Shock

Marcella stopped a taxi and got in. Aiden got in with her. Marcella couldn't care less. She gave the address of Paul Romano's residence.

Paul Romano's house was on the Upper East Side. The traffic tested her patience. But Aiden's voice irritated her more. He's been asking her for the past thirty minutes if she had any idea about this and that. He didn't stop questioning her although she answered "Don't know" to all of his questions.

She didn't know if he was being an ass purposefully or if he was that dumb. She wanted to push him into the traffic just to stop hearing his voice.

But she didn't have the luxury to go to jail now. She has to see her sister.

"Is this a good idea to visit Paul Romano? That guy didn't let you visit your sister when she was alive. He's not~"

"I know. Will you please shut up?" She snapped at him.

Aiden waved his hand in a surrendering motion. 'Don't get mad. I'm just worried for you…"

Marcella felt bad for snapping at him seeing his apologetic face. He must have work and yet he is here to support her. She would be better alone, but his thought counted.

Ah, it's Aiden. He probably has his own agenda. But he's here, right?

Marcella's head hurt as she contemplated. She couldn't trust Aiden but she didn't want to be nasty to him when all he did was try to be supportive.

"Sorry… just leave me in my thoughts, Aiden. I know you want to support me, but, please… My sister is…"

She couldn't control her tears. Burying her head in her hands, she started to sob. Aiden patted her back.

"It's okay… It'll be fine…"

Aiden spoke in a soothing voice. They reached the exquisite brownstone mansion. There were security personnel standing by the door. There were also some people arriving probably to say their condolences in person.

Paul Romano is a big shot in the city. Everyone would want to make his acquaintance.

She joined the group that was entering. They reached the foyer with no problem. In the foyer, there was security patting down the people. Although no one looked impressed by getting treated like a criminal, no one complained.

No one but Aiden. "I told you! I don't carry! How dare you touch me…! I'm Senator Bobart's Chief of Staff. It's not a good demonstration to treat Senator Bobart's right-hand man like a lowly drug runner!" he voiced his opinion.

No one cared.

Marcella worried if the noise Aiden was making would draw attention to them but she didn't see anyone she recognized anywhere.

From the foyer, they were asked to take the stairs to meet Paul Romano whose office was on the second floor.

Marcella was surprised no one recognized her. She sighed in relief as she took the stairs. It is best if she could meet and talk with Paul Romano. He might be gracious to her in these tough times.

She only got to the third stair when she heard someone shout from the drawing room on the first floor. She recognized the voice but she couldn't see his face as it was obscured by the flowing curtain.

"Stop her!"

The next moment, she saw a bunch of men running at her with their guns drawn at her. The others who were in front of her raised her hands. The men waved their guns at them gesturing for them to keep moving.

"Bambi, Bambi… I applaud you for your guts. Get down! You cannot "

The man who recognized her first stepped out of the room. He didn't even bother to draw his gun out and he had a cigar in his mouth.

Marcella clenched her hands to balls. His conceited, fake-caring tone was not the one that made her angry.

"Ah… Judas Iscariot…" Marcella smirked.

This man, no, she wouldn't place him equal to humans. He's a worthless worm who was lower than a snake's underbelly.

Mark Paulo—The man who used to be her father's right-hand man.

And yet, he betrayed her father and testified against her father in court. Her father got indicted because of him. But even his testimony couldn't give the court enough proof to convict her father.

Her father was not convicted. The court ruled that her father did nothing illegal.

Her father left the court that day with a bright smile knowing that he had won. And on the stairs of the court, he was shot to death.

She still believed it was one of Mark Paulo's men who did that.

Mark would have known that her father wouldn't let him live in peace. SO when he saw that her father was not going to be sent to jail, he decided to kill him.

But what is he doing in the Romano residence?

What is her father's betrayer doing in her sister's in-law's house?

It was public knowledge who Mark Paulo was. It's not like Paul Romano didn't know how Mark betrayed her father.

She was shocked beyond belief.

Paul Romano refused to allow her to attend her father's funeral because he was that "loyal" to Don DeAngelo, he hated the daughter he hated.

And yet, the guy who betrayed Don DeAngelo is sitting in the drawing room, taking care of the security details?

Marcella could see that nothing is what it appears to be. She could sense some conspiracy.

She got alert.