27 ALICIA

Tears trickle down my cheeks as Harold drives, his phone ringing repeatedly.

"I'm sorry, I'm probably getting you in trouble with Elijah."

"Don't worry, Miss Alicia, I understand you want to be alone right now."

"Yes, I need to analyze every aspect of my life and see if I'm making the right decision by staying with Elijah," I sniffle. "He's a very complicated man, sometimes I don't understand him."

"Mr. Morgan has been through a lot in his life."

"We've all been through something, Harold, and it's not an excuse to treat someone as badly as Elijah does, and you know it."

"It doesn't justify it, but being the next mafia boss is not as easy as it may seem. Elijah has many enemies, and the main one is Michele," he adds. "I've seen the lengths Michele has gone to, and they're not good at all. Just being around her means he's up to something."

"I don't have a bad opinion of Michele. She was my companion for a month while you two were away, probably with other women."

"You're mistaken, Miss. We were working in Rome, and Mr. Morgan never stopped thinking about you, even set aside his work to fly to New York."

"I didn't ask him to," I cross my arms.

"But he did it because he likes you. Why is it so hard for you to see it that way?"

"Because a few minutes ago, he called me a bitch, and it's not the only time he's done it."

Silence fills the car as Harold continues driving with no particular destination. Elijah will probably go to my old house first, but I have no intention of going to Monica's, and as for friends, I have none. In any case, my life is a complete failure.

"Harold, can you drop me off here?"

"Miss Alicia, it's nighttime, the streets are empty. I won't leave you. What if something happens to you? I wouldn't forgive myself, and Elijah would blow my head off."

I huff, but an idea quickly enters my mind.

"Do you have Mike's number?"

"Yes," he nods.

"Excellent."

I search Harold's contacts and find Mike listed as "Mr. Scott." I press the call button and wait for Mike to answer his phone.

"Harold?" Mike's voice comes from the other end of the line.

"Mike, it's Alicia."

"Beautiful Alicia!" His tone changes. "Why are you calling me from Harold's number? Did something go wrong?"

"Can I trust you?"

"Darling, I'm the embodiment of confidentiality. Of course, you can trust me."

"Then I'll see you at your house."

"Okay, I'll wait for you here."

I hang up the call, and Harold understands that we should go to Mike's.

When we arrive at Mike's house, my mouth drops open when I see that, just like Elijah, they have a villa to themselves. One of the guards at the entrance stops the car and lets us through when he sees Harold.

"Are you sure you want to stay here?" he asks.

"It's the only person I know right now," I reply. "What makes you think Mr. Morgan won't come here?"

"It's a risk I'll take," I smile sadly at the man. "Please don't tell him where I am."

"Mrs. Alicia, I work for Mr. Morgan, it would be disloyal not to tell him where you are."

"Harold, I just want a moment to think about everything happening in my life, and having Elijah around right now worsens my mood and won't let me think clearly."

The guard remains silent as he stares at me before nodding his head.

"Thank you, Harold, I knew I could trust you," I smile at him sincerely.

I get out of the car and walk towards the large door of the house, ringing the bell. In a matter of seconds, Mike Scott opens the door wearing a red silk robe.

"Beautiful!" he smiles and wraps his arms around me. "Come in, make yourself at home."

"Thank you for taking me in. I really needed a place to spend the night."

Mike's expression changes to one of concern. "What did that idiot Elijah do now?"

"First, I want a strong drink. I need to release all the stress I'm carrying on my shoulders."

"Okay, let's go to my bar."

Mike's house is completely different from Elijah's; it's much more modern and minimalist, with eye-catching colors depending on the room. The bar in his house can easily accommodate 20 people, with neon colors that dazzle my eyes.

Mike goes to the liquor selection and takes out the most expensive bottle of whisky I've ever heard of. He pours two glasses, adds ice to each, and pours the Macallan.

"Here," he hands me the glass, and we sit on a sofa. "Now, tell me what happened."

I proceed to tell Mike every detail, and he listens attentively without saying a word. When I mention my virginity, his expression changes to one of surprise, but then turns to anger when I recount the last things Elijah said to degrade me.

"That's why I came to you. I need a space to think, and since I don't know anyone else... well, here I am. I understand if you say no out of loyalty to Elijah."

"Of course, I have loyalty to Elijah, but that doesn't mean I can't help out a good friend. Besides, that idiot shouldn't have treated you that way, and you can stay for as long as you need to think about your situation."

"Thank you," I smile.

"But... you have to admit that you also had some fault in all of this."

"What do you mean?" I give him an unfriendly look.

"Elijah told you many times not to let Michele get close to you, and it was the first thing you did. The history between them is quite murky."

"But I don't know that history."

"Really?" He looks at me, puzzled.

"Yes, every time I want to know the reason, Elijah evades the topic and prefers to leave it unresolved."

"Michele is an idiot, Jesse; he has interfered in Elijah's path for many years. He wants to be the next leader of the mafia and will do whatever it takes to defeat his brother."

"What has he done?"

"That's not for me to say; it's something Elijah should do. But if he mentioned several times that you shouldn't be near Michele, you should have listened. He's not trustworthy, not even with his own shadow."

Just then, the doorbell at Mike's house rings.

"It's probably Elijah," Mike gets up from his seat, but I quickly stop him.

"Please don't tell him I'm here."

"He already knows you're here; you came with Harold."

"But I told him not to tell him, and he promised he wouldn't."

"Regardless, Harold works for him, all his employees are loyal to him. If one were to betray him, death would be waiting."

I bite my lower lip and release Mike, who leaves me alone. I take a long sip of whisky to prepare for whatever might happen next, and with Elijah, anything can happen.

"Where is she?" I hear his voice, and my whole body shivers.

"Wait," I hear them behind the door. "It's obvious she needs some time alone."

"I'm not going to leave her alone," Elijah rushes to say. "She's my wife, and she should be with me."

"And I'm not saying anything different. It's just that... you shouldn't have treated her that way."

"Now you're being moralistic?" Elijah speaks with noticeable sarcasm, clearly angry.

"But I've never called the girl I like a bitch." Neither of them says anything. "Listen, you're my friend, and I care about Alicia. She doesn't belong in this world; you should consider..."

"Don't you dare finish that thought."

"Okay, okay, but if she decides not to leave, you can't force her."

"Am I going to oppose her?"

I swing the bar door open, and I can see both men are noticeably angry, but when Elijah sees me, his expression changes completely to one of sadness.

"Ali," he tries to approach me, but I step aside. "Don't do this to me, please."

"No, don't come near me."

"Ali, I..."

"Elijah, you've treated me very badly. How do you expect me to want to be with you?"

"I'm sorry, okay? I was angry because I saw you with Michele, and I let my anger get the best of me, not considering your feelings."

It's not the first time you've done it, Elijah."

"I promise I'll never do it again; I'll treat you like the queen you are, but please come back home with me."

"I don't think that's possible."

"You're not staying with Mike here."

"And I'm not staying with you either."

"Then where are you going?"

"Why should I have to tell you?"