Chapter six

Mira

I exhaled deeply and ran a hand over my hair in frustration.

Since last night that I got here, my heart has not been at rest. I don’t know if to blame myself but anytime I remembered that Theo is getting the treatment he derserves…. The blame vanishes but then again, I miss him.

I’m sure he might be looking for me now.

I can’t just leave him alone in the hospital, he might be smart and all that but he’s still a child.

Oh God!

I groaned and dragged in a sharp breath

There aren't any escape ideas and scenarios that haven’t crossed my mind since yesterday but the problem is how do I go about it?

This is not somewhere to fucking escape from without getting catch. This place is so huge, but honestly….. I trailed my eyes around the room, “this place is so fineeeeee,” I said, awed by the interior of the room.

“This is screaming…. MONEY!” I whispered as if the air might hear me. My heart was drumming so fast not out of fear but shock. I haven’t been to a place like this. Kaiden's parents might be rich but this room alone beats everything in their house.

This room alone is even bigger than my room in London and even my apartment here in Sicily. This looks like something ripped out of a magazine.

Why didn’t I see this last night?

I guess that’s because I was so nervous and overwhelmed to even think, talk more about looking around.

I took more steps forward, gaping at the room like a lost puppy. My gaze moved up to see a massive black chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting soft golden light across the room. And opposite the bed was a fireplace built into the wall, the flames flickering quietly behind the transparent glass.

It looked so beautiful.

I smiled at the sight and then shifted my gaze to the center of the room to find cream colored couches that probably cost more than my yearly rent.

I scoffed at the thought, embarrassed and stepped out from there. But before I could take another step forward, my whole body froze instantly.

The closet?

“Jesus Christ,” I gasped, stunned at the beautiful sight in front of me.

The walk-in closet alone was almost the size of a boutique store. Shelves lined with watches, suits arranged perfectly by color, polished shoes displayed beneath soft lighting. Everything seems neat. Controlled. Sharp.

Just like him.

I swallowed hard and immediately looked away

Even the silence in this room felt heavy.

The only thing lingering in the air was his expensive masculine scent.

I sighed and frowned.

I haven’t seen him since yesterday we got here. He didn’t even come back last night. My head pondered on that before I shrugged with a hiss. “Not like I care,” I muttered and was about to turn back when I spotted a golden vintage telephone on the table and my heart skipped.

I quickly hurried toward it. I grabbed it and was about to dial a number when I stopped unsure of who to call. I have no friends and I can’t possibly call the hospital…. God!

What should I do?

I can’t possibly leave my son alone there…. My heart ached painfully at that thought. He needs to eat, drink and someone to assist him.

I shut my eyes, fighting back my emotions.

My hopes were starting to crash when a face immediately popped into my head and my eyes snapped wide in an instant.

“Vanessa. Vanessa,” I stuttered. “Yes. Yes,”

I quickly dialed her number, my fingers trembling slightly against the buttons as panic clawed up my chest.

The phone rang once

Twice

Three times.

Fuck…. Come on! I kept glancing nervously toward the closed door every few seconds, my foot tapping restlessly against the marble floor. My heartbeat was pounding so loudly that it almost drowned out the ringing sound in my ear.

Come on…. Pick up.

But the call suddenly ended. “Shit!” I hissed, frustration punching through me immediately.

I inhaled sharply and quickly dialed the number again

This time, the line clicked after the second ring. And then came a sleepy groan from the other side. “Hello…”

“Vanessa,” I whispered out quickly.

There was a loud rustling sound before she suddenly coughed violently.

“Mira?” Her voice sharpened instantly. “Mira, what the hell? Are you okay? Where have you been?”

I shut my eyes briefly as she continued without breathing.

“A group of armed men came looking for you the night before yesterday. Armed men, Mira! Real guns and everything. I don’t know what they discussed with Mrs. Chloe but that witch gave them your address—”

She paused only to inhale.

“And I’ve been trying to call you ever since but your damn phone has been switched off, bitch!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

Vanessa never knew when to stop talking.

“I’m okay,” I whispered quickly, lowering my voice again when my eyes darted nervously toward the door. “Just… lower your voice.”

“Lower my….? Mira, are you kidnapped?”

“No!” I hissed. “God, no.”

“Then where the hell are you?”

I opened my mouth then closed it again immediately. Because honestly… where the hell would I even start from?

Hey Vanessa, remember that dangerous mafia man we normally do talk about in the strip club?

Yeah, apparently I’m married to him now.

I swallowed hard.

“It’s complicated.”

“Oh no. Don’t give me that nonsense.” Vanessa scoffed loudly. “You disappear for almost two days, armed men show up at the club asking questions, your phone dies, and now you sound like you’re hiding inside somebody’s basement.”

Despite my panic, a tiny smile almost tugged at my lips.

Same old Vanessa. Dramatic as hell.

“I’ll explain everything when I see you,” I murmured softly.

“When?” she snapped immediately. “Next year?”

“Vanessa.”

“No, because I’m serious. Mrs. Chloe has been breathing down my neck since yesterday asking if I know where you are. I almost lied and said you got arrested.”

I rolled my eyes tiredly. “That woman already wants me dead. You would’ve made it worse.”

“She already hates us all equally.”

A short laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

For a moment, silence settled between us.

Then Theo’s face flashed through my mind again and the smile disappeared instantly. My chest tightened painfully.

“Vanessa…” My voice softened. “I need you to do something for me.”

Her tone immediately changed. “What happened?”

I looked down at the floor, gripping the telephone tighter. “Can you check on Theo for me at the hospital?”

There was silence.

Then—

“What?”

“I already deposited some money for his treatment before…” I hesitated. “Before everything happened.”

“Mira.” Her voice dropped suspiciously. “How much money?”

“Five hundred thousand dollars.”

Another silence.

This one longer.

Then Vanessa burst out loudly, “FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND?!”

I immediately jerked the phone away from my ear.

“Will you stop screaming?!” I whisper-yelled.

“Mira, our salary can barely buy decent groceries and suddenly you’re throwing around five hundred thousand dollars?”

“It’s for Theo’s treatment and besides… it’s not completed yet,” I said quickly. “Just what I deposited.”

“JUST?” Vanessa sounded personally offended. “Did you rob a bank?”

I rubbed my forehead in exhaustion. “I’ll explain when we meet.”

“You better because this sounds serious.”

“It probably is,” I muttered under my breath.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Vanessa groaned dramatically. “Jesus Christ. You disappear for two days and suddenly come back sounding like a N*****x crime documentary.”

Despite everything, I smiled faintly again.

“Please,” I whispered quietly this time. “Can you just check on him for me?”

Her sigh echoed through the phone.

“Of course I’ll check on him, idiot.”

Damnit!!! Relief crashed through me so hard my knees almost weakened.

“Thank you.”

“But let me make one thing clear,” Vanessa continued immediately. “You’re slowly turning me into a babysitter and I don’t like children.”

I scoffed softly. “Theo likes you.”

“Theo likes everybody. That child would probably befriend a serial killer.”

A small laugh escaped my lips before I covered my mouth quickly.

Vanessa clicked her tongue dramatically. “And who’s feeding us, huh? Because I barely have enough money to feed myself.”

“You literally spend your salary on smoke and tequila.”

“And whose business is that?”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“No, you are.” She grumbled. “I swear if this child starts calling me mommy, I’m billing you.”

“You owe me anyway.”

Vanessa gasped. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” I smirked slightly. “Need I remind you who saved your ass when Mrs. Chloe almost fired you for dancing drunk on stage?”

“That was one time!”

“You fell off the pole, Vanessa.”

“I was emotionally overwhelmed.”

“You threw up in a customer’s shoe.”

She went quiet.

Then muttered bitterly, “You didn’t have to bring that part up.”

I laughed softly for the first time since yesterday, shaking my head.

“Please just help me,” I said more gently this time.

Vanessa sighed again. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll go see him after sleeping.”

An emotion clogged my throat instantly before I knew it and I muttered. “Thank you.”

“Don’t get emotional on me,” she warned quickly. “It’s disgusting.”

I smiled despite the ache in my chest.

But something clicked in before I could say another thing. And my tone got serious. “Look Vanessa. Don’t call this number, Infact don’t contact me.”

“Excuse you?” Came her confused voice.

I breathed out and about to whisper again when the door suddenly pushed open and the phone fell immediately from my grip to the ground.

“Hello.”

“Mira?”

God…. I bent and picked it up, ending the call but it was already late. Standing in front of the door was no other but him. I slowly looked up to find those cold grey eyes fixed hard on me.

Alessandro Caruso…. I hiccuped.