His Ruthless Possession

Chapter 2

Selena's Pov

I couldn’t stop thinking about what mom said. The sentence stayed inside my head the entire night like a nightmare refusing to end. Even after I got home from the hospital around four in the morning, sleep never came.

I just sat on the edge of my bed staring at the wall while rain tapped softly against my apartment windows.

By the time my alarm rang three hours later, my head felt heavy from exhaustion. I dragged myself out of bed and stared at my reflection inside the cracked bathroom mirror. Dark circles sat beneath my eyes, and my hair looked like a complete mess.

But life didn’t care if I was falling apart. Bills still needed to be paid. My mother still needed treatment. So I forced myself to get dressed and headed to Bellissimo again.

The moment I entered the restaurant, Sofia noticed something was wrong.

“You look terrible,” she said while placing glasses on a tray.

“Thank you.”

“I’m serious.” She frowned. “Did you even sleep?”

“Not really.”

Sofia leaned against the counter. “What happened after I left last night?”

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. “My mom tried telling me something about my father.”

Her expression changed immediately. “What?”

Sofia stared at me in shock. “What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know.”

The worst part was that my mother never got the chance to explain. Every time I remembered the fear in her eyes last night, something twisted painfully inside my chest.

Sofia touched my arm gently. “Maybe there’s more to the story.”

“Or maybe he’s just a selfish coward.”

I regretted the words the moment they left my mouth. Because no matter how angry I felt, a part of me still missed him.

The restaurant slowly became crowded as the day continued. Rich people filled the dining hall while soft music played through the speakers. Crystal chandeliers glowed above expensive tables, and waiters rushed around carrying wine bottles worth more than my rent.

Everything looked beautiful on the outside. But todaysomething felt wrong. I noticed it almost immediately. The same black car from last night sat across the street again.

“Selena.”

I looked up when Mr. Laurent approached me. “Table fourteen.”

I grabbed my notepad and walked across the restaurant, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling crawling beneath my skin. But things only became stranger from there.

The man sitting at table fourteen was already staring at me before I even reached him. He looked around fifty years old and wore an expensive gray suit. A gold watch rested around his wrist while a cigar sat between his fingers.

The moment I stopped beside the table, his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Good evening sir,” I said politely. “Can I take your order?”

The man kept staring at me. “I would have a drink.”

“Okay Sir.” I responded and left immediately.

I returned and dropped his juice on the table.

“Would you like to have anything else sir?”

Before he could respond, another man approached the table and whispered something into his ear. The older man stood up afterward and placed several bills onto the table.

My eyes widened when I saw the amount. Five hundred dollars. For one drink.

“You forgot your change sir,” I said nervously.

“Keep it.”

Then he walked away without another word.

“Selena.” Sofia appeared beside me suddenly. “What’s wrong?”

I looked down at the money still sitting on the table. “ He dropped the money without even having a sip of the drink and asked me to keep the change.”

Her face paled slightly. “That’s creepy.”

“I know.”

Before Sofia could answer, movement outside the restaurant caught my attention. Three black SUVs pulled up near the sidewalk. Men stepped out wearing dark suits. These men carried weapons beneath their jackets. I caught a glimpse of one before he covered it again.

The men scanned the restaurant area before entering the building next door.

“What the hell…” Sofia whispered.

I swallowed nervously. “Do you think they’re cops?”

“No.” Her voice sounded uneasy. “Definitely not cops.”

For some reason, I thought about the man from yesterday. The one with cold eyes and guards standing around him.

The rest of the shift passed painfully slow. I dropped a wine glass at one point because my hands would not stop shaking. Mr. Laurent nearly yelled at me in front of customers, but I barely heard him.

I couldn’t stop thinking about the strange men. It felt like invisible eyes followed me everywhere tonight.

By the time my shift ended, my nerves felt completely ruined.

“You want me to walk you home?” Sofia asked while grabbing her bag.

I almost said yes. But Sofia already worked enough hours today, and her apartment was in the opposite direction.

“I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?”

I forced a smile. “I’m not a child.”

Sofia didn’t look convinced. “Text me when you get home.”

“I will.”

The rain had stopped when I stepped outside Bellissimo, but the streets still looked dark and wet beneath the city lights. I wrapped my jacket tighter around myself while heading toward the subway station.

Then I noticed the same black car was parked across the street then I realized I was being followed. My stomach dropped instantly. Okay this was no longer a coincidence.

I looked away and started walking faster through the crowded sidewalk. The sound of footsteps behind me made my chest tighten.

“Miss Russell.”

I froze.

A man stood several feet behind me wearing a black suit. Tall. Serious expression. One hand inside his pocket. Fear rushed through my body immediately.

“How do you know my name?” I asked.

The man ignored the question. “You should head home.”

Coldness spread through me. “What?”

“Tonight isn’t safe.”

Before I could respond, another black SUV pulled up beside the sidewalk. The man stepped back instantly.

The tinted window lowered slightly. I couldn’t see the person inside clearly. My heartbeat became uneven. The SUV drove away seconds later along with the others.

The subway ride home felt endless. By the time I reached my apartment building, it was almost midnight again.

The hallway lights flickered above me as I climbed the stairs toward my apartment. Then I noticed something strange. My door was slightly open.

Every muscle inside my body locked instantly. I knew I locked the door before leaving this morning. I always locked it.

I pushed the door open carefully but the apartment looked normal. I grabbed the lamp beside the couch and switched it on.

I walked deeper into the apartment while my heart continued pounding hard against my chest.

I rushed toward my bedroom first. The drawers were slightly open. Clothes scattered across the floor. Someone had searched through my things.

Fear tightened inside my chest. I turned toward the small shelf beside my bed where old family pictures sat. Then I froze completely. One picture was missing. A photo of me, my mother and my father. Only that picture was gone.