Money bringing happiness
1214 Words
Two days had passed since Olivia's first training and she was trying all her best to make her ‘vacation’ worth it. The best being being avoiding Enzo with all her might. However, that seems to be a difficult thing to do since their room is almost opposite each other and she knew the type of menace Enzo can become if Alessia was not with her.
“Olivia! Can you hear me?” Alessia shouted, waving her hands in front of Olivia's face who seem to have spaced out.
“Ahhh, yes yes. You were saying?”
“I said he finally agreed. We are going out in the evening.”
“Are you for real?” Olivia asked, her eyes shining.
“Yes, but…”
Olivia sighed, she knew the devil would never agree to things easily like that, there must always be a but.
“...He said we only have three hours. I'm sure that will be enough to get some clothes and change your phone's screen.” Alessia added and covered the straw of her juice with her mouth.
Olivia nodded absent-mindedly.
‘That should be enough to get me deported if I insist.’
“Don't try any—”
“ —so, shall weeee get ready now, and are we leaving all by ourselves?”
Alessia hummed in confirmation and swallowed the juice in her mouth. “Like usual, the guards will be some meters away, Enzo is still wary of the East side boys.”
Olivia nodded, her legs shaking underneath the table as she can barely contain her excitement. But even with that, she's still doubtful.
_ _ _
Olivia laid on her bed, staring blankly at the white ceiling. She'd emptied her thoughts and decided to just sing a random song in her head. Suddenly, there's a loud knock on the door.
She stood up in excitement and hurried to the door and just like she'd expected, Alessia was standing there in brown cargo pants whose pockets are too much for her to count, and a small tank top with comfortable slides. Her long black hair was packed into a high ponytail, — Olivia suspected that her scalp might be hurting — making her warm baby blue eyes which are the opposites of Enzo's cold gray ones pop out.
“Were you sleeping? So sorryyyy.”
“Not at all, are we to leave now?” Olivia asked hopefully as she stepped out fully and closed the door behind her.
Alessia nodded.
Olivia had decided not to take her phone or any electronics with her. To her, this is an escape plan, she could be easily tracked down if she did. She followed Alessia to the elevator, and then, the underground parking lot.
They took a convertible car and Alessia drove. And, just like Alessia had said, Olivia noticed some cars trailing them some distance away.
“Lexi?”
“Hmmn?” Alessia answered. She spared Olivia a quick glance before focusing back on the road.
“Is this how you were always followed anytime you decide to go out? Like, the sense of foreboding and all that, you get.”
Alessia chuckled. “You will get used to it overtime and there was actually a time when I was in objection to someone following me though.” She said, her eyes still focused on the road.
Olivia's gaze is fixed on her side profile as she sighed. “You should have objected again. If this continues, I might develop a phobia or something.” She said tiredly and she leaned back into her chair, her eyes fixed on the sky.
In a secluded part of her mind, she knew that she added to the reason Alessia was not able to object to being followed — at least for today. After all, she has not finished paying her debt to the devil and she's still bound by debt.
Soon enough, Alessia parked in a parking lot filled with cars as luxurious as theirs.
“Where are we?” Olivia asked.
“I Gigli.” Alessia answered before stepping out of the car.
Olivia stared at the shopping mall before her which boasted a modern and sleek design. It's like it was focused on elegance and sophistication with gleaming glass and a steel façade. As they stepped inside, the inside featured a spacious and well lit arterium.
Olivia glanced around wildly, trying to check for possible ways of escape. But everything that came to her view are standing mannequins in luxury wears, people laughing as they shopped. She shook her head.
Suddenly, Alessia tapped her shoulders and she turned to look at her.
“Don't try anything funny Olivia.” She said, almost pleading. “We will not be allowed to step out of the estate again.”
“Why ‘we’?” Olivia asked in confusion, while quoting the air as she said ‘we’. “I would have escaped.”
“You should try. I won't stop you but…” She grabbed her arms. “... Enzo rarely gives second chances.”
Olivia let out a shaky breath. It has not been up to a week since she arrived in Italy… no, kidnapped and she knows better to lay low. She nodded and followed Alessia deeper into the mall, discarding her plan of escape and deciding to enjoy her ‘vacation’. She couldn't deny the fact that, perhaps, she's easy to convince after all.
Initially, they'd planned to get some combat boots and stretchy clothes for training. But, they continued to spend on impulse. Alessia has one of Enzo's black cards and Olivia had deemed it as a way to get back at Enzo. Thankfully, Alessia was in support. That evening, they shopped like a maniac on a shopping spree.
As the sun dipped lower into the horizon, Olivia and Alessia stepped out of the shopping mall carrying different shopping bags in each hand that they can barely walk. Two sales attendants also trailed behind them, helping them with some shopping bags. They dropped everything in the car and the sales attendants bowed while one of them said,
“You should come back ma'ams.”
Alessia laughed and turned to Olivia who was smiling. “Definitely.”
Olivia's eyes crinkled as her lips cracked into a smile. She'd never felt fulfilled in so long. Whoever said money doesn't bring happiness must have been one son of a very broke b***h.
_ _ _
Enzo stood on the balcony of his office overlooking the vast asphalt of Palermo far below. As usual, the city bustled with sounds. Enzo ran his fingers through his hair. Then, he turned back and made his way back into his office and back to the pile of files he'd left behind earlier.
Just some minutes after sitting on his chair and signing some files, the door burst open and Andrea who's dressed in blue jorts, white shirts and a pair of sneakers hurried in, his laptop resting on his arm.
He rushed to Enzo's side and placed it before him.
“They fell for the bait.” He said, motioning to the screen.
On the screen, the laptop's interface was being controlled without Andrea or Enzo controlling it. It has been hacked.
- Writer
