Chapter 50 MATTEO
A lady wearing a black leather jumpsuit, pigtails tied high, and heavy makeup walked into the room, cat-walking as usual.
There, she sighted a silhouette figure throwing daggers at a red position six meters away, Erica’s picture pinned at the center.
“Boss,” the female muttered, and the man paused mid-motion, his hand frozen as he aimed the picture.
“Good news?” he asked.
She stepped forward, standing beside him.
“What a beautiful way to redesign someone’s face,” she muttered, staring at the daggers that had covered the target, Erica’s face completely disfigured.
“Too bad I still can’t get a hold of her,” he said, placing the dagger beside the desk to his right.
“Spill,” he ordered, slipping a cigarette into his mouth.
“She’s alive,” she said. “But something feels off.” she said and The male turned...Blonde hair, bushy eyebrows, thin lips, piercings on his tongue, and a cross earring dangling from his left ear.
“Hm. So her memories are gone?” he asked.
Otelia laughed. “That, I don’t know. She might be pretending, trying to stay under the radar.”
His eyes shimmered with mischief.
“Erica… Erica,” he muttered. A menacing laugh escaped his lips, yet his eyes dimmed with calculation.
His fingers rubbed his chin softly, his gaze darting around as he thought.
“Her uncle,” he said. “How’s his approach toward her?”
Otelia pulled out a few photos she had stuffed into her pants. “They’re blurred, though.”
He smiled, revealing his sparkling teeth, and took the photos from her, studying them closely.
“Her uncle has people watching her, yet he dares not make a move, like a coward, afraid of retaliation,” Otelia said.
He turned to her sharply.
“Afraid? Hah, he’s not. Erica is powerful, different. Her aura is something even he can’t match. The reason he hasn’t acted is because she hasn’t come after him. He wants to know her scheme… what she’s up to.”
Otelia froze, absorbing his words.
“There’s no use lurking around,” she said coldly. “A bullet to her skull would be better.”
“Don’t dare touch a single hair on my plaything,” he warned.
Otelia scoffed. “I was made to go against rules.”
He froze.
His fingers twitched. She lowered her head, but he suddenly grabbed her cheeks hard, forcing her face up.
“Your manners have worsened,” he said quietly. “You don’t seem to remember who Erica is… do you?”
Otelia trembled. The sight of her boss anger was death itself.
“I… I understand,” she muttered.
He released her. Bloody finger marks stained her fair skin.
“Why do you think he’s lurking? Creeping? Stalking?” he asked.
Otelia clenched her jaw, averting her gaze to his perfectly sculpted profile.
“She’s still useful. What she stole, he needs it. And he still wonders why she let him leave. She has the power, the fame, the manipulation to kill him… or end him completely.”
Matteo laughed.
Of course, his plaything had grown, but her fame would be her death. She had countless enemies, all wanting to carve her heart out. She owned what they wanted… especially what she stole. And yet, it was the very thing keeping her alive.
“Prepare my things,” Matteo said, standing. “I’m taking a vacation.”
“Why must you chase after her?” Otelia asked.
He paused.
Chase?
He would never crawl for a woman. She was just an enigma, something he wanted to know inside and out.
“Otelia,” he warned, stepping closer, “don’t speak blasphemy.”
He pinned her to the wall, his height towering over hers, palms planted beside her head. She quivered under the pressure. His lips curved into a smirk.
“You are just a prized treasure,” he said. “I can fvck you, toss you, use you, even dump you. Don’t try to understand things you’re incapable of.”
He paused.
“You’re here for two things:
1\. Shut up.
2\. Shut the fvck up.”
He whispered the last words and walked off, smirking evilly.
“Prepare my flight for tomorrow. Erica is a snack, I want to devour her.”
“Yes… and you’re coming,” Otelia muttered.
“Oh,” he hummed under his breath, “the grim reaper is coming for its prey.”
Otelia stared at his back, nails digging deep into her palms.
She hated Erica. That bitch ruined everything.
She thought Erica was gone forever, until she saw her on TV, glowing, even more beautiful. Her features sharper, cruelty hidden beneath that smile.
Her thoughts drifted back.
(Flashback — Five Years Ago)
Bam!
Otelia slammed Erica to the ground. Still, Erica shot daggers at Matteo, who seemed to enjoy every second of it.
He licked his lips.
“Those eyes are pretty,” he said, trailing a dagger around her eyelids and nose. Erica didn’t flinch.
“Kill me,” she said calmly, not pleading, but threatening.
It amused him.
“Shouldn’t you beg? Crawl?” he taunted. “After all, you did that to honor your uncle.”
Erica laughed.
Of course she did. That bastard had everything now, her father’s loyal men, even his enemies turned allies. One wrong move and she would die. She couldn’t let her filthy legacy end so easily.
Just endure it. It would pass.
It didn’t.
He brought men, day and night. Her screams meant nothing but pleasure to him. Knives has been carved into her thighs and face. She was shattered, disfigured, stripped of hope.
That was why she met Matteo. An enemy of my enemy is a friend.
“It was to humor him,” she said once.
Matteo laughed. “Humor me too.”
“I won’t,” she spat.
He dragged the knife across her face, applying pressure.
“Really? Even if it means your death?”
Her eyes shimmered, not with fear.
Erica froze as Otelia yanked Erica’s hair back. Pain burned, but Erica didn’t scream.
She was used to it now, the slaughter her uncle put her through.
“Freedom,” Matteo said. “Would you give it all up to destroy him?”
Her eyes dimmed slowly.
“In what way?” she asked.
His hand slid from her cheeks to her throat.
“A marriage alliance,” he declared. “You’ll bear my heir.”
Erica laughed and spat in his face.
“The only way that happens is if you fvck my dead body.”
He laughed louder.
“Dead or alive, I’ll still marry you.” He waved Otelia forward.
PRESENT
“Fine,” Otelia muttered. “I’ll
follow you to California. Let’s see if Erica can still be protected.”
Her lips twisted with resentment.
If keeping you safe means ending her… I’ll gladly work with her uncle.