Is this destiny?

~ Seattle, apartment of the Ronin family ~

Mrs. Ronin frowned at the phone which showed 'unknown' as the caller ID. She didn't answer, assuming that it's a telemarketing call, or a scam. But when it rang twice all the way without leaving a voicemail and started the third time, she was frustrated and took the call.

"Dona?"

Mrs. Ronin heard a male voice after a short silence, and she found the sound familiar even though it seems like forever since she heard it last time.

Mrs. Ronin stiffened. No one called her by that name in a very-very long time and at that moment she understood why the voice sounded familiar.

"Dona?", Angelo repeated.

"There is no one here by that name. You've got the wrong number.", Mrs. Ronin said with haste and ended the call.

The phone rang again, and she knew that it will keep on ringing until she picks up.

"You can talk to me on the phone, or I can come there. Pick one.", Angelo said impatiently as soon as the call connected.

"What do you want?", Mrs. Ronin asked stiffly.

"Even when you are hostile your voice is enchanting.", Angelo's tone was much softer than before.

"Why are you calling?"

Angelo paused for a second before responding: "You told our children about me."

"I didn't.", Mrs. Ronin responded in panic.

Angelo didn't believe her. "Why else would they look into their father if they don't suspect that I'm alive?"

"SUSPECT and KNOW are two different things. Use your power to direct the trail to a dead person because that is what you are to us. Dead."

"Dona… Will you ever forgive me?"

Mrs. Ronin heard the pain in his voice and her heart ached. "Evan, why are you doing this?"

Angelo sighed. "I wish that you call me by my real name."

"You were Evan when we met, and you were Evan seven years later, when you left. Why would I call you by any other name?"

"Dona, I never married after that. And I know that you didn't either. Why don't you come back to me?"

Mrs. Ronin shut her eyes tightly and repeated silently to stay firm. She can't allow one phone call to ruin twenty years of safety she created for herself and her children. "You know why. I've spent a lot of time and effort raising my kids on my own while keeping a low profile so that they survive up to now. There is no place for you in our lives. Don't call me anymore. Use your power so that kids don't find you. And stay away from us. We don't need you. If you ever think of approaching any of us, remember why we are not together. Maybe you forgot, but I can't. Goodbye, Evan."

Mrs. Ronin ended the call and powered her phone off.

She can only hope that this is enough for that man to stop any crazy ideas of coming back into their lives. He brings with him danger and this phone call made many memories surface into her mind, which she did her best to suppress for many years. Damned that man! Why did he call? Everything will be easier if he stays away and forgets about them.

Mrs. Ronin thought about what Angelo said. Their kids are looking into him? She sighed. It must be Emma. She was always the inquisitive one and now with that boy Charlie by her side, Emma probably has a hold of resources to investigate their past.

~ East Sicily, undisclosed location ~

Angelo looked at the phone with a complex expression on his face.

He was so elated that Emma is looking into him and the prospect of him reuniting with his family that he forgot why they are apart.

Angelo leaned back into his chair and his mind drifted away almost thirty years ago…

He was in his late twenties when his father sent him on a trip to the United States with a goal to broaden his horizons, and that is where he met Donatella. She enchanted him with her sharp gaze, bold personality and fiery-brown hair. Before he knew what is going on, he proposed a marriage to her and a year later they had a daughter.

Angelo knew that due to his background, his family should stay away from the business, so he traveled to Italy when needed, but most of his time he spent in Seattle with his wife and daughter.

At the time when Dona was pregnant with their second child (aka Mike), Angelo's father passed away and he took over the business.

At the time when Mike was born, Angelo received first threat directed at Dona from one of his competitors. He took care of them, but it didn't take long for second and a third one to appear. Angelo was so busy with managing the organization and ensuring safety of his family that he barely spent any time with them. And then it happened: Dona was eight months pregnant with twins when they kidnapped her. Luckily for Emma and Mike, a kind neighbor took them in during that turbulent time. For three days Angelo was looking for Dona, and he found her all in cuts and bruises. During her captivity, Dona refused to tell them where Angelo is. He found her right on time to take her to the hospital for an emergency c-section and his twins were one day old when Dona told him to leave and not to come back.

He offered more than once to take her and the kids with him to Sicily, but she refused saying that is where his enemies will be looking for them.

Angelo was furious. He found the people responsible for kidnaping and dealt with them without any mercy.

Four days later when he returned to Dona's side, he hoped that she softened up, but he found the opposite.

Dona told him that if he does not leave, she will take the kids and he will not find her. And if he leaves on his own, he will know where they are: in their old apartment in Seattle. But if he ever approaches them again, he will lose them. Angelo knew that she is serious and the only thing he could do was to agree.

For years, he had his men keep watch over his family. Every time he sent money, Dona refused and sent it back no matter in how much hardship she was. She is stuborn like that.

In time, it was getting more and more difficult to stay away, so Angelo instructed his men that unless something happens to them, not to tell him.

Back to present…

Angelo was pulled out of his memories by the alarm which reminded him that he has a meeting in 15 minutes.

He sighed… Looking around, there is this wonderful villa on an amazing beach, but he has no one to share it with. He is all alone while his family is on a different continent, and most of them don't even know that he exists.

A thought hit him: does it need to stay that way? His children are big now, capable of making their own decisions. Will they be happy to know that their father is alive?

Angelo took his phone and sent a message. A minute later, Bruno appeared from the villa.

Angelo gave the phone back to Bruno and pointed at the folder which has information on Emma and Charlie. "About this…"

"Should I issue the gag order?", Bruno asked when he saw that Angelo paused. He hoped that Angelo does not want Emma (or his other three children) to find out about him.

"No. Let this take its course. I want you to find out everything you can about my kids and Charles Smith."

Bruno inhaled more than necessary and hoped that Angelo didn't notice. "All of them?"

Angelo confirmed. "All of them. I want to know everything."

Bruno lowered his head. "Yes, boss."

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