The Surrogates Vendetta

The Scars She Hid From The World

REGINA MCBRIDE

The heavy iron gates of the Wilderness Correction Camp groaned as they released me after three years of state-sponsored hell. I stood on the dirt road, clutching a plastic bag that held my entire life, waiting for the family that claimed they sent me there for "rehab." My brother, Brady, picked me up in a luxury SUV only to throw me out onto a deserted highway in the middle of a brewing storm. He told me I was a "public relations nightmare" and that the rain might finally wash the "stink" of the camp off me. He drove away, leaving me to limp miles through the mud on a snapped ankle. When I finally dragged myself to our family estate, my mother didn't offer a hug; she gasped in horror because my muddy clothes were ruining her Italian marble. They didn't give me my old room back. Instead, they banished me to a moldy gardener’s shack and hired a "babysitter" to make sure I didn't embarrass them further. My sister, Kaleigh, stood there in white cashmere, pretending to cry while clinging to her fiancé, Ambrose—the man who had once been mine. They all treated me like a volatile junkie, refusing to acknowledge that Kaleigh was the one who planted the drugs in my bag three years ago. They wanted to believe I was broken so they wouldn't have to feel guilty about the "wellness retreat" that was actually a torture chamber. I sat in the dark of that shed, feeling the cooling gel on the cigarette burns that covered my arms, and realized they had made a fatal mistake. They thought they had erased me, but I had returned with a roadmap of scars and a hidden satellite phone. At dinner, I didn't beg for their love. I simply rolled up my sleeves and showed them the price of their silence. As the wine spilled and the lies crumbled, I sent a single text to the only person I trusted: "I'm in. Let them simmer." The hunt was finally on.

Modern Revenge Scheming

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Chapter 1

Aurora's POV

"I want revenge for the death of my parents." I fumed, but a tad bit scared at the decision I had made.

"What do you mean by having revenge?" He asked, looking bewildered.

"I can't think of anything else to do, Uncle. The thirst for revenge doesn't want to be quenched even if it's all in the past."

"You can't have any revenge and you won't. This isn't the right time."

"No! Uncle. There is no way I'm going to let the death of my parents slide. Those people made me orphans and even though they aren't alive to face the consequences as I'd have wanted, their sons will pay for it." I spat, my fingers clenching into fists as my face turned red.

My uncle, Lorenzo, had told me the truth about the death of my parents yesterday and I couldn't just stay still. Anger boiled in me as I remembered the story he told me, and I wanted nothing more than to kill them myself.

It wasn't possible as Aldo Moretti was dead and so was his wife.

"No, principessa. You are a woman and you should concern yourself with getting married, raising kids and pleasing your husband. Not going on some revenge mission like your life depends on it." He snapped, getting frustrated at my resolve to get revenge.

"Unfortunately, my life depends on what I'm about to do. There's no way I can live like a normal human knowing that my innocent parents are still stirring restlessly in their graves. My decision is final and I'm leaving for New York next week." I concluded, with my jaw ticking in absolute resolve.

There was nothing he could do to change my mind.

I stared at my uncle's house one more time as I stood at the facade. My eyes darted to the flowers that decorated the porch and the white frangipani trees that were planted in a straight pattern. I could remember feeling whole whenever I inhaled the vanilla scent of its flowers.

The beautiful bungalow I had known to be home wouldn't be one anymore.

Finally, I'd found a way to convince my uncle on my revenge mission. I had to do it for my sanity to remain intact and also to honor my late parents. They didn't deserve to die as the reason for their death still sounded trivial to me.

"Promise me you'll be fine, Principessa." Uncle Lorenzo tugged my arm like a little child and I could see him struggle to keep his emotions in check.

We were both strong people that taught ourselves never to show our emotions. I'd have cried if I was any other girl, but I wasn't that type. Crying wasn't just my thing.

"I'll be fine, uncle and I promise to text you everyday." I promised as I put the last box in the car's booth.

He hugged me as I relished every moment of our time together. I was taking a big risk and Matteo would never forgive me if he found out my true intentions.

"If things spiral out of your control, please come back home."

"Sure thing." I said as I pulled out of his embrace and hopped into the 2018 Toyota Mirai that was to take me to the airport.

Everything was set in place. I'd found a spot in the Capo's house which was what I needed. There was a saying that the easiest way to get a man was his stomach, I wasn't sure it applied to him but I still had to try.

My flight was scheduled for 2pm and I just had thirty minutes left to get to the airport. Streaks of nervousness were already flowing into me but I calmed myself.

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