Bound to the devil

Chapter four .

ISABELLA POV

I don't remember the drive home. The streets blur pass and I clutch the envelope against my chest like a life line.

I park outside our building and sit there for a while, my body too heavy to move.

The apartment is dark when I finally drag myself inside.

I lock the door behind me and lean against it trying to catch my breath.

I look towards Matteo’s room. It's dark.

I stand there for a moment, staring into the darkness, waiting for the sound of his footsteps, his voice, anything.

But there's nothing. Just the rain hitting against the windows and the beating of my own heart.

He's not home.

He's nineteen, I tell myself. It's normal for him to stay out late sometimes, he'll be back.

I clutch the envelope tighter and walk to my room.

I fall into bed without changing out of my wet clothes with the envelope still press against my chest and I let the darkness swallow me.

Ring ring

The sound of my ringtone wakes me. I fumble for it,my body is still aching.

The caller ID says Ospedale Niguarda.

I don't know how long I've been asleep for the pale morning light filters through the curtains casting gray shows on the floor.

My phone buzzes again,I answer in a croak voice.”Hello?”

“Signora Bianchi?” I hear Doctor Moretti's voice over the phone.

I sit up “Good morning Doctor…I still have two days to make payments…please don't discharge…”

“Your mother's surgery has been booked. She's being prepared for the surgery. Why aren't you here?” She cuts me off mid sentence.

“Booked?How ? We don't have the money…” I ask confused.

"The payment came through early this morning. The full amount."

I press the phone tighter against my ear. "I don't understand. Did the hospital ...are you doing it for free? Is there some kind of program ..."

Doctor Moretti hesitates. "You don't know?"

"Know what?"

“Your brother came in this morning. He paid the full amount in cash. Eighty thousand euros.” she says gently.

The words don't make sense.How did Marcus get eighty thousand euros there must be a mistake somewhere.

"My brother?"

"Yes. Signor Matteo Bianchi. He was here just after six this morning." She explains.

I go quiet.

"Signora Bianchi? Are you still there?"

I open my mouth to speak but no sound comes out.

"Isabella?"

"I ...yes. I'm here." My voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Doctor. Thank you."

I hang up but my head keeps running in a loop.

Matteo.

Eighty thousand euros. In cash.

I push myself off the bed and head towards his room.

I stumble toward the hallway, his name already on my lips ...

The front door opens and Matteo walks in.

He’s wearing the same clothes from yesterday when I left.

His hair is damp and on his face there's a bruise forming along his jaw already purple.

He looks up and sees me standing in the hallway. "Isa." His voice is hoarse. "You're up."

"Matteo." I cross the space between us in three steps, grabbing his arms, my fingers digging into his sleeves. "The hospital called. They said you paid. Eighty thousand euros. How? Where did you get that money?"

He doesn't meet my eyes. "Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" My voice rises. "You come home at ..." I glance at the clock on the wall to check the time.

"You come home at seven in the morning with eighty thousand euros and a bruise on your face and you tell me not to worry? Where were you last night? What did you do?"

He pulls his arm away "I told you before. I know someone and the person decided to help."

“Who” I grab his hand again

"Who?" I grab his arm again,"Who, Matteo? What did you promise them? What did you give them? No one gives such huge amounts for free."

His eyes are red-rimmed when he finally looks up at me.

"I did what I had to do, Isa." His voice is quiet. "Same as you. You went to the bank. You went to Rinaldi. You went to Marchetti." His eyes flick to the envelope in my hand. "You did what you had to do. Now I did what I had to do."

I try to say something back but the words die in my throat because he's right. I did what I could…the only difference is I failed and he didn't not

"Please," I whisper. "Please tell me what you did."

He reaches up and touches my face,His hand is cold. "Go see Mamma. She needs you. The surgery is today." He drops his hand. "I'm going to sleep. I'm tired."

He walks past me toward his room. I turn, following him, my voice breaking.

"Matteo ..."

He stops at his door, his hand on the handle. He doe

sn't turn around.

"I promise I'm fine, Isa." His voice is barely a whisper. "I'm fine , don't worry about me.