For Her Amusement

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Chapter 24 - For Her Amusement

Exiting the apartment building, we were immediately bombarded by a swarm of paparazzi. Amber, reveling in the attention, confidently walked with purpose, still under the influence of drugs, giving the photographers something to capture. I, on the other hand, trailed behind her, unsure of what to do, while her goons, clearly there to keep me in line, followed closely. The blinding lights and shouting of many voices made it nearly impossible to comprehend anything being said.

Amidst the chaos, one man managed to push past the paparazzi and make a beeline towards me. He appeared older, disheveled, and completely out of his mind.

"Malta, Malta, Malta!" he screamed, causing the paparazzi to momentarily quiet down. "I love you, Malta!"

Confusion washed over me. Who was this man? I didn't even recognize him from the Knife. Was he a fan?

Before I could react, Amber's goons seized him and forcefully pushed him back into the crowd. I looked to Amber for guidance, but she simply rolled her eyes and continued walking, leaving me and her goons to deal with the situation. The man continued to shout my name, his eyes wild and desperate.

"Malta, you need to know how much I love you!" he cried, once again attempting to approach me. The majority of the paparazzi had quieted down, making his words more audible. "Please, let me touch you. I bet you smell amazing."

A chill ran down my spine at his words. It was clear that this man was mentally unstable, and I wanted to hide. Despite the goons' efforts to keep him at bay, he persisted, shouting my name and making inappropriate comments. Panic began to rise within me as I realized the seriousness of the situation.

Suddenly, Pavi and Luigi emerged from the building. Luigi's eyes locked onto the man, and I could see anger building within him. Pavi, on the other hand, seemed thoroughly entertained by the unhinged man's antics.

Without hesitation, Luigi approached the man, pulling out his knife. However, he glanced at me, and a hint of calm washed over him.

"Back off," Luigi warned, his gaze fixed on the man. The man hesitated for a moment, pure dread in his eyes. Fearful of what Luigi might do, he hastily retreated into the crowd.

Pavi, who had joined me, watched the whole scene unfold with amusement. "Looks like you've got yourself a fan, Malta," he remarked, patting me on the head as though showing me brotherly affection. This family knew exactly what the media craved.

Feeling sickened, I realized that this was not the attention I desired or needed. I didn't want deranged fans appearing and attempting to touch me. But if I were to overthrow the Largos, it seemed that I would have to get accustomed to such situations.

"Let us walk you to Gene.Co," Luigi offered, extending his arm like a gentleman. I gladly accepted, knowing that Amber couldn't leave me stranded for the remainder of the walk.

Amber glanced back at us, her amusement replaced by annoyance as her brothers came to my rescue.

As we made our way towards Gene.Co, a sense of relief washed over me. The encounter with the crazed fan had shaken me, but having Luigi by my side made me feel safer. Despite his rough exterior and violent tendencies, I knew he would do whatever it took to protect me.

Upon entering the building, the chaos of the paparazzi faded into the background, and I finally exhaled a sigh of relief. However, deep down, I knew that this was only the beginning. Amber had something up her sleeve, that much was certain.

"We'll see you later," Luigi said, kissing my hand before he and Pavi headed towards the front desk. Amber, her goons, and I continued walking towards the elevator.

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