Page 66 of Inescapable Ties
“You lost us twenty million dollars and you think we have a hidden agenda? There’s no insurance fraud in our business.”
“Perhaps, but it’s always possible you’re working with a third party. Many have tried in the past to eliminate powerful mafia families.”
“You’re clearly not that powerful if you needed to borrow twenty million from us.”
Gennaro’s gaze hardened at my words, the smoke from his cigar curling around his head like a halo of menace. Rolando kept quiet, nursing his drink with an alarmed expression. Tension hung heavy in the air as Gennaro remained silent for a moment, mulling over my pointed rebuttal.
“If it weren’t for my marriage,” My eyes turned cold, hinting at the danger beneath my calm demeanor. “I would not even be entertaining this conversation with you.”
I couldn’t believe the audacity of this man. He had single-handedly cost us millions of dollars with his reckless actions, yet here he was sitting in front of me, daring to accuse me of having a hidden agenda. The tension in the room was palpable as I struggled to maintain my composure and not give into the urge to lash out at him. But even as anger simmered inside me, I couldn’t help but marvel at his nerve and cunning tactics.
“Your marriage,” Gennaro echoed, his voice as sharp as the crack of a whip. “Ah, yes. The marriage that this accident forced upon you. A convenient scapegoat for your ‘misfortune’, wouldn’t you say?”
For once, I could not form an articulate sentence. I should have stayed calm - Gennaro was exceedingly good at getting under people’s skin. But, him suggesting that I purposely ruined the warehouse for a marriage was absurd.
“If you recall, I was initially against the arranged marriage.” My voice seemed to raise an octave with each word I spoke. “I should have just declined; it’s not worth it to do business with you.”
I charged towards the door, my hand clenching into a fist as I yanked it open. My heart dropped as I saw Luciana standing on the other side, her face contorted with devastation. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears, making me feel like I had just punched her in the gut. It was clear she had overheard my scathing words about our marriage, and I regretted them instantly. The weight of my words hung heavy in the air between us, suffocating any chance of reconciliation.
“We have other resources, Emilio,” Gennaro said from behind me, his voice icy.
“Then use them,” I said, slamming the door shut.
I wanted to get down on my knees and beg forgiveness to Luciana. However, I was stilled fueled with rage by Rolando and Gennaro, and couldn’t think straight.
“We’re leaving.” I wrapped my hand around her wrist and all but dragged her to the car.
Luciana didn’t resist, her teary eyes staring blankly ahead. As I maneuvered the car onto the main road, the silence between us was deafening. The drive home was a silent affair. The only sound was the purr of my BMW’s engine, as melodious as a lullaby, set against the icy wind that rushed by us on the highway. Yet it did little to ease the tension that crackled in the confining space of the car. Every now and then, I glanced over at Luciana. From the corner of my eye, I saw her staring out the side window; her face was pale and stricken with sadness. Her tears had run dry but had been replaced by a vacant stare.
When we reached our apartment, she walked ahead of me, keys clattering against the door as she rushed to unlock it. She didn’t even pause before disappearing inside, leaving me alone in the hallway.
I took a moment to collect myself before stepping inside. Normally, it felt like I was entering another world altogether - our world - where everything was warmer and softer. A world where every mundane object held a memory colored with shared laughter or arguments or silence - comfortable silence.
But not tonight. Tonight it was filled with a heavy silence – one filled with hurt and misunderstanding.
Chapter thirty-five
Luciana
Icouldn’tevenlookat Emilio for the rest of the night and into the next morning. As I got ready for bed, I slid under the covers and tried to muffle the sound of my silent tears falling on the pillow. In the night's stillness, I prayed he hadn’t heard me. The next morning I laid in bed, feigning sleep just so I wouldn’t have to face him.
My body ached with tension and my mind raced with thoughts of how to avoid facing him. I let out a sigh of relief as I heard him leave for work.
From the very beginning, I had known this was an arranged marriage. A cold and calculated transaction between two parties for power and wealth. Yet, as time passed, my thoughts wavered. Emilio’s touch became more gentle, his embrace more tender. He would ask about my passions and interests, taking a genuine interest in getting to know me. Was it possible that his feelings had grown beyond obligation? Or had I deluded myself into believing he truly cared for me? The uncertainty gnawed at my heart, like a tangled knot that refused to be undone.
I got up and began getting ready for my day. All I wanted was to escape from this place, to be anywhere but here in this apartment. There was an abandoned building that I had been wanting to check out, but I kept putting it off because I was enjoying spending time with Emilio.
It had been such a long time that the location of the building escaped my memory. It stood out to me as I had taken both digital and physical notes about it. As I sat down at my desk and turned on my computer, I attempted to recall its whereabouts.
After I had gotten dressed, I walked out of the bedroom to find Short Dino sitting on our sofa, reading a newspaper. I had been pretty sure no one read newspapers anymore, but it seemed pretty on brand for him. He didn’t even glance up at me, instead waiting for directions.
“Starbucks and then exploring?” I asked.
He grunted in response, folding the newspaper and placing it on our coffee table.
Short Dino already knew the route to my preferred Starbucks. He ordered our drinks, and I think it was the first time I had heard him talk today. But for once, I was happy with the silence. I was overwhelmed with thoughts of Emilio and I didn’t think I could handle any external stimuli.
We sat in silence as we drove to the outskirts of the city.
