(Renata Pellegrini)
“What do you think?” Filippo asks with his arms crossed leaning against the wall next to the switch.
“Are they really diamonds?” I ask, observing the dress on the manekin.
As soon as we left the bathroom I thought we would go away, but I was surprised when he opened the door and turned on the light.
“Yes, the White brand is known worldwide for its jewel-crusted clothes, and because my company is the best in the technology and security business, we constantly renew contracts and he always gives me some gifts, this time I chose this dress,” he explains, but I don’t look away from the dress, every inch of cloth is covered with diamonds, I have never seen so many diamonds together, I have never even seen one alone.
“It is a very beautiful dress, who will you give it to?”
“To you.”
“Why?” I turn surprised in his direction and he comes towards me.
“Does a boyfriend need a special reason to give it to his girlfriend?”
“This dress is not just any gift, it must cost millions, I cannot accept it as a gift.”
Filippo touches the palm of his hand to my cheek and begins to caress it with his thumb, I breathe slowly enjoying the smell he exhales.
“Ragazza, this is just a dress, and what will embellish the dress is you, come on I will help you change.”
Filippo carefully removes my completely torn dress, I close my fists realizing that I am completely exposed, wearing only thong panties, this makes me ashamed, even though a few moments ago his mouth was kissing me almost everywhere, at that moment I was not right, my mind was clouded by the desire I feel for him and he took advantage of this.
I come out of my thoughts when his fingers touch mine, holding my hand he lifts my arm and encourages me to take a little turn, I feel shy about his gaze.
“Che bella donna!” – “what a beautiful woman!” He compliments me.
“Grazie,” I thank him with a wide smile, I look away and notice the pink lipstick mark on the tip of his ear, I roughly gather my hand and close my face.
“What’s up, ragazza?” She asks with a frown.
“Why is her lipstick on your ear?”
He puts his hand exactly on the marked ear, oh what an idiot!
“She kissed me while dragging me to the table, I thought you saw it,” he says as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Such cynicism.
“And you let her!” I press my lips together in a straight line trying to control my anger, I clench my hands into fists feeling the bitter taste of jealousy.
“What did you want me to do?” He speaks calmly, making me even angrier.
“Act with respect! What kind of boyfriend lets other women hit on you and worse, you act cordial as if they were flirting right in front of me! You say you are my boyfriend but you just let me be humiliated in front of everyone by that woman, while you kept acting disgraceful with that woman!” I said, feeling my eyes watering once again, thank goodness my make-up is waterproof. “I thought you were different, but you’re just another rich guy who…”
“I did exactly what you asked,” he cuts me off, approaching me in a threatening way, I feel small under his hard and penetrating gaze, “It was you who asked for it, ragazza,” he speaks cornering me against the wall, I swallow dryly, a small smile appears on his lips, as if this situation amuses him, “or did you forget that you asked me not to tell anyone and to act only as a boss and an employee? I only treated you as you asked.”
“I never asked you to betray me,” I say in a voice.
“And I never did!” His hands squeeze my waist, I feel his warm breath against my ear causing shivers to run down my body. Since I first laid my eyes on you, my dick has never been with anyone else, I’ve been holding in my boner for two fucking weeks, and you have no idea how much effort it takes.
“What do you think they would say if they knew you were dating a poor girl like me?” I ask, trying to bring up the reason for my request.
“I don’t care about other people’s opinions,” he shrugs.
“You say this because it is not you that the hate will be directed at, it will be me that will be the target of all the haters,” I emphasize that I will be the most affected psychologically.
“So you can put up with women throwing themselves at me,” he says, putting his hands in his pockets.
“I don’t want that,” I say, bowing my head.
I fight an inner war. I don’t like the idea of women hitting on my boyfriend, but I don’t feel prepared to face the world for a relationship that could end at any moment. We have only been dating for a week.
“Neither do I, piccola.” Filippo hugs me, I can hear the calm beating of his heart. “Scusami,” – “sorry,” he asks, taking me by surprise. I pull my face away from his chest and he kisses my forehead, so tenderly, it takes away any desire to cry. “Let’s get back to dinner.”
As soon as Filippo opens the door, again all eyes are on us, and Mr. White comes toward us.
“Oh, I am so sorry for what happened to your secretary, I hope you can excuse my daughter and that this will not affect our partnership.”
“Let’s go back to the table.” Filippo walks back to the table, this time he again pulls out a chair for me beside him, I smile and sit down. I look forward and Penelope looks away.
The men at the table begin to talk about business, systems, updates, new mechanisms, investment values, and other subjects that don’t keep me entertained. I start to observe the other tables inside the room, the waiters going back and forth with agility. But one of them catches my attention, he stares at Filippo, the hate emanating from his gaze is palpable.
He serves drinks and comes closer, I feel goose bumps down my spine and my whole body goes into alert. There is something strange about this waiter, I don’t like the way he looks at my boyfriend. He serves the tables without taking his eyes off Filippo.
“Filippo,” I called him, to warn him about the waiter, but he was talking to three other men.
I sigh in frustration.
Maybe I am seeing too much. I turn my gaze back to the waiter, feeling my heart skip a beat as I see the silver glint of the barrel of the silenced gun pointed in Filippo’s direction. My breathing quickens and all my blood starts to run faster through my veins.
“Such a crowded room, only I am seeing him with a gun in his hand?” – I mentally ask myself, slowly I let go lethant my arm to make Filippo stop the conversation, but the trembling in their hands makes me stop.
“Pow”
Without thinking, like a primitive instinct, I stand up, it’s all too fast, as if time is passing in slow motion, I feel Filippo’s arms hold me, little by little I feel a burning and blood starts to pool on the floor.