C4 Facing Magnus Romano

Aliyah's POV

“Bryan, you son of a bitch!” I yelled into the phone deep in rage. Hot tears gushed out my eyes rapidly from the pain I was feeling.

I didn't care that it was only 3 am in the morning, nor did I care that my message was going straight to voicemail like the other seven calls. I was going to air my mind no matter what.

Six months of deceit wasn't enough for him. He just had to add theft to it too.

“You're owing me six months rent, Aliyah”

My landlord's words replayed in my head.

“Bryan just stopped paying and told me you'd handle it”

“I don't understand,” I protested. “We've been paying on time every month!”

“I haven't seen your deposits since Bryan started handling them”

“But-” I paused.

“But how, he never told me about this arrangement”

“I haven't seen him for some time, maybe you should try and tell him” he said, “But you need to pay up by next week or I'll be forced to kick you out”

My head spun.

That bastard!!

Six whole months! Six months of scraping half of everything I earned from my business to pay the rent Bryan and I shared.

Six months of going hungry believing that everything was being taken care of.

Six months of believing he was paying it off while I worked extra hours just to meet up deadlines. I gave him paycheck after paycheck without fail.

Only to find out that he was looting all the money to get married to that floozy in Miami?!

How could I have been so blinded?!

He planned all this under my very nose and I fell into his web.

“Pick your damn calls and face me like a man!”

“I hope you fucking choke and die you snake!” I cursed one last time before completely breaking down.

I didn't know what I was going to do. I had no one to run to, no family to call my own and I was about to be on the streets.

I wailed on the cold floor, hugging myself for comfort like I always did. It was a coping mechanism I had learned from the orphanage I grew up in.

“What am I going to do?” I asked in between ugly sobs.

I cried till I had no more energy and I dozed off.

The stabbing feeling of hunger woke me up abruptly. The sunlight shone through the faded curtains indicating that it was mid day.

I peeled myself off the floor stretching out my stiff body. My face was stained with dried tears and my back ached from the position I had slept in.

I tapped around for my phone with eyes still closed and forced myself to look at my screen.

It was 2:30.

I opened my bank app to check how much I had left. I had $7 dollars and no other means of getting more. I couldn't even starve to save some money. I was eating for two now and it would have to do.

As I stepped out I felt a weird chill run down my spine.

Like I was being watched.

I increased my pace but the feeling got stronger and then I felt an arm grab me.

Before I could scream a large hand covered my mouth and dragged me into a car.

“Welcome” a masculine voice greeted.

“Who…are you? What do you want with me?!” I half yelled.

“Do not raise your voice!”

I swallowed.

“I'm here for something you have”

“Something I have?”

“Don't play dumb with me!”

I flinched, heart racing.

“How about we have a bargain?” he said, coming into the light so I could see his face.

But that only made me stiffen with fear as I caught the scar on his temple. His blue eyes looked familiar.

“I can give you whatever you ask for, money, riches”

“I don't understand”

He banged the door hard “you know what I'm talking about!”

“I swear I don't know” I sobbed, “please I have no money”

He looked at me disgusted.

He opened his mouth, about to say something when suddenly his driver interjected.

“Magnus!”

Suddenly the man in front of me looked frightened.

“I'll deal with you later” he said before pushing me out of the car.

I had no time to react before my ass hit the cold ground. And just like that he sped off.

I sat there, my body trembling and I was left speechless.

What was that?

I suddenly felt unsafe and helpless.

Who was I going to run to?

Where was I going to run to?

I couldn't stay anymore. I had to leave, not just for me. But for my baby.

I downed the last portion of ramen noodles while still zipping the first luggage shut.

I had a plan to leave tonight while everyone was asleep. I was going to take a bus to New York and start afresh.

A new city and a new life. I'd find people who would buy the gems from me and live quietly.

My hands trembled as I folded the last piece of clothing. I said a silent prayer and zipped the second luggage.

I was set. Now all I needed now was to wait.

I began staring at my palms as I counted down the seconds.

The sound of a crash and then struggling made me jolt my head up.

Someone had broken into my house.

Alarm bells rang in my ears and I sprang on my two feet.

I could hear struggling and I grabbed a broom, hoping to use it as a weapon. I opened my room door slowly. Ready to strike.

Soon there was dead silence and that made my fear go through the roof.

I didn't know what to expect on the other side of the door.

Was I about to be kidnapped?

Was this how I was going to go down?

What ever the situation was I made a promise to myself to not go without a fight.

My legs quacked but I took more steps still till I reached the living room.

Then I saw it.

A man laid lifeless on my carpet, his blood became one with the floor.

The smell of rust hit my nose instantly.

I took a step back at the sight, dropping my broom in the process. My hands slapped my mouth and my eyes almost sprang out of its sockets.

My back hit the wall and a familiar cologne filled my nose. The sweet scent of oak.

“You weren't planning on running, were you?”

I gasped, my heart exploded in fear.

It was him.

He spun me swiftly so our eyes could meet. His eyes looked down at me with a predatory gaze mixed with a sparkle of something I couldn't interpret.

But one thing I knew for sure was that he was angry. Very angry.

I swallowed, quivering at his gaze.

“You have something that belongs to me, Mio fiore”