Seraphine Pov I kept on staring at the necklace, caressing through it over and over again as I stared out through the window of my apartment. He is handsome and charming. I never thought I was going to see him again to ask him those questions of who were the people chasing after him. Why was he running from them? He doesn't even recognize me, which makes the questions useless. I couldn't get his face off my mind; can't he recognize me again? The girl who saved him at the Halloween party. It pained my heart that He couldn't recognize me any more, but I am grateful he is right on time to save me from those uncultured mafia. I wonder what could have happened to me if he didn't come. I'm already about to close down the business. Just then Isabella crossed my mind—what might have happened if she decided to back out at me? Is it because business isn't going fine anymore? Could it be that? But now I have an investor just like God sent. I'm going to give her a reason to come back. I can
Carlos' Pov I felt a sense of purpose watching her laugh heartily. Her laugh amazes me. I don't know why I am doing this, but it feels so right; it feels like I'm supposed to be here. It's been ages since I played and laughed with someone. My life is programmed to kill, to work till my knuckles, to be impatient, ruthless, mean, name it—I qualify all as a mafian don, but here I was laughing like a child. Something I was deprived of while growing up was all about being serious and being trained like someone is chasing after you. I was all my family got, but I wasn't given any breathing space. I was taught how to fight at the age of 15, and that was my life, but being with this girl feels so good, like a lost piece of me has been found by a treasure hunter. “This is so hilarious; I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard this way,” she said, playing with her fingers. She is nervous, and her eyes look down on the pool of mess we just made. She is avoiding eye contact with me.
Isabella's Pov Incredible! My plans worked as I planned, but then when I was on my way to my date, I forgot something. I have come back to pick it up when I saw the image of Carlos and Seraphine at her doorpost. I was consumed with rage and anger. They were so close that their lips almost touched like they were about to kiss. Seraphine lived almost in the same street with me, but I have to walk past her street to get to my apartment. I hide myself between a wall and watch them. My fist clenched and my lips pressed into a hard line. What is Seraphine doing with him? Has she figured it out yet? I don't think so; she doesn't even have any clue. But how did they both meet again? Oh no! The cupcakes. I shouldn't have given it to him, but what was I supposed to do? I acted out of happiness, unknown the consequences with cost my charade. I waited for him to kiss her, but he didn't; rather, he brought out a necklace. What! That is supposed to be my necklace. I know Seraphine scheme
Seraphine's Pov "Isabella, I have been worried about you.” I said to Isabella, who suddenly showed up in my cupcake shop. She looked restless as she constantly tapped her fingers on the counter. “You back me out; you hardly pick calls, and you even packed out of your apartment. Isabella, what is going on?” “Hey Seraphine. I don't answer to you, so quit the fake concerns.” “Fake concerns!” I shook my head in shock at her words. She thinks I'm giving her fake concerns. This isn't Isabella, I know; what has come over her? “You went to deliver cupcakes; it never got to its owner, and you put me through the stress of baking another cupcake. Do you even know what that means? You’re chasing our customers away.” "Our,” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “I told you I quit Isabella. I made it clear.” “But why, Isabella, we promised to pull this out. Why will you back out now?” “This isn't your business. I'm here for something. I need your perfume.” “My perfume!” I sh
Carlos' Pov “Boss Seraphine has been kidnapped,” my pa reported. “I asked you to guard her; why didn't you do your job?” I slapped my hand on my office desk, frustrated. I didn't go over to the cupcake store because of an emergency. “I'm sorry, boss, but the guard on patrol was knocked out. There is nothing to panic about the girl; she is just a lowlife,” my assistant added. My face darkened at her calling Seraphine a lowlife. What up with me with this girl anyway? I'm already suffocated without seeing her face. “I will give you the grace because you're family. Nobody dares question my authority, or do you want to carry your head on your palm?” He shrunk away in fear. I'm ruthless, but you see, I'm loyal to my family. “Get who took her and report back to me.” "Yes, Boss,” he immediately disappeared and was left alone in my office, my fist unconsciously clenched with my feet constantly tapping on the floor. I knew who might have done this—none other than my cousins. H
Isabella's PovHe acts like he doesn't know what I'm talking about; telling him might make him suspect me; I can't let it out.But he stays with Seraphine all day in that stupid store. Why will he reduce himself to a Seraphine assistant? Is there something I'm missing out on? The last time I checked, Seraphine hates Mafia; she is so bitter about them. She doesn’t even want to associate with them because of what they did to her father, but why does she like Carlos? I could see it from her eyes that she is really into Carlos, or is there something I'm missing? From his tone, he seems not to like me much. I need to come closer to him, have a way around his heart, and make him like me. But Seraphine, the previous day I sneaked up at them playing at the store, I was consumed with rage and anger. My heart broke into pieces watching them throw each other flour. I wanted to stop them but I couldn't.But he won't let me; he doesn't even want us around. I can't sit with her and watch him have
Seraphine's Pov My eyes blurred. I placed a hand on my forehead, my head pounding in-between. The feel of my home was the same; I felt safe, my legs untied. I was lying on my couch before the doorbell rang. It's a cozy one room, which was separated nicely. I got space for my bedroom, which was demarcated from my small sitting room. My dining and kitchen are in the same place.“I'm coming,” I yelled, staggering to the door to see who was knocking. My body lumps.“Who are you?” I yelled, and my eyes fell on the black pants tracing from down up.I could recognize that voice; it sounds quite familiar.“I'm glad you're okay,” his voice came again. I held a hand on the doorpost to prevent me from falling."Carlos,” I called startled. What is he doing in my house? “You don't look too good.” “Yeah, my head is pounding so badly.” “Come on, let me see that.” He took my hands and led me into the room.I grumble at each step.“Let me carry,” he offered, but I protested.“No, I'm good.” But h
Isabella PovIs time to deal with Seraphine, I have tolerated her for a long time. I asked someone to follow Carlos that night and I found out that he went to see Seraphine that night.I'm consumed by hatred for her, I want to see her suffer.“Hey Seraphine. You have to pay me out” I snapped over the phone when I called Seraphine. I didn't care about the greeting or about how we used to be.“Just give me a little time” she said, but I wasn't having it. I just want to put her in so much pressure that it would be hard for her to come. Oh her parents too, I can use them to my own advantage, I smirked at myself holding up the pack I will use to bring her business down. I planned to take her to hell. Firstly, incur debts for her then use this to finish up my revenge.“I don't have time Seraphine” “I just got out from the devil's den, Isabella I was kidnapped. I haven't even gone to the store” “I don't care about Seraphine. I just need my payout. You can send it out asap” I didn't wai
SERAPHINA “Yes, I'll be the one in charge of serving drinks. My best friend here will assist me as well.”“You heard that right—” Frank said to Carlos who didn't stop looking at his best friend and secondhand man. “Do you have an issue with that, Carlos? Is there something you want to tell us?” “And why is that question directed at me?” Carlos walked away after this question. He then reached the diner table and looked at me once in a while, while serving himself a glass of water before settling into one of the chairs. “The party is about to start.” “No,” Nonna looked at Frank who made that statement. “I shifted it to three hours later, but I may have changed my mind already. Thank you so much for this beautiful cake, Frank—” Nonna winked at the worst human she would ever know. I could not help but think of Nonna as an actress. For a moment, I believed she would not do a perfect job like we imagined should be done. But this woman was doing more than a good job. More than one woul
CARLOSThe way the man looked at me almost made me question if he was the one sent all the way from the station by Matthew who had not yet come. “Good morning, gentlemen.” “Good morning to you, too, mister.” He took out another tool and commanded. “Raise up your hands so the machine can do its job.” I did just that, waiting for the machine to make a noise, and just as I counted down from three, it stopped at one. “Take that out, Mr. Carlos. You must be Mr. Carlos and I'm not surprised because my boss warned me about you.” I took out the gun. When I turned to look at Vito, the same thing was happening to him. They took a gun out of his pocket and pushed him towards me. “He's free. Only his phone can go in with him. Those were the words of Mr. Frank. Let them pass.” The stubborn-looking man allowed me. We turned around to get the car but one stopped us on his way, leaving me to wonder when it became a crime to take my car with me into the compound. “You can't drive in.” “And why
CARLOSThe day had finally come. The day when a few out of the many bad eggs in the city will be arrested.The thought of it alone made me smile and I could not help but jump off the bed with so much excitement running around inside of me. “Vito?” I called when he picked up his call. “You're sure there's nothing we're forgetting, is it?” A smile pulled on my countenance and I led my way to the closet so that I could grab my towel. “Yes, Boss. Everything is in order.”“Good.” I ended the call since there was nothing else to say, and now I led my way to the bathroom door with the same smile that plastered on my countenance with hopes of not leaving soon. When I was done, I got ready for the show itself. My phone was beeping. I rushed to the screen to take a peep and there was a call from Seraphina who had been trying to reach me long before now. “Don't scare me like that again, Carlos.” “I'm sorry, baby. Good morning. I just got ready. Waiting for Vito to get here so we can leave
CARLOS“Welcome to my home.” “Thank you, Mr. Carlos—” the man greeted and took a seat on one of the couches. What do I do next? “What do I offer you?” “Water, please.” He begged and I relaxed on the couch as well. “Water is enough.” “Jenny?” “Yes, sir.” Jenny opened the kitchen door and walked out. “Mr. Carlos. You called me.” “Yes, Jenny. Serve my guest a bottle of chilled water. The weather is not good for the ordinary or would you like the ordinary, Mr. Matthew?” “No, Jenny. Chilled please.” When Jenny was gone, I looked at the watch I was wearing on my wrist and then heaved a sigh. “I'm so sorry for the delay. I'm waiting for Vito. He was the one who reached out to you on my behalf. Thank you also, Mr. Matthew, for coming.” “No, don't say that. It's the least I could do.” The front door opened immediately. “Gentlemen,” Vito led his way in. “I'm so sorry for coming late.” He took a seat on a couch and let out. “I needed to fix something permanently before leaving my ho
SERAPHINA I woke up from my sleep with a slight headache. One that made me want to puke. Sitting up on the bed, I looked around the room while trying so hard to recall where I was. Then, I noticed I was in my room—a place that shouldn't align with where I was supposed to be. Shouldn't I be with Carlos? In his car or something. A sigh ran out of my mouth as I picked up my phone from the bed so that I could look at the time. There and then, I saw a message from Carlos who announced a meal waiting downstairs in my dining space. He brought me home. It dawned on me. A smile from nowhere came on my countenance. The smile faded moments later when I noticed the time on the screen. It was another morning. I slept from yesterday afternoon up till now. How was that even possible? There was no strength left in me to react, and I was standing up and walking to the closet so that I could grab my towel before bathing. Did I need to make it to work? It was my shop and I had the right to n
CARLOS“If there's anything we should be doing, Nonna,” I got on my feet. “It's thanking Seraphina for risking her life to be in a room with the most dangerous Sam Giancana just so she could get that recording. And can you stop crying?” The older woman wiped her eyes. “Thank you, my child. Thank you.” Finally, she said the right words to Seraphina who was scared of meeting her from the onset of this meeting. “Thank you, ma'am. It's nothing.” “I'll be right back—” I walked towards the stairs with the bag that had guns in it. Then I stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at Vito who was relaxed on the couch. “Come with me, Vito.” After a short while, we stood in the space of a room. “I'm sure this is a better place—” I gave the man the bag and walked to a corner of the room. “Bring that for me—” I ordered and the man walked closer, handing the bag to me. “Thank you.” I opened a small place where I used to hide my stuff when I visited Nonna—long ago when I was younger. “Thi
SERAPHINA After a long drive through the streets of the city, Vito stopped at the entrance of a large estate. “I was forced to put her in a house here because of their safety—” the voice of a man woke—a man who was seated next to me and happened to be the man I loved, sounded in my ears. He woke me up from my thoughts and I was forced to look in his direction. “Oh. That's nice.” I managed a smile and looked out the windows while once again, Vito drove through the estate, house by house, until we stopped at a gate. “This is Nonna's house.”Could Carlos stop snapping me out of my thoughts? I didn't want to sound rude to him so I did not bother making a fuss about it, but rather gave a nod and looked forward to the next moment when we would hop down. It happened moments later. For the first time since I made up my mind to come out with these men, I was scared of seeing Nonna. What would she think about me? Wicked? Wicked for causing all of these in the first place? Because if I di
CARLOS“This is good, Seraphina. Thank you so much.” She nodded and looked around. I didn't need someone to tell me she was scared of being caught and that was why she looked around her. I coughed. “No one knows you're here, baby. Can you give it a rest already? I made a promise to you already that nothing will come to you, not even a scratch and I expect you to trust me, mm?” She relaxed her back on the chair and gave a nod. “I understand. Thank you, Carlos. Didn't you say Vito was coming over? How come he's not here yet?” She sat back up and looked around the living room in the large apartment. “I am here—” someone's voice sounded from the door. It was none other than Vito who led his way into the living room with a smile on his countenance, and a bucket of food. “I came with the food, Boss.” He looked in my direction before facing Seraphina who had relaxed back on the chair. “Hello, Seraphina. Good afternoon and how are you doing today?” “Very well, thank you.” “Jenny?!” I s
SERAPHINA It didn't take long for the car to stop. It took long, actually. But it was worth the wait. I stepped out when Isabella announced. When I did, I looked around the space to be certain of my safety - looking for possible doors to exit and run out from if there was such a need. I prayed there wasn't any. “Come on, Sera.” The words of Isabella snapped me out of my thoughts and I walked in front. No, by her side since she was the one leading us. “Welcome, ma'am.” The woman at the reception hall greeted Isabella. She looked at me with a warm smile. “Welcome, ma'am.” “Thank you.” I simply greeted. “We're here for Frank and Sam. I'm sure you recognize me but for official purposes, I have to do it again. We're here for Frank and Sam.” “Who are you to him?” Isabella chuckled. “His girlfriend. And with me here is my best friend. Can we go see him now?” “You should have patience ma'am. I recall you but we should do it the right way because the recording system must have all t