Chapter 1: Stealing The Cufflinks

{Naomi's POV}

"So you're telling me you'll just walk into the Vitale mansion and walk out with fifty-million-dollar cufflinks like it's the easiest thing to do?" Chloe, my best friend asked, her voice faltering in fear.

I turned to face her, still holding onto the red lipstick in my hand. "Yes. It’s not like I have any other choice." I turned to face the mirror and brushed the lipstick on my lips, staring at my reflection, my hand slightly shaking—betraying the fear I was trying so hard to hide.

"You have a choice that won’t cost you your life," Chloe exclaimed as she stood up from the chair, walking toward me. "You can get a job and use the money to pay for your mom's hospital bill."

I turned to look at Chloe, wondering where she got that idea from, but I knew she was reacting out of fear, and that’s not what I needed at the moment.

"Jeez, Chloe. You're acting like you're the one going to do it," I mumbled with an eye roll. "And which job in New York would offer me thirty million dollars in a day to pay for my mom’s surgery bill?"

I turned to face her and she lowered her gaze.

"You're right. But if anything happens to you, I don’t know if I’ll be able to survive the guilt of letting you do something as stupid as stealing."

I sighed, letting the weight of fear off my chest as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Chloe. Nothing bad is going to happen to me, aside from the fact that I’ll get the cufflinks, sell them to Venta Andres as we’ve planned, pay for my mom’s surgery, and keep the rest for her upkeep."

"I’m scared, Naomi," Chloe mumbled. "That cufflink belongs to the Vitale Empire, and it's in possession of Enzo. That guy is mysterious, and the last time someone got close to the cufflinks… that was the last I saw of her."

I grabbed the expensive cashmere sweater I borrowed from the boutique Chloe's friend owns.

"Are you saying he killed her or something?" I asked, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

When I got no response from Chloe, I turned in her direction. My heart raced, but I refused to show it. The worst thing that could happen to me right now wasn’t getting caught by Enzo, it was losing my mother, the only person I had left, when I could at least try to save her.

Chloe looked at me with so much sadness.

"No one knew what happened to her."

"Jeez, you’re scaring me, Chloe." I bit my lip and walked over to pick up my purse from the bed.

"Because I don’t want you to do it," she said. I rolled my eyes and started making my way to the door. She followed closely behind and stopped when we got to the car.

A man dressed in a black suit stood waiting. He smiled and waved at Chloe when he saw her, giving off the hint that she had helped all the way. She talked to her friend to lend me a dress, and also persuaded her friend’s husband to take me to the mansion in grand style for the Vitale party so I could blend in, and even snuck my name onto the guest list. But now, at the dying moment, she was getting too scared.

The man opened the car for me, and I got in. I blew Chloe a kiss before he closed the door. Watching her stare at the car in horror with her hand wrapped over her chest, I rested my back on the seat and prayed to whatever I believed in that everything tonight turn out right.

Just like Chloe had described the Vitale mansion, it was massive and majestic. Tall, royalty-crafted with marble pillars and golden fixtures. A red carpet stretched across the entrance, and rich people, men in tuxedos and women in glittering dresses, walked around in a glamour of wealth.

The moment the heels I had on touched the concrete floor of the parking space, that’s when the height of everything hit me. My heart pounded in my chest. I took a deep breath to calm myself, waved to the driver, and started walking into the mansion. I walked in and gave my name to the man at the entrance. He nodded and stepped aside to let me pass.

With my heart still beating rapidly, I made my way to grab a drink and scanned the environment for the hallway Chloe had told me about. Taking a sip of the cocktail, I tried to recall the details. The study was straight down the hallway, then up the stairs, and a little further up again. Once I saw a brown double door with golden knobs, that would be the place.

I took another sip and looked around once more to ensure no one was staring before slipping away toward the hallway. My heart eased a little as I climbed the stairs, seeing that no one was around. With just the sound of my heels clicking against the stairs, I smiled, though my hands were shaking. I kept walking until I saw the golden knob. I looked around hastily before grabbing it.

I pushed the door open. It creaked softly, revealing the lavish interior of the study, dressed in rich brown and black tones. I stepped inside, remembering Chloe had said the cufflinks were in the lower drawer of the desk, inside a brown box with a security code—579.

I had Chloe to thank for being such an observant friend and for staying loyal as a good maid at the Vitale mansion for years. I pulled out the box carefully and stared at it, smiling. I looked around to see if there was anyone, or anything, that could give away my identity, but there was nothing.

Pressing the passcode, I stared down at the rare cufflinks, one of the most expensive in New York, glistening in gold under the chandelier light. I picked it up from the box, slid it into my purse, and closed the box exactly as I found it.

Straightening up and walking carefully out of the study, I took a few steps down the hallway. I looked back and around one more time. Just as I turned to face forward again, my body collided with someone.