“Mateo doesn’t want to hear this, but Dante had to go,” Felix said to Kai, as the two of them sit in Kai’s office. They were having yet another meeting with Mateo. Felix specifically asked Kai not to let Mateo be a part of this meeting, unlike their other secret ones. “I had to do what I had to do. But, now my concern is – Mateo. We are trying to wipe off the entirety of this ally, and it includes Mateo. How can we be so sure that Mateo will not be a problem after this all ends? He is a Ricci, and weirdly he still got the power to keep the ally intact.” Felix emphasized. “Ally intact? Felix, there will be no one left to resume this alliance.” “Wrong. The faces of the alliance will be gone, but the clans will exist. All Mateo will need is to stay in power, and he can form a new and probably a better alliance.” “And, what is wrong with that?” Felix sniggered and shook his head, “What do I get in this? I am not in this because I am a friend. I am no one’s friend, Kai. I am sure you a
The smokey and peppery smell of the gunpowder filled in Mateo’s lungs. He coughed as he lay on the bloody floor. He blinked. His vision was getting blurry. His ears were ringing. Slowly he started to feel the pain in his shoulder. He let out a soft groan and he gagged on the blood that filled in his mouth. He gasped for air and let the blood drip from the corner of his mouth.He looked around as many lay dead around him – some he killed – some were killed by others. His white shirt was now soaked in blood, and so was his black suit. He was choking on the blood filled in his mouth. He tried to lift his head to see what was happening around him, but his body was slowly giving up. All he could hear were the gunshots, screams, groans, footsteps, and curses around him. He couldn’t even recognize whose voice was around him. His body and mind were slowly shutting off. He heard a fading voice, “So, this is how the Ricci family ends, huh?” The voice was familiar. Mateo knew who it was, but he
When Mateo walked into the event. All eyes were on him. Felix decided to make an entrance of his own, where else Levi wasn’t around. Mateo asked him to keep an eye on what happens outside the museum and only come back in after taking down the security outside along with Mateo, Felix, and Kai’s men. As for Felix and Mateo, they don’t want to be seen coming in together. Mateo could sense the apprehension in the eyes that are on him. He could hear some of them muttering to one another – gushing about tension. His eyes roamed around to find Aldo, but he didn’t arrive yet – or maybe he did but he was not where the Gala was taking place. Mateo did see the other members around. He did notice that Ole was there with his eldest son. He saw a few members of the Wang family, as well as, the members of the Tesfaye family. “Is Aldo’s daughter coming anytime soon, Mateo?” It was Ole who asked Mateo while handing him a glass of champagne. Mateo could tell everyone was already waiting for Faith to
Piper watched as Kai pulled out a black face mask from his pocket and put it on. He had his eyebrows pulled together as his eyes were focused on his recent victims, laying on the floor – dead, while he fill in the cartridge case. Kai’s black gloves were now stained with dust marks so was his suit. His clothes were not just dirty but crumpled as well. This hair was out of place and it had particulars stuck to it. The entire chaotic situation must have been keeping his mind off all the imperfections on him. Piper was still not sure if Kai should be here. It was getting increasingly dangerous. Currently, they were hiding in the restroom. They could hear screams, grunts, and gunshots from outside. There were already three dead bodies laying on the floor. All three of them were killed by Kai. The number of men was increasing outside, and it was getting harder for Kai and Piper to tackle them all. Kai was already running out of bullets so he and Piper came here to reload the guns. Kai cou
Piper and Kai were a great team. Without working before this, without even them knowing – they were coordinating so well. They were being each other’s eyes as they shoot down the men and women trying to kill them. When Kai was watching his side, Piper pulled away from a bullet, and when Piper wasn’t looking, Kai pushed her away. They were protecting each other left and right – until they reached a storage room. The two of them were running out of bullets, they had to reload. Kai pushed Piper in before he came inside and closed the door. There was no one inside the room. It was spacious storage with old paintings, sculptures, tools, and other things stored. Piper’s heart was racing from adrenaline pumping through her veins. Just tonight, she killed more people than she did in her entire life. There were a lot of close calls tonight, if it wasn’t for Kai – she would have died. She wordlessly glanced at him from time to time as they both loaded their guns. Kai had his eyebrows pulled t
Faith looked down at Mateo. She doesn’t like seeing him like this. She slowly blinked as her eyes traveled to the tubes attached to his body. His eyes were closed – they have been closed for the past three weeks. It is okay, he needs to rest – he must be tired. His wounds were healing, but he was sleeping. Her eyes fell on his face. He looked paler. He has grown a beard. Levi helps him trim it now and then, but the thick stubble looks good on him. His lips were dry and chapped.Faith clicked her tongue and pull out her lip balm. She scoops some on her index finger and softly applied it to his lips. “Mateo, when will you wake? Aren’t well-rested by now? You have been sleeping for too long.” She whispered to him while spreading the balm on his cold and dry lips. She does this every day. Every day she comes to visit him, and take care of him – even when he has help around. She likes to take care of him. It has been three weeks since the alliance was finally demolished. Yes, it ended. No
“So, you told him that you have a date with Sam after work?” Faith asked Piper while she popped a wedge of an orange in her mouth. “Yes,” Piper answered with her head hanging low. She was clutching her hair in her fist. “Hmm,” Faith expressed as she put the half-eaten orange on the plate and placed it on the table at the side. She glanced at Mateo, who still hasn’t opened his eyes – even after three and a half weeks, “But, you don’t?” She squinted her eyes with dusting her hands off. “No.” “Sam likes you, but he didn’t ask you on a date yet?” “No.” “Do you want Sam to ask you out?” “No.” “So, you lied to Kai?” “Yes.” “Now you don’t know what to do?” Piper heaved a sigh and look up at Faith, who was clearly enjoying their conversation more than her, “Exactly.” Faith sighed and looked at Mateo. He has yet to wake up. “If this doesn’t wake you up, what will?” She muttered, but as usual – she didn’t get a response. All she can hear is the beeping sounds from the IV pump and t
Silence. Kai walked back into the art room, leaving the door wide open for Piper – while Piper was still confused. She heard him loud and clear – he asked her to come in, but still, even when she is absolutely sure that was what Kai said – she didn’t want to assume. She stood still outside while she looked inside the room. There was little to no light in there. She doesn’t understand how Kai was painting in there. She squints her eyes.When Piper didn’t follow him in. He walked back to the door, “You either come in or go away.” He said. Piper could see him more clearly in the light. She noticed that Kai has changed into a grey hoodie and dark grey sweatpants. Her eyes fell on his feet – this was the first time she saw his bare feet. He didn’t have any shoes or socks on. His paint-stained hands hang by his sides. Piper has never seen him this comfortable before.“Stop staring and make up your mind! If you choose to leave – close the door behind you.” Kai snapped at her before he walked
A good day came months after. The people of the village finally got their freedom. When that happened, week-long celebrations were held at the village, and all of them were invited, especially, Faith, Mateo, and Kai. It was a joyous occasion. Even when everyone was dreading back where they all spend the worst days of their lives, of course, they went anyway. Hesitant at first, everyone had a great time. Faith had never seen the people of the village have such a festive spirit. It was truly a beautiful week. Faith spends most of her time with her grandmother, Kami, and his family. Benji didn’t want to go with them, but when Kami asked – he couldn’t say no. Lora (Kami’s sister) was there to welcome everyone. Everyone could see how excited Benji got when he saw her. Piper and Kai exchanged a knowing glance. Benji has a crush on Lora. He had it since he came here for the first time. After he returned to the city, he kept in contact with her in one way or another. Faith was happy to see
(One Year Later)Even today when Faith closes her eyes and thinks about her recent past, she can’t truly process it. She can’t believe that so much changed in the past couple of years. From losing her entire family to almost getting killed to find a new family – a new purpose – everything in her life was nothing less than a lesson – a brutal and painful lesson. Currently, she was sitting in a meeting along with Kai and Mateo – but they weren’t the only ones there. The three of them were hosts, while the other distant members of the Ricci and Bianchi clan, a few mafia leaders, and a couple of correspondents from the village were in the room. The debate was on – whether the village/island should be given its independence or not.Faith was sitting in between Kai and Mateo. She averted her gaze to the other side of the room where Kami sat along with a few young faces representing the village. Faith could tell that the young boy was nervous. She shoots him an assuring smile. Kami smiled ba
Kai didn’t say anything in return. He just impassively stared at Mateo before they were interrupted by Faith and Piper’s loud laughter. Both looked at the girls to find that Ethan had managed to pull Levi into the pool. He grabbed Levi’s ankle and pulled him in, making the water splash around and the girls laugh. Mateo heaved a sigh and shook his head as he watched his friend emerge from under the water, not looking much impressed. Noel was standing behind Levi when Ethan pulled him in, he was now watching them two. Ethan laughed and splashed some water towards him with his hand, “What are you doing up there loser? Get in!” Noel shook his head, “No, and you need to come out too.” He looks at all of them, “You all do. It is chilly and the water is cold,” he added. “It is not that cold,” Piper replied. It was because Kai switch on the heater to warm up the water, but that’s mean it was okay to be in a pool on a chilly night under the sky. Just at that moment, Piper sneezed. That was i
Faith and Piper were wasted. If having one drink after another wasn’t enough, they were now drinking straight out of the bottle. “We should go swimming,” Faith slurred a suggestion to which Piper enthusiastically nodded her head, agreeing to it. Before anyone could stop them, an equally drunk Ethan got on his feet and threw his fist in the air, “Hell yeah! Let’s go!!” he yelled out and hooted. Everyone else was so concerned about Faith and Piper that they didn’t even notice just how much Ethan was drinking. These three were completely wasted. Noel was slightly tipsy. Where else, Levi, Mateo, and Kai only had a single drink so they weren’t drunk at all. They decided to stay sober to keep an eye on girls, and well – now Ethan as well. “Excellent,” Levi muttered under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He moved to Ethan, who was swinging from one side to another with a bottle of one of the most expensive whiskeys in his hand. Kai glanced at the bottle in his hand. He didn’t
Faith was in her room, changing with there was a knock on her door. Her room was now filled with done and undone boxes. She will be moving out tomorrow and there is so much left to do. But currently, she wasn’t focused on it. She is certain that she will be able to pack before the movers arrive. She was concerned about the dinner party they were having tonight. Faith had already invited everyone and now she was changing for the night. By the knock on the door, she was certain that Mateo has arrived. She quickly picked up the clothes she threw on the floor and put them on the bed before she spoke, “Yes?” The door opened and indeed it was Mateo. He looked good. Fresh and well-rested. It took everyone over a month to get over what happened on the island. The exhaustion and trauma (for some) didn’t leave for days. Mateo was looking like he did when Faith first met him. The difference between then and now is that then he had a hard scowl on his face, and now he was smiling. Then he threw
“Are you all packed up?” Piper asked Faith who came to her room to visit. Faith looked at Piper and smiled. “Yes, almost. Just a few things are remaining to be packed,” she replied. In two days, Faith is moving in with Mateo. For the past week, she has been very busy. She didn’t realize how comfortable she has gotten at Kai’s place, that now that she was winding everything up here, she feels sad to be leaving. When she started packing, she was excited. For her, moving in with Mateo is like a new chapter of her life, but as she proceeded, she realized how uncomfortable yet relieving it is to end this brief, daunting, and challenging chapter of her life. Piper was sitting on the bed, reading, when Faith knocked on her door. She exhaled and smiled broadly at her, “So, are you excited?” She asked. Faith chuckled and sat on the bed beside her, “I am.” She nodded her head, “But I am also nervous. There are so many ifs and buts in my head that I can hardly sleep at night,” she replied hon
“Thank you,” Piper hugged and thanked Faith, before she looked at Mateo, “Thank you both of you. I don’t know what would have happened if it wasn’t for you two. I would have been living on the streets,” she added. “Hey!” “What the hell?” Levi and Kai spoke at the same time. Piper pulled her eyebrows together and looked at both of them. Kai was frowning while Levi stepped forward, “What do you mean you would have been on the streets? Are you kidding me? I would have never let you be on street. Damn, I thought you thought of me as a friend, but boy was I wrong.” Levi scoffed. Where Kai just watched her dumbfounded. She softly chuckled at Levi. “Oh, I would have never bothered you. You already got your hands full,” she told him bobbing her head towards Benji’s room. The door of Benji’s room was open and inside everyone can see Benji and Ethan playing video games. They were so engrossed by what they were playing that they didn’t even notice the people outside looking at them. Ethan and
Kai squinted his eyes. When he was coming out of Piper’s room, he did not expect Faith, Mateo, and Benji right outside – watching him walk out of the room. Their curious gazes made him feel like he was sneaking out of her room after a one-night stand. Mateo was shamelessly smirking at him. Faith was curiously watching him, and Benji had his eyes narrowed at him. Kai cleared his throat and ignored Mateo’s comment and Faith’s question. He was about to tell them that they shouldn’t be so nosy when the doorbell rang. Faith and Mateo pulled their eyebrows together and looked at each other, “Who is here so early in the morning?” She muttered and watched as one of the helpers opened the door. It was Levi and Ethan. “What are you two doing here so early?” Mateo asked with his eyebrows knitted together. Levi didn’t look good. He looked like he didn’t sleep all night. Ethan looked tired as well, but not as exhausted as Levi. Levi glared at Ethan at Mateo’s question. Levi heaved a sigh. His sh
Kai has been inside Piper’s room for an hour. He was now sitting on the floor while she was sitting on the floor as well but she sat by the window. She was watching outside the window while her knees pressed to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. While her eyes were fixed outside, Kai’s eyes were fixed on her. They have been talking for the last hour. No yelling or name was calling. There were no accusations, nor did they completely patch up – they were just talking, which was due for some time now. They fight. They have had sex. They have done everything, but they never get the chance to sit and just talk about themselves. About their insecurities, about their feelings, about everything they bring to each other. Piper last put forward a very interesting point, “Aren’t we toxic for each other? There is just too much we don’t agree on.” She had muttered. Her point was quite simple. She told him that even if Jeremy hadn’t attacked her or anyone else, and even if he was just try