CHAPTER 36: PUNISHMENT The sound of a gun, so loud echoed inside her head and Italia came awake. Drenched in sweat, wide eyes and panting, catching her own breathe as if she run a miles. She was on edge, searching each corners of the same room she had gotten familiar with. She was ready to leapt until her body slowly relaxed as she took off her sorroundings.She is on her room. There are no bloods, no screams and cries. Nothing that her mind was trying to deceived her for.Italia let out a loud breathe, “That dream again.”But even if it was a dream, she still find herself shaking.It just started, when Fredo abducted her. The rescue didn’t run smoothly. His men fought Black’s, and it was a bloody fight as her brain recall the events that took place that night.“We were paid to save you, Italia. That is an order from him.” Black helped her up on her feet. His left hand still holding the gun, while Fredo was loosing too much blood on the floor. Only that, Black ordered one of his men
CHAPTER 37: INDENIAL It was silent. It was too silent for her liking.She isn’t used to this atmosphere. Sitting on the same dining table, while facing Gustav, her ex-husband as if nothing happened. As of those tears she shed, and the confrontation was merely nothing, but a dream.What more was her chest that seems bottled by so many butterflies that keep swarming even on her stomach. It made the air awkward.That Italia couldn’t help, but cleared her throat.“So, how are you?” She unknowingly winced.How are you really? She thought, but isn’t that what most start their conversation?Gustav stopped slicing the steak on his plate, and lifted his head.THUMP.Italia gulps. Her throat is parched dry, and she was not liking a bit how much he could affect her.“Still the same, when you left.” He said dryly.That made her hangs her head low. Guilt tripped her core. She knew that it is him, who save him, but her pride wouldn’t even accept it. Gustav rescued her, when no one had ever done th
CHAPTER 38: MOTHER-IN-LAW“Sir?” A knock coming from his office door made Gustav to lifted his head from his papers.“Yes?”“You have a visitor.” Amber peered down, and have him an anxious smile. “And I believe it doesn’t matter whether you are expecting her or not, that’s what she said—”“Of course, my son knows that I don’t need any appointment, Miss.” Behind Amber, a woman pushed open the door.It shows a middle age aristocrat clad in a fancy dress. She looks to be about on her 50’w, but her face doesn’t look that old. She have a pale skin, a reddish lips and a soft features that match Gustav’s eyes and his nose. They look alike, but how can they not be, when it is no other than his own mother?Juliet Rexene Salvador. “Mom.” Gustav instantly frowns, while signalling Amber to leave the room. “What are you doing here?”“Aren’t you at least happy to see me here, my dear boy?” Juliet pursed her lips. “You know, I’ve travelled almost 6000 kilometres from State just so I could see you,
CHAPTER 39: DRUNK KISSESWhen they arrived home, Zamiel bid his farewell.“Are you not going to sleep here?” She asked, while unbuckling her seatbelt.She looked at him. It just that Italia had gotten used to the fact that Zamiel is always around. He was always there the moment she woke up.“Not really, I still have some papers left to do in the office, but don’t worry, I’ll visit again tomorrow.” He reassured her.It was Zamiel, who first went out to open the door on her side. Italia mouthed a low thanks before facing the latter.“So, I guess this is where we part ways.” She chuckled. “Take care, Zam—”But she was stopped, when Zamiel closes the gap between them, and planted a soft lingering kiss on her forehead.“Goodbye, Italia.” He smiled, turning his back, while she stood frozen.It wasn’t new, but Italia was still taken aback by his action.“G—goodbye.” She cleared her throat.She stood there, watching Zamiel’s care disappear. When it does, she turn her back to get inside of the
CHAPTER 40: DINNER DATENobody speak between them about what happened that morning. When Italia woke up again, Gustav was no longer there. What was left was the empty and cold space that lay crumpled on her side.She looked at it sadly.“I knew it.”He might have been regretting it now.With a solemn eyes, she climbed off the bed. The morning breeze brushed across her bare skin. The warmth seeping from the cracks is not enough to console the coldness that envelope her heart.Italia move slowly, her shoulders are sagged. Her head are crestfallen, even the moment she turned on the shower. The water fell across her skin directly, but it did not make her feel anything. The numbness was enough until tears slowly fallen from her eyes.Crying with grief when she covered her eyes. Unaware the moment that sliding glass door was pushed open. Another presence joined her. Agrrieved, and blinded by pain, when a pair of string arms hug Italia from behind.“Shh, are you crying again?” Gustav mumbled
CHAPTER 41: ACCIDENT, MISCARRIAGE Italia was marching outside of the restaurant that Gustav brought her with. She was mad. How can he be so insensitive with her feelings? When she thought that he cares and wanted to fix what was between them, then this happened.Just one woman who can ruining their night, and he was acting indifferently towards her.“This sucks.” She chuckled bitterly.She did not mind the looks that some passer-by’s are throwing at her direction. They are looking at her as if she had grown two heads.What? Is it their first time to see a beautiful girl clad on a luxurious dress and wondering whether her date ditched her? Tch. She isn’t the one being ditched, but it was her, who ditch him. Italia lost care whether Gustav was running after her or not. Recalling what that woman said, and she was certainly losing it.“I can say that it is more than the friendship you think, young lady.”The nerve of her to say that to Italia! Doesn’t she realize that she was speaking t
CHAPTER 42: THE ONE TO BLAMESamantha was shaking. She was inside her car, but she wanted to go out and just throw out everything she ate. Fear crept on her arms, while recalling what happened earlier.She was supposed to meet a friend, when she spot Italia and Gustav being lovey dovey with each other. Full of jealousy, the envious Samantha was blinded. She didn’t know what she is doing at first until there are series of screams and shouts, yelling from the road.And that woke her up from what was really happening.She hit her! Samantha had hit Italia Mercedes! “Oh god!” Guilt tripped, she cried.She isn’t supposed to be the one killing Italia out there! What if the press find out who was the owner of the car? It would certainly ruined her career!Her teeth chattered. Samantha was freak out, and paranoia began creeping all the way to her skin.. She don’t know what to do.But only one person came into her mind.“R—right.” Shaking terribly, she began to di all his number.It take a co
CHAPTER 43: TEMPORARY AMNESIA‘Am I dead?’ That was the first thing that registered on her head, when she regain her consciousness.Her half lidded eyes open only to meet the white ceiling. Her nostrils are instantly filled with the smell of medicine and disinfectant. On the room, there is this sound of beating coming from a machine that she couldn’t tell.Her sight is blurry—temporarily blinded by the light, Italia blinks.“Where am I?” At the end of her sentence, there is this soft groan that came afterwards.She felt like her head was throbbing painfully. As if it has been hit by something hard that cause for her to faint or did she actually fainted? With that thought in mind, a sudden memory flashed before her eyes.A scream followed suit by wheels of a car and the sight of blood, and then...nothing.A sudden ringing as she tried her hardest to remember stops her for a moment.“Shit.” The pain on her head was much painful that she imagined.She was at that state, when the door of