A/N: important authors note at the bottom, & this is the longest chapter because it features three POVs that are very crucial to the plot and all.
After the conversation with Ryan, I decided to use the house my mom saved for me in the heart of New York.
I moved everything there and waited. I had rented moving trucks and some men to move the stuff for me. I terminated my lease and paid off any bills left.
I was ready for when Ryan would be discharged and the ongoing investigation would be finished.
Convincing Ryan to tell the cops everything was harder than you would think. But after some negotiating, he finally did. We found out that the gang was not any ordinary gang, it was the most dangerous gang in New York. Now, we all know there are mafias much worse but a gang that wants my best friend dead is bad to me.
Xander, Ryan's boyfriend, never came. He never once passed by to ask how he was doing. I doubt he knows that I know everything. Especially since it's been a little over three weeks.
After the years they've been together, I can't help but feel like Xander was told to do that. He may be a female dog but he was really nice and open about being gay.
*********
To whom it may concern,
I, Imogen Montas, am hereby resigning from working at Black and CO.. My reasons for resigning are personal and private. I would like for you, Mr. Andres Ricci, to respect my wishes and my choice. If it may please you, we may set up a meeting to discuss the matters and everything else. This will be my last week working, and I would like my check to be wired to the account I listed on my application. I am sorry sir, but it's for the good of the company. I thank you sir for allowing me to work at your company as I know it is difficult to acquire a job. With much respect, Imogen Montas.
I quickly sent the email to Mr. Ricci. Shutting off my laptop, I made my way to the hospital.
Ryan was being discharged, finally. Most of his broken bones were healed to the point where he can finally move with little to no pain.
When I got to the hospital I saw Lucas and Cristiano fighting. My eyes widened and I took a random turn. I knew what floor Ryan's room was in so I just had to find the closest staircase or elevator.
I somehow ended up in the west wing where the adult mental health facilities were at. I wandered about and saw in one of the room the same guy who was handcuffed on the gurney with Cristiano beside him. It was the day of Ryan's incident.
Lucas and Cristiano were coming this way and they were no longer arguing. I ran to the end of the hall and took another turn, coming face to face with a strong, built man who wore nurse scrubs. I was about to make a 360 when he grabbed me and put me over his shoulder.
The built man took me to one of the room where other adults were at. He left the room and locked the door.
I thought I was safe until he came back with a vaccine and a haunting smile on his face. He restrained me with one of his arms while the other injected the vaccine.
My eyelids soon felt heavy and the next, I was welcoming darkness.
________________________________________
Cristiano's POV
"Why? God, why did you try doing this to me?" I repeated in my mind since we've gotten into the ambulance.
My cousin, Piero, had gotten out of the adult mental health facility rooms and got beat up by thugs. I thankfully arrived on time before they beat him to death.
From the corner of my eyes I saw a girl sitting and waiting. She looked like Imogen, the girl Lucas claims to like.
The police men hurried me to take my statement and update me on the extra security I'm paying for. I don't understand how they could be so careless as to let me cousin walk out of here without knowing.
After talking with the police for what seemed like hours, I went to the waiting room to see if that girl was still there but she was gone. Maybe she wasn't Imogen.
I made my out the hospital only to see a little boy crying. "Hey bud, what's wrong?" I asked.
"I... I lost my mommy," he said as he let a hiccup of a sob out.
"How about I wait with you until she comes or we can try to find her," I suggested. I knew how he was feeling, heck every kid did when they lost someone in the grocery store.
He wanted to find his mom but told me that he has her phone number in his pocket. What a smart kid.
I took my phone out and called the number. "Hello?" I heard the frantic sound of this woman's voice. She had a silk like voice, it sounded familiar.
"Yes, this is Cristiano Salvatore. I found your son outside of the hospital and he was crying so I decided to help him."
"Oh thank you, are you by the front entrance or back?" I could hear how relaxed the mother was now, knowing her son was safe.
After telling her where to find us, she came and I swore that my heart came leaping out of my body.
It was like I was seeing a glimpse of my past.
"Lily?" I asked. She looked at me and I could see the tears glistening in her eyes.
"Cristiano," she breathlessly said my name. I knew she was holding in her tears. I could see by the way she swallowed every now and then, something I knew she did before in the past.
"Is this...is this my son?" I asked, almost scared of her answer. I knew that when she left me she was pregnant, I spent days, weeks, months looking for her. I stopped working for my dad so that I could find her.
"Y-yeah." The answer I was hoping for. He looked to be about 5 or 6 years old.
I felt my tears running down my face. I hugged her with all my might but I felt her stiffen and try to get out of my grasp.
"Please." The next words she spoke broke my heart. "I don't want you near me or my son."
I broke down as she walked away with our son, leaving me for the second time.
************
I went walking home instead of calling the driver. My mind going on a frenzy, knowing I saw her again. But this time, she had my son with her. She didn't want me to see him or know him.
From the corner of my eyes I saw Lucas' car following me.
"I'm not getting in the car!" I yelled loud enough for him to hear.
"I know you saw her," he yelled. Another tear slipped from my eye, escaping after I tried keeping them all at bay.
"Get in, we'll go to the boxing place," Lucas yelled after I didn't answer for quite some time. I got into his car and he drove fast to the place. The one place that I went to after she left, the one place where I let my anger and sadness get the best of me.
Out looking the scenery, the familiar places passing by until we came to the deserted area. We could hear the crowds and the loud roaring from outside. I knew that today was much more different than any other day I came to fight, this day I knew that she was somewhere close by and I knew that she had our son whom she wanted me to have no sort of communication with.
I went into the building already knowing the large crowd and the amount of blood I want to extract from someone. I was named the undefeated championship for 5 years in a row.
"Are you sure you want to fight today Cris?" The ringer asked. He was my best friend since I joined underground illegal fighting.
"Yeah, put me in for the next fight." I walked away and looked at the ongoing fight. Two amateurs who thought they could win. Little do they know that the winner will have to fight me. And honestly, who knows what I'm capable of right now.
*************
After I fought five rounds, I came out with little to no bruises or cuts.
Lucas drove us to our respected homes and that was when it was worse. When I was alone to my thoughts that kept me awake to the early hours of the day. I knew that sleep wouldn't come easily so I began my day.
For the next two days or so, I got little sleep. Always being kept awake by my thoughts. But then I turned the television on to the news channel. What the anchor was saying is was what caught my attention.
"Lucas Ricci, son of multi-billionaire Andres Ricci, was spotted with Hermione Lopez earlier this day. But just a few days ago he was spotted on a date with his fathers assistant Imogen Montes. Is he back to having flings, or is he ready to tie the knot with Hermione?"
I texted Imogen.
Me: have you seen the news?
I rushed to my car and went to Lucas' flat. I knocked and knocked on his door but his maid said he left to my fathers office. I already knew what was going to happen or already happening.
That b*tch thinks she can just waltz back in here like nothing happened. She's a two-timing conniving wh*re.
I drove as fast as I could to the building and parked my car. I ran up the stairs since the elevator would take to long.
After finally reaching the highest floor, I saw that Imogen was no longer here nor was Lucas and Hermione.
I was too late and I already knew the damage that would be soon to come.
**************
Lucas and I were at the hospital again, arguing about the best treatment for our cousin.
"Honestly, why can't you agree with me this one time?!" I screamed to him.
"Because, your so-called plan won't work. We're both paying for his treatment so we have to agree and my plan makes more sense," he said, trying to contain his anger.
"Ha, so now you want to get involved with this. Last time I checked, you set up a private account to pay your half so that people won't know we have a 'retarded' cousin. I was always by Piero's side and I know what is good for him."
People around us were staring. I looked at them and gave them a deadly stare. This was none of their business yet they shove their noses up in it.
I saw Imogen enter the hospital. I didn't acknowledge her until I saw her try hiding from us.
"Imogen is here," I said.
"Where?" Lucas asked while looking around.
I started walking to where she went off to, knowing the hospital like the back of my hand. She was heading towards the west wing of the hospital where the adults mental health facility was at.
"Can we please go with my treatment? If it doesn't work then we can do yours," I said to Lucas trying to settle out dispute.
As I looked back to the direction of the ward. I saw her running down a hall, but when we turned down the same hallway she was gone. Gone in thin air. We turned around and started to walk until we heard a thud.
"You go set up the treatment, I'll find out what that thump was," Lucas said. I nodded and walked away, not knowing whether it was a good or bad idea to leave.
___________________________________________
Lucas' POV
I felt bad for leaving Imogen that day. I hate myself, but I cannot get anymore closer to her.
She's a woman, and all women do is lie and cheat and break your heart.
I went to my flat and just turned all the lights off. I knew that I was "playing" with her feelings but we'll both get hurt in the end.
I sometimes joined Cristiano when he went boxing. I also went to my fathers office to see her not there.
But today was different. I went and her desk was cleared. I went rushing to my fathers office.
"Why is her desk cleared?" I asked.
"She resigned, this is her last week working but we both agreed that she should work from home to not cause her any troubles since a lot has been happening that has caused her to miss work a lot."
My mind went blank and somehow, I knew that this was my fault. I left, ran outside, and drove to her apartment.
The security guard let me pass but he had a sad look on his face as I ran past him.
When I got to her floor and knocked on her door, I got no answer. I turned the knob to find it unlocked.
That's weird, I thought.
The apartment was empty and cleared. I went to the bedrooms to find them both empty and cleared just like the rest of the apartment. Not even a whiff of her scent was left behind. It was like she just disappeared.
She was just here a few days ago. My back slowly slid down the wall, my body shaking as I cried.
This must've been how Cristiano felt when Lily left him. The pain that I felt was nothing compared to the heartbreak I endured with Hermione. I knew that this was different, I didn't want Imogen because of lust and desire, I actually liked her more than I can imagine.
After what seemed like hours though it was minutes, I finally got up and left.
I made my way to the hospital to meet up with Cristiano to discuss a treatment plan for our cousin.
We argued until he swore that he saw Imogen, but when I didn't see her anywhere I looked at him with a deadly glare. If looks could kill.
He started to walk off and I followed him. We were walking towards the west wing.
I saw a figure running down a hallway and I knew that Cristiano saw it too.
We went towards the same hall but the figure was gone. But then when we were about to leave we heard a loud thump in one of the room. We knew that these rooms were unoccupied.
"You go set up the treatment, I'll find out what that thump was," I said. I went towards the room where the thump was heard and I saw her. She was laying down, eyes closed, and her fragile body cocooned. She looked peaceful but then wondered why she was here, in the mental health facility.
I saw the guard named Nicklaus.
"Why is she here?" I asked while pointing to the room.
"I believe she's a patient here and is as her outside the room and I put her back, gave her the sedative to sleep." He shrugged.
"Are you stupid? You've been working here for so long, did you not notice how she's wearing normal clothes and not the clothes your rules say to wear! She isn't a patient!" I screamed at the guard. He opened the door when he noticed his mistake.
I ran inside and picked her up. She snuggled closer to my body and I took her to my car. I drove her to my flat and set her in one of my guest rooms while I called Cristiano.
"It was her," I said first.
"Where are you now?" He asked.
"Back in my flat, they made a mistake and thought she was a patient."
"How stupid could they be to do that? Alright, I'll call you when I finish setting the treatment up and when I see Piero," he said before hanging up.
I sat at one of the stools near the kitchen island. With my phone to my chin, I thought of the events that happened today and my stupidity.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a scream. She was awake. I ran to the guest room and slowly walked to her.
She frantically searched the room and then saw me. I saw how she visibly relaxed a little before her eyes widened.
"Ryan," she whispered. If I weren't paying attention then I wouldn't have caught that.
"Your best friend?" I asked as I got closer to the bed.
She brought her knees up to her chin and said yes.
She told me how he got into a really bad accident, but didn't share any details.
*********
I was driving her back to the hospital to let her pick her friend up.
Their was an awkward silence at first until I put the radio on to fill in the silence.
I wanna follow where she goes
I think about her and she knows it
I wanna let it take control
'Cause every time that she get's close here
She pulls me in enough to keep me guessing
And maybe I should stop and start confessing
Confessing, yeah
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to go along with the beat of the pop song. I never heard this song before but it's a good song. I saw Imogen lip singing to the song.
She caught me staring and blushed while pointing at the road. I then noticed the green light and kept going.
We were close to the hospital and I knew that her mood would go down.
**************
When we were inside the hospital, I could feel the sadness radiating off of Imogen.
She went to get her best friend Ryan and then we'd be on our way.
When I saw her coming with her friend, I couldn't help but notice how he limped a little, writhed in pain, and had bruises and freshly closed cuts on him. This guy went through a lot and to still be alive, it's a miracle.
"You can't drive me home," she whispered to me.
"Why?" I whispered back. "I know you moved."
She looked at me with her eyes widened. I smirked down at her.
"W-well I'm sorry, but we can get a cab. We cannot disclose our location as if yet," she said professionally and started to walk away with her friend.
"I know you resigned," I said loud enough as she was about to exit the hospital. She froze and stiffened.
She slowly turned around and walked to me.
"After what you put me through, you have absolutely no right whatsoever to go into my business as I would like for it to be kept private and personal. Thank you for helping me and getting me out, but excuse me for not wanting you to know where I live now."
She walked away, left the hospital, but I knew that she knew that I wouldn't give up.
I would find you my dear Imogen.
A/N: this is a very important authors note as I would like to say that this chapter is important. We got a little bit of information of Cristianos past and stuff.
1. I joined WriteForYou by writeforyou- which if you want information on what it's about, you could check it out on the profile.
2. This is over 3,000 words which is a lot to me.
3. Chapters after this are maybe going to fast forward a few.
4, I really hope everyone enjoyed this chapter because I took a lot of thought and time into this to make it presentable.
5. Please do not tell me to update because I find it rude as I try and update as fast as I can but everyone has school and homework and those are my priorities as of now.
6. Check out my other book Marked for Life as I completed it a few days ago and I know it's not the best as it is my first book to write but yeah.
Vote, comment, and share. Until next time, byeeeee.