A Flower Between the Thorns: A Mafia Romance [REWRITING]

Chapter 15: Secrets Unveiled

Fleur's POV:

Time is passing, but I'm still stuck. In a place where I know nothing, nothing about what I want or what I'm supposed to do. Trapped in a moment, a moment of exhilaration, a moment I keep going back to, and he probably doesn't.

I'm torn between finally letting go and accepting that maybe this is not how things were supposed to work out. That maybe not all dreams come true, and the glimpse of a life I thought I might get was just a lie. The truest thing I have felt in my entire life was fake. At this point, it's me who is at fault, not him. I'm still thinking, visiting, and living that moment, but he isn't, he's moving on. Like anyone would.

The more I try to forget, the more I keep getting pulled back to his smile and his face. I keep getting imprisoned by his eyes, just like everything he has ever felt. Just like all the secrets that rage behind his grey eyes. It's not fair that I'm still there on the beach, but he's back here. Women walking in and out, undoubtedly for him, while I have to serve them.

"Ugh, I can't stand them." Nina declared. Today was no different. A woman walked into his study, and he asked for service. I do miss the days when we barely saw his face because he was out 'working'. Whatever that used to be. He seems to not be out of his vacation phase yet, despite us being 2 weeks into January already.

"You. Fleur. Fillip wants his lunch up now," the witch came in saying.

"Agnes, you do know I can't stand his face, don't you?" I ask just to make it clear, although I know she knows. Everyone heard our fight last week, especially her with the way she greeted me with a smile and almost hugged me the time I returned to the kitchen. She loves to antagonise me, this woman.

"I do know, sweetheart. We all heard you yelling at him, surprised that he hadn't disciplined you yet. Anyway, he asked for you." She says this with her buck teeth sticking out of her slimy smile.

"Oh, for god's sake, tell him he can fu-"

"Wait, Nina. He did?" I ask, and Agnes shakes her head yes. "Well, that could be great fun, don't you think, Nina?" I added. She looked at me questionably, and I just smiled, took the tray of food Nina had been preparing, and went to his office. Mind you, I really can't stand his face, but somehow I need him. I still wanted to ask for help for my sister. If he still has any human emotions in him, then he might help me.

I have nothing to stay here for, but I know I can never leave. The least I could do, now that I actually have a more stable life and an actual job, is search for my sister. At least to get some sense of closure.

Before even knocking, Leo stops me, knocks on the door himself, and then enters upon Fillip's command. Seconds later, he motions that I can go inside, which I do.

The woman seated in front of his desk looks very posh, and fortunately for me, she is actually in her own chair fully clothed; I wouldn't really be surprised if she wasn't. I look at her and then realise that she doesn't seem like the woman Fillip has been having here. She's rather older; her coal-black hair is pulled into a tight bun. To the point where I'm sure that if her hairline could speak, it would be screaming for help. She studies me, then smiles.

"Oh, for god's sake," I mumble under my breath and slightly slam the tray on Fillip's desk.

"Is there a problem, Fleur?"

"Actually yes. Would you please tell your guests and everyone in this house to stop eyeing me this way?"

"What way?" His words took every last bit of self-control in me not to yell in his face.

"Now stop this, Fillip. I suppose I was excited to meet your guest. Especially after the stories I heard." A Cheshire cat smile stretched on the woman's face while she puffed her cigarette smoke in my direction, showing her extremely white teeth as it forced her face to stretch into clearly unnatural creases. She didn't only look posh; she sounded it. The way she elegantly and confidently spoke English with her imperfect accent in a low tone. Her voice is too deep; you can tell the cigarettes she's been smoking have had their effects. If Agnes had a human, contradicting version of herself, that would definitely be her.