2.the face behind the mask
1404 Words
After a restless night, Sofia gets up from her bed, still a little confused by the nightmare she had. She heads to the bathroom to freshen up her face, trying to get the images of the previous night out of her mind. But when she sees her reflection in the mirror, she suddenly remembers the stranger she brought home the day before.
She rushes back to the room where she left him, her heart beating wildly. When she opens the door, she sees the man lying on the bed, still asleep. She approaches him, trying not to make any noise, and looks at him for the first time in the light of day.
He is… different from what she had imagined. He is younger than she expected, with fine features and dark hair that falls across his forehead. His face is pale, but he has a peaceful expression, as if he is dreaming of something beautiful.
Sofia feels a little stupid, realizing that she knows nothing about this man. Who is he? Why was he hurt? And why did she bring him home?
She hesitates for a moment, then decides to wake him up. She approaches him and gently places her hand on his shoulder.
" Sir… ?" She said, trying not to startle him.
He opens his eyes, and Sofia feels her heart stop. He has incredible, deep blue eyes that seem to see right through her.
He looks at her for a moment, then his face contorts in pain.
“Where am I?” He asks his voice weak.
Sofia hesitates, not knowing what to answer.
“You’re at my house,” she said finally. “I brought you back here last night. You were hurt.”
The man frowns, trying to remember.
“Who…, who are you?”
Sofia smiles, realizing that they are in the same situation.
“My name is Sofia,” she said. " And you ?"
“Mar…co,” he articulates.
She feels a shiver run down her spine. She tries to stay calmbut his mind is already running at full speed.
“Marco…” She repeats, trying to sound natural.
In his head, it's chaos. She thinks of the man she is supposed to infiltrate, Marco Conti, the head of the mafia. She thinks about the files she read but this man... he is more vulnerable.
Sofia feels destabilized. What if it was him? What if it was really Marco Conti, the ghost of Palermo? But why would he be hurt? Why would he be at her house?
She looks at Marco with new eyes, trying to see beyond his appearance. She sees the fine features, the blue eyes, the sensual mouth. She sees a man capable of anything, who could be the monster she is looking for.
But she also sees something else, something that troubles her. She sees a man who is hurt, who is vulnerable. A man who needs help.
Sofia feels torn. She is a police officer, she is supposed to stop criminals. But she's also a woman and she can't help but feel attracted to this man.
She looks at Marco, she sees two different people. She sees the mobster she's supposed to arrest and she sees the man who is injured and alone in his bed.
“Marco…” She repeats, this time with a touch of curiosity.
Marco looks at her, his blue eyes narrowed.
" Yes ?" He replies, his voice weak.
Sofia hesitates, not knowing what to say. She knows she must protect her identity. But she can't help but feel attracted to this man and she knows she needs to know more.
She gets up from the chair where she was sitting and walks a little closer to him.
“I’ll call a nurse to take care of you,” she said, trying to sound natural. “You need medical attention.”
Marco looks at her, and Sofia sees a flicker of panic in his eyes. He shakes his head, his face contorted in pain.
“No, no, that’s not necessary,” he said, his voice firm. “I…I don’t want to see anyone right now.”
Sofia frowns, intrigued by his reaction.
" For what ?" she asks. “You need medical attention. It is important that you are examined by a professional.”
Marco hesitates and Sofia sees that he is looking for an excuse.
“I…I don’t know what happened to me yesterday,” he said in a weak voice. “I don’t want to see anyone else until I get my memory back.”
Sofia looks at him, trying to see if he's telling the truth. But Marco is an excellent liar and she only sees sincerity in his eyes.
“You can take care of it very well,” Marco suggests.
Sofia hesitates then shakes her head.
“I don’t know how to provide care. I’m not a nurse.”
Marco smiled weakly.
“I think you can do it,” he said. “I have been injured several times in my life. I can guide you.”
She looks at him, intrigued. She doesn't know what to do. But there's something in Marco's eyes that makes her hesitate.
" All right. But you have to tell me what to do.”
He nods, a smile of relief on his face.
Sofia gets up and goes to get the first aid kit. When she returns, Marco explains to her what to do and she begins to clean and bandage her wounds.
As she works, Sofia realizes that Marco is used to being hurt. He knows exactly what to do and he guides her with a precision that surprises her.
When she finishes, Marco thanks her, his eyes shining with gratitude.
“Thank you, Sofia,” he said. “I owe you.”
Sofia smiled, feeling a strange connection with this man.
“It’s nothing. Rest now.”
Marco nods and Sofia watches him relax, his eyes slowly closing. She gets up to leave but she can't help but look at him one last time.
Back in her room, Sofia gets her computer and sits on her beddetermined to find out more about this man in her room. She types “Marco” into the search engine and waits for the results.
But what she sees leaves her speechless. Thousands of results are displayed, Marcos of all ages, all nationalities, all professions. There are Marcos who are footballers, actors, businessmen, criminals…
She feels lost. How can she find the Marco she is looking for among all these results? She tries to refine her search, adding keywords like “Palermo” or “Italy”, but the results are always too numerous.
She begins to feel frustrated when she receives a call on her phone. This is the police station.
“Sofia, it’s the captain,” said the voice on the other end of the line. “We need you here. There is a new matter that requires your attention.”
Sofia sighs, knowing she has to leave. She looks at her computer screen, where search results for Marco are still displayed.
“I’m coming,” she said to the captain. “Give me twenty minutes.”
She turns off her computer and gets up, leaving the research on Marco behind. But she knows that she will return to this research, as soon as she has solved the case that awaits her at the police station.
She gets up from her desk and walks towards Marco's room, her heart beating a little faster than she would have liked. She gently pushes the door open and enters the room, her gaze settling on the bed where Marco is lying.
He's still there, his chest rising and falling slowly with his breathing. Sofia feels a little relieved, without knowing why. She approaches the bed, her gaze scanning Marco's face, seeking reassurance that he is still alive.
He looks peaceful, his face relaxed in sleep. Sofia feels a little embarrassed, realizing that she is watching him sleep. She pulls herself together and turns to leave, but stops for a moment to look at him one last time.
“I'll be back soon,” she whispers, not knowing why she says that.
She slips out of the room, closing the door behind her, and heads towards the front door, ready to leave for the police station
- Writer
