The Trophy Wife

NINE: Revelation

"It sounds like a plan." He smiled. "And by the way, I'm sorry about the other night when I told you not to force anyone else into your-"

"Forget about it."

"Are you sure? Because I didn't mean it. I like that we're friends-"

"I'm not mad. I know I'm complicated and I put you through a lot. I really don't blame you, Eric."

"Good." he gave me a big toothy smile. "I'll see you next Thursday then?"

"That's the plan." I slipped another fifty into the tip jar, but he took it out and gave it back to me.

"I'm not that good at my job."

"Just take it." I threw it back at him. "After all you've done for me, I owe you."

I was actually in a decent mood as I made my way home. All of the pieces of my life seemed to be falling back in place. Lucas, for reasons I wasn't aware of, didn't come to the Five Star Hotel that night. He stayed away and I was grateful. Thanks to his absence, Eric and I were able to return to our usual routine.

Enzo, who was still walking on eggshells around me after the repeat of The Dinner of 2013, had mellowed out. His outbursts weren't as frequent and his tantrums didn't last for as long as they normally did. He became more lenient with his rules and, for the time being, was willing to grant my every wish.

Nothing lasts forever though.

The moment I reached the front gates of our estate I was instructed to go straight into Enzo's office. I asked why, but the man who's name I did not know refused to tell me.

"Enzo wants to see you in his office." He said, like he was some sort of robot who was programmed to only say those eight words.

I opened the big wooden doors to find him sitting behind his desk, drunk. It wasn't the kind of drunk that I had witnessed at the party. As a matter of fact, it was the exact opposite. The version of Enzo Granucci that sat before me was a ticking time bomb, only minutes away from exploding.

"I always thought you were smart, Evelyn. I never pinned you to be an absolute retard." That was only the calm before the storm.

I could feel my cheeks heating up as I spoke. "What do you mean?"

He laughed to himself. "You would make a wonderful actress, my love. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

I knew but I didn't want to say it out loud.

"You're very sloppy, and I just find it to be so funny that you actually thought I wouldn't find out. You truly believed that it would remain your dirty little secret."

Enzo stood up from his leather chair, stumbling slightly. I took a step back, oblivious to what was going to happen next.

"You fucked a man in the hotel room that I own. In the hotel filled with people whose loyalty belongs to me, not you. And do you know why, Evelyn?" His voice was eerily calm. "Because you are nothing but a stupid whore."

"I-I'm sorry." Were the only words that I managed to get out of my mouth. So stupid. I was so stupid.

"Sorry for what?" He asked. "For humiliating me? For betraying me? What exactly are you sorry for?"

"All of it. I regretted it immediately. I was just so angry after what happened at the dinner that I-"

"The dinner?" Enzo asked, a sadistic smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "What dinner? The one where I shoved this knife into Joseph's throat?" He pulled it out of his pocket and ran his thumb across the sharp blade. My husband prowled toward me, spinning it around and around in his calloused hands.

I took another involuntary step back, then another, and then another. Enzo seemed to get tired of the little game we were playing - the predator stalking his prey who was desperately looking for an escape. He decided to close the distance between us by slamming me against something hard.

Enzo then took that same silver knife and stabbed the blade into the wall only inches away from my head. "You know what I am capable of, Evelyn." His voice was barely a whisper. "You've seen it. If you think for a second that you and whoever he is, is going to get away with this, you are in for a very rude awakening."

Without thinking, I bolted. Enzo whipped the empty bottle at me. Luckily he missed, and it shattered against the doors instead.

"I will get my revenge!" He yelled, lunging toward me.

Still, I ran as fast as I could, as my fast as my heels would allow me to. I screamed for help, but nobody came to my rescue.

Enzo was fast and he caught me before I managed to get away. He grabbed me by my hair and I'm not sure if it was his palm or his fist, but one of the two slammed into my face, causing me to lose balance and fall to the floor.

The beast stood above me, his face full of rage, his eyes manic as he repeated the words, "I. Will. Get. My. Revenge."

***

"I thought you said you took care of it!" I screamed into the phone.

"I said I would try." Matteo's voice was firm and steady. "I tried, but The Rat beat me to it, Evelyn."

"Well what are we supposed to do now?" I asked, trying to hold back tears.

Weakness is a hideous quality.

"We? Oh, no. This problem is no longer ours. I still have Enzo's trust and I do not care to lose it."

"I'll tell him that you knew and you went behind his back to cover it up." I was desperate.

"Tell him whatever you want. You have no proof. In his eyes, you are nothing but a liar. An embarrassment. He isn't going to believe you, Evelyn, and I am no longer willing to help you. You dug your grave, now you must lie in it. Good night, Mrs. Granucci. I'll make sure to keep you in my prayers." He hung up.