The Mafia's Tesoro

CHAPTER 2

[Viola Noelle]

As I traverse the bustling streets of Chicago, a wave of anger courses through my entire being. Without a care in the world, I find myself relentlessly kicking numerous puddles, oblivious to the resulting splashes of mud that soil my heels and legs.

I felt a gentle buzz against my leg, so I reached into the small pocket of my dress and retrieved my phone, swiftly accepting the incoming call.

"What do you want, Ava?" I asked, annoyed.

"Jeez. I just wanted to know why you left the party so abruptly. Are you okay?"

With my left hand, I protect my head from the rain, and with the other, I hold the phone close to my ear. "I'm fine," I murmured.

"Fine? Tell me what happened. You don't sound well," she insists.

I said I'm fine."

"Viola, you are not okay. Tell me what happened.”

Despite my attempts to maintain composure, my voice quivered with the overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume me.

I started hyperventilating. "God! I just lost my job today. I've got a whole ton of bills to pay, my boyfriend's a total i***t, and to top it off, my best friend stabbed me in the back. Jeez! Can this day get any worse?" I tried to hide my shaky voice, but to no avail.

I was invited to a party tonight, so I dressed up and went with my boyfriend. We were having a good time until I disappeared only for a minute to grab myself a drink, and when I came back, I saw my boyfriend making out with my best friend.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Viola. Is there anything I can do to help?"

I am on the verge of experiencing an intense emotional breakdown. My chest heaves up and down, my eyesight becomes hazy, and a sensation of hot liquid spreads through my entire being.

"No. I'm fine," I whispered before hanging up. Trying to calm my breath, I grabbed a nearby pole. The rain instantly drowned my tears.

Calm down, Viola. Calm down.

As I inhale a long, profound breath, I gather my composure, determined to persevere.

Just as I am on the verge of stepping onto the crosswalk, out of nowhere, a speeding vehicle zooms towards me and recklessly drenches me in an enormous wave of water, effectively dousing me from head to toe. The force of the deluge, combined with the surprise of the incident, nearly sent me toppling to the ground.

I extended my arms, and the car emitted a harsh screech as it abruptly halted, mere inches separating us.

What the-?" I let out an exasperated shriek.

As I struggle to catch my breath, a man approaches me with a thunderous voice, bellowing at me as he demands that I step back from the vehicle.

Glancing once more at the vehicle, I couldn't help but notice its striking resemblance to a luxurious Ferrari, with its sleek and aerodynamic design. I can only make out two men sitting in the front, engaged in their own conversation.

"I'm sorry?" I started, “He almost tried to kill me! It is not my fault".

The man looks about seven feet tall with a tight black shirt and black pants, drenched and hugging his body tightly, revealing huge muscles and a firm stomach.

"Ma'am, I understand; but could you kindly step away from the vehicle? If you don't, I will personally remove you."

Agitated, I shook my head. "Is that the president telling me that I have to listen to your crap right now?"

The man pushes and nudges me away, and that's when I ticked. I slammed my fists into the car bonnet before swinging my hand straight into his face.

Frowning, he walked towards me, my slap probably feeling like a fly to him.

Oh s**t.

With no option left, I kicked it. Running fast and not looking back, I disappeared into a crowd of people.

God, this is the worst day ever!

************************************

As I reach into the depths of my pocket, my fingers cautiously explore the contents within, eagerly seeking the familiar touch of my apartment keys. Simultaneously, I gracefully brush aside a few damp strands of my hair, ensuring they are neatly tucked behind my ears.

I extended my arm, clutching nothing more than my mobile phone and a handful of candy wrappers.

With a frown on my face, I instinctively delved into the depths of my dress pocket and, subsequently, my jacket, only to come up empty-handed.

I find myself in a state of panic as I hurriedly lean against the door, feeling the cool sensation of the wood against my back. Overwhelmed by the sudden surge of emotions, I couldn't help but let out a deep sigh as I gradually let my head fall back, making a subtle thud against the solid surface.

I just lost my apartment keys.

Oh my goodness.

While I remain propped against the door, it unexpectedly swings open, resulting in me losing my balance and tumbling backwards into the apartment. My butt hits the floor, and I look up, noticing my boyfriend, Steve, standing with folded arms.

He softly uttered the word "Hey" in a hushed tone of voice.

What are you doing h-" I stopped, remembering that he had a spare key to my apartment.

I woke up with both hands and faced him. "Get out!"

"Baby wait. I can explain."

What are you going to say? Your mouth just fell on hers?"

Yes, I mean no. I..."

I raised my voice in frustration, demanding that he return my key and leave my apartment immediately.

"Wait, a minute. Doesn't that jacket belong to Benjamin?" he questions as he points at me.

“Steve, just get out,” I whispered, exhausted.

But he doesn't budge. He held out his hands, curled his lips, and looked apologetically at me. "I'm sorry. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to hurt you. It was just a big mistake."

I pulled out my phone and tossed it on the couch, allowing the sweet wrappers to fall to the floor.

“I'm just tired, okay? Leave me alone, and maybe we can talk tomorrow."

I anticipated that he would engage in a disagreement or debate, but to my surprise, he simply nods his head in agreement, places the key on the table, and departs. At that very moment, an immense burden seems to dissipate, releasing an overwhelming sense of relief and liberation that engulfs my entire being.

God, I pray that tomorrow will be a better day.