Avenue dodging every bullet. 

She shoots and reloads, taking the extra bullets from the driver as three of them fight back. Her bullets must have hit a target when she heard a painful shout coming from one of the cars.

"Good shot!!," Scott beamed at her.

"You hit his head," shouted the driver who Serena learned that his name is Alves, gleefully as he took aim again.

They continued to fight back until sirens were heard coming in their way. At once, the machine guns stop and the people in the cars that were attacking them suddenly open their doors and push out three bodies on the curb before speeding off in the opposite direction. Serena stood up and ran on the road to get a glimpse of the plate number of the car and aim her gun. Smiling to herself, she shot hitting at the back tire one of the cars, causing the vehicle to sway before turning over and spinning, throwing the driver out. The car came to a halt after it crashed at a fire hydrant, raining everyone around with water. 

"What the hell.. How did you learn to shoot like that?," asked Scott as he and Alves stood next to her. 

"Dad made me take a shooting class since I was fifteen," she replied, "Come on, it's not over yet. Alves, can you go and check on the driver? I don't think he's alive,".

Alves went to check on the driver's body while both Serena and Scott walked towards the crashed car cautiously, their hands still on their guns. As they reached the wreckage, few police cars had arrived.

"Drop your weapons, and raise your hands," said one of the policemen through a speaker.

Three of them dropped their guns on the ground, raised their hands and turned around. They looked at each other and Scott grinned at his sister.

"What..," she frowned.

"This is the best shopping experience in my entire life, I mean apart from watching Stefano push our great grandfather to Armani in a wheelchair where he dropped his fake teeth in front of the hot cashier," he smirked crossing his hand behind his head.

"Oh God.. Just shut up, Scott," Serena groaned.

Ambulances started to arrive as the police handcuffed all three of them and took aunt Lizzie's statement. So much for a shopping spree.