Chapter5-TheTrap
972 Words
Elena was losing her grip, her composure was slowly cracking.
Her hands trembled as she measured flour that morning, spilling sugar across the counter. She burned an entire tray of cinnamon rolls, something she hadn’t done in years. When a customer asked her for cappuccino she made them a latte instead.
“Elena, are you fine? You never make mistakes like this” Maria, her assistant asked as she wiped down the counter.
“I’m fine” Elene quickly said while forcing a smile even though her chest felt tight.
She knew she was lying, she was not fine, she was tormented by that one man. Every time the bell above the bakery, her heart jumped.
Giovanni Morrano.
He was in her head. She told herself she didn’t care and she wasn’t scared.
It wasn’t long when two men in black suits walked in. They didn’t order anything, they just looked around.
“Elena Blake?” The taller one asked.
“Yes,” she said cautiously.
He placed a small gift box and an envelope on the counter
“A gift” he said “from Mr Morrano”. And they turned around and left.
Elena's stomach dropped. She slowly opened the box, inside was a diamond bracelet, simple but breathtaking. From the look of the bracelet she could tell that it was very expensive. With shaky hands she opened the envelope and saw a card. Her hands shook harder as she opened the card.
Time is running out
G.M
Elena’s heart skipped a bit. She closed the box and shoved it under the counter.
“No. I’m not playing this games” she muttered to no one in particular.
By late afternoon, the bakery was rather quiet and Elena was tidying up when the door to the bakery opened, she turned and he was there, the person that had occupied her head was standing right there in her bakery.
“You can’t just come in here, whenever you feel like it” Elena said, her voice sharper than intended.
Giovanni’s eyes wandered around till it stopped at her eyes. “Apparently I can”.
Her heartbeat quickened. “What do you want”
He slowly walked closer to her, his presence overwhelmed the room. “You know what I want”.
“I’m not marrying you” she said
His mouth curled into a cold and dangerous smile. Not amused just sinister
“Do you think this is a negotiation?” He asked
Elena snapped. “This is my life”
“Yes I know”. He closed the distance between towering over her. “But right now it seems like your life is exactly going well”
She frowned slightly. “What is that supposed to mean”
“I hear your bakery has been facing some challenges” he said with his expression not changing.
A wave of dread washed over her. “What did you do”
“Nothing. But Milan isn’t always kind to small businesses. Permits get delayed. Prices increase and accidents might happen” he said smoothly.
Elena’s breath became rapid and uneven. “Are you threatening me”
Definitely not, darling. I’m giving you a solution”.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a folder, lying it on the counter.
“A marriage certificate” he simply said.
Elena’s mouth went dry. “I’m absolutely not signing this,” she said.
His dark eyes locked onto hers. “You will”
“No I won’t” her voice louder this time
He closed the distance between them, pressing a hand against the wall just above her head, trapping her.
“You drive me insane, Elena. He softly said with a low and dangerous voice. “You stormed into my life and then you tried to disappear like none of it mattered. Do you think you can keep running from me?. I am Giovanni Morrano and I get whatever I want including you.”
Her heart drummed so fiercely, she thought he might have heard it.
“I’m not an item and I certainly don’t belong to you” she barely managed to say.
“Not yet sweetheart, not yet”.
He left the folder on the counter and turned around but before he left he gave her his card.
“This is my card, use it when you have finally come to your senses and made the right decision” he said
And then he was gone.
For the next two days, Elena tried to console and convince herself that nothing would happen to her bakery. Then one day a letter from the city council came. It read:
“PERMIT SUSPENDED. INVESTIGATION ONGOING”
She felt a knot in her stomach. She went to the city council, hoping to find a solution but she was told that there was an ongoing legal investigation tied to the property and until the investigation clears up all permits related to that vicinity are to be put on hold. Elena tried to reason with them but they were not having it and asked her to leave. As if that wasn’t enough, the moment she came out from the council she received a call from her supplier saying that they were suffering from price inflation so they might not be able to supply her anymore.
Elena was confused and sad.
Her dream, her bakery was slowly slipping through her fingers.
That evening after she got home she went to her room and she checked the drawer where she kept the card that Giovanni gave to her and brought it out. She knew she had only one way out of this, if she wanted to keep her bakery . “Fine, you win”. She said to no one in particular.
- Writer
