Chapter 2

Rosalia 

Uhn??? 

I stared blankly at the tall man in front of me. What was he talking about? Is he drunk? He must be if he's spewing such nonsense with conviction. 

"My husband? Are you taking me for another person?" Because it had to be that or he was plain crazy. How could I have a husband I don't know about. 

Before I could continue speaking. The door opened and another man in black stepped in , dragging in someone who looked half dead. Panic immediately engulfed my heart. Were they planning on killing someone and framing me for it? 

I glanced at the man in front of me with horror and he was still looking at me but now with amusement. He seems to be enjoying my discomfort which made me frown. 

"What are you trying to do?" I inquired but no one answered me. 

"Boss, it is done" The man holding the half dead man said to the one behind me. 

"Raise his head so she can see" 

The man immediately jerked the half dead man's head upwards and I stifled my scream. It was Howard fucking Walter. How did he get here? Why did the men take him and bring him here? 

"Nico, tell her what he did" The man behind me says and the young man he called Nico, the one holding Howard immediately started talking. 

"He was seen lurking around your apartment after tailing you from the train station"  

Wait, What??? Howard was following me all along??? How come I didn't think of that? I had literally shown him the way to my apartment??!! That was stupid on my part. 

But more than that, how did the men know that? I turned to the one behind me since he was the boss. "You have been stalking me too, who are you?" 

I swear to God if he says it's because he's my husband, I might end up biting him. However he smirked like he could hear my inner thoughts. 

"I told you, I'm your husband and isn't it the husband's duty to keep his wife safe?" I glared at him then faced Nico. 

"Madam, the boss is telling the truth" 

"Madam?" Okay now I'm really about to lose my shit. It wasn't enough that I got fired from my job then had to walk home in that cold, met Howard today of all days, got stalked home by him, climbed a whole eight floors and had to meet two intruders which one of them claims to be my husband and the other calls me Madam? What did I do to deserve all these??!!!

"Okay, so what is your purpose here?" I asked the boss. If they can just leave me alone, it would be fine. 

He leaned on the back of my couch, his eyes not leaving me. 

"To take you back home" 

I scoffed, like actually scoffed. He must be hallucinating if he thinks I'll be going anywhere with him. 

"Look here, Mr Boss, I don't know who you are and certainly wouldn't follow you anywhere" I deadpanned with my hands on my hips. He only looked bored like he couldn't care less about my opinion. 

"I wasn't asking for your opinion, I'm simply here to take you home. Maria misses you, so you'll go to her. Your vacation is over" 

I took a step back and looked at him, like really looking at him because I hadn't done so before. It couldn't be that he's actually insane, right? But he looked too normal to be. 

"So, who is Maria? Please don't tell me it's my daughter who loves me so much she awaits my return"

"Bingo!" 

I opened my mouth in disbelief and just stared at him. 

"You'll be coming with me anyways, how about coming quietly or if you prefer the hard way, you'll be forcefully taken" He made it seem like a bargain but it's actually bullshit. 

"What if I choose neither?" 

He pushed away from the couch and stalked towards me "Look, Serena. I've not got all day to deal with you. Either you come with me or I'll drag you" He frowned. 

"Okay great, so I'm not even Rosalia but Serena?" He nodded. 

"Fine, I'll go with you". I can't be dragged off to only God knows where so I settled for the easy way. However, he eyed me suspiciously then grabs my hand like he believes I have a way to miraculously disappear. 

I eyed Nico then glanced at the man in his hand. Mr Boss seemed to have noticed my glance as he told Nico. "He's going with us. I'll settle the score with him later" That actually sent chills down my spine and I suddenly felt pity for Howard for the first time even though I'm not sure why. 

Mr Boss held my hand until we got in front of the elevator. "It doesn't w..." But surprisingly, it opened and I was tugged in. I thought the elevator wasn't working? I glanced at the man holding my hand. 

"It had been fixed a few hours ago" He replied. Damn it! I climbed the stairs for nothing. 

"You fixed it?" He only nodded in response. We got outside and I saw two cars packed. There were other men there too. I couldn't have escaped after all. But how come I didn't notice them when I passed by here earlier? 

"Madam!" They all called which startled me. Who is their Madam! 

Mr Boss opened one of the car doors and I slipped in, followed by him. I watched as Nico handed Howard to one of the other men and came to join us in the car at the shotgun. There was someone in the driver's position and he drove the car while I was left staring at my apartment as we passed by it. My home for the last one and half years. It has been where I stayed the longest and I have grown accustomed to it.

I wondered about the crazy things that had happened within the last twelve hours which ended with me being in the car with a stranger who claims to be my husband. And worst of it all is that he seemed sure I was his wife but I wasn't married to anyone. I had always been single, at least for as long as I could remember. 

I turned to him and realised he was staring at me. It was that same look he gave me when he first saw me about an hour ago. Then I realised I didn't know his name yet. 

"I didn't get to ask your name earlier" 

"Damien, Damien Genovese. Never forgot. Again"