Thorns of Roses

The Debt Collector (Part 1)

SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER:

All Of Me-John Legend

CHAPTER 92

BLAZE

One thing that hasn't changed since she died is my drive in what I do or will do. I can get up in the morning even though I only slept for an hour because of the alcohol or because of the intense thought that my wife is still alive. That somehow, she took advantage of the situation to hide from me. I know Corinne knows the obsession I have with her, I know she knows I won't stop until I know she's alive somewhere, and if she decides to pretend to be dead just to make me stop, she's making a mistake. I have been combing and searching anywhere where she can hide. I will not stop until my own two eyes see that she is already gone.

You see, the problem that made me this obsessed with the thought that she is still alive is that they didn’t see any remains, a body.

All they can offer me is Corinne’s wedding ring, and that’s all?

She thinks that I am that gullible to believe that?

I don’t know if this is a healthy normal living man mindset would be. I don’t know if there’s a base in this thought of mine or it was just me not coping and trying to move on with her death.

Marv told me so many times that I needed to let her go, that I needed to set her free and let her rest in peace.

Just the thought of letting go of what is mine and what’s supposed to be mine until the day I die is so f*****g painful, beyond f*****g death.

I admit, sometimes when I am drunk, all I could see is her smiling face back in Vegas. Our last trip together before anything went down. I can still remember it like it happened just yesterday. She was so in love with me. I can see it in her eyes.

But what’s making me insane is that I couldn’t barely remember how she felt, how soft her skin was, how soft her lips are. All I can remember is her eyes, her smile, her dark hair, the way she shines. But I couldn’t remember how she kissed me, how she touches me, how she made love to me.

I didn’t touch any other woman or Hannah after she dies.

Everything in me died with her too.

I know she’s dead, but I just couldn’t say it out loud, because when I say it on my own lips, it will become my reality.

I closed mine, imagining that I am in our penthouse bed with her instead being inside this conference room with nothing but all this fat rich men in front of me, blabbering and talking nonsense about money.

“Mr. Mayhem? Did you hear what Mr. Coronel said?” Ava, my secretary asked that made me snap back onto my reality.

I sighed and tried to focus “Say it again.”

"It is said that my people are having difficulty charging the former colonel in Russia who owes us for the past fifteen years that has almost reached billions, I heard that he is hiding here in Forks and he has disappeared from where he used to live in Russia with his wife and his son." That caught my attention, money is money. And he owes me billions, and that is my f*****g money.

My secretary handed me a folder that was full of this man’s personal information. He is familiar in some sort, but I can’t quite pinpoint. Even his son is familiar to me like I had seen him many years ago.

“Why just kill him already?” I growl.

“Unfortunately, we can’t.” that got my attention and look at Mr. Coronel, he has my full attention now. “—no matter how much I want to kill that man with my own hands, we can’t. we still didn’t know if he’s still part of the Russian mafia, and by killing him means we’re triggering a war between us two.”

I sigh “Ava, prepared the plan, we’re flying to forks.”

“What are you going to do in Forks, Cousin?” Diesel chimed in.

“Isn’t that obvious, I’m going to make him pay.”

I heard everyone whispered to each other nervously. “And what, you’re going to kill him and let the Cosa Nostra into war with the Russians?”

I looked at him in challenge, I don’t want anyone questioning my way and my strategy in running this business, I have been preparing and learning the ropes since my first day here on earth. “Meeting’s dismissed, everyone leaves except you Diesel.”

Everyone oblige and leave the conference room, Diesel walks towards me, that’s his first wrong move because my fist is already on his f*****g pretty boy face.

He just smirks while spitting blood out of his mouth, Marv stops us “Guys please, we’re not in high school and college anymore.”

"One more disrespect, and even try to question my business, I can send you back to Europe." I warn.

“You sure is f*****g guilty, aren’t you?” I wanted to shrug of his smirk out of his face. “—you sure is a f*****g suicidal ever since Corinne died. Guilt consuming you, Mafia Prince—”

Even before he finished speaking, I choked him and leaned him on the conference table, but the smirks on his face were still not removed as Marv kept stoppine me away from him.

“Don’t you f*****g dare say her name again.” I growl as my hold on his neck tightened.

He just nods and I stepped away from him, last thing I want is to kill that man inside my office.