AntonioVerdi

• Name: Antonio Verdi
• Year of birth: 1863
• Age of death (in 1880): 17
• Species: mixed breed Abyssinian cat

Antonio was Arancino's older brother and the firstborn of the family.

Despite his young age, he was already a remarkably hard worker with a strong, proud, and hot-tempered personality. To him, his family was the most precious treasure in the world, something to be protected at all costs. He was left deeply traumatized after losing his father at the age of fifteen, as the two shared an incredibly close bond.

Because of this tragic loss, he became a fiercely protective figure toward his siblings. He shared an especially close bond with Sofia, who was his first sister, childhood playmate, and an inseparable source of emotional support for him (and viceversa). Antonio was also Arancino's ultimate hero, always dispensing advice and life lessons to help him grow into a true man.

A few days before the events of William's flashback, Antonio accidentally overheard his grandfather Elias revealing to his grandmother that he believed Franco was actually murdered by one of his cousins, with whom the family had always been on terrible terms. This mirrored what had happened years before to his paternal grandfather, Domenico, who had been assassinated by his own nephew (who was then serving time in prison for murder). Antonio had never been told any of this, and discovering the truth left him shocked, horrified, and absolutely furious. The revelation awakened the exact same dark suspicion in his own heart: his father's death was no accident.

Antonio's cousins were insufferable, antagonistic at every turn, constantly spreading malicious rumors and insults about his family. They mockingly referred to them as "the newly rich Abyssinians" since, in their eyes, no pure-blooded Sicilian was left to run the highly successful family citrus orchard. They constantly provoked and tormented Antonio, deliberately targeting his impulsive nature. As a result, he became increasingly convinced that one of them (or perhaps all of them together) had murdered his father by pushing him down the cliff. Even though there was absolutely no proof, and his grandfather tried to tell him that it really might have been a tragic accident and that he had only spoken recklessly that evening due to the wine, Antonio remained entirely certain of his cousins' malice and envy.

Following yet another insult directed at his mother (which took place outside the church right after Sunday morning Mass, on the very day of their last family lunch), Antonio decided to take justice into his own hands, setting out to confront them that same night for a final showdown. An honor killing (Delitto d'Onore) was what the adults called it.

Antonio never returned home the following morning, and there were no witnesses left to tell what truly happened during that fateful encounter.

Following that traumatic experience, Arancino (who was then left as the sole male heir to the estate) was completely locked away, shielded inside a glass dome by the women of the house... Consequently, the kid would face a highly complicated upbringing and develop a somewhat distorted view of many things in life!