The Heart Of Their Puzzle

Chapter 21

How am I supposed to skip the lecture, without my friends knowing?

My brothers do not have this class with me, but Zack and Max do.

"I need to go." I mumbled, packing my things.

"What?" Zack asked from beside me.

"I need to go." I said, looking up at him. His confused expressions changed into concern in a second.

"What happened? Do you not feel well? Is someone bothering you?" He started firing questions.

"I just want to be alone." I said and got up. I did NOT miss his concerned and pained expression while he sat there, wanting to come with me. But he wanted to give me space, so he didn't.

I walked through the empty hallways to the back door and out into the garden behind the school. There was a gate that led to the alleyway behind school. I walked out and into the dark alleyway.

I saw Ben already waiting there.

But there were some men with him.

This is gonna be like a business meeting, I guess.

Where the truck is my suit? He should've given me time to buy one.

Ben turned around, hearing my footsteps. He looked at me and smirked.

I kept walking and stopped when the tall man standing beside him turned to look at me.

My heart seemed to stop. The first word that came to my mind was,

Arthur?

But then I noticed he looked older and similar to him.

Okay. This is going the wrong way.

"Hello, Ms. Romano." The man said. There were two other men other than him and Ben.

"This is my Dad." Ben said. I just nodded.

"You can call me Anthony." The older man said.

"You know Arthur. That's my uncle." Ben said, smirking.

"We were planning against the Romanos for a long time. Then, Arthur went to jail, because of you. We knew everything that happened with him, you and your Mom. Who knew the same girl he traumatized, I'd say." Anthony paused to chuckle, making me clench my fists. "The same girl could help us in reaching the Romanos? We got news about your family getting him and knew that same girl is their daughter and sister."

He had an accomplished look on his face.

"Now, we can reach them through you." Ben said, making me scoff.

"As if." I rolled my eyes.

"You don't want those little kids to die, now do you?" Anthony said, before he showed me a picture, of me playing with the kids. "What are their names again? Angel, Grace, Elsa, Liam, Noah and Josh. They are under Mother Susan's care and you visit them a lot."

I looked at him with wide eyes and a scared expression on his facs, before gaining my composure.

"How long have you been following me?" I gritted, about to punch him in his smug face.

"Long enough. Don't be angry, princess. Your anger might lead to someone's death." Ben smirked.

"That someone will be you and your whole bloodline." I gritted, taking a threatening step closer.

Ben just smirked in return.
"Careful, Miss Romano." He warned.

"What do you want?" I gritted.