The game changes with every move you make. The pawn should be stopped before it reaches the last row of the chessboard and become someone to take down the king. ~Anonymous
"We need to hold this wedding," Adriano said.
He has been explaining to everyone including Jane that he needs to pause this wedding due to his business and everyone had been just telling him to think of some other way and not to pause it.
Finally, after almost 20 minutes of him explaining to everybody and apologizing to Jane, they finally agreed.
We were all seated for breakfast. Jane was near Adriano who sat in front of me, Again!
She was smiling and trying to get his attention but his eyes never left mine. I felt bad for my sister. She doesn't deserve this. This is the mess I created and now she has to suffer. I glared at him, warning him and telling him not to stare at me. But he didn't budge. When I turned my eyes towards Jane, she was already looking at me with an unpleasant expression. Oh god! This is what I didn't want. She thinks I am trying to destroy their relationship.
After a long, awkward time, finally, the breakfast ended and everyone went to their respective work. Jake had his school. Grams went to meet her friends and chat at the park, Mr. Angelo and my dad went for a business meeting nearby. Only me, Adriano, mom, Mrs. Angelo, Jane, and the twins were left. Aunt had gone somewhere early in the morning and no one knew when she would come. This is it! This is the time we'll have to find the truth. Honestly, I am too scared about it but it's the right thing to do. I don't want revenge, I want justice.
"Why don't you all go and do some shopping. Jane will have to go to work from tomorrow. Today is the only day she will be free. Being a company lawyer is a tough job" Adriano said. He was wearing his classic all-black three-piece Armani suit, with a black tie, a golden Rolex on his wrist, and black shoes.
"Why does he always have to look this hot?" I thought.
"What about you Alice?" Mrs. Angelo asked.
Adriano looked at me with raised eyebrows, waiting for my reply. I ignored him and said "Well, you guys know my sense of fashion is far different from yours. I'd love to stay here rather than go with you guys. That would be so much better." I said with a smirk.
"Okay as you wish Alice." She sighed and spoke again "Shall we go ladies? " Mrs. Angelo said.
"Yes!" The twins said in unison.
I could see Jane having an uncomfortable expression on her face but she soon changed it into a smile and hugged Adriano.
"I'll be back soon," She said and kissed his cheeks. They all left soon after that.
I turned towards him and folded my arms. "You said we shouldn't make them doubt but you're making it obvious"
"I couldn't resist you and your beauty," He said coming towards me probably for a kiss but I took a step back.
"Look Adriano, I know you want to help me and I am very grateful for that but this," I said while gesturing between him and me "whatever this is between us needs to stop. We are not the same people as we were 6 years back nor is our situation. Everything is different now. I've gone through a lot and I am not ready for this."
"I am craving it," I thought.
"After all of this is over I want to create a life for myself and love and marriage are not what I want. I want to study and have the life I've always wanted. I think you should move on with your life because I wouldn't be able to do this. Plus, Jane loves you and all you're doing is breaking her heart. I don't want that. Also, I think I've fallen out of love with you" I said.
Lies. All lies. How much are you going to lie Alice? Your whole life is based on lies. But this is the best thing to do. They'll be happy and you are okay with being alone. You've always been alone. You'll be fine. I thought.
I have known a long time ago that my world is different from theirs and no matter how much I try I wouldn't ever be able to fit in their world. This is the right thing to do. For him, for Jane for everyone.
"You don't mean that Alie," He said stepping towards me but I stopped him with a hand and said "I mean it. As I said I am very grateful for your help but I don't want anything else from you and if you can't accept this I'd have to go back again, far from you guys and please don't cancel this wedding. You both are perfect for each other. If you agree to my 'terms' then I would be more than happy to have you help me." I said. He is helping me and I am here threatening him. I've gone nuts!
I knew he wouldn't be able to oppose me after this threat. I could see hurt on his face and that made me want to slap myself for making him feel like that.
He didn't say anything for a while, just stared at me searching for lies but I was so good at hiding my emotions that he finally sighed defeated, and whispered weekly "Okay."
I smiled. "Now what should we do?" I asked him
"Let's go and find aunt Melissa" He replied.
******
We are outside a very tall, abandoned, dirty, old building that hadn't been completely constructed. According to Adriano, Aunt's phone's IMEI number showed us this location.
Why is she here? Is she here to meet 'the devil'? Maybe we'll be able to find who's the real culprit. Who made my life a living hell and maybe I would be able to get justice and live my life without always having to look behind my back, without fear.
"Just be behind me. We don't know what or who else we might find inside. I have a licensed gun with me and here's yours. I hope you don't have to use it but just in case, for security, keep it. All you need to do is remove the safety like so and pull this. The silencer is already attached so it won't make any noise. Daniel is here with my team. He is the head of my security staff and my best friend who has been loyal to me and is completely trustworthy. Everybody has surrounded this place entirely. They'll attack as soon as I send them a signal. If required we'll call for backup. Just be behind me all the time and stay with me" He said to me and I nodded.
It's been a while since someone has acted protective towards me. Honestly, it felt nice.
This is not the time to think about this Alice. Pull yourself together. Don't do anything stupid which might put his life in danger. I told myself.
We entered the building. Daniel and the team were everywhere. They'd surrounded the entire place. It felt like an action movie scene to me but this was reality and it scared the shit out of me. We all took a few steps together, hiding behind walls. Daniel and four other people were in front guiding us and five people were behind us. The rest of the 10-20 people were scattered all over and hid in places aiming their guns.
Soon we heard a familiar voice. It was Aunts. Adriano showed his fist in the air as a signal for them to hold onto their positions.
There was a man with her. Was he the devil? I couldn't see him clearly so I shifted a bit to have a good view. That man looked familiar but I'd never seen him before. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes and looked a year or two older than Aunt.
"I need more time to arrange the money," Aunt said.
"I don't have that much time Mel. You know if 'the devil' found out about Alice coming back and living a normal life again, and all we did to stop it was nothing, we are dead, you get it, fucking dead. So if you don't want to get into trouble, or pull Anna and Maria into this chaos, you need to give me the money." The man replied.
"I need time to get it from Blake. She won't give me a million just like that." Aunt replied.
"I don't know Mel. Just do something and get me the money. That's the only way I can help us all" He replied.
"Think about Anna and Maria, they are your daughters too" Aunt replied.
"I am doing this for them, for their safety. I love them more than anything in this world but because of our selfishness and stupidity, we are here, hanging on the loose end of the rope. We are one step away from falling from the cliff so you better hurry." He said raising his voice a little.
Omg! So he is Anna and Maria's father. He was the one Aunt was talking to on the phone. So he isn't the devil. They both are the devil's pawns. They are the ones who will show us a way to reach 'the devil'.
Adriano signaled Daniel to move forward. He and the rest of the people moved forward and held their positions.
Daniel and Adriano looked and each other and nodded. As soon as this happened, all of them surrounded Aunt and her ex-husband. Both of them were shocked and panicked. They tried to escape but it was too late as they were completely surrounded by Adriano's team.
"Hand's behind your head," Daniel said and they obeyed him.
He took his talkey and called Adriano "we got em' "
"We didn't do anything wrong. We are husband and wife. We aren't here to do anything illegal. You people might have got the wrong address. Please leave us" Aunt begged them but her eyes widened when she saw Adriano and me coming out from behind the wall.
"Nice to meet you, Aunt Melissa," Adriano said with a smirk on his face after taking the gun from my shaking hands and putting both the guns in his gun holster.
"Adriano! Alice!" Aunt whispered in fear. Her eyes were still widened due to shock.
"Let's talk. Shall we?" Adriano said.
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A/N: Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it. Let the action begin. Our journey to find the real culprit had been started. For the next chapters,
Stay tuned:)
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