Chapter2: The message
1296 Words
Thony’s POV
I barely slept that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same thing.
The photograph.
That familiar face.
And Alessandro’s expression when he realized I knew the person in it.
There was something he wasn’t telling me.
I knew it.
The question was what.
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the screen of my phone.
Kamila still hadn’t called.
I was getting really anxious.
I had called her more than twenty times since leaving the hotel.
Nothing.
No answer.
No message.
Nothing.
I tried again.
The call rang twice before going straight to voicemail.
I dropped my phone beside me.
“This is crazy.”
I ran my fingers through my hair.
None of this made sense.
Kamila had never disappeared without telling me.
Even when she was angry with me, she always found a way to make sure I knew.
So why was she suddenly gone?
And why was Alessandro Moretti involved?
I picked up my phone again and opened our messages.
The last message from her was still there.
Come to the hotel. Please. Don’t tell anyone.
I had read it so many times that I knew the words by heart.
Don’t tell anyone.
I should have listened.
Instead, I had walked straight into a room with one of the most dangerous men in the city.
I closed my eyes.
Then my phone rang.
I immediately grabbed it.
“Kamila?”
Silence.
My heart dropped.
“Hello?”
There was breathing on the other end.
“Kamila?”
A man’s voice finally came through.
“It’s not Kamila.”
I froze.
I knew that voice.
Alessandro.
“What do you want?”
“You left something behind.”
“I don’t want anything from you.”
“You left without hearing me out.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
I stood from the bed.
“Where is my best friend?”
“She is safe.”
“You said that yesterday.”
“And that’s still true.”
“Then let me speak to her.”
A pause.
“I can’t.”
My anger returned.
“Why not?”
“Because she doesn’t want to speak to you yet.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She needs time.”
“That doesn’t sound like Kamila.”
“You don’t know everything about her.”
The words made me uncomfortable.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
He didn’t answer.
I walked toward the window.
“Where are you?”
“Why?”
“Because I want answers.”
“You’re not going to get them over the phone.”
“Then tell me where to meet you.”
There was silence.
I waited.
Finally, he said, “You shouldn’t come.”
“Why?”
“Because once you start asking questions, you won’t be able to stop.”
I frowned.
“What questions?”
“Your father’s.”
My body went still.
I didn’t say anything.
Alessandro continued.
“Not everything is what you believe it is.”
I swallowed.
“What does my father have to do with Kamila?”
He didn’t answer.
“Alessandro?”
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
He had hung up.
I stood there for several seconds, trying to understand what had just happened.
My father.
Why did he keep bringing him up?
My father had been dead for years.
There was nothing left to discuss.
At least, that’s what I had always believed.
I shook my head.
No, I wasn’t going to let him confuse me.
My phone vibrated again.
I looked down.
A message.
From an unknown number.
My heart began beating faster.
I opened it, “If you want to see Kamila again, come to the place where we first met”
I stared at the message.
I knew exactly what it meant.
The small café near the university.
The place where Kamila and I had met years ago.
I grabbed my bag.
I didn’t know whether it was a trap.
I didn’t know if Alessandro had sent the message.
But if there was even a chance that it would lead me to Kamila, I had to go.
The café was almost empty when I arrived.
I looked around immediately.
Kamila wasn’t there.
Of course she wasn’t.
I should have known.
I sat at the table in the corner and waited.
Ten minutes passed.
Then twenty.
I checked my phone again.
Nothing.
I was about to leave when someone sat across from me.
I looked up.
Alessandro.
I stared at him.
“You.”
He leaned back.
“You came.”
“You told me not to.”
“I wanted to see if you’d listen.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t like games.”
“Neither do I.”
“Then tell me where Kamila is.”
“She isn’t here.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you come?”
“Because of the message.”
“I didn’t send it.”
My eyebrows pulled together.
“You didn’t?”
“No.”
I stared at him.
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
For some reason, that answer frightened me more than if he had just admitted it.
I looked around the café.
“Are we being watched?”
“Probably.”
I immediately looked at him.
“Probably?”
He remained calm.
“You need to stop looking around.”
“Why?”
“Because if someone is watching you, they’ll know you’re aware.”
I lowered my eyes.
“What exactly is happening?”
Alessandro was silent.
I waited.
Finally, he said, “Your friend came to me because she was afraid.”
“Afraid of you?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
He looked at me.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
I studied his face.
For the first time, he didn’t seem like the man I had heard stories about.
He looked tired.
Almost frustrated.
But I quickly pushed the thought away.
I couldn’t let myself feel sorry for him.
Not when Kamila was still missing.
“You said you wanted me to marry you.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
He looked away for a moment.
“Because it’s the safest way to protect you.”
I almost laughed.
“Marrying you is supposed to keep me safe?”
“Yes.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
I shook my head.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because there are things you don’t know.”
“Then tell me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know who I can trust.”
His words made me pause.
Even him?
I wanted to ask.
But before I could, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen of his phone.
Something changed in his expression.
He stood immediately.
“We have to leave.”
“What happened?”
“Now.”
I stood too.
“What, why?”
He looked toward the entrance.
“Someone knows you’re here.”
My stomach tightened.
“Who?”
He didn’t answer.
He simply reached for my arm.
I pulled away.
“Don’t touch me.”
His hand dropped.
His eyes met mine.
“Then stay close.”
I followed him toward the door.
I didn’t know what was happening.
I didn’t know who was watching.
And I certainly didn’t know why Alessandro seemed more concerned about keeping me alive than explaining anything.
But as we stepped outside, I couldn’t stop thinking about one thing. What was Kamila really afraid of that she had to come to Alessandro of all people?
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