Chapter 1
Clara
I really wish that my mom and dad could be here to celebrate my graduation with me. It’s so hard not having them around to talk to, to hug, and celebrate milestones with, but I know that they are always with me even if I can’t physically see them. I am thankful to have my grandparents with me though. If they hadn’t been here to help me during the hard times, I don’t know what I would have done or where I would be now. My grandparents, Gabriele and Francesca Rosario, are amazing people. I am very thankful for all they have done for me, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for them.
My grandparents own one of the largest fashion design companies in Italy and they have a branch in New York. Their last name, Rosario, is very well known in the fashion industry. They were both born and raised in Italy, which is where their main branch is still located. Once my mom graduated from university, my grandparents decided to make her head CEO over the New York branch. Having grandparents and a mom both in the fashion business inspired me to pursue a career in fashion. My mom was a Rosario who met and married my dad, Devin Bartley, the CEO of Bartley Enterprises, the largest graphic design firm in New York, 12 years ago. When I was 10, my mom passed away from cancer, so it was just me and my dad for 6 years until he met and married Bianca White. I could definitely see what my dad saw in her. She was the full package, gorgeous, tall, blonde, and from a decent family. Her family had a huge place in upstate NY, and she owned a penthouse here in the city. Bianca also had twin daughters who were just as beautiful and the same age as me.
In the beginning I was excited to have a stepmom, someone I could confide in and talk to about womanly problems but then the tables turned. She became downright evil. She would tell me how ugly I was and that no man would ever want me. She was ashamed to introduce me to her friends and her daughters were no better. They bullied me, spread rumors about me at school, and treated me like I was a piece of scum. I went from being the princess of the house and daddy’s only little girl to a nobody, I had no life and very few friends. To be exact, I only had 1 friend, Arianna Russo. Arianna was the complete opposite of me. She was boy crazy and gorgeous with her tanned skin, deep brown eyes, and hair that I would die for. She had stuck by my side when everyone else turned their backs on me. She was my rock, a shoulder to cry on, and the only one, other than myself, who saw Bianca and her daughters for who they were, real bitches. Many times, Ari, Arianna’s nickname that I had given her when we were younger, tried to get me to talk to my dad about Bianca but I couldn’t do that because my dad was so lost after my mom died and he had finally found happiness with Bianca, I couldn’t ruin that for him.
Eventually, I even had to give up my bedroom and was told I was moving to the basement. Bianca said that I didn’t deserve the nicest room in the house, one of her daughters should have it instead of me. She was ashamed for anyone who visited to see me because I was too ugly to introduce to her friends. My dad was away a lot on business, so Bianca ran the house. Things had to be her way or no way. But when my dad was home, Bianca put on a really good show, she turned in to a totally different person. She threatened me, saying that if I breathed one word to my dad about her and her daughter’s behavior, she would make sure I regretted it. I decided it was best to just keep my mouth shut and pretend everything was good. When my dad asked me why I moved to the basement I just told him, “I want to have more space”, and he seemed ok with it. He just thought I was going through a teenager phase and let it go.
Bianca was always throwing elaborate parties at our house, which I rarely attended. If my dad was home and made me attend, Bianca would cringe. She would never dare tell my dad she didn’t like me. Some of Bianca’s friends didn’t even realize I existed. Of course, Bianca was good at pretending. She would always act so nice and friendly in front of my father, like she was the doting stepmother that loved her stepdaughter.
I decided I was going to try and make the best of things. I found that it was better to keep my head down and steer clear of Bianca and her daughters. If I kept my mouth shut, and did what I was told, they would leave me alone. All I had to do was work hard and finish school, then I could leave home, and everything would be okay. Well, little did I know how wrong I was....
Everyone knew that I wanted to go into the fashion business and maybe one day take over my mom’s role at the Rosario fashion group, but nothing could have surprised me more when my grandad approached me about going back to Italy with him and grandmother to attend school there. They had a huge villa in Italy, and he said I could live with them while I attended school. One of the most famous universities in the world was there and it was where my mom had gone. It had always been a dream of mine to go there too. My great grandparents had started the program their and it was amazing. My grandmother still teaches seminars there on occasion and a lot of the students from the program intern at the company. I was so excited, and just the thought of not having to deal with Bianca and her daughters made it even better, plus it was Italy, my way out!
My grandparents were truly wonderful people. They always worked hard and made sure to give back. My granddad’s parents had started the Rosario fashion business in a small building in Italy, from there it grew and eventually they had to buy a larger place. My grandad was born into the fashion industry, he says it’s in his blood. His parents didn’t necessarily come from wealth, but they created their own success. They were happy and in love. My granddad worked alongside his parents from a young age, and when he graduated from college, he took over the family business and made it what it is today. Their clothing designs are sold all over the world and their name is famous.
My grandad met my grandma while leaving work one afternoon. She was walking past the entrance to their company as he was walking out. He said she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He chased her down and the rest is history. Their love is like no other I have ever seen. They are as much in love today as they ever were. My mother was their only child, and they were all very close. They had traveled to New York on business and that’s how my mom met my dad. They fell in love, got married, and had me two years later. Since my mother was Italian, she had raised me to be fluent in Italian. She and I would have conversations in Italian all the time. My dad could speak a few words but was by no means fluent in it. It drove my dad crazy when me and mom would start having conversations that he couldn’t understand.
My grandparents were around a lot more after my mom passed away, well, until my dad married Bianca. After that, they spent a lot less time in New York and more time in Italy. They really didn’t care for Bianca, but like me, they wanted my dad to be happy. When I did get to talk to them, they would ask how dad and I were doing. I would lie and tell them everything was great because I didn’t want to cause trouble for my dad.
After much convincing, my dad agreed to let me go to school in Italy, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. I swear I have never seen Bianca so happy about something as she was the day daddy agreed to let me go. She practically packed my bags for me.
I was so excited! I was moving to Italy, living with my grandparents, and getting away from my evil stepmother and her daughters. I had been to Italy several times with my parents to visit my mother’s family, it was beautiful there. I did hate the thought of leaving my dad, but it wasn’t like it would be forever. I would get my degree, gain experience, and one day take over my mother’s role in the family business here in New York.
6 months later in Italy...
I was leaving school and heading to meet my grandad at their company when my grandma called and told me to come straight home, her and grandfather were already there waiting on me. I could tell in her voice that something was wrong, but she said she couldn’t tell me over the phone. When I walked into the house, I knew immediately that whatever had happened was really bad. My grandmother was crying, and my grandad was upset as well.
“Grandmother what is wrong, please tell me what has happened?”
My grandmother looked at me and said, “My darling, I have some terrible news, your father has passed away.”
“What, my father? How can that be? I just talked to him yesterday and he was fine.”
He was still young and relatively healthy. He worked out and ate right, surely, they were mistaken. I had so many questions. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. My grandma said that Bianca had called earlier to tell them he had had a heart attack and they did all they could, but he didn’t pull through. I felt sick, first I lost my mom, now my dad. I didn’t even get to tell him goodbye. There was so much more I should have said on the phone yesterday.
I screamed out, as I fell to the floor. My grandma came over, sat down beside me, and wrapped me in her arms. No words were spoken as she held me and just let me cry. After a while, I got up, hugged my grandparents, and went to my room. I didn’t feel like eating or talking, I just wanted to be alone. As I was walking away, my grandad told me he had made arrangements for us to fly to New York that afternoon.
