chapter four

Chapter FOUR

“Wake up old man…” Lorenzo shook the snoring man for the second time.

 Chief Alegra snored and then he grunted deeply. He mumbled some incoherent words wondering who dare disturb his sleep. One of his eyes squinted open and then followed by the second one. His vision was hazy at first, a blurred image of two men standing before him. It definitely couldn’t be his men. He had sent them away so he could have his time with his wife.  He gave his head a little shake. He must still be dreaming. He grunted deeply once more and stretched his hand to reach his wife on the bed but felt nothing.

As if slapped back to normal, his eyes flew open at once and he rose from the bed, sleep completely gone from his eyes.

“Who are you…what do you want in my house! Do you not know who I am?” he questioned with burning eyes. But when he looked over his desk, he saw a gun placed neatly atop of it. He swallowed the rest of his words. “Who sent you…” his voice went low.

Alessandro who had been enjoying the view of the place through the man’s window finally turned around. His dark shades and masks hid his face completely. He had taken care of the CCTV in the house. He was surprised to have met the house totally out of guard on his arrival except for a few men and servants which he took care of quietly. By the time they realize themselves, he would have been done and long gone. The man wives as he expected to see were all out. He shrugged with a bit of relief, it would make his work easy anyways.

He unlocked his phone and raised it to chief’s eyes. Chief jumped, “Leo! Leo…why are you with my son! Don’t you ever hurt my son!” he barked with clenched fists wishing he would smash Alessandro’s head on the wall.

“Relax chief, it’s quite simple. Here, call the prime minister and withdraw from the construction project.” He handed chief his phone. Chief shook his head mumbling no…no…not the project he had been waiting for a long time and had just gotten.

“No…I can’t…”

“Fine then, so bad of me to think you care so much about your son. I guess I would have to find another way…”

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on my son!” chief Alegra roared. He made to attack Alessandro but a feet stuck out by Lorenzo tripped him and he fell. He was breathing heavily. Deep fear rose in his heart.  For the many wives he had married, they kept on bearing female children for him until Jaquetta came and bore Leo his only successor. Chef would never let any harm come upon his only son.

That, Alessandro knew and used to his advantage. He scoffed under his mask and flashed the phone at chief’s face again. “Your last chance.”

Chief growled and cursed. “Fine!” He could always get a new project but getting another heir again soon? That he couldn’t say. He shot Alessandro a glare and collected the phone that was handed to him.

“Speakers.” Alessandro reminded him as he put a call across to the Italian prime minister. The phone was answered on the second ring. Chief rejected the contract as he was ordered to the surprise of the prime minister who smelt something fishy. Chief Alegra would not in his right senses reject a multibillion project for anything in the world.

“His wives are on their way back. You have ten minutes.” A voice came on in the communicator. Alessandro and Lorenzo exchanged knowing looks.

After the call was dropped, Alessandro took out the sim card in front of chief Alegra and destroyed it. Documents for the project was ripped into tiny shreds too. He pocketed his gun carefully and they started to head out of the room.

“I did as you wanted…don’t I get a right to know who sent you?”

Alessandro paused in his tracks. He slowly turned around to face chief. “non sono cazzi tuoi!” he said in a deep Italian accent. Then he turned around and walked away.

The moment they walked out, chief charged to the door only to realize he was locked in. He cried in anguish as he starred at the ripped contract documents on the floor.

“Whoever you are that did this, I swear…I must find you!” his jaw clenched, faces of equally top men in the city flashed in his head. Trying to figure out which of them had done this to him. He couldn’t pick out one. They all joked and went to functions wearing fake smiles that hid their true intentions. That made him even more furious. He swore to get to the root of it.

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Loud music blared from the speakers in the car. Alessandro nods his head slowly to the beat, a hand grabbing the steering and the other placed lightly on his thigh. One that he uses to hold up the glass of wine to his lips to take a graceful sip at intervals. It was one of those days he drove around the city aimlessly after a successful mission.

As always, chief Giovanni, his master is pleased. It has been confirmed; the contract which was rejected by chief Alegra has been handed to the second capable hands in line. No other than chief Giovanni.

Alessandro sighted a familiar figure as he drove past the T-junction. He slowed the car down a bit. The lady looked disheveled as if in a bit of a situation. On looking closely, he realized her to be the lady from earlier…Leo’s teacher.

“Isabella?” he mumbled to himself. She looked like she had misplaced something as she kept looking at the floor and walking with a lack of concentration. He felt the urge to get down and find out what the problem was but stopped himself. He should never let himself be seen by her again. He heaved and stepped on the gear. But he had only driven a few distance when he suddenly hit the brakes.

He let out a groan. Strangely worried about the lady, he reversed and drove towards her.

He parked by the roadside and got down from the car.

“Urh…you? Chips man…What a surprise…what are you doing here?” Isabella sighted him. She recognized him at once. Albeit her situation, she couldn’t hide her surprise and delight seeing the handsome chips man again.

Alessandro shrugged. Now she even calls him chips man. He shook his head inwardly. “What is it you are seeking to find?”  

“urhm, my purse…I was out to grab something in the nearby shop and I think it fell off or something while I ran…I can’t find it anymore.” She narrated sadly.

“You can always get a new one…I mean a new purse. It’s getting late. You should head back home.”

“I can’t…my keys and my ID are in it.  I will look around one more time…wait…” she paused and stared up at him with doughnut eyes. “Are you worried about me?’

Alessandro’s face flushed red. He looked away immediately. “Why will I be worried about you?”

Isabella grinned. “Your reaction says otherwise. I can see you are the shy type.” She knew his type; they form a thick wall and act all tough and hard but actually soft like a puppy on the inside. It made her drawn to him the more.

“I will have a look one last time before I leave…ah, and thanks for worrying about me. Now I owe you two. For your chips and this…”

Alessandro shrugged. “Forget it.”

“Nah nah… I like to return favors.  I mean it’s only a nice gesture to return favors.” Isabella commented, eyes fixed on the ground as she continued the search for her purse. Alessandro watched her, “stubborn girl” he mumbled in low tone and joined her to search for her purse.

“Is this it?” his eyes caught a shiny black purse lying on the floor. He picked it up.

“Yes that’s it!” she squealed excitedly and charged to confirm it was really it when she tripped on her feet. “Oh no!”

Alessandro was quick and managed to catch her in the air. Left with no option, he drew her towards himself.  She ended up falling into his arms. For what seemed like a second which soon dragged into seconds, the duo remained stuck to their position. Awkwardness. Strange emotions flew.

“oh… I’m sorry…I mean thank you…” she stuttered breaking free from his grip.

“urhm…well…” he too coughed awkwardly shifting away. Each looking everywhere else except at themselves.

“You found your purse, you should leave now…” Alessandro said to her breaking the chilly silence that suddenly befell them.  She nodded and mumbled a barely audible thanks. Still obviously shaken from earlier.

He hovered for a bit before finally walking off. She went after him the next minute without thinking. He had only taken a few steps when a hand pulled him to a stop.

“I’m sorry but I really can’t let you go…I mean, I’m Isabella…and I hope we meet again. I will definitely thank you properly for all that you did for me.”

Alessandro stared down, lip sealed at the near tiny figure beneath him. How can such tiny human be so bold? Does she not find him scary? Her nerves and guts baffles him.

“Let’s meet again okay! Bye!” she practically squeaked to him as she ran off, face glistening with a smile. One that both touched the depths and shocked Alessandro. Now he had to avoid her even more, he thought before starting to walk to his car.