Dark Paradise | ✔︎

Chapter 13

I gulp as I notice a tattoo on his left collarbone. It's shaped like a lion with a crown. the Leoni d'Or,

"Oscar." Antonio greets the man as we step foot in the building. "Follow." The man Oscar demands without responding.

Heck, is everyone impolite to just at least greet back? I roll my eyes as we start walking down the hall.

Francesco pushes a button that leads to the upper floor. The elevator door opens, we all step in and the door shuts after we're all in.

Moments of silence. All you could hear was my uncontrolled breathing. Antonio squeezes my hand and I calm down a little.

The ride halts and a ding is followed when the door slowly opens. I take a deep breath once I step foot in the office.

The atmosphere is cold and dark. The walls are black with rose patterns, I notice a white sofa placed in the far corner of the room. There's a black smooth shelf beside me. With a small lamp and a desk in the middle of the room, it's black and the chair is white with diamonds in-between the spaces of the chair, on my right, there's a huge flat screen tv on the wall and a couple of alcohol bottles on a marbled white designed table. I see white paper on the flat surface and a white pen.

The room smells like roses

Seconds later I hear clicking from a distance and I notice a female figure approaching us from a door. A cold shiver runs down my spine.

Gabriella.

I quickly put my head down and I started to bite the inside of my cheek. "Ms. Sangriento." Oscar greets as Gabriella passes him. She takes a seat behind her huge table and locks her fingers together.

"Ms. Badeaux, Mr. Carson." She greets her as she points her head toward the two seats in front of her.

We both take a seat and I start to play with my fingers. I might be a year older than her but this woman terrifies me.

"Ms. Sangriento," Antonio speaks up with a serious tone.

"I see you brought company Ms. Badeaux or should I call you Mrs. Carson because I've heard that you're secretly married to one of Carson's brothers and I speculate it might be Antonio." Gabriella teases with her Italian accent. I thought it would be thick but it's not.

I clear my throat and respond. "Anything you're pleased with Ms. Sangriento," I said and avoided eye contact.

"Look at me." Gabriella appetites. I flinch a little when her voice emerges a bit. I force my head up and I'm taken aback by her appearance. Her features are far from looking depravity. She looks so pure and innocent with her beautiful blue eyes and her soft plump pink lips. Followed by the structure of her face. She's wearing a white loose jumpsuit and her hair is tied up in a high ponytail. Her makeup is natural, cat eye wing, mascara, and a bit of blush.

"Ms. Badeaux?" Gabriella calls out, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Yes." I quickly respond.

"One thing I hate."

"People who don't pay attention when I speak. I don't like to repeat myself." She says I can tell I'm starting to annoy her.

"As I was saying. Do you know who Giovanni Carson is?" She questions me. I freeze and goosebumps travel down my spine when she mentions that name.

"I've done some research and I've heard that you had some history with Giovanni Carson."

"Y-yes." I stutter. "You cheated on him with your colleague from work and he kicked you out, therefore, you ran to Antonio for help because by that time he saw you as his sister but now as his lover, is that correct?" She speaks with curiosity. "Yes."