Spiralled

Chapter - 8

"Let's see." I said and flipped the lid back.

It had a f*****g gun, wads of cash and few envelopes inside. There was even the gun registration license inside which struck quite strange to me.

I fished photos out. My parents were present in almost all of them along with different people. The photos also gag names printed at the back. I had never met a single person from this photo in my life.

One of the pictures was of a couple and two kids along with me and mom and dad. Curious, i flipped the photo.

Stefano Romano, Felicia Romano, Angelina Romano, Valentino Romano

As i read through the names, one name struck familiar. Angelina Romano. There was also an Angelina Romano in our university. A very popular student and everyone's favourite too. The girl was rich rich and had literal followers.

Other than the names and people from the photos,i didn't find much so u took the things i found to my car and decided to leave. It was a long drive to my apartment.

By the time i reached home, i was dead. My head hurt and so did my body. I drove from that town to here non stop and my eyes hurt.

I went straight to bed as soon as i changed. The exhaustion took me out as i woke up directly next day with a blaring alarm and growling stomach. It was quarter to six and my classes started at seven. I got ready in forty minutes and drive to a convenience store before heading to uni to grab a coffee and sandwich.

"Are you f*****g dead?!" Philip poked me.

I was napping on the bench till this clown walked in.

"No asshole I'm tired." I grumbled.

"Huh. What got you so beat bro?"

"A long drive and emotions." I said sleepily.

"Yeah don't want to know that. Emotions scare me."

"And that is why my dear Philip you are going to die single." Paige laughed, pulling his cheek.

"No i won't. I have you."

"Eww. I would rather stay with professor andrew. He is more bearable than you."

"Why I'm flattered ms. Paige." Our teacher's amused voice echoed in the class.

I snapped up, wide awake and Philip cussed under his breath. Paige was frozen.

"And here i was thinking you hate me." He joked even further.

"I...uhh...i am very sorry p-professor. I don't mean to insult you." She stammered and me and Philip almost exploded from laughter.

"I'm sorry I'm late." A feminine voice rung out, cutting the tension.

Angelina Romano was standing on the threshold looking apologetic.

"Miss Romano. I am surprised you are late to class. I guess it's the day of endless surprises." He taunted Paige.

"It won't happen again sir." She said.

"It's all good. Take a seat."

I watched her closely as she passed us. I didn't miss the beauty spot near her right nostril and then i remembered the photo. The little girl in the photo had same beauty mark.

I could barely concentrate in anything in uni. The day kind of passed me in haze. The moment the classes were over, i hurried back home and looked at the photo again.

"I knew it!" I exclaimed. "It's her."

But still just to double check, i opened her i********: page and compared the face in the photo. Although the photo was old, the difference was still uncanny.

It was no mistake, my parents knew Angelina and her parents. She was an important lead. Now all i had to figure out was how to get closer to her and get the information out of her.

The next part was tricky. I could never just approach her directly and ask questions. I was going to having to play the long and painful game of trust. I had no option but to befriend her and make her talk.

I thought hard about how i was going to execute my plan. I'd she only even a bit of suspicious, my cover could blow up. I head to be very careful.

The ringing of my phone broke my thought process and i glared at my phone.

"Hey." Mila greeted me. "Going to library, wanna come with?"

"Sure." I shrugged.

I needed to get few books for me too. Exams were approaching and were has started with our studies. I didn't know i was going to juggle the studies with my pursuit for truth.

I needed to find about the information of the other people too but i was a bit sceptical about using my personal laptop and phone. Then it clicked, i could use the computer in our uni's library. I was going there anyways.

We both made our way to the university's library. The library was a very needy place always filled with studious people. We often went there to use the computers and study for our exams when wet didn't feel like sitting in our rooms.

"I want to get books to go. You want some too?"

I shook my head. "I'm going to sit here and study, i will use one of the computers."

"Alright." She said and we parted ways.

I chose a computer that was fairly away from people in a corner and thankfully it wasn't occupied.

I set my diary and pen down and removed the old photo with names. I wasn't sure if I was going to find anything valid and truthful on Internet but i had to try.

Unfortunately for me, no information came up about any of the unknown people as there seemed to be no social media trace and the faces were quiet old so image searching was out of option.

But the only significant name that kept popping up multiple times in articles and news was the Romano family. I wasn't sure if it was Angelina's family. There were filthy rich with their significant dominance over Italy's economy. The people were elite business tycoons.

I opened one of the very old news articles and nonchalantly scrolled down. But, like a silver lining, a photo popped up. Four people stood with a charming smile on their face on some sort of red carpet and one of the people were Angelina Romano. It was no mistake, she looked a lot younger but i knew it was her. Apart from her, a older looking couple stood, they looked like her parents and a brooding young man. I swear i felt like his eyes were poking holes through my face with his sharp glare.

"Bingo." I whispered.