Chapter 4: Leave the country?

Who did they think they were to be treating me as such?

I couldn’t help but grumble as I rushed out of the building and headed straight towards a taxi from which a passenger had just stepped down. Slamming the door shut behind me I placed my head in between my hands and ruffling my hair I let out a suppressed shriek. The embarrassment of the situation was now hitting me with more force now that I was able to think properly.

How could I have been so stupid?

Banging my head against the passenger seat in front of me I let out another frustrated cry as Lisa’s voice echoed in my head. I just knew what she would have said if she saw me right now.

‘See, I told you that one day you would get in trouble because of your blind faith in your visions.’

Those words were mocking me and stopping me from actually telling her the truth. I wanted to unburden myself off these angry thoughts but going to her wasn’t an option this time. She wouldn’t let me hear the end of this if she found out what I had done and how I was treated.

For all I know she could march right into his office and demand him to apologize to me causing yet another scene.

“Um, excuse me ma’am? A-Are you okay? Where do you want to go?” the voice startled me out of my thoughts and realizing just yet that I had been seated inside a taxi felt a pink rush to my cheeks at the remembrance of my actions. I am pretty sure he had heard me mumble out some curses as well.

Giving him a sheepish smile as I sat up straight again I said, “Can you take me to Maurice’s bakery?”

The man thought for a second about it then nodded his head and said, “That won’t be a problem but you might want to,” saying that he motioned to my hair as he adjusted the rearview mirror for me to see in it.

And what a sight it was!

My dull dark brown hair was scruffily sitting on top of my head from my actions just a few seconds ago while my eyes looked red from the unshed tears that I had been wiping all the way down the building. No wonder Draven thought I was in need of some money, I look like a beggar!

“Oh, I am so sorry you had to see such an ugly sight,” I said as I hurried to make myself presentable again. The mirror was a help and I felt it to be a strike of luck to have graced me on such a cloudy day for me to have sat in a kind man’s cab.

“You don’t have to worry about it, I have seen worse come out of that building and let me stress on that word ‘worse’ again,” the man laughed and I didn’t know if he was saying that just to make me feel better or if he had just been speaking the truth but I felt grateful to him.

“Thank you,” I said trailing off to get his name, and realizing that he looked at me slightly surprised as he provided, “Nicholas.”

“Thank you Nicholas,” I started again, “I had a really bad day but talking to you has made me feel better.”

“No, it’s alright and I guess I should thank you too for not being like the other snotty workers that I pick up or drop off at this building. None of them ever speak politely much less ever ask for my name. You are the first one to do so,” he said flashing me a sweet smile that again worked like salve to my recent wounds of embarrassment that had been still paining my soul.

It was silent for a little while as Nicholas drove me back. The radio was playing a soft melody that was helping me calm down better as I reminded myself to forget about this day and the snow haired man who had humiliated me.

“What were you doing there?” the question startled me out of my lulled state as I turned my head to look at Nicholas, “If you don’t mind me asking that is, I was just curious because you don’t seem like you work there.”

I would have wanted to evade answering that question but I realized that we were stuck in a jam and didn’t look like we were getting off any time soon. There was no chance for me to escape and sighing I tried to be as vague about it as I could, “I went to meet some Draven guy because of some things that happened but he was such a rude asshole that I couldn’t help but shout at him.”

“What?” Nicholas let out a rushed gasp while cupping his mouth with a hand and realizing that dumping my frustration on him was actually helping me. So I nodded along and continued, “Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how much of a jerk he was. I almost wanted to punch him but he looked kind of scary so I refrained from doing anything much. Oh and there was this friend of his, what was his name again?”

It took me a second to remember but before I could answer Nicholas provided, “Alfeo Delluci?”

“Yeah, him! I thought he was a good man but ugh! He was just as much of a jerk as his friend but I guess a slight bit better than him? Anyways they were both utterly infuriating and to keep my sanity intact I chose to storm out of there at the end,” I grunted finishing my rant that made me feel much better than before. I knew I couldn’t tell any of this to Lisa so Nicholas was truly a god sent help.

Bringing my gaze to him finally I am shocked to see him almost out of his seat and in my face as he shouted, “Are you insane! What is wrong with you woman?”

If I hadn’t been insulted so much today already then his words would have honestly felt rude to me but unfortunately I had been numbed to such minor insults by now.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked pouting at him, wondering where his ‘kindness’ went to.

Nicholas’s black monolid eyes that had been characteristically small widened to its capacity as he asked, “Don’t tell me you don’t even know who you met!”

His words confused me again. I mean I understand that the man was rich but that didn’t give him the right to be rude to anyone or mistreat them. My expression must have given away my lack of knowledge because huffing out an exasperated laughter Nicholas said, “I don’t know if I should be admiring your luck or cursing your foolishness.”

“Hey that’s a bit muc-”

“The man you just met is Draven Calix, does that ring a bell?” he asked looking at me as I scrunched my brows closer. I have heard that name for sure but what was it about? Realizing that I was having trouble remembering it he said, “I am sure you have heard about the Mafias in America. The Calixes are the newest one and Draven Calix is the Don who is leading it.”

If possible I think my brain short circuited for a few seconds as I stared emptily at Nicholas’s face. His words made sense and yet they didn’t.

“The other one that you talked about is Alfeo Delluci, his consigliere and another dangerous man that helps Draven in running the mafia. It is because of him that they can live so peacefully without getting caught by the police even though everyone knows what kinds of crime they commit.”

Listening to these facts felt unreal to me but now that he had said it I couldn’t help but remember it. There had been news reports about the Calixes every once in a while. The murder also made sense to me now. Same with the way he was trying to handle the situation by throwing money at me.

He was someone who could afford to do all that and yet not be scared and to that kind of person I had dared to raise my voice?

Fuck!

“Ma’am?” Nicholas started but I stopped him as I gave him my name, “Silia.”

“Okay, Silia, this piece of advice to you. It would be best if you shift houses, no maybe change to another city- No, they might still find you. Go to another fucking country or continent but get far away from here, because I fear for your life. It’s already a wonder how you came out alive after shouting at him,” Nicholas said scaring me while I looked up at him with pouty lips, trying to stop a scared sob from releasing out of me.

What did I fucking do?

I should have just taken the damn money and kept quiet!

The traffic moved ahead and turning back around Nicholas sighed and passing me a card he said, “Call me when you need to go to the airport I’ll give you a ten percent discount. That is if you don’t die before that. I will be looking forward to your call.”