001

Alina

“Baby, please” he pleaded, reaching out for me.

“Don't call me that.” I snapped, trying to stifle the ache in my chest at his broken expression. This was what I had to do.

“I lo-”

“And who gives a damn about your love?” I spat out, watching him stiffen in turn. My gut clenched as I gave the final blow.

“I don’t love you. I can never love a man like you.”

With these words, I shattered his heart.

I entered the car, shutting it without a second glance. The tinted glass of the car shielded my face and the tears that slipped out of my eyes.

I had broken his heart, but I had also shattered mine in turn.

His pained cries followed me as I drove away, never looking back.

“Alina!... Wait…Alina!…”

“Alina!”

My eyes snapped open with a jolt, sitting up on reflex. I blinked awake frantically, looking up.

Where was I…oh no.

My heart sank as reality slipped in. My heart sank as I looked up.

The manager glared daggers at me, his ruddy face even redder.

“Sir-”

“What the hell is wrong with you! Sleeping on the job? Is this what I pay you for….”

He railed at me, berating me publicly.

I apologized profusely over the space of his screaming, taking all his insults in stride.

When he was done, large chest heaving, he narrowed his gaze at me.

“Sleep on the job next time and I'll fire you. Not even your pretty face will save you from my wrath.” he sneered.

I remained silent as he left, ignoring the stares of the customers in the supermarket. Tears bit painfully at my eyes and I shut them to keep the emotions in, but it wasn't enough.

My emotions weren't because of the manager's screams. No, it was because of that dream. That memory.

It had been almost five years since then, yet my mind and heart wouldn't let me forget that day I pushed away the man I loved. It wouldn't let me forget how much I hadn't gotten over him.

My heart seemed to break a little more every time I thought about it. The dream had made the regret, the pain, that much vivid.

Breaking up with him was the last thing I ever wanted. I loved him and it had broken my heart as much as it did his.

But I had no choice. Not when my family had caught on. Not when they outright threatened and forced me to do so.

My belly tightened at the memory of my family, but not in longing. If there was anything I couldn't stand thinking about. It was them. Once, I was not just a daughter but the Heiress to the Rosedale family. One of the wealthy families in the entire city. It was thanks to them that I suffered immensely through my childhood. That I was forced to cruelly break up with my longtime boyfriend and love leaving the only strand of happiness I had behind.

Now, three years later, I was completely alone and struggling under mediocre jobs to take care of myself and my daughter. Jobs that included this night shift at the supermarket.

As the customers came I did my job and watched them go. Most people ran for the hills the moment they touched the street. I couldn't blame them.

This part of the city was a loose cannon, with more gangs and crimes rising in broad daylight, even worse off in the night. Fear gripped me anytime I thought about being in that situation, the risk more likely every late night I spent here.

Despite all of that, I had no choice but to keep working here if it meant paying my bills.

…

“Please hurry. The babysitter expected me back ages ago.” I told the taxi driver who grunted in response.

It wasn't true, but they tended to be a lot more lenient when they heard that I had a child. Once we reached the destination I flashed him a warm smile as I paid him the fare.

Walking the rest of the way back to my home, I treaded the empty street when a shiver crept up behind me.

There was no way. A chill passed through me at the realization that people were following me on this lonely street.

3 hooded men suddenly emerged, surrounding me.

“Hello little lady,” several chuckles erupted. Fear gripped me. I had always been so lucky to not be in this situation until now.

I started to scream but one of the men immediately moved to cover my mouth. With a single whiff of chemicals, I felt my vision grow blurry until…

Darkness.

….

I woke up to a pounding headache. My eyelids felt heavy, lips and throat dry.

Where…was I?

“We've got ourselves a fine specimen,” the sound of cheers made me stiffen as the recent memories came. My mind was instantly alert even if my body wasn't and from the corner of my eyeshot I could see several men celebrating.

“It's been a while since we crossed these streets. Maybe we should have looked harder here. It seems like they've just been hiding.” one if them said,

“And such a pretty one too. If we sell her, we'll be rich.”

A mix of terror and disgust filled my entire being. Sell?

They were going to sell me.

Everything came to a grinding halt at the sound of a gunshot. I froze in fear as more gunshots echoed through the room.

Yells and shouts rang out. I saw bodies thump onto the floor and knew that it was the men that had taken me. They were killed.

Was I going to die here?

Tears fell. I thought of Serena. My baby. She didn't even know where I was.

A figure was coming closer to the space where I was and I shut my eyes tightly. A gun clicking sound made me flinch and brace for what would follow. I waited to hear the last gunshot but it never came.

As I opened my eyes I was met face to face with a scarred man. On his open neck was a tattoo that made me freeze.

I knew of that tattoo through warnings. The real people that shouldn't be crossed in the neighborhood, the entire city.

They, unlike the thugs, were Mafia.

“Boss, it seems like they brought someone here.” the man turned around, signalling more men to come.

I couldn't struggle as several men hefted me up. I kept my eyes closed, fearing for the worst.

“Open your eyes.”

My breath hitched. That voice…

I looked up, not wanting to believe it until I met that striking face.

It didn’t make sense, him being here didn’t make the slightest sense. But this felt nothing like my dream. Not when those that haunted me were penetrating mine.

His name tumbled from my lips before I could think.

“Dante?”