MATTEO’S POV
Three days had passed since Aria had vanished, and each day felt like a lifetime without her.
The heaviness of her absence hung over me like a cloud, its weight suffocating and relentless.
Sitting in my chair, I thought of her constantly, each moment marked by her memory. Outside, the rain fell in sheets, a mirror of the raging within my heart, and I knew wherever she could see the rain as well.
It was nighttime, and I sought solace in my office, a sanctuary from the harsh reality of Aria’s absence that taunted me at home. As I swiveled in my chair, the sound of my office door creaking open seized my attention.
It was Carter and Charlie right behind him smoking a cigar. Carter’s eyes were like daggers, piercing through me with a rage that was both visible and unsettling.
Charlie, on the other hand, remained as impassive as ever, his demeanor a stark contrast to the mounting tension in the room. Unable to meet Carter’s gaze, I turned to the window, my attention drawn to the raindrops trailing down the glass.
“You might want to see this Matteo”. Charlie said but I ignored the son of a bitch.
“News about Aria?” The words hung in the air, unanswered, as my gaze remained transfixed on the glistening raindrops, their rhythmic movement a trance-like distraction from the void within.
“Something from Aria”. He said, and I turned to Carter holding up the envelope.
The envelope, a harbinger of hope or heartbreak, was presented by Carter’s hands, the movement careful and measured. With trembling fingers, I ripped open the seal and extracted the contents, my eyes fixated on the words before me, drinking in their meaning with a fierce urgency.
The words on the paper, cold and sharp, sliced through my heart like a scalpel. It was not a plea for rescue, but rather the ink-stained proof of Aria’s desire to sever our bond. Not yet signed by her.
I looked at the men before me, and my eyes widened in shock. My hands fidgeted as they held into the slip of paper. I was confounded.
“Where did you find this”. I asked Carter impatiently.
“Outside Marino. In the mail box”. He responded in a monotone.
I struggled to breathe as I stared at the divorce papers, each inhale a reminder of the weight of what Aria had done. Why had she decided to end our marriage? Was Dennis the reason behind her decision? The questions circled my mind like vultures, picking away at my sanity.
My hands shook as I returned the papers to their envelope, handling them with delicate care that seemed at odds with the breakage of our relationship.
“I didn’t touch her, I promise”. I murmured.
“Touch who?”. Carter asked
“Why am I getting punished for what I didn’t do. I didn’t touch Evelyn”. I murmured again.
“She’s a liar”. I murmured
The envelope, now a symbol of betrayal and loss, found a home within the confines of my locker.
As I rose to my feet, a sense of purpose fueled my movements, and I snatched the key, eager to make my exit. Carter and Charlie fell into step behind me, but Charlie took it upon himself to steady me as I pushed forward. Charlie held me to himself as I pushed against him.
“Calm down, Matteo. We’ll find her”. He whispered to my hearing.
“I’m going to kill him”. I said
The sound of thunder rang in the air as I fought against his hold. Carter walked before us, his face the straightest I’ve ever seen and uttered the most confusing words.
“Do you love her?”.
I looked at him like he just uttered the dumbest words I ever heard him say. I pushed Charlie away and straightened my suit. I closed the gap between us and looked him straight in the eyes.
“You forget who I am”. I started.
“That’s what you want to feel”. He cut me off.
“You’re diverting. I have loved only one woman”.
“Who is dead and you could easily forget”.
“You’re crossing the line, cagna”. I yelled.
“You love Aria don’t you?”. He asked, and something in me seemed to spark. “You’ve gotten quite soft, and the men are talking. You’re not the Matteo they put up there. You’re different, and it happened when Aria came into your life, the you I know would have found that mother fucker and put a bullet in his head”
“I mean, she’s making you less of a man”. I growled lowly when I heard those words fall out his mouth. “She’s breaking you. Figo that’s what you are”.
“Carter…”. Charlie warmed from behind me.
“See? The Matteo before her would have taken out my tooth for it, but you stood there and watched me”. He said to my face, and as his words hit home.
I was tired of letting this little shit talk to me as I launched for his face with my fist, as he stumbled back giving me room to pounce on him.
“You” punch “Do” punch “Not” “Talk” punch “To” punch “Me” punch “Ever” another hard punch to his nose making sure it cracked “In” a punch to his alredy broken nose that just kept bleeding out “that tone”
“You’ll kill him!” Charkie pulled me off him as i grabbed a cloth from my table, wiping my bloody fist.
“I let you say shit because I consider you my friend, do not fucking push me Carter, or the next bullet I’ll be sending out, will be for your heart” taking a swig of the whiskey bottle.
“Alonzo!” I yelled, I’ve slacked up too much. That’s why anyone thinks they can talk to me anyhow.
Alonzo came rushing in, taking in the sight of what had just happened.
“Get him out of here now, all of you. Get out!”
“Mr Marino is back,” Charlie said with a chuckle on his way out.
It was time I acted like the man I was.