MATTEO’S POV
My eyes flitted between Charlie and Evelyn as he puffed on his cigar, his gaze a piercing scrutiny that bore into her. But she was unruffled, an air of nonchalance radiating from her as she fiddled with her phone, her eyes occasionally meeting his in a silent battle of wills.
“Where is the letter”. He asked
“I don’t have it”.
“What do you mean you don’t have it!”. I yelled at the top of my lungs, but Charlie held me back.
“Just leave it to me,” Charlie intoned, an assurance that did little to settle the unease roiling within me. I peeled away, my hair tumbling free of its confines as I moved. Evelyn, perched on the sofa, shot me a smirk, her fingers clicking in a calculated display of dominance that only added to the mounting tension. Her piercing green gaze probed, seeking to uncover the depths of my inner turmoil. My heart churned with hatred for her, a turbulent sea that threatened to consume me whole.
“You don’t have it, or you won’t tell us?”. Charlie asked.
“Both”. She whispered.
Charlie’s low chuckle reverberated through the air, a gruesome melody that served as a jarring reminder of the dangerous game we were playing. I averted my gaze, unwilling to be pulled into the fray, my mind a carousel of memories, all of them turning back to that fateful moment when I caught a glimpse of Aria and Carter together. The image haunted me, a constant reminder of the pain and rage that threatened to consume me. I couldn’t do it, not to Aria, not to the woman who had stolen my heart for the second time.
“Matteo…”. She called out
I turned to her and sighed.
“What do you think Aria would say when she finds out about what happened between us that day”.
“Nothing happened, and you know it!”. I said through clenched teeth.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Matteo”. She said with a full-blown smirk on her face.
“Shut it!”. Charlie said. “You’ll tell us where to find the goddamn letter or you won’t like what I do to you”.
“Matteo, you hired a hitman to hurt me? Are you fucking stupid? This pip-squeak doesn’t even look like he got balls”. The unmistakable sound of a slap resounded through the room, a slap that stunned me into action, my eyes swinging to the source of the noise. There she stood, Evelyn, her palm pressed against her reddening cheek, her head angled in an appearance of disbelief. It was Charlie who had struck her, a violent act that only served to heighten the volatility of the situation.
“You hit her?”. I asked, and he looked at me like I was some fool.
“And I Will again”. Charlie said and took a drag of his dying cigar
“We don’t hit women!”. I whispered to him.
“I hit women”. He said nonchalantly.
“I don’t hit women. It’s disrespectful”.
“Matteo…man up!”. He said with a pat on my chest
“Tell us where the letter is and I’ll let you go”. Charlie snarled, his belt sliding free from his trousers, an instrument of torment poised to unleash its wrath. I rushed to him and held him away from her.
“You’re not going to hit a woman! Get a grip”. My words fell on deaf ears, a futile attempt to halt the unfolding violence. Charlie shoved me aside, determined to inflict his twisted brand of justice upon Evelyn. I lunged at him, desperate to prevent his belt from cracking against her skin. Then, as if the fates had conspired against us, a timid tap at the door brought us back to our senses, and Aria walked in
“Um…”. She started.
“What’s going on with you?”. I asked, walking towards the door. “You need something?”.
“I just wanted to ask your opinion on something”. She said in a small voice
“Go on, cupcake, what’s that?”. She looked up at me, her eyes wide in surprise
“I just wanted to know if you think I should get this for my dad. Um…his birthday’s coming up”. I cleared my throat and took the tablet from her small hands.
“A tux?”. I asked, looking at the screen.
“Yeah, he doesn’t have one in that color, so I thought of getting him that”.
“It’s great”. I smiled, and for the first time in a long time, it felt genuine, and I felt happy.
“Can I show you other colors?”. She asked, fiddling with her shirt.
“Yes, of course. Come on in”. I said, and I screamed at myself in my head. Come on in? Why did I say that?. Charlie turned on his charm for Aria, but beneath the cover of civility, his rage still simmered. He made his exit, leaving the room in a state of disarray and tension. Evelyn remained in her seat, her hair obscuring her face like a curtain, the ghostly imprint of Charlie’s hand a silent reminder of the assault she had endured. Her eyes tracked Aria’s movements, a hint of malice glinting in their depths.
“Evelyn, would you please excuse us”. I asked, but Evelyn was furious, springing up from her seat and hurtling towards Aria with a vase gripped tight in her hand. I reached out, my arms a barrier against her assault, grappling with her as she thrashed against my hold.
“I’ll kill you! I’ll fucking kill you!”. She yelled at the top of her lungs. “You’re ruining everything!! Every fucking thing!”. She shouted as Alonzo rushed in, grappling her flailing form into his arms. Her cries echoed, before fading into a sullen silence as she was carried out of the room. I sighed and turned to my horrified wife.
“Did I do something?”. She asked, staring at the door.
I picked her up and made her sit on my desk
“She’s just going through a rough patch”.
“Is she okay?”. She asked, dropping the tablet at the side.
“She’s just-“.
“In love with you?”. She asked, watching my face.
I chuckled, picked up the tab, and began scrolling through it.
“I like this one”. I said to her, but she wouldn’t look at the screen, just at me.
“You’re aware”. Her voice was just above a whisper.
“Aware of?”. I asked, my cold self taking its place. I crossed my arms and looked at her.
“Aware that she loves you Matteo”. She said.
“But I am married, and I do have any form of feelings towards her”
“And to me?”.
I froze but still managed to let out a chuckle, and her eyes didn’t leave me.
“You’re my wife, Aria”.
“And?”. She persisted.
“And that is all there is”. I said.
She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I think I’ll go with the maroon tux”. She said finally.