Mafia & Miss Honey | Mafia Heirs #1 | ✓

46. Quaranta­sei

Even if she had performed an emergency surgery she wouldn't sleep now. She believes in taking power naps on the folding chairs.

Dad held my hand and squeezed as we seated on the couch. "It is fine. I would have told you, but it will be better if you hear it from her or both of us together."

"And how long were you gonna sit on that, huh. Because I came unannounced, dad." I retort, skulking at him.

"We were planning on visiting you on your birthday. We texted but..." he trailed off.

I'd read them 10 days late, but considering there was no follow-up or other texts, I let it be.

"You know where I live, dad. You could have just come like I did or perhaps I shouldn't have.."

"Don't be ridiculous." he said sharply. "You can always come and visit us."

Visit, not stay. A brittle smile tugged on my lips, watching him look around awkwardly. Unaware of how to talk to his daughter.

I stood up on weak legs, smoothening my dress. "I will take a walk around and just go back to the hotel." I inform. Relief washed over his face upon hearing about my departure from the house.

"You should join us for lunch someday." he offered reluctantly.

I hung my head low, not comfortable to let him know that I was hurting and on a verge of crying

"Someday." I repeat in a low voice. That stung. It's morning, we can have lunch or dinner tonight. They sure are gonna eat something. I am not expecting them to bring out their precious China dinnerware for me, but this is also good.

His expression crumpled as he realizes his mistake. "That's not what I had meant. You can always-"

"Visit." I complete for him, giving him a fake smile ignoring his weak attempts to stop me. I had to hold the railing whilst stepping down the stairs. The path was engraved in my memory, otherwise, I would tumble down from lack of vision through my tears.

I strolled towards Mrs Tanner's house, my body swaying like I had been drunk. I had given the house to a group of old women at half of the market price. My heart hammered against my chest, expecting to find it in a destroyed exterior as my parents were supposed to look out for it from time to time.

A long relieved sigh escaped from my mouth. I propped my palm on my knees inhaling deep breaths. The house was just as beautiful as it had been before. I had requested to maintain the flower vines surrounding the house, and they did as I had wished.

When their door opened, I pivoted around to leave to ignore talking to them. I kept walking aimlessly, watching the pavements. Hearing the sound of my heels clicking on the ground, and the slow hum of the SUV as it wheeled over the asphalt road, making a gravely sound following me like a shadow.

Sunshine was casting directly over my head as I moved my head up to find myself standing near the small basketball ground. It's at least two miles away from my house when the realization hit me. I began to feel pain in my legs. My feet stung like I have been standing on top of pins and needles.

"Zee.!" I close my eyes, hiding from a different pain upon hearing my name from a familiar voice.

Delicate fingers tapped on my shoulder, but I don't turn around. Keeping a hand on my shoulder, she turned around and came in front of me.

"Zee.!" It was Riley, dressed in a white halter neck top and navy blue skater skirt. She beamed at me brightly. I don't know if it was the sun or her smile, but my eyes twitched from the sudden sharpness.

"Riley..." I say stiffly, not offering a smile to one of my two ex-best friends who had chosen to be on Noah's side. A mute spectator of everything that I had gone through in school.