His-First-Mistake
1580 Words
Elena flinched violently, but felt nothing.
When she opened her eyes, she realized he had fired into the air.
Alessandro paced wildly, running a hand through his hair, breathing hard.
“Get rid of the body,” he ordered his men. “Now. And leave us.”
They obeyed.
Soon it was just the two of them.
Alone.
When the room finally emptied, silence rushed in like a living thing.
Elena trembled where she lay, shock crashing over her relentless waves. Blood still dripped steadily from the cut on her head, warm against her skin. The image of the gunshot replayed over and over in her mind, refusing to loosen its grip. Alessandro moved toward her and tried to help her stand.
She flinched and pulled away sharply, fear written plainly across her face. Whatever hesitation he had shown earlier meant nothing now, not after what she witnessed.
She tried to push herself to her feet on her own, stubborn pride forcing her to refuse his hand. But the room spun violently. Her vision blurred.
And then everything went black.
Alessandro cursed under his breath and caught her just before she hit the floor. She was lighter than he expected. Fragile in a way that unsettled him deeply.
Without wasting another second, he carried her through a hidden exit that led straight to the underground garage. No one saw them.
Back inside the club, Noah paced behind the bar.
Elena had clocked in earlier than usual, but no one had seen her since. Her colleague shrugged helplessly, worry etched into her face.
“Noah, something’s wrong,” Emily said. “It’s not a coincidence that she went missing today after her ugly encounter with De Lucas yesterday. What if they have her?”
Noah pulled out his phone and dialed Elena’s number again.
It rang, but no answer.
Panic settled into his chest.
What none of them knew was that Elena’s phone lay discarded on the basement floor, fallen from her pocket when Alessandro shoved her down.
Alessandro’s car sped through the empty street, the city falling farther behind them with every mile.
When they reached his estate, he carried Elena inside and laid her gently on his bed, his bed, a place no one else had ever occupied.
He cleaned the blood from her hair carefully, his movements slow and precise. He dressed the wound in silence, his jaw clenched tight.
When he finished, he stepped back and simply watched her.
Why hadn’t he pulled the trigger?
Why did the thought of her dying twist something sharp and unfamiliar inside his chest?
He had never cared about anyone, never allowed attachments. Weakness was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
And yet, Elena was becoming exactly that.
A weakness.
Restless, he paced the room, his mind racing with thoughts of his father, of the consequences of blood debts. He knew better than anyone not to disobey his father, as every disobedience comes with a consequence.
His phone rang.
It was his father. He hesitated before picking up.
“Have you taken care of the bodies?” Don De Luca asked coldly.
“The man is gone,” Alessandro replied. “As for the girl…no.”
“She works at the club,” Alessandro continued quickly. “She clocked in earlier today. If she disappears, questions will be asked. Especially after last night.”
“And her mouth?” his father snapped.
“She won’t talk,” Alessandro said firmly.
His father’s voice hardened. “Make sure of it. If she does…I will wipe her and her entire family out.”
The call ended.
Alessandro exhaled slowly, tension leaving him in a heavy rush. His eyes drifted back to Elena.
Soon after, her lashes fluttered.
Elena woke with a sharp gasp.
The room was unfamiliar—too large, too quiet.
Panic surged through her as memories flooded back: the basement, the gun, and the blood.
Her stomach lurched.
She scrambled out of bed and staggered toward the door. The house was silent.
She tiptoed down the stairs, heart hammering wildly—
“Elena.”
His voice stopped her cold.
She spun around. “Stay away from me!” She screamed in terror, shaking her frame.
Alessandro stepped closer anyway.
She grabbed a flower vase from a nearby table and raised it. “I swear I’ll hit you if you come any closer!”
He glanced at the vase calmly. “That’s worth more than your yearly salary.”
He gently took it from her trembling hands and set it aside.
He was too close now.
Cold shivers ran down her spine as he reached up and touched her head, right where the wound was.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
The word stunned them both.
Alessandro De Luca never apologized.
Elena searched his face and saw it again—that flicker of concern she had noticed in the basement when he first saw her. For one dangerous moment, she almost believed it.
Then she remembered his fist slamming into that man’s face.
No.
He was dangerous.
“Let me go,” she whispered.
“You’re not my prisoner,” he said. “You can leave anytime. But you will never speak of what you saw.”
“I won’t,” she said quickly. “I swear.”
He nodded. “I’ll drive you home.”
“No,” she said sharply and rushed out.
Outside, panic returned. She had no idea where she was.
She reached for her phone but realized it was gone.
Her chest tightened.
Then Alessandro stepped outside behind her.
“We’re far from town,” he said. “You won’t see a cab here, and you can’t go home on foot.”
She hesitated.
Finally, she nodded.
He drove her back, but Elena made sure he dropped her far from her apartment.
She refused to let him know where she lived.
If only she knew that he already knew everything about her.
As she walked away, Alessandro watched her disappear into the night, a strange, unfamiliar weight settling heavily in his chest.
This wasn’t over.
Not even close.
Elena went straight to the hospital.
The familiar scent of antiseptic and quiet footsteps in the corridors wrapped around her like a fragile sense of safety. She found her mother resting in her ward, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady. Relief washed over her the moment she confirmed she was okay.
Only then did Elena allow herself to sit. She spotted a wall phone at the end of the corridor and walked toward it, fingers trembling as she dialed the number she knew by heart.
Noah answered on the second ring.
“Hey, it’s me… Elena.” She said immediately he picked up.
“Elena?” his voice was strained. “Where have you been? Everyone’s been looking for you.”
“I’m okay,” she said quickly. “I’m safe.”
He exhaled sharply. “What happened? You just disappeared.”
For a moment, the truth pressed hard against her chest, begging to be released. The basement, the gunshot, and the blood.
But she remembered the warning from Alessandro and decided to lie instead.
“I got a call from the hospital,” she lied softly. “About my mom, I had to leave immediately.”
“Oh my God, is she okay?” Noah asked with concern.
“Yeah, she is stable now,” she replied.
Silence stretched between them.
“Your phone,” Noah said slowly. “Why couldn’t I reach you?”
“I think I dropped it while rushing out,” she replied. “I didn’t even realize it until now.”
He sighed, the tension in his voice easing.” You scared us, El. The manager was questioned. Everyone was worried.”
“I’m really sorry,” she said, guilt flooding her.
“Please…can you help talk to the manager for me? I’ll be at work tomorrow.”
“I will,” Noah promised. “Just…please be careful.”
“I will. Thank you, Noah.”
After the call, Elena turned to her mother’s bedside.
Her mother stirred and opened her eyes, studying Elena carefully. “You don’t look okay.”
“I’m fine mom,” Elena said automatically.
Her mother shook her head gently.
“You’re not,”
The weight of the night finally collapsed in on her. Elena's shoulders shook as tears spilled over, and she broke down beside the bed.
Her mother reached out immediately. “What’s wrong, my child? Tell me.”
Elena wiped her face quickly. “I’m okay,” she insisted, though her voice cracked.
But her mother wouldn’t let it go.
After a long moment, Elena whispered, “The supermarket…it’s stressing me.”
Her mother’s face tightened with concern.
“Then quit.”
“We need the money,” Elena replied softly.
Guilt filled her mother’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve ruined your life. If not for me…
“Don’t ever say that again,” Elena cut in sharply. “Never.”
Her mother flinched.
“This isn’t something I can’t handle,” Elena continued, her voice gentler now. “And once you get better, I’ll quit. I promise.”
Tears slid down her mother’s cheek. “Come here.”
Elena leaned in, and they held each other tightly, mother and daughter clinging to one another as quiet sobs filled the small hospital room.
For a moment, the world stood still.
- Writer
