EPISODE TEN
STEFANO.
I scrolled through my phone as I strolled into the company.
Nothing interesting. Just the cops daily brouhahas and the celebrities.
Luca managed to keep me mysterious from the public to avoid controversies. I’m grateful for that.
“Look who’s coming to the office regularly these days.”Luca teases. He grabbed the phone from my hand and stuff it with a stack of documents instead.
“You got through him already?”I asked, scrolling through the papers not understanding a damn about it.
Fuck. I really need to start taking office ethics classes.
“He’s not replying. I’m sure the fucker is somewhere looking for a puppy to pull some strings for him first.”
“Tell Marcos to keep tabs on him, His activities and everything.”
“Marcos went for vacation”He says.
Vacation?
That rascal takes breaks?
“And who gave him the permission to go for a vacation?”I yell.
I attracted the other workers passing by, They ignored me to avoid them being sacked.
Luca sighs softly before patting my chest.
“Cut him some fucking slacks. He has been working his ass off this year”
“I pay him a fortune!”I cursed angrily.
He stuffed a stick of lighted cigarettes in my lips immediately. Good grief.
I puffed out smoke before walking further in the office.
“Tell Rico to work on it then.”
“He’s doing that already.”
“Hazel?”He questions. I turned to him sharply and pulled out the stick. I drop it on the ashtray.
“She’s with mom already.”
“Did your mom call?”
“I blocked her number momentarily. She would have blown off steam before evening. We can talk after that.”
Mom’s anger is unbearable. She rarely gets angry but when she does, No one can witness it.
I don’t want to get on her nerves these days but Hazel keeps pushing me off limits.
“Hazel would be more safe with her.”
*
HAZEL
“He told you to come here? Did something happen?”His mother asked in a fake soft voice.
I can say it’s fake because she’s trying her best not to explode right now. Stefano has been getting on her nerves lately.
“He’s just trying to avoid me.”
“That scumbag!”She cursed angrily.
I think everyone in the family has anger issues. Just that, Stefano mom is more tolerable.
The maids led me to one of the rooms. It’s smaller than my room in Stefano’s house.
The interiors were almost the same with the one in the house, Just that this is a little bit extreme.
“This is Amanda’s room before she got married”His mother says behind me.
I snap my head to her immediately. Amanda?
Who’s that?
“She’s my first daughter. She loved everything about fashion. We will be meeting soon for the annual family get together”She explained with a small lingering on her face.
It seems she’s her favorite daughter. She talks about her with so much respect and joy.
“Will she be okay if I stay in the room?”
“It’s fine. I don’t think she will ever come back here.”She mutters, Her eyes glinted in sadness briefly but she covered it up with a smile.
“Make yourself feel at home. We will go out later in the day to get you some clothes and groceries too.”
“Can you tell Stefano that I will be going out? He instructed me to always tell him anytime I’m going out.”
“You’re with me now, He doesn’t have any say in what we do.”She said in a firm tone.
I nodded immediately trying not to annoy her.
She left after explaining some simple details to me about the room and how to operate the devices.
*
Later in the evening, We went to get groceries and dresses just like she promised.
“What’s your favorite fruit?”She asked with a cheeky smile.
I pointed to the apple in the display glass indicating it.
“Pack two crates for me.”
“Thank you.”I mumble, referring to Stefano’s Mom.
We branched at the store. It’s an expensive store with lots of expensive brands.
The workers there greeted her like she’s the owner. She winked at them trying not to arouse suspicions but I caught on already.
The store either belongs to her or Stefano.
I tried lots of dresses, Seductive dresses , but she insisted on me wearing them.
One of the workers packed the clothes neatly inside a bag.
She took it to the car and we set to go home.
I felt uncomfortable the moment we entered the car.
The black car behind us looks so suspicious.
I saw them driving after us earlier. I thought we were going in the same direction. It’s getting suspicious and I don’t know how to tell Stefano’s Mom.
What if they are kidnappers?
“Mom. There’s a car behind us.”I stuttered the moment she drove out of the store.
“I know. I assumed we were going in the same direction earlier.”She huffs, pushing her hair back.
Okay.
Something is going on.
“Should we call the police?”I stuttered. Fear is already eating me up at this point. What have we done wrong to them?
“No, I will call Stefano. He will handle it.”
She placed a call quickly but he didn’t pick up.
She’s already getting worked up at this point.
“Let me call Luca.”
Luckily, Luca picked the call immediately.
“Hey, Old Woman.”
“Stop calling me that!”She scolds, staring at the rear mirror. They are still after us.
“Why did you call? I have no words to say to your son. He won’t listen.”
“A black SUV is after us. Inform Stefano about it.”
“Fuck. You went out?”He questions in an alarm tone.
Stefano warned her to be at home for the rest of the day but she won’t listen.
“I stepped out with Hazel.”
“He fucking told you not to leave the house. Why won’t you listen?”He rasps angrily.
“I…”
“Where are you?”
“At the first cross section.”
“We will be there soon.”He mumble .
He dropped the call.
I wonder what this is all about. She refused to call the cops. How will Stefano be able to stop them?
Is he also part of them?
Is…
My curiosity is really eating me up, I hope I get answers to them soon from his mother.
“Things will get rough from now on. You can just close your eyes and grab some sleep.”She sneers, taking a sharp turn, different from the one we took earlier.
“Is there a problem?”I stutter. She’s getting agitated at this point.
Suddenly, Stefano’s car drove in a rough manner towards us.
She took a deep breath of relief and turned off the engine.
Stefano stepped down the car with two of his men including Luca.
The car following us stopped right behind us but I couldn’t see them, I’m too scared to look at them.
Stefano whispered something to Luca, I saw him running towards our car, He opened the car door for me.
He was smiling as if nothing was going on.
“Hey princess!”He quakes.
“Luca, What’s happening?”I asked.
“Just follow me.”He smiles briefly before helping me down the car.
*
Something steamy coming up in the next episode!
Thanks for the support.