02

02:

HAZEL:

“Do you think it's funny? Try and own someone's life. Taking away someone's freedom. Playing God with other people. Do you think of it all as a joke?” I asked him angrily as I watched him smirking at me, and constantly chuckling. Taking someone's freedom away, without getting their consent, it was just wrong in many ways.

“You're right. It isn't you who had stolen a diamond from me that was worth about 80 million US dollars. It was your brother who had stolen the item. And of course, your father had no right to punish you for your brother's deed.” He spoke in that same thick Italian accent. He was finally looking into my eyes, instead of staring at my breasts.

“Thank you!” I spoke in a low tone. My heart was finally getting back to its normal speed. I was glad that I was able to change his mind.

“The doors are open. I made a mistake. You are free to go. No one will touch you or hurt you. I can promise you that.” He added further as he flattened my hair with his palms. Although he was offering me freedom, it still sounded like a trick.

I brushed off that uneasy feeling in my chest and decided to just run as fast as I could. I had made up my mind to get my passport from my dad's place, get my stuff and run back to America. I came to realize that my mom was absolutely right about my father. He was selfish and self centered. And he was a bastard to even think about selling his own daughter, his flesh and blood, to a scary man like the Don, or whatever he actually was.

I gave him a grateful small smile and ran toward the door. “Ah, yes, Dexter. Get the bastard father and son here. Since they have already sold my diamond and they won't tell me anything about the money, it's clear that we must kill them. Their lives in exchange for what they stole from me.” My feet froze by the door frame as I heard the Don.

He was talking to someone. And I knew exactly what he was planning to do. My freedom was a step away from me, yet I couldn't move at all. My father's dead face was swirling in front of my eyes.

After losing my mom, I had to list everyone. My mom's side of the family was full of jerks. My step father and brother refused to let me stay. Although the house belonged to my mom, that stupid woman named it after my step father so there wouldn't be any trouble between me and my step brother in the future.

Right after the funeral, my step father gave me a 24 hour eviction notice, as soon as the will was read in front of us. I was on the streets when my Uncle, my mom's brother, took me in. I was an adult but after losing mom, I wanted to be with the people I loved. Turns out, my mom was an emotional fool who couldn't find a decent man in her life. And her brothers were worse.

I packed up once I found out about my father and left American, hoping to start a new life but this was definitely not going the way I was hoping for. I wanted to take that step and just leave. After all, my father had brought that trouble in himself when he decided to steal from a Don. Maybe I wasn't as selfish as he was. That's why, I couldn't move.

“Yes, get them here in an hour. I will torture them by my own hands fir days then give them both a slow and painful death after a few years of torture. Just so everyone can know the consequences of stealing from Don Raphael Varlett.” My heart nearly stopped when I heard him.

I turned around instead of just taking that step toward my freedom and just leaving that hellhole. My feet carried me straight toward the Don. I was standing in front of him, rubbing my thumb against my palm as I looked at him. I was not sure what to say to him. And I was scared of him.

“Yes, Mi Amor, what can I do more for you?” He asked, pulling the phone away from his ear.

“Will you kill them both?” I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't know why I was crying when I knew already that my dad sold me to a man like him without even thinking about my future. I came to him to be his family, and he just threw me in the pit of fire. Why do daughters tend to care for their father's well being so much?

“Hold on, I'll call you back, Dexter.” He hung up in front of me. I whimpered when he wiped a tear that was able to make its way out of my eye.

“Well, yes! They stole from me. Either I have someone to hold responsible after them or I must kill them. Or my rivals will think that I have gotten softer, and will come to take my place. I can't do that now, can I?” I tried to gulp that lump in my throat that won't let me breathe.

“And if I stayed?” I asked, despite being against it. I had lost everyone, every single relative I had, the day my mother was cremated. I hated my brother and my dad for betraying me in a way no one had ever done, at the same time, I didn't want my old dad to suffer because of something my asshole brother did.

“If you stayed to take the torture for whatever your brother and dad did, I will spare their lives in exchange.” He replied in a sweet tone, as if he was talking to a child.

“It was my brother who stole that diamond from you. Can't you just punish my brother? Like, punish him and not kill him?” With a trembling heart, I asked further. I was talking to a devil, trying to negotiate.

“You know I can't do that. Your father tried to lie to me, hid that bastard from my people and made me look like a clown. I can either take you in exchange for their lives, or kill them both to set an example not to mess with Don Raphael Varlett ever again. People must have an example.” He whispered softly while pushing a red lock behind my ear.

“Why are you doing this? I didn't do anything wrong to deserve this.” I asked him as I crouched down on the ground. Hugging my knees, I cried. I wanted to get out. But I couldn't because my heart just wouldn't let me.

He was patting my head gently. He had squatted down in front of me. “I let you go. You are right, Mi Amor. It was not your fault that your bastard father and brother stole from me. You just came here to visit them. You are free to leave.” He repeated himself, showing me the door so I could leave.

“I can't! Especially when I know that you will kill my dad. He is the only family I have left. I can't just leave and live my life, knowing that one day, you will kill my dad.” I cried while shaking my head.

“Then you can stay!” He spoke in a low tone. I looked up at him and shivered when I saw how dark his eyes had gotten in lust. My cleavage had been pushed up and I didn't notice that he was drooling over my cleavage.

“What would you do to me if I stayed?” I asked, fearing to receive the worst kind of answer.

“I will punish you in their place. Torture you for years then eventually kill you. Or maybe I'll just keep torturing you until you either take your own life or you just die bearing the pain.” I was not sure how someone could use a soothing tone while saying such horrific things to a woman. I wasn't just terrified of him. I was terrified to the point, I almost peed in my pants. If I had known that my mom was right, I would never have come.

“You have one minute to decide. Because that's how long Dexter will take to kidnap your father and brother from their home. And if he did that, you will be set free.” He spoke while staring at his phone.

My breaths quickened as I heard that. He stood up, waiting for someone, probably Dexter, to call him. Without thinking at all, I stood back up on my feet and placed both of my hands on his chest. “Please, don't hurt them. I'll take their place. I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just, spare them.” Maybe, it wasn't just my mother. I was a fool too, gambling my life away for two people I shared blood with, but barely knew them at all.

Tears started pouring from my eyes. I was so lonely and helpless in that situation. “Are you sure, Mi Amor?” He asked again. I closed my eyes tightly and nodded my head in agreement.

“Yes! I am sure.” I whispered in response, feeling empty.

“Pull away, Dexter.” He ordered on the phone then hung up again. I knew in my heart that I was the biggest mistake of my life. But I had already done it. I had burned all the bridges.