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8.Target Practice
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Boss's Obsession 9.Meet me at Midnight
Aria's POVI make my way down the stairs to the ballroom for my Cinderella moment. Uncle Marcello has decided that my eighteenth birthday should be the event of the year. We are having a black-tie Masquerade where the entire Giudici and every Don on the west coast is invited. This is a bitter- sweet moment for me. This event signals a new chapter in my life, but instead of being excited, the loss of my family weighs heavy on my heart. Somehow it feels like after tonight things are never going to be the same again.I take a deep breath inhaling the familiar rose scent drifting in from the garden. Johnny and Uncle Marcello are waiting to escort me down the stairs. They are both dressed in black tuxedo’s wearing white masks.“You look beautiful, my girl” Uncle Marcello says as he takes me into a big Bearhug. “Your parents would have been so proud of the woman you have become” he says squeezing me even harder.Behind him Johnny clears his throat.As soon as Uncle Marcello lets go of me, J
The Boss's Obsession 10.Everything Disappears into Darkness
Aria's POV “Beautiful, isn’t it?” I turn towards the voice. Don Julio is casually strolling towards me with his hands in his pockets, looking out at the view in front of us. “It sure is” I say smiling awkwardly. He stands there looking straight ahead, the silver strands in his hair, shining in the moonlight. “A storm is brewing” he says, still staring out into the open. “Excuse me” I say. Don Julio points straight ahead. I squint my eyes to see further into the dark, I do not see anything out there. I am about to ask him what he means when I see it. A quick flash of lighting in the distance. There is indeed a storm brewing. I have been distracted standing out here on the balcony contemplating whether I should go down to the garden or not. From where we are standing on the balcony, you can see the garden and the entire city, all the way to the coast. I have been surveying the garden from my vantage point, looking for a familiar face. It is nearly midnight. I have been reading th
The Boss's Obsession 11. The Boss has explaining to do
Aria's POV I have been in and out of consciousness, but I can tell that we have been driving for a long time now. The storm has made landfall. The rain is pounding down on the car, covering us in a blanket of grey, I cannot see anything of the outside world. Once again, I have no idea where I am or where I am going. I am all alone in the back of a limo, a small blanket draped over me. “Excuse me!” I shout, frantic to hear someone’s voice. Storms have always frightened me. “Hello!” I try again. No response. “Who is there?” I ask. Still no answer. I curl onto my side, pulling the blanket over my head, putting a barrier between me and the storm. It does not take long for the drugs to take their effect again, plunging me into darkness. A loud boom of thunder roars outside the window, snapping me out of my dreamless sleep. The storm is still roaring fiercely outside. Sitting up I do not recognise the room I am in. The room is dark, there is a very faint glow coming in through a slit
The Boss's Obsession 12. The Boss
Aria's POV I find my way back easily through this maze of a house. The room is just down the hall from the one I was placed in. I take one last breath before slowly pushing the door open. It opens only a crack, I pause, holding my breath once again. There are strange sounds coming from inside the room. Pushing the door open a little wider, I see him, Stefano Moretti. He is standing against a desk with his back towards me. The room is large with extravagant furnishings and décor. Something is off, I just cannot put my finger on it. Ignoring my instincts, I take one more step into the room, ready to get answers from him. That is when I hear it. A low moan coming from underneath the desk against which he is leaning. What did I walk in on? I want to backtrack but the floors creak loudly, leaving me frozen on the spot, my eyes stay glued to Stefano’s back. As if sensing my presence, he picks up a naked blonde from underneath the desk and flips her onto the desk. She is lying on her back,
The Boss's Obsession 13. I am not marrying you
Aria's POV I am the last to arrive in the dining room, Louisa gives me a scathing look before she disappears to the kitchen. The buzz of conversation ceases as soon as I walk in. Don Giovanni is seated at the head of the table. He looks like the king presiding over his loyal subjects. He sits in his chair, hands resting on the table, tapping the golden signet ring on his small finger rhythmically on the wooden surface. My heart matches the rhythm of the slow tick, tick, tick on the table. The silence is deafening. All eyes are on me. Stefano is seated to the right from the Don, the blonde from earlier next to him. To his left is a young girl. The young girl jumps up from her chair and runs to embrace me. “Hi, you must be Aria. I am Lilliana.” She says, looking for recognition from me. When I remain indifferent, she continues. “I am Stefano’s sister, Silly” she says and grabs me by the arm. “You can sit next to me” I follow Lilliana to the open chairs across from Stefano and the bl
The Boss's Obsession 14. Interrogation
Stefano's POV The thought of having both Aria and Amber here together both terrifies and excites me. That sweet little lamb with the big eyes has been on my mind since that night in the club. There is so much I want to say to her and do to her. This interrogation is going to be a welcome distraction. “Let me take care of this” I say walking to the centre of the room where Marcello’s henchman was placed. My father stands back, raising one brow to me. “Very well, get us the answers we need” he says, leaning against the wall. This is going to be so much fun. If memory serves me correctly, I think his name is Joe. I casually stroll over to the centre of the room, while on the table behind me an assortment of tools and devices are being prepared. I take my time, first lighting a cigarette. Joe just stares out into the open space in front of him acting brave, but I can see the fear in his eyes. The eyes never lie. “Hi, Joe. Is it okay if I call you Joe? Somehow, I remember that bein
The Boss's Obsession 15. You have overstayed your welcome
Stefano's POV Johnny sure did not waste any time in getting here. We have barely finished our breakfast and the leech is already knocking on the front door. Aria’s face lights up the moment she hears his name. I watch as she runs to the foyer to greet him. She launches herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Johhny looks over her shoulder at me. I do not miss the way he pulls her closer burying his head into her hair. Don Marcello enters right behind them, making Aria pull away from Johnny before I could rip them apart. She runs to Marcello and hugs him tightly. “Welcome to my home Marcello” My father says appearing from out of nowhere. “We both know we are not here for pleasantries Giovanni. Can we meet somewhere more private?” Marcello asks looking pointedly at Aria. “Come through to my office” my father offers. “I will stay with Aria” Johnny says. “Me too” I say quickly making sure to give Johnny my signature smirk. There is no way in hell that I am leaving her alone with
The Boss's Obsession 16. I do not need you to teach me
Aria's POV Once again, I am staring out the window admiring the outside world. Uncle Marcello and Johnny just left. I touch my lips where Johnny kissed me earlier. He said he is going to get me out of here, but once again, I am all alone. Johnny is good at whispering sweet nothings into my ear, making me feel special and loved, just to moments later pack up and go, leaving my heart bleeding and in pieces. He gives me whiplash with his back and forth emotions. A little sparrow sits on the windowsill in front of me grooming his feathers, he looks so carefree. I keep waiting for that moment when my life will finally begin, but it forever remains just out of reach. I watch the little sparrow fly off into the woods, joining the chorus of birdsong surrounding the house. How I yearn for that same freedom, to just spread my wings and fly. I yearn for the freedom do decide my own destiny. I want to live my life on my own terms. I sigh as I look over the landscape. If I were not a prisoner h
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The Boss's Obsession 37. It seems so surreal
Aria's POVI can hear his screams so clearly. The pain in his voice sends chills through my spine. Deep, sorrowful sounds echo all around me. It is dark, I cannot see him, but I instinctively know it is Stefano that is calling out to me. I call out his name, but he cannot hear me. I run around frantically trying to find the source of the painful screams. A violent tug makes me bolt upright.“What is happening?” I groan clutching my head between my hands. Everything is dark.“We fell asleep. Aria, you were screaming at the top of your lungs just now. Are you alright?” Lilliana asks concerned.I look around the room, I am still trying to catch my breath. It seems so surreal that it was just a dream. I feel like I can still hear a faint echo of the screams that were surrounding me just now. I cover my face with my hands.“Hey, are you okay?” Lilliana asks, pulling my hands away from my face.“It was just a nightmare” I say, but I feel like it was more than just that, I feel like Stefan
The Boss's Obsession 36. Tensions are reaching boiling point
Aria'a POVI never thought I would ever be this happy to go back to Westwood. On the ride back home Lilliana and I fill Johhny in on everything that happened. We tell Johnny how Don Giovanni was killed and how that same Boss that killed him, is also looking for us. We tell him about the meeting at the factory and how this boss wants to overthrow the Giudici. We even tell him about the secret fortune and the Guild of the Guardians. All the while we talk Johnny just sits rigidly in his seat, soaking up the information. The car goes quiet. I turn to Johnny.“By the way. How did you get away from the house that night? Stefano had you locked up in that room” I ask Johnny. He has not said a word the entire time Lilliana and I were talking.“Well, I actually used your tried and tested method. While the guards outside my door were fighting off the intruders, I escaped by climbing down the vine next to the balcony. From there I made my way to the main road and caught a ride into town” Johnny s
The Boss's Obsession 35. Is someone following us?
Aria's POV“Just exactly how do you think we are going to get into that basement. I don’t even think the president has that much security?” Lilliana asks sceptically. And that is exactly why we need to see what is going on there. What are they hiding? And who are these people?“Just give me a moment to think. There must be a way” I say. I look out the window, there are armed men everywhere. Going outside is not an option and approaching the basement from inside the building is not an option either. If there was just a way to go inside the walls like back at the mansion… wait a minute.“We can go through the air-conditioning vents. Look at them. They are huge. We can easily fit through there” I say pointing to the vent above Lilliana’s head.After a lot of convincing her and getting lost a few times, Lilliana and I have managed to find the air-conditioning vent that supplies the basement. We have a good view of the room. There is a large table set up in the middle of the room. Men in b
The Boss's Obsession 34. I always expect the worst
Aria's POV I tug on the edges of my pencil skirt, adjusting it to right above my knees. Isobel lent us some of her work clothes. This reminds me of the times I used to sneak into my grandmother’s wardrobe and play dress-up with her old clothes and hats. It has that same familiar smell of lavender oil that granny also used to wear. I remember playing for hours imagining to be a wealthy aristocratic Lady who fell deeply in love with her wealthy husband who loves her even more than life itself. I release a deep sigh. I almost want to laugh at that idea now. I never in a million years would have thought that my future would include an arranged marriage. Although, Stefano has slowly been creeping into my heart. Little by little he has taken small pieces of it. “Are you girls ready?” Isobel asks, peeking her head around the door. Lilliana and I are both dressed as miniature versions of Isobel in our pencil skirts and white blouses. We have tied up our hair into tight buns, just the way Is
The Boss's Obsession 33. It's getting stranger by the minute
Aria's POV Lilliana and I spent the night in the stolen car, parked in front of a convenience store right across from my father’s old factory. “It is Saturday. Isn’t the factory supposed to be closed today?” I ask Lilliana confused. From our spot in the parking lot across the road, the factory looks anything but closed. “Yes. I do not understand” Lilliana says equally confused. The staff parking is filled with cars and every now and again a limousine arrives with tinted windows. I have counted ten of them entering thus far. “We need to get closer. I must get into that building. Why are there guards here?” I ask. “Honestly, I have no idea. We sell furniture for goodness sake” Lilliana says. “They look an awful lot like the guards from back at the house. Could it be the same people?” I ask. This is getting stranger by the minute. “It sure looks like it” Lilliana agrees. We walk around the factory, looking for a place where we can sneak in, but the security is tight. The thick wal
The Boss's Obsession 32. A Moretti Never Surrenders
Stefano's POV “Please come with me” she says. The way Aria is looking at me right now makes it hard for me to leave, but father and Lilliana need me more. “I will come back for you. I promise. I will lead them off your trail” I say. I give her a soft kiss on the forehead. The worry and fear etched on her face is something I enjoy seeing on the faces of my enemies but seeing it on her beautiful features does not sit well with me. Her inner struggle keeps her here, unable to move. I give her a gentle push in the direction of the waterfall. There is no time to waste, the gunmen are not far behind, and I dread to think of what will happen if they lay their hands on her. I can easily take down a small group by myself, but there are hundreds of them crawling around the forest right now. I cannot keep her safe. As soon as Aria makes it deeper into the forest, I run in the opposite direction, making as much noise as possible. I need them to follow after me. I take the path where the forest
The Boss's Obsession 31. That's one way of doing it
Aria's POV Lilliana was right. From inside the walls, you can hear everything that goes on in the mansion. Stefano was taken to the Boss’s house, and they are sending their search parties deeper into the forest to look for Lilliana and me. The man who murdered Don Giovanni is called The Butcher, he is the one running the search at the mansion and reporting everything back to the Big Boss. We still do not know who this boss is. It is almost dark. We have decided to wait until it is completely dark outside before we attempt our escape. When the time is right Lilliana leads me through the tunnel network within the mansion’s walls. We follow the old service tunnels until we reach the one that leads out into the forest. We are too far from civilisation to escape on foot. We need to find a vehicle if we want to get out of here. Lilliana knows the forest as well as Stefano does. They are very much alike. She leads in front of me, expertly placing every step carefully to avoid making any sou
The Boss's Obsession 30. The Secret Stash
Aria's POVBefore I know it, I am standing in Don Giovanni’s office. It is surprisingly easy to move about the house without being seen. Most of the guards are all outside looking for me. I just need to stand clear of the windows. I want to get a better look at the painting above Don Giovanni’s desk. Why is everyone so focussed on who the Guild of the Guardians are? Do they not know that it is just a series of paintings? Or is there actually a guild? And what is it with the treasure? I never knew of a secret treasure my family supposedly had.Looking up at the painting, I still cannot understand what all the fuss is about. The painting is the second in the series of oil paintings called the guild of the guardians. It features three old men sitting around a table, smoking cigars. They look fat and bored with their lives. It is not a particularly pretty picture, and the colours are dull and lifeless. There is no X marks the spot to indicate a treasure. There really is nothing significan
The Boss's Obsession 29. I cannot linger any longer
Aria's POVThe only hiding place I could find was under Don Giovanni’s bed. The night frill curtaining the bed gives me enough cover to not be seen yet is still sheer enough for me to see the pair of polished shoes now standing right next to the bed.“Old friend. It is such a shame to see you like this” the owner of the polished shoes says to Don Giovanni.“You only have yourself to blame for this Giovanni. You should have handed the girl over while you still had the chance. I do not know why you are protecting her. She hates you. You have always protected her and look at where that got you. You did it back then and you are doing it again now, but this time she is going to be the reason you die” the man says, and I cannot help to wonder what he means by this. Is Don Giovanni protecting me?The man walks over to the window. He is standing with his back towards me, his hands are in his pockets as he stares out the window overlooking the forest. I have seen this man once before.“Soon we
