ANTHONIO’s POV
As I gazed at Aria, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of confusion. This was the girl that Matteo was so obsessed with? She seemed so… ordinary. I mean, she was pretty, I’ll give her that. But there was nothing about her that screamed “extraordinary” to me.
I studied her features, trying to see what Matteo saw in her. Her eyes were a deep brown, but they didn’t sparkle with intelligence or wit. Her hair was black, and it fell limp around her shoulders. Her skin was smooth, but it didn’t glow with an inner radiance. She was… forgettable.
I felt a pang of disappointment. I had expected so much more from the girl who had captured Matteo’s heart. I had expected someone with fire in her soul, someone who could match Matteo’s passion and intensity. But Aria seemed so… meek.
As I squatted down to get a closer look at Aria, I couldn’t help but still feel a sense of disappointment. She still didn’t seem like anything special. But, I decided to continue my charade to see if I could get a rise out of her.
“Aria,” I said, my voice low and menacing. “You know, Matteo took away the love of my life. He killed her, and I could never forgive him for that.”
I gazed at her, expecting some sort of reaction. But, she just looked at me with a blank expression. It was like she didn’t even care.
“Do you know who I’m talking about?” I pressed on, trying to get a reaction out of her. “Her name was Daya. She was beautiful, smart, and kind. And Matteo took her away from me. ”
I paused, studying her face for any sign of emotion. But, there was nothing. It was like she was a statue, a mere ornament.
“Don’t you ever get tired of hi??” I sneered. “Don’t you ever want to be more than just a tool for him to use?”
But Aria just looked at me, her eyes empty and cold. It was like she was a shell of a person, with no thoughts or feelings of her own. I shook my head, disgusted.
“I’m not a tool. He loves me”. She said calmly.
“I loved her!!!!”. I yelled, remembering my precious daya “and he murdered her”. I whispered, feeling my chest close in. “Daya was my life! I wanted nothing more. No other person but her”. I cried but cleaned the tears away as I recalled her face. “She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen”. I sniffled. “I know I shouldn’t have asked her to kill him when he let his guard down. I shouldn’t have”. I cried. “Maybe she would have been with me today”
“Why do you hate him so much”. I asked.
“Cause he took everything I wanted. The family and my woman! She loved me more. She loved me way more!”. I pulled my gun out and pointed it at her, but just then, Carter walked in.
“This wasn’t part of the fucking deal!”
“I don’t care about no deal! I kill her, I hurt Matteo beyond repair”
“And you unleash the beast!”. Carter warned.
“Carter please. I need to go”. Aria begged, and I watched her grovel at his feet. I found it pleasing.
“And what did Matteo see in this one”. I asked, but Carter kept his eyes on her as he lowered himself to her height and whispered sweet nothings to her.
“What he didn’t see in daya”.
I took up my gun and pulled the trigger, but the bullet didn’t make it to Carter’s head like I planned rather, but above him. I grunted.
“Ahh, I missed?”. I sighed and decided to try again, but Carter was quick to get to me.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?? You sick or something?”. He asked and I saw red but I stayed calm. The sweet sound of Aria’s sniffling. It was like music to my ears. I tucked my gun away, my fingers caressing the cold metal. I gave Carter a look, a look that said, “You’re next.”
But for then, I had let him live. I had more important things to attend to.
So I sauntered out of the room, my feet moving to the beat of the song in my head. Daya’s favorite song, the one that always made me think of her. My dear, sweet Daya. I couldn’t help but hum along, my voice barely audible.
As I walked, the hallway seemed to stretch on forever. The lights had flickered above me, casting eerie shadows on the walls. I had felt like I was walking through a dream, a dream that I couldn’t wake up from.
Suddenly, Alonzo was by my side. My brother, my dear brother. He had always been so concerned about me, always trying to keep me safe. But he hadn’t understoo. He never had. I was the one who knew what was best for me, I was the one who knew what I needed.
“Antonio, what’s going on?” he had asked, his voice low and urgent.
I had turned to him, my eyes narrowing. “Nothing, Alonzo. Nothing at all.”
“We said we’ll leave Aria out of this”.
He looked at me skeptically, but I just smiled. I smiled and kept walking, my humming growing louder. I was my own world then, a world where nothing could hurt me. Not even Carter, not even Matteo. I was free, free to do as I pleased. And I was pleased to make Matteo pay.
I stepped out onto the balcony, breathing in deeply. Life was good. I ordered Alonzo to get Matteo on the phone, my mind racing with sinister plans.
As I waited, I paced back and forth, my thoughts spiraling with madness. I wanted to hurt Matteo in ways he’ll never get back on his feet.
The phone rang, and I snatched it up, my voice venomous. “Matteo, you fool. Your dear precious Aria’s with me now.”
I cackled maniacally, but the person on the other side of the phone remained mute.
“Matteo-”
“I don’t care”. And the line went dead.