Clear the mess

Clear the mess
Viola's POV

What happened is that the bitch he placed as a spy was now pregnant with Luca's child. I tried to secretly remove it, but it got escalated because another maid put another poison in the food because she thought that it was for me.

Now Aria is at the hospital... Still alive, and Luca is furious!

How could I tell him that? Would he even believe me?

“It... em, it’s complicated,” I said, forcing my voice steady while slowly shaking my head. “I can’t explain it over the phone. Can we meet? I need your help.”

“Viola,” he sighed, sounding defeated. “I’m in the middle of planning something huge to take down your fiancé. I can’t just drop everything...”

“It won’t take long,” I cut in, and then lowered my voice. “Bring your men. Just… please.”

He didn't have to bring many men... Actually, the fewer the people, the better it would be to conceal everything.

But something felt weird.

I had this terrible feeling in my gut that something was going to go wrong and we needed to be ready.

I would hate to be right, but... As my father always said;

Always prepare for the worst, so you're never caught unaware.

The car felt suffocating as I waited for Noel's answer.

He was going to help me, I was sure of it. Maybe a bit too sure.

I heard him let out a sigh, and there was a small grunt before he finally asked. “Where?”

Where?

I turned to the maid who had her eyes closed as though she was praying to her God or something. I tapped her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open. She turned to look at me. “Where does that stupid bitch live?” I asked her.

“Er... Tain Shur Street,” she said after thinking for a minute. “Number eight.”

“Tain Shur Street, number eight,” I repeated, to Noel in case he hadn't heard her speak.

“I’ll be there.”

Relief hit me so hard my fingers trembled.

But I knew he would come through for me.

“Thank you, Noel,” I said with a small smile.

He always did.

“You’d better be right about her house.” Noel groaned.

The call ended.

I lowered the phone slowly, my gaze drifting to the maid. Her eyes widened as she realized she was still very much part of this mess.

I started the engine.

...

By the time I arrived at Tain Shur Street, the sky had darkened, and the street was eerily quiet.

Black SUVs lined the road.

He took my words about bringing his men seriously.

At least a dozen men stood guard around the house, armed, alert. Every exit was blocked.

A part of me felt guilty. It could be my gut feeling was wrong, he had just brought these men for no reason... While another part of me, the paranoid version, felt like these men still weren't enough for what was coming... Who was coming?

I smiled faintly when I noticed Noel. He had a cigar between his lips as he leaned on the wall absentmindedly.

“Noel…” I called, walking over to him with the maid still trailing behind me.

Noel lifted his gaze to look at me. He then brought down the cigar from his lips using his index and middle fingers. “Viola.”

He stepped toward me, eyes scanning my face. “You okay?”

“I’m better now that you’re here.”

I seriously was.

At least now I didn't feel alone.

“All the people inside are contained,” he said calmly. “I was waiting for you.”

“Good. Thank you.”

I hadn't seen him in a few weeks; since the last time.

He looked a bit more mature, he had let his beard grow into a fine mustache...

He still looked so handsome. But still not as much as Luca.

Noel's gaze flicked to the maid clinging behind me like a shadow. “Who’s that?”

I turned to his line of sight. “One of Luca’s maids.”

“What’s she doing here?” His brow furrowed. “Wouldn’t she talk?”

“I don’t know,” I said coolly. “I don’t plan on keeping her alive long enough to find out.”

Her knees buckled.

“What?” she cried. “Ma... please, please... I... ”

Noel didn’t even look at her. He brushed the hair of my face gently, tucking it at the back of my ears. “Do you still need her?”

Did I still need her?

I was at the house already.

But just to confirm...

“Did you see a girl named Lisa in the house?” I asked him. Noel turned to one of his men and made a gesture with his head, as though asking him the same question.

The man dressed in black as the others nodded
“Yes, boss.”

That means there was a Lisa, which meant this was the right place, which translated to...

“Then no,” I said looking away from the maid. “I don’t.”

“Please, Ms Vi...” she tried to beg, but the loud sound of a gunshot silenced her words.

Pa!

The sound was sharp... Final.

Noel had signaled one of his men to take her out.

Her body collapsed onto the concrete with a dull thud, blood pooling beneath her head.

Noel didn’t blink... Neither did I.

This wasn't the first time we were both experiencing something like this.

“I’m curious,” he said mildly. “Why did you call me out here?”

“I need someone to clean up the mess when I’m done,” I explained playing with his hands.

A smirk tugged at his lips. “I always do.”

“Then let’s go.”

We hadn’t taken more than a few steps when a scream tore through the house.

“This isn’t right! Leave my mother out of this! I don’t even know you people!”

I stopped.

That voice... I knew it.

I instantly recognized it as the girl I had sent to make the soup.

She really did live here.

I slowly stepped forward my heels clicking against the pavement.

She said she didn't know me?

A smirk tugged at my lips “Are you sure about that?” I asked softly as I appeared in front of her. “Lisa?”

The house fell silent.

Her breathing became audible...ragged, terrified.

“M… Ms Viola…”