Chapter 58 CONSEQUENCES.
\~~~RAINA.
Panic and pain shot through my chest moments after the call ended.
It wasn’t physical, not exactly, but it hurt all the same. It was sharp, and suffocating, like something heavy had lodged itself right behind my ribs and refused to move. My fingers were already trembling as I tried to call the number back.
Once, twice… Again, and only the same automatic response kept answering me.
Out of coverage.
I swallowed hard and tried again, my thumb pressing the screen so hard it almost hurt.
Still nothing.
I slammed the phone lightly against the desk in frustration, then immediately picked it up again, dialing over and over like that would somehow change things. Whoever this person was, they knew exactly what they were doing. They were leaving no trace, no line to follow, and definitely no mistake.
They are very meticulous and calculated.
My breathing came out uneven as I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling for a second, then back at my phone. My palms were damp, and my mouth dry.
Why me?
The door knocked softly before opening.
“Ma’am?”
Vanessa stepped in, holding her tablet to her chest. I didn’t even look at her.
“Ma’am, you haven’t been responding to your emails. There is a meeting scheduled with the…”
“Cancel it,” I snapped, eyes still glued to my phone as I dialed the number again.
“W… what? Madam?”
I didn’t answer her. I wasn’t even hearing her anymore.
I called again. And again.
Still out of coverage.
After a moment, her voice came up again, more hesitant this time.
“Madam, the executives are already present. It would be bad if you just…”
And at that moment, my phone rang again, and my heart slammed violently against my chest.
“Get out, Vanessa. Get out!” I shouted.
She flinched, eyes widening, but I didn’t care. I swiped the screen immediately and pressed the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Are we on the same page now?” the distorted voice asked calmly.
I waited until I heard the door close behind Vanessa before answering.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I whispered, my voice breaking despite my effort to sound strong.
“I’ll tell you a short story.”
“I don’t want to hear any story,” I shook my head, even though they couldn’t see me. “I have no interest in that.”
“Once,” the voice continued, completely ignoring me, “Luciano caught a man lying.”
I clenched my jaw.
“It wasn’t even a big lie,” the caller added almost lazily. “Something small. Insignificant. A delay in delivery. A wrong date.”
My stomach twisted.
“And do you know what he did?”
“I don’t care,” I said, but my voice shook, betraying me.
“He strapped him to a chair,” the voice said calmly. Too calmly.
“Removed all his toenails. One by one.”
My hand flew to my mouth.
I gagged, phlegm rising sharply in my throat.
“When he was done,” the voice continued, unbothered, “he had his men pour water on him. And then electrocuted him to death.”
My phone slipped slightly in my hand as I swallowed hard, my vision blurring.
I could picture it.
I hated that I could.
Luciano’s cold and detached face.
“Now,” the caller said softly, “imagine what he would do if he finds out what you lied about.”
My legs gave out.
I slid down slowly in my chair, my knees weak, my head spinning.
“Tell me…” I whispered, my eyes squeezing shut.
“What do I do?”
“Now we are talking.”
There was a long and heavy silence and I could hear my own breathing, too loud, and too fast.
“You will report every movement of your husband to me,” the voice finally said.
I laughed sharply, broken, and disbelieving.
“You must be joking,” I scoffed. “You must be out of your mind.”
“You wish I were,” the voice replied. “And that is not all.”
My head dropped back against the chair.
“There is something I need you to find for me. From him.”
I let out a dry, hollow chuckle and pressed my palm to my forehead.
“Wait,” I said, shaking my head. “You want me… to spy on my husband?”
“When you call him your husband,” the voice mocked softly, “how does that make you feel? You are taking your role too seriously, aren’t you?”
I ignored that.
“You want me to spy on him,” I repeated.
“Call it whatever you want,” the voice said. “I need a file.”
Silence wrapped around me like a noose.
A file, from Luciano?
From the man who could kill over a lie.
Why me, God? Why me?
“Do we have a deal?” the voice asked.
I didn’t answer.
My throat burned and my chest felt tight.
“I’ll give you till nine tonight,” the voice continued calmly. “Be ready. Or face the consequences of your actions.”
The call ended and I stared at my phone long after the screen went dark.