Chapter 13

Jessica's POV

I felt someone hug me and as much as I wanted to shake them away, I couldn't. I just let that person pat me in the back and allow me to cry. I don't know for how long I've cried but I was a mess by the time I stopped crying.

I looked at two necklaces that I've been fumbling all along. When I realized there was something inside the necklace, I looked inside to find a rolled paper. I took it out and unfolded it. It looked like a letter and I opened it with my eyes starting to tear up again.

To my daughter.

If you're reading this letter, I am already dead. I am not afraid of death. What I am afraid of is that I won't be there to wipe your tears away from you as you read this letter and watch you grow. All I wish is that you're alive and living well. I know it's weird that I am writing this letter when you're just an infant but it's better to be prepared, right?

If you don't know what I am talking about, I am sure either your dad or your uncle can clear it up. But if there is no one to clarify it, then just remember that you're the true heir of Italian mafia.

If you've been living a life where you have never been involved in this business, I am sure it will be alot for you to take in but I hope you can take over one day and continue to run the empire your dad and I have built. But it's fine if you don't want to because it's all upto you since it's your life.

I want to write thousands of paragraphs, telling you how much I would love to be with you and watch you grow. If me and your dad don't seem to be with you at the moment you are reading this letter, I truly apologize for being the horrible parents we are. I know that my apology can't do anything but I truly mean it. I really wish to be there with you, watching you grow, make friends, go to the school you want, do the work you want, see you smile...

By any chance, if you happen to get involved in the mafia and you find out the people who killed us, I don't want you risking your life, avenging us. You have to live happily on your own, living the life you want. Everyone has to die at some point and I guess our times came just earlier than normal people. Since your dad and I are doing a dangerous job, risking everything.

I am gonna enjoy every day I live so that I won't regret not living happily when my time comes. But no matter what, I will always regret leaving you here alone on your own. Looks like I will have to end it here.

Remember, just because we aren't there next to you doesn't make you an orphan because we will always watch you from above. Hopefully. Take good care of yourself on behalf of your mom and dad because we will always be watching your every step from above. I love you so so so much.

From your beloved mom, Patricia Knight

By the time I was done reading, I was crying my eyes out, again. Don't ask me where I store all these tears because honestly, I have no idea. I've never cried this much in my life. Reading the letter from my mom, who had been dead for two decades, someone who I so much want to meet, tell her how I feel right now, wishing that she was always there beside me, watching me grow and all the things you would actually want from a parent and the emotions I've never felt before surged through my veins.

I cried and cried, imagining how my life would have turned out if they weren't dead and were standing next to me, watching me graduate from my dream university which made me cry more and more.

I calmed down hours later and the food was cold but I didn't give them a second glance. I looked at Damon and Kate with puffy red eyes.

"I wasn't very keen on the idea of your dad building the mafia but I supported his decision. Because I wasn't interested in mafia stuff, I stayed out of the things your dad and mom were doing back then."

"I never meddled in your parent's business but I was left with no choice when the mafia crumbled down after Russian mafia's attack. And I believe this would prove the fact that I am not lying. You're my niece." He reached something from his leather laptop bag, took it out and handed it to me.

"What is this?" I asked him, sniffling, and opened the big envelope. "It's a DNA test proving that you aren't our biological daughter. I figured you would ask me to prove it so I asked one of my men to go through it as soon as we arrived."

It stated we had an uncle/aunt/niece relationship. I looked at another paper to look that the possibility of me and Scotts were even less.

"How did you get this DNA test?" "The test result was out half an hour ago and I might have plucked a few strands of your and Scotts' hair."

He spoke with a sheepish smile that didn't reach his eyes and I read the whole document which was followed by a loud sigh from me. I dropped the test results on the table and tugged my hair. I didn't care my hair was a mess right now because I was sure that my life was much messier than my hair.

I was contemplating whether I should really trust Damon. After talking to my angel and devil about pros and cons, I decided to give it a go because I can always quit if I wanted to.

Besides, I think it's just good to learn some extra skills in defending myself. I can always back away if I think my choice was wrong because I am the one who decides what goes on in my life. No one can control my life except me.

Even though my mom didn't want me to spend my life avenging them, they surely don't deserve to be dead just because they decided to build an empire and do the work they loved. They are the ones who gave birth to me after all and they deserve justice.

"So, I think I might accept your offer. I can't promise you that I will take good care of the empire but I will give it a try." I looked at Damon and his eyes sparkled and his face held numerous expressions.

"Thank you so much Jessica. I will let you know about how things work in a week from now. Till then, you can hang out with Fiona and Kate. Now, I think it's enough with all business talk. Let's dig in." He motioned for me to eat when three waiters brought new dishes and laid them down on the table before leaving.

"I am sure I will love spending my time with Kate and Fiona for the week." I smiled at them and the night went lovely. We joked, talked, drank and ate the whole night.

I checked my wrist watch to see it was 10. We stopped eating and focused on drinking for the last two hours. Kate and Fiona emptied six wine bottles while I just emptied a glass.

They were obviously drunk and were sleeping in the next room. I had to drink with Damon the whole time and he told me his childhood memories he shared with my dad.

"You know, the last time I was this drunk was at your parents' wedding." He poured himself another glass of whiskey and made his way towards me.

"You have no idea how happy I was when I heard that the bloodline of Michel Knight was alive. I have never felt so happy in years and felt so guilty for not searching for you earlier. You know, I am not prepared for all the tantrums your dad and mom are gonna throw at me when I meet them afterlife." Damon sat right next to me and sipped his drink again.

"Will you forgive me for not searching for you earlier? I feel like the worst uncle on this planet." he chuckled and lowered his head, deep in his thought and blaming himself.

I sighed and decided to lighten up his mood by clinking my wine glass with his whiskey glass. "Cheers! Bottom's up!" He smiled at me and drank the whole whiskey while I barely took a sip. I didn't want to deal with my emotions with alcohol because I know that I am strong enough to deal with my problems.

"You know, I don't blame you for whatever you've done and haven't done. One, because it's not going to change anything. So, you don't have to feel guilty. Two, I am sure my dad and mom wouldn't blame you for what you did so I don't blame you. Can I get a hug from my uncle for the first time?" Damon grinned and welcomed me with open arms. I smiled and hugged him.

I thought James and Riley were my biological parents and thought their hugs were what parental hugs and love felt like but now that everything has changed, it's my first time hugging someone who was related to my real parents. I wiped a tear that fell without me knowing and tried to lift Damon off me when I heard a light snore.

"Damon?" There wasn't any response and I groaned. I lifted his heavy body off me, dragged him to the next room and threw him on the bed next to Kate. I was glad we had dinner in a hotel because I didn't want to carry their heavy asses back home.