Chapter 3

NICOLE

  I watched Sofia babble on and on about herself and how nice Raphael was. I was so astonished on how she held him in high regards.

  The way she spoke off him, one would actually mistake him for a philanthropist. Didn't she know what he was into?

  It was impossible to leave in the same house with him and not know the shady things he was into. But she spoke of him so elegantly, so heroically.

  Wow.

I was the most suprised person on earth at the moment.

So far so good, I actually loved their house. Sofia literally took me on a tour round the house. It was as huge as it looked. We explored down stairs before facing upstairs..

   There were many hallways upstairs. Some were dimmed making it looked so gothic and scary whilst some were so bright with radiant lights illuminating the pathway.

  We explored the brightly radiant hallways first. The rooms and corners were so much, I truly couldn't keep count of all the numerous doors Sofia showed me.

  I was truly in awe by the library Sofia led me into. It was so spacious with huge long windows allowing both air and light in. Plant pots stood at various corners making it look more unique and magnificent.

  The beautifully designed shelves looked like they were carved from the finest of woods. They were arranged alphabetically in rows and different books were stacked in them. The library had this aura of ideas, imagination and knowledge oozing all over as a result of the different antique of books stacked in the shelves.

  There was also different wooden furnitures like chairs and tables arranged in the library. A section of the magnificent library had computers, keyboards and CPUs properly placed and arranged in rows of joined together wooden tables so each row had a good view of the other corners of the library.

  I was a book warm and I just couldn't wait to explore the variety of books in the library.

"Nicole I truly know you will enjoy your stay here"Sofia said cutting through my thoughts.

  She worked so swiftly ahead of me, turning towards a corner. I was truly finding a hard time catching up with her. The doors in this section of the hallway were thankfully not much.

  Sofia then stopped in front of a black door that had an intricate cobra shaped door knob.

I cringed on seeing it.

"This is yours and Raphael's room"she announced proudly as she opened her arms.

She turned to face me, who stood at her back and jutted with her chin for me to check it out.

I placed my hands on the door knob, gently opening it and was met with a breathtaking, enormous bedroom.

  I stood fixed on the spot with my eyes roving around the bizzare royal bedroom.

  First thing I spotted was an oestentatious king sized four poster bed doused in gold and silver patterned sheets and a velvet coloured duvet. The bed had vertical columns or four long posts placed at each corner by it side supporting a rectangular canopy or panel over the bed providing it with a roof like image with rails allowing curtains to be drawn out of it.

  I smiled at the magnificent design at the same time I was speechless. This design of bed dates back to the medieval ages and I truly loved how the bed was refashioned and designed making it look so attractive.

Very close to the bed stood a little cozy drawer with a bedlamp placed on top of it. There were also two long windows with scarlet curtains draping each of them.

  My eyes browsed the patterned frosty silver but yet indent black walls. 

I did admire the walls but why was black included in the painting?

I grumbled within me wondering why Raphael liked black so much.

  All in all, it was still ravishing.

A vanity table stood at the centre of the room with a huge screen television resting on the wall.

It was chilly. I faced up noticing three air conditioners placed at various corners of the ceiling with a chandelier placed at the centre.

My gaze narrowed to the right hand side of the room where a huge white door stood.

I walked hastily towards it, twisting the door knob and roughly pushing it open.

  I entered a beautiful ornate dressing room.

An enormous black coloured sliding door cupboard coupled with various shelves for foot wears were elegantly built and furnished by the most skilled hands. The doors of the cupboard were built from floor to ceiling.

   Opposite the aligned shelves stood a horizontal mirror, placed by the wall. Underneath it laid a beautiful table like petite customized cupboard.

I walked towards the mirror and admired my reflection before crouching down to open one of the various little doors of the cupboard.

Nothing much was there just some hair accessories.

For a roughed man, Raphael sure knew how to take care of himself properly.

  I stood up with a sigh. I scanned the walls, they were just the same colour, no change. My eyes whapped to another less huge door inside the spacious closet.

Wow. I never truly noticed it. Probably because of its silver colour, camouflaging it like the rest of the walls.

  I walked towards it, opening the door and I truly couldn't believe my eyes.

Inside it was a huge en suite bathroom. It had a shower and probably what seemed like a jacuzzi sized bathtub built by the corner of the wall.

   Opposite the bathtub was a silver framed mirror on the wall above a wide looking sink. A petite little cupboard was attached to the wall next to the mirror.

  The toilet section was also good looking and the sweet scent of vanilla mixed with lavender graced the air.

  I walked out of the bathroom and also out of the closet, shutting the door behind me.

"You are going to have lots of memories in here"Sofia cheekily grinned.

  I laughed at her sly comment and nodded my head.

Taking me by the arm, she led me outside the room.

We were about heading out when I dragged her back.

"Won't we explore the other dark hallways? We didn't really get the chance to explore it much before we diverted"I said.

Sofia had this tensed look on her face.

"I don't like that part of the house for real. It's scary. I hardly go there. It's just Raphael and you know his colleagues that head there"

I felt a lump grow in my throat but I shook of the fear and nudged at her shoulder.

"Please. Pretty please. We won't explore much and I'll be right by your side incase a scary beast pops out"I teased.

  She giggled and nodded her head, giving into my request.

We headed towards the poorly lit hallways, Sofia and I chattering as we flexed our legs when we passed a wooden door secured by two of Raphael's guards.

  I stopped in my tracks and turned to face the door. The guards stood still, unmoved and rigid.

"What's there and why are guards guarding that room?"I whispered into Sofia's ear.

"That's the red room. That's what Raphael calls it. It scares the fuck out of me. I truly don't know what goes inside there"she replied back in a low tone as she dragged me out of that spot.

We retraced our steps and left that hallway heading back down the stairs.

I knew terrible things and painful murders were capable of taking place inside that room. Horror implanted itself in me and I suddenly felt nauseous. I scrambled to leave the area, even walking ahead of Sofia until I reached down stairs.

"Nicole you were too fast. Wow you should go far a marathon race. With your speed you will surely win"she said with a quirky smile.

"Sofia vieni ad aiutarmi- sofia come help me" the high pitched voice of Aurora rang from the kitchen.

"Mamma in arrivo- coming mummy" Sofia replied with a sigh.

"I'll be right back"she told me before heading towards the kitchen.

I was getting very interested in learning Italian. The language felt so tongue rolling and intriguing.

  My eyes surveyed the living room but I couldn't spot Raphael anywhere. Where is he?

  Just different workers scrambling about their various duties but no sign of Raphael. Suddenly I felt so lonely and awkward. I sat on one of the sofa's, feeling a bit out of place in this new foreign environment.

"Sister inlaw"a young red haired boy excitedly chirped whilst he made his way towards me. He sat by my side and had a broad smile drawn on his face.

"My name is Emilio. You won't recognise me. I came to Nigeria to visit Raphael once and I spotted you and him walking upstairs"he said.

"Oh"was what I managed to say. I trult couldn't recognise the redhaired. Raphael had so many men patrolling in his house, I was even scared for my own safety.

"I am Sofia's elder brother. I promise you will enjoy your stay in this house"

I nodded with a soft smile.

"Um where is Raphael?"I was tempted to ask.

"He went out with Leila. They didn't move far. Just around the vicinity talking"

I felt knots tie inside me and my stomach churned.

  Not like I hated Leila but the manner in which she spoke to my husband was so sultry and sensual to me. She felt so intimidating.

What were they discussing?

"Dontworry sister in law. Leila is pretty yes but she won't steal your husband from you"Emilio spoke as if he read my thoughts.

He must have probably sensed my tensed expression.

Aurora's shrill voice called him from the kitchen.

With a sigh he waved at me before standing up and heading to the kitchen.

Once again I was left alone.

Where the fuck was Raphael? We just arrived in italy, he was the one supposed to show me round the house and keep me company not leaving me by myself in the midst of workers and guards.

  I huffed and flopped my head on the sofa, closing my eyes softly.

  I was sure I hadn't closed my eyes for up to twenty minutes when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

My eyes fluttered open to meet the ocean blue eyes of Raphael.

I bolted up from the sofa immedately, excitement and annoyance souring within me.

I felt like punching him in the groins and hugging him too.

"Lunch is ready bella" Raphael said with his hands stretching towards the dinning section that was already stacked with mouth watering cuisines. I noticed Lorenzo, Marco, Luca and Thomas were also seated there accompanied by Sofia and Emilio.

How can he come back from nowhere and just inform me of lunch?

"Where have you been?"I said through gritted teeth, stumping my foot.

"I was with my concubine"he leaned in, whispering into my ear.

I pulled back with a gasp and longing eyes.

Raphael erupted into laughter and shook his head, patting my dark hair like I was a child.

"Relax my love. I just went to discuss business issues with Leila"

I huffed at him and controlled my urge to kick him in the place where the sun never shines.

  I heard those familar soft clicking of heels against the tiles and shifted my gaze to see Leila coming behind him.

"I'll be taking my leave now. See you boss and congratulations on your marriage"She said in a formal tone before flashing me a smile and swinging her hips away.

  She was truly very beautiful.

"Won't you children come and eat?"Aurora called out from the large dinning section of the living room.

Raphael interlocked his hands with mine as I glared at him with a frosty anger.

"Let's go have lunch"He said as he pecked me on my cheeks.

My face turned crimson red by his display of affection infront of his family.

  Sofia gave me a mischievous smile, watching I and Raphael together.

I couldn't help the blush on my cheeks as we sat down in the dinning area.

* * * * * * *

  Nicole sat on the bed, worried lines drew on her forehead as she anxiously waited for Raphael.

Time and time again she would glance at the digital rectangular clock placed on the wall, her anxiety eating her up in anticipation of Raphael.

  This was past midnight and she felt so anxious. Her heart rate increased and her head was spinning out of fear.

Where was Raphael?

Trepidation seized her as she thought of the multiple horrid things that lurked by this time of the night outside.

  He told her he would be working late but she didn't expect it to be this sort of lateness.

After lunch, Raphael and her had a beautiful stroll around the garden and his mansion whilst his workers arranged her things in his room.

Holding hands, talking and watching the sun set, it was very romantic.

  She thought after dinner they would spend more romantic time in the bedroom but he didn't even stay for dinner.

She bit her bottom lip in frustration, her feelings doused in panic.

Her eyes felt so heavy as she struggled to keep herself awake.

She promised herself she would wait for Raphael to come back and she would.

RUSSIA

  The silence was defeaning and thick as it soured through the air.

The gloomy domed room was dark apart from a faintly lit bulb swinging from the centre of the room doing absolutely no justice in shedding light to the room.

  A figure of a man sat on a chair that was infront of a wooden desk, puffing up smokes from his cigarettes into the air.

His eyes were wide opened and they seemed so distant. His thoughts ran wild as he stared at the picture frame on the wall in front of him.

The only sound that could be heard was the sound of his chair rocking back and forth.

Suddenly a dry laughter rumbled from his lungs. He kept on laughing so hard like he was being tickled.

He then stopped and wiped off drops of tears forming in his eyes.

  "So he is back"he said

"The almighty don is back from his get away trip"he added as he began laughing hysterically.

His fist suddenly clenched as he stopped laughing. His nostrils flared and his face became contorted with rage.

"Bloody fool!"he yelled bringing out a gun from his drawer.

He aimed his gun at the picture frame and his lips curled. "Raphael you came back with a woman. Bloody bastard. Cunt"

His chest heaved with anger and his eyelid became squinted. "No problem. You came with a woman that's fine by me"he said as he drew his lips tightly into a cunning smile.

"She will pay for your sin with her blood. After all, an eye for an eye and a life for a life" he growled before pulling the trigger on Raphael's picture.