Chapter 05~ The Enemy I Once Loved

MATTEO

“You changed so much,” she said. “You were never like this. You never hurt, you protected. Why? Why did you change this much, Matteo?!”

She said these words to me fifteen years ago, when I almost killed a classmate for being a pain in the ass. Now, she was saying the same words to me.

I was quite the opposite of her. She never changed a bit, not even her beauty, not even the sharpness in her voice when she tries to play tough. She was still the same Emily Thompson I fell in love with.

“Change, you say?” I chuckled, standing up, and walking towards her direction. “Everyone changes, Miss Thompson.” Stopping before her, I squatted, letting our gaze meet. “Except you must have mistaken me for someone else.”

“Don't act like you don't know me, idiot!” She snapped, that same sharpness in her voice. “I know you do! You remember me as much as I remember you. You haven't forgotten so soon, have you?”

I thought I saw something like tears in her eyes. Like she was holding herself from looking hurt, even though it was clearly in her voice. And I hated it.

It reminded me of the past. Back then, I had all those humans who thought they could hurt her and go free pay, but now, I was the one hurting her.

I knew staring at her face would cause more damage than good, so I ordered my men to take her to the cell. A tear fell on her cheek, I was sure I saw it.

Soon after they had left, Dominic returned. He looked excited, which means his journey was a good one. “What's the gist?” I asked, returning to my table.

“Victor agreed to help us speed the shipping.” He announced. “Meanwhile, there seems to be something strange about Don Pedro.”

“What's that?”

“I think he's secretly working with the government,” he said. “Probably, he's wanting to have access to every activity in the State.”

I smiled, that was all I could do.

Pedro was eating more than he could chew. I had given him enough time and chances to enjoy his stay on that seat. Just because he was leading every other Dons doesn't make him any better. Besides, I owned that seat. But, I wasn't one with pride, I wasn't ready to claim what was once my late father's. I wanted to feel what it was like to be led, but I can see he was going extra mile with his smartness.

“How often does he show up at the government?” I asked.

“According to our spy, he started paying a visit since three days ago. And he's been showing up ever since then.”

I nodded. “I need them to provide information to me.” I ordered. “I need to know his conversations, the people he links with, where he goes, and what he does every single second. While you do that, get some men ready for my command. Sooner than later, someone will be losing his precious life.”

“Yes, Boss.” He turned to leave, but stopped, as if recalling what he was forgetting. “I saw your men dragging a lady out of here, who is she?”

I smiled. Talking about her reminded me of so many things I didn't wish to think about. “Just one of those random civilians who thinks they can haunt me down.”

“You mean Emily Thompson?”

“I mean Detective Emily Thompson,” I corrected, standing up from my chair, brushing off the dust that wasn’t even there.

Dominic’s brow lifted slightly. “The detective everyone’s been talking about?”

“The same,” I answered, moving to the shelf at the corner of my office, reaching for the glass bottle of wine. I poured myself half a glass but didn’t drink it yet. I Just watched the liquid spin gently like I was hypnotized by it.

Dominic smirked. “Didn’t know you were into brave women.”

“I’m not,” I said flatly. “I’m into unfinished business.”

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence stretched, only broken by the quiet ticking of the clock above the door.

“Boss,” Dominic spoke up, crossing his arms, “I don’t mean to cross the line, but if you don’t want her dead yet, that’s fine. Just don’t get soft. That’s how men like us lose.”

I stared at him for a while, his words weren’t wrong. Weakness is what got people killed in this world. I knew that better than anyone.

But she wasn’t just anyone.

“You don’t have to remind me how this world works, Dominic,” I said, gulping down the wine in one sharp drag. “I was born in this filth long before you could spell murder.”

He nodded, knowing better than to push further.

I stepped closer to the window, staring down at the streets below, the city lights painting gold streaks across the dark night.

“What should we do about Don Pedro?” he asked after a beat.

“Like I said, let him dance,” I muttered, my fingers curling into a fist. “When I am ready, I'll let you know.”

“Understood.”

As he made his way to the door again, something else crossed my mind. “One more thing,” I called.

Dominic stopped. “Yeah?”

“Double the guards around her cell.”

“Planning on keeping her longer?”

“For now,” I said softly, almost to myself. “I want her alive. I want her to be sane. And when I’m ready…” I didn’t finish that sentence.

Dominic gave me one last glance before walking out, shutting the door behind him. I closed my eyes for a second, feeling the weight of the past hit my chest.

Emily Thompson. Why now? Why her?

Before I could process anything more, my phone buzzed on the table. It was a private line, and only a few people knew that number.

I picked it up slowly.

A quiet voice spoke from the other end. “We have a problem, sir. You’re going to want to see this.”

“What problem?”

Silence.

Then the voice spoke again: “It’s about Emily Thompson.”

The line went dead.

And suddenly, I wasn’t sure anymore if keeping her alive was the smartest decision I’d made.