CHIARA
(Age Sixteen)
I shouldn't be this nervous. I am not doing anything wrong.
Or maybe I am.
"There will be no dating anyone. You are supposed to be loyal to each other." Dad's words echoed in my brain.
This isn't a date. I assured myself. This is just a friendly outing.
I glanced over to my classmate/friend Vance as we entered the restaurant. He had short auburn hair and a cute oval face complemented by a pair of blue eyes.
We are not really good friends, just started talking a week back and then yesterday, he asked me if we could go out for lunch. That's it. It's not a date.
But the fact that I told no one at home that I was going out scared me. Mom and Dad now live separately after Dad's retirement and the passing of leadership to Marcelo.
Silvio is in New York for college so it's only Marcelo, Cyrus (since he is the third in command) and I living at home. They both were out for work and I just left.
It's only a matter of time before my phone starts blaring with messages and calls. If I had told Marcelo or Dad, they would have been first of all sceptical about this 'outing' and might have forbidden me from going.
Secondly, they would have forced me to take bodyguards with me. And that would have scared Vance because I never told him that I am a mafia princess.
In that one week, I analysed him as a sweet, innocent boy and that's okay but if I tell him about my true identity, yeah, he would freak out.
"Something wrong?"
His voice brought me out of the trance and I realised that I had paused walking and was just staring at the door of the restaurant.
"Nope", I said in an over cheerful voice. "Let's go, I am hungry."
Just so Dad doesn't freak out when he gets to know about this and scold me about how unsafe it is for me to roam around without any protection, I chose a high-end restaurant.
I mean at least he won't lecture me about how that particular place was shady and whatnot.
"This place looks too expensive", he muttered under his breath as we entered inside.
"Don't worry. The lunch's on me."
"No, we can split the bill instead." He suggested.
"If you say so."
We were shown to a table against the floor-to-ceiling window.
We sat down and I immediately grabbed the menu card since I was so hungry already.
I scanned through the menu card and decided on a few dishes and placed it down and waited for Vance to decide too.
Meanwhile, I glanced around the restaurant in appreciation. It was beautiful and elegant with various indoor plants which gave it a cosy vibe.
But that cosy vibe vanished the moment it landed on the man sitting opposite me in the last booth.
Fuck.
What the fuck is Ezekiel doing here?
He was dressed up in an all-black suit, a brunette sitting beside him, and a bald man in a suit sat opposite him.
They were having lunch and were engrossed in a deep talk.
First of all, shit. Second of all, who is that lady sitting next to him?
He had that charming smile of his on his face as he talked about something, pausing in between to eat and take a sip of the red wine.
And then as if sensing my gaze on his, his eyes flitted to mine.
He abruptly paused saying whatever he was and his eyes narrowed at me subtly.
Fuck. I am so dead now.
I instantly lowered my head and put my hair in front of me like a curtain.
"Maybe we should go somewhere else," I told Vance.
"But why? This place is good."
"No. I don't like it. We should find somewhere else."
"Chiara, if we leave without ordering anything, it's going to be embarrassing."
Fuck that. If I don't leave and Ezekiel confronts me then I am going to get a long-ass lecture from everyone.
At the same time, my phone buzzed with an incoming call.
Marcelo. I let it go to voicemail.
"Why do you look so scared?" He questioned.
"I am so sorry, Vance. I...think we should just go home. I am not feeling well."
I cut a glance towards Ezekiel and found that they were done and were wrapping things up as they all stood and Ezekiel shook hands with that man.
Concern etched on his face. "Oh. Is there something I can do?"
I opened my mouth to say something but at the same time, I found that man leaving while Ezekiel stood there with that woman to whom he said something.
She gave him a small smile and followed that man out.
And then he started to walk straight to me.
I buried my face in my hands, accepting my defeat.
A moment later, I felt his presence beside me. "Well, hello there."
I exhaled loudly and turned to Ezekiel. "What?"
Vance glanced between us curiously. "Do you know him? Is he...your brother?"
"No." We both snapped at him.
"O-kay..."
Ezekiel addressed Vance with that same charming smile but the smile felt fake, his features hard and his eyes narrowed at him. "And you are?"
"Vance. Her friend."
"Friend..." Ezekiel repeated slowly. "I see. So, are you on a date here, Vance?"
"Yes."
My eyes widened. "What? No. This is just a friendly lunch."
Ezekiel didn't even bother to glance at me and continued to say to him, "I am sorry for interrupting your date but I will have to request you to leave."
"But who are you? And why are you asking me to leave?"
I groaned and said to Vance, "I am sorry. He is a family friend. I am not feeling well anyway so could you please go back home? I will make up to you, I promise."
With the way Ezekiel kept staring at him coldly made Vance nervous and he got up. "Are you sure you know him? You will be okay?"
I nodded. "Yes."
He looked unsure and giving me one last look, he walked away.
"Thank you for scaring away my friend." I snapped to him.
Ezekiel occupied Vance's seat and glared at me.
Frustrated, I got up to leave too.
"Sit down, Chiara." The authority in his tone made me gulp. "Now."
Huffing, I sat back down.
"Sorry to ruin your date", he said sarcastically.
"It was not a date, I swear. He asked yesterday if we could have lunch and I said yes. That's it. We are friends. Am I not allowed to have male friends now?"
I received another call and since my phone was lying on the table, Ezekiel glanced at the caller ID.
It was Dad.
"I think you didn't tell anyone about it." He accused.
"Shut up." I silenced the call. "It's nothing dangerous. Plus this restaurant looks well secured."
Amusement flickered in his eyes. "Hmm, for someone who was trying to hide this date, you did choose a very fitting restaurant."
"It's nice", I mumbled.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"Compliment? How--" Realisation dawned on me and I groaned. "Don't tell me this is yours?"
"Of course it is." He leaned back, pinning me with his eyes. "Now, back to what I was saying. Why the fuck were you on a date?"
"It was not a date! He is just a friend, asshole. Do you not understand simple English?"
His jaw clenched. "And why did you not inform anyone about it? Why are you ignoring Uncle's calls?"
On cue, I received another call. This time it was Silvio.
Okay, he is away in New York, he must be calling randomly.
Ezekiel gave me a stern look, gesturing me to pick up the call.
Sighing, I picked it up and instantly regretted it as he spoke, "What the hell are you doing in Ezekiel's restaurant? Who is with you?"
My brother and his computer skills are on another level. Marcelo or Dad must have informed him about me missing and he must have tracked me down.
"If you already know them why don't you hack into the cameras and find out whom I am with?"
"I don't like invading your privacy, Chiara." He spoke slowly. "But you were not picking up anyone's calls so I had to find out. Now, whom are you with?"
"Um...Ezekiel."
The said man raised a brow at me.
"Okay." And with no other questions asked, he hung up the call.
See, how much my family trusts this asshole.
"Lying too now?" Ezekiel drawled.
I am going to be exposed anyway. Ezekiel will definitely tell Dad about how I was on a so-called date and he caught me.
I sighed softly and cast my eyes down, finding the tablecloth very interesting.
I felt his gaze searing into me but he kept quiet.
I just sat there not knowing what to do next when he asked softly, "You hungry?"
Biting my lips, I gave him a small nod.
He proceeded to call a waiter and ordered something but I didn't pay much attention to him.
"Who was that woman?" I finally asked as the waiter went away.
"My assistant. Why?"
"Since you find me having lunch with a male friend disrespectful, I feel the same about you and your assistant."
"She is my assistant."
"And he is my friend," I said sharply.
He watched me curiously and tilted his head. "You want me to have a male assistant instead?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
I stared at him in shock. I didn't expect him to agree so easily. "You will do that?"
"Yes. But I expect the same from you, is that clear?"
I nodded.
His phone rang and he pulled it from his suit jacket and said, "It's your dad." And picked up the call.
Shit. He is going to complain about me.
"Yes, she is with me." He answered, his eyes on me.
"Actually, it's my fault. She mentioned to me that she was bored at home so I called her over here for lunch. I thought she might have informed you while she thought I had already done that. It was just a misunderstanding. I apologise."
Did he save me from Dad's lecture?
"Okay", he said to whatever Dad said and hung up the call.
Taking in my shocked appearance, he spoke, "Next time, don't do this. Just inform anyone. They all were so worried."
Lost for words, I nodded in agreement.
All other thoughts vanished when a waiter placed a steaming and delicious pizza in front of me along with two other dishes.
Pizza is my comfort food. And I am so grateful for him to order this right now.
Since he had already had lunch, it was all mine and I devoured it whole considering it was not very large.
As I had a large appetite, I ate the other dishes too and they all were delicious.
When I was done, he simply led me out of the restaurant and to his car.
He opened the door for me and I slid inside the passenger's seat before he took the seat behind the wheels and drove us off.
He drove me back home where Marcelo was already waiting for me at the front door.
Ezekiel got out and greeted him, repeating the same lie he told Dad.
Marcelo looked like he didn't believe a single word but nodded anyway.
"Don't give me that look. I didn't take her out on a date, I am not a paedophile." Ezekiel mumbled to him.
I walked inside the house, not caring about whatever Marcelo was saying to him.
I paused and turned to him as he stood there at the front door and as his eyes met mine, I waved him bye, mouthing, "Thank you."
Rolling his eyes, he stuck his tongue out at me.