Chapter 2: Triumphant

{Naomi POV}

I stumbled to fall but the man didn't move, it was almost as if he was made with stone. He shifted slightly and I fell to the ground, my heart falling along with me. I could hear it thumping in my ear as I asked myself these questions.

Have I been caught? Will I get killed?

I rubbed by hand against my forehead, pretending to be high on alcohol not to be able to see properly. "Jeez, who the hell are you?" I winced, looking around confusedly. "Can't you help a lady up."

"A lady?" He muttered, his voice as cold as ice and I sluggishly looked up to see the face of the man. His pair of black stared at me suspiciously and I looked away facing the ground hoping he didn't see my face.

He stepped closer to me and I scrambled on the floor like a lost cat drenched in rain. I moved backwards and he scoffed. "Who the hell are you?"

I gulped the bile in my throat and push my hand hair to the front still on the floor. "Oh shit, I'm so drunk. And I only had two drinks. I tried to look for the restroom l must've miss the way." I mumbled burying my face in my palm.

The man stayed perfectly still with one hand burying in his pocket exposing his expensive black waistcoat. "I asked a question, I don't care if you're drunk or not." He said flatly.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I think of what next to do. With the sound of his voice and the way he acted I tried to think if I've heard Chloe talked about someone of his status, the only person she had describe with such cold words was Enzo and no one had seen him rather than few people.

I didn't know what to do, words got caught in my throat as I still sat on the floor with my face buried in my palm. I felt a shadowing figure enveloping me and I lifted my hand off my face slowly to have a peek and was shocked when I saw the man crouched beside me.

"Are you getting up that floor or should I get security?" He asked, codly.

I lifted my hand up and shook it, giving him the sluggish look again, thinking he would help me up but he didn't. From this close, I noticed how delicate his features were. His lashes were thick, his nose perfectly straight. And his pitch black eyes had an intensity that would make any girl weak.

"No need for security," I slurred, helping myself up and I staggered about falling thinking he would help me, but he just stood there watching me make a fool out of myself.

"I don't tolerate guest at my party getting drunk," he said coldy. "If you need to go to the restroom, go down the hallway and out of this building."

With that, he turned and walked away leaving me standing there with nothing but my heart beating faster than a sport car. I took in a deep breath and brushed off the fold in my dress before walking away and then I was out of the Vitale mansion, thanking good riddance that I had the cufflinks and wasn't caught.

Once I was far away from the mansion, I brought out the cufflinks from my purse staring at the beauty. It was small but cost more, in triumphant I kissed it softly.

"I can't believe this turn out to be easier than I thought," I mumbled and put it back in my purse before picking out my phone to call Chloe. She picked it up almost immediately.

"Naomi, are you okay? Did you change your mind?" She asked hastily and I rolled my eyes.

"No drama queen," I looked at the cufflinks once more. "I got the sugar."

She laughed. "Oh, really. Like you expect me to believe you successful stole a fifty million dollar worth cufflinks without getting caught?"

I didn't reply her immediately and she spoke up. "Wait are you serious? Naomi?"

I grinned softly. "Meet me in Kirby park let's go sell this baby."

"Woah," Chloe exclaimed and the call ended. With a smile I put my phone back to my purse breathing in the cool evening breeze.

Not long after Chloe stepped out of a car, dressed in a brown shirt and black pant with her hair pulled up in a bun. She rushed to meet me looking side by side.

"Are you serious, Naomi. You got the cufflinks?"

"Yes," I replied. I gave her my purse and she stared into it and gasped like her breath had left her lungs. "Jeez, how did you do it."

"Let's just say, I had the universe backing me up," I replied. "Now enough of the drama, let's go sell this. My mom only have two more hours to her death if I don't pay for her surgery."

Chloe nodded hastily and we took the next cab to the boutique, Chloe who knew the man excorted me inside but about entering the place where the man men are, I held her hand stopping her.

"You've done enough Chloe, let me go alone," I told her. "Incase this turn out bad, I don't want you to be dragged along with it."

Chloe gave me a worried look. "Okay, but please be safe, don't let him cheat you on this."

I smiled and nodded before stepping forward into the colder room, a man dressed in black approached me. "I'm here to see Venta Andres, to discuss business."

The man looked at me assesively before speaking. "He's been waiting for you, follow me."

I followed him into the interior part of the boutique until I was standing before a brown door, he opened it and indicated for me to go in.

Warm light spilled over rich wood shelves as I walked in. My gaze fell on the tidy desk where Venta Andres sat with a smile that never reached his eyes.

I walked up, set the cufflinks on polished oak. The cufflinks glimmered like trapped sunlight.

Venta lifted one with gloved fingers, whistled softly. “Forty million,” he said.

I folded my arms. “Make it forty-five. They’re rare, and you know it.”

His smile tightened. He turned the cufflink, studying the tiny Vitale crest. “Forty-two.”

“Forty-five,” I repeated, locking eyes with him. My knees quivered, but I held the stare.

A long moment. Then he sighed. “Fine. Forty-five. No receipt.”

“Fine.”

He typed on a sleek tablet. A ping from my phone confirmed it, forty five million dollars, sitting in my account. My breath hitched.

Venta picked up for cufflinks and slid it into a drawer, before waving me off.

Chloe was pacing outside when I got out of the office. She turned towards me and grabbed my shoulders. “You did it?”

I showed her the bank alert. Tears shone in her eyes as she hugged me. “Now go save your mom,” she whispered.