Introduction - A Few Years Ago

***Author's Note:

To read this book, you have to read the first three books of the series.

The Enrique twins and the only Enrique daughter, are back as young adults. More adventures involving the Mafia, love, danger etc, await them.

Note:  I couldn't find the best twins with black hair (to match the ones from book 3), because they're hard to find.

The ones I found were either too muscular, or too old, too young, too short, or different head shapes 🙇. And so, I had to go with twins that have brown hair. We'll just have to deal with it. It's better than blonde***.

***

(The 18yr old twins, shortly after their return from Chicago.)

Writer's POV:

The twins sat quietly, waiting for their psychologist.

So far, they'd already had several therapies with the doctor after their experience in Chicago, as captives of Ricardo.

This therapy was meant for Lorenzo Enrique most especially, given how overly sensitive the teen was. He was that twin of the two that had a harder time controlling his emotions when things turned out the wrong way.

However, Anthonio deemed it necessary that Alejandro follow the same therapy. Alejandro had willingly agreed to this because he wanted to be by his twin's side. And yes, Lorenzo needed his brother with him and that was why both had refused private and individual therapies.

~

"How are you two feeling today?" the doctor asked the Enrique twins who lay each on two sofas.

"Not bad." both replied in a chorus, staring at the ceiling.

"Good." the doctor sat up, "We've had several sessions already and I want to know how you feel. Are you better? Have you gotten over what happened in Chicago?"

"I have." Alejandro replied.

"I have, too. It never really bothered me as I'd mentioned earlier."

"The kidnapping or the girls?" the doctor asked knowingly, "Have you gotten over the girls."

"Somehow." Lorenzo replied dryly.

"Maybe." Alejandro replied in turn.

The doctor nodded and noted something down.

"Why maybe, Alejandro?" he asked the twin.

Alejandro chuckled for a reason he ignored.

"I don't know. I don't think I want to get over her." he replied casually.

"Maude?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Maybe because she's the first girl I've ever really loved."

The doctor noted some more.

"I see." he went on, "But do you want to forget her?"

"Yes. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me anymore, so," he shrugged, "I might as well move on and live my life."

"That's positive. A step ahead, indeed." the doctor noted, "And Lorenzo?"

"Yes?" Enzo replied.

"You replied 'somehow'  when I asked about the girls. In a rather dry manner that intrigues me."

"I have gotten over her in a some way. That's what I mean." he replied firmly.

"What way?"

"What do you want me to tell you?" the twin frowned at the ceiling, "I feel like my love for her has reduced a great deal since we began this therapy."

The doctor nodded and noted. Then he spoke again.

"I hear anger in your tone, Lorenzo. Annoyance. You weren't like this during any of our previous sessions."

Alejandro looked at his twin, concerned and worried about what the doctor was now saying. Lorenzo kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Why the change? Why the annoyance? Tell me what's hurting or bothering you."

"I think I hate her." Lorenzo blurted out to his brother's surprise.

"Reena?" the doctor asked.

"Yes."

He noted down what he was observing.

"What makes you think so, Lorenzo?"

Lorenzo shrugged a little.

"I don't know. I feel like the least she could've done, after betraying me, was to stay in contact with me." the twin muttered.

"But she didn't betray you intentionally, Lorenzo. A few sessions ago, you mentioned the fact that you respected her decision of wanting to stay out of the dangerous world you live in, for good. What made you change your mind?"

"I just realised that it isn't easy to respect her decision." he muttered in reply.

"But you have to, in order to get this bitterness out and move on."

"I know."

"Then? Start by freeing yourself of all negative emotions. You need it if you have to move on, like your brother is."

Lorenzo was silent.

"I'll try."

"Don't try. Make sure you do."

Lorenzo stared at the ceiling while his twin stared at him.

"If I do," Lorenzo started.

"Yes?"

"I hope I never see her again." he stated casually.

Alejandro continued to stare at him while the doctor nodded and noted some more.

"The world can be a tiny place." the doctor said to him, "What if you see her one day?"

Lorenzo frowned in silence.

"Lorenzo I need you to liberate yourself in such a way that if ever you two meet again, it won't affect you in any way. You'll be completely indifferent."

"You're probably right." Lorenzo sighed and sat up, looking quite tired. Alejandro sat up too.

"It's definitely better that way."

"Got it." Lorenzo replied and they both stood.

The doctor checked his watch.

"We have ten more minutes." he told them.

"Oh really?" Alejandro mused a little, "I think Lorenzo needs to rest."

The doctor stared at the twins silently.

"Ciao, doc." Alejandro added and grabbed Lorenzo's arm before leading him out of the office.

~~

They walked up to their car on the parking lot.

"You okay?" Al asked his twin, unlocking the car with its control.

"Yeah." Enzo smiled to reassure his twin.

Both opened their doors and entered the car. They fastened their seatbelts and Alejandro started the car.

"What's this issue about hating Reena?" Alejandro dared to ask as he drove them out the parking and into the beautiful streets of Rome.

"You heard what I told the doctor, Al. I don't wanna talk about it." Lorenzo replied calmly.

"Well, I didn't like the sound of what you told him." Alejandro said firmly, "It's like you still don't realise that when you're down, I get down too."

"It's fine, Al." Lorenzo looked at his twin, "I've taken the psychologist's words into consideration. I'll follow his advice cuz he's right. Don't worry."

Alejandro nodded and looked ahead, again.

"If you don't, I'll break your nose. I mean it." he threatened rather seriously, "That'll force some common sense into your head."

Lorenzo stared at his twin and then turned to look out his window, amused and hiding a smile.

He would've definitely said and done same if he'd been in Alejandro's shoes. Use sympathy and calmness at first, but if the other remained stubborn to what was supposed to be good for his wellbeing, the other twin would then use threats or force. Amusingly, it'd worked more than once.

They were very alike, yet very different.

*

Noemi on the other hand was the only one who'd not really been affected by the issue with Ricardo. She was able to get back on her feet and focus more on finishing highschool.

The only regret she had was Dino. They'd not even had the time to talk seriously and he'd already been sent to Belgium. Though the twins were still in contact with him, she decided not to be because she really just wanted to finish school and to her, speaking with Dino would distract her because she had real feelings for him. She'd explained it to him on phone once and got to see that the feeling was mutual.

However, Dino had understood her not wanting to stay in contact but never failed to send a greeting through her cousins.

***

To his family's relief, Lorenzo with time completely got over the hating Reena stage. Even before they turned nineteen, the boys were done with Maude and Reena for good. They left it to their past and focused on getting their degrees and training in the Mafia.

So far, everything was perfect.

~~

By twenty, the boys had had their degrees while Lèaina, who had been sent to college in Pisa, was close to getting hers.

It was at this time that the boys were finally sent to take care of missions or businesses for their fathers. They were always accompanied by one more person, most of the time an older member of the Mafia, just in case. They were still very young in the business and their fathers would only let them handle business solely when they would turned twenty four or so. Then, Lèaina would begin hers when she would turn twenty and with time, be given sole responsibilities.

Her father had wanted to keep her out of the dangerous family business but the girl had decided to follow in her mother's footsteps. She'd promised to herself that she would never be as helpless and defenseless as she'd been, back when she and her cousins had been kidnapped by Ricardo.

~

And so it was. By twenty, the twins had began proving themselves to be capable of handling mafia businesses, though under supervision.

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