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Chapter 30
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Katies p.o.v
"Mommy, can you pleaseee come to our soccer game?" My six-year-old son Angelo begged.
"Pretty please with a cherry on top." My four-year-old son Donte added.
"I would love too but you both know I am very busy so I won't be able to come," I tell them as I pack apple slices into their little snack bags.
"You never come out with us! This is why I like dad more!" Angelo says as he stomps away from me and Donte follows after him.
A tear ran down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. It broke my heart to see them like that and to not be able to go. Maybe Matteo would let me go just this once. It was worth asking. I walked up the many stairs and down the hall. I was pretty sure he was with Amber, my little girl. I walked into the room and there he was holding her.
"She's beautiful isn't she," Matteo says as he rocks her. She was. She is getting so big now as she reached 5 months. I nodded in response.
"The boys are asking if I can come to watch them play today. Would that be okay with you?" I asked nervously.
"Nope. You know the rules. You already tried to leave me once."
"That was one time 5 years ago, I promise I would never do something like that again. I wasn't thinking straight."
"Kitten you already know my answer. You have to stay with Amber." A tear rolled down my cheek. I just wanted to see my boys play soccer but instead, I was stuck inside being controlled by him. "I really hope she gets my personality and not yours. I want my little
girl to be strong."
It broke my heart whenever he would call the children his, almost trying to disregard that they have anything to do with me.
"Stop crying. Do you want my children to see how weak you are?" He gave Amber to me and stood up. I placed her gently in her crib and caressed her little chubby cheek.
"I just want to be involved in their lives. I would never leave my children." He slapped me across the cheek and left me stunned.
"Enough of that! You have done it before and now I no longer trust you. What I say is final." I heard little footsteps approaching and I quickly wiped my tears.
"Mommy look I found my lucky socks!" Donte stated excitedly as he ran over to hug me.
"That's great sweetie now you have an amazing time at your game and score big goals for mommy," I told him and he nodded excitedly before running out of the room.
"I want to come home to a clean house and a nice meal." I just nodded because I have learned that there is no point in arguing with him.
I quickly shot up from bed shaking. It was just a dream. No, not a dream, more like a nightmare. If I did not get out of here than that might actually be my life in the next 7 years. I had not realized that I had gone to sleep and I was still all ready for the day. I quickly brushed my hair and placed it into a neat ponytail.
I needed to go and find Marco and see how the whole plan was coming along. I found him in his room as usual. He was sitting on his bed on his phone and I crawled on to the bed to sit beside him. He smiled when he saw me. Somehow we have developed a little bit of a friendship, I did not entirely trust him though. After all, he still is a part of the family that is not letting me go home.
"I've found somewhere that we can go and it's beautiful. It's on a lake and the house looks really spacious." He told me and my eyes went wide with excitement. A few minutes passed and it was nice to just sit back and relax because he never forced me to do any tasks, he just let me be me.
"Marco I really don't want to marry your brother. I wish this money never existed." I tell him. "He's so controlling, my life would be so miserable." Suddenly the door opened and Matteo stalked in.
"Well, well, well...What do we have here? Do you think that your life would just be miserable? No, I would make your life a living hell." he smugly said. I gasped. How long had he been listening for? I prayed that he had not heard Marco mention the place.
"I'm sorry Matteo." I tried telling him as he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room. He looked angry as he walked ahead of me and I followed.
"I didn't peg you as a manipulative type. You look innocent kitten but you're devious. You have my brother actually thinking you love him."
"That's not true. I enjoy talking to him because he treats me like a human. Unlike you." I mumbled that last part. He whipped around immediately, he hated when I mumbled stuff.
"You think you're so protected because of this money? You're very wrong. We can easily get rid of you and still get that money." His voice was menacing and my eyes went wide.
"G..Get rid of me?" My voice was shaky.
"I know so many people who are worse than me who would kill to have you to themselves." I froze. "Now one more mistake from you and I won't hesitate. I already know a few people I can easily call. And I've told you before I like your hair better down."
He yanked my hair out of the ponytail and turned and continued walking. I quickly followed him. Matteo was not one to lie so I was not sure if he was just saying those things to upset me. I hated how I was not allowed to do the simple things in life like having my hair up.
He walked into his office and I was surprised to see that he had company over. It was three men and I started to panic. Was he actually being serious about getting rid of me?
"Ah, this must be Katie. You're right Matteo she is beautiful." A man in his twenties dressed in a blue suit stated.
"Shut it. Pretend she isn't here." Matteo told him. I breathed a sigh of relief, this meant that they were not here for me. "Katie, file these for me." He reached me a stack of papers and I quickly nodded and went over to the corner to sort them into his many filing cabinets. Matteo strikes me as the disorganized type but I guess if you had someone to do everything for you, you would be organized. I did not want to listen to their conversation, but it was difficult not to.
" I only found three potential candidates for him. I honestly don't think any will work though."
"He's paying a lot so he doesn't want just any cheap girl."
"Katie looks perfect, I know he'd pick her." I stopped working when I heard that.
"No, she's not an option," Matteo says sternly and I was actually surprised. I hear the door open and someone steps in. I turn to see who it is and that is when I drop all the papers I am holding. It was one of the men who stole the necklace. I knew immediately when I saw his snake tattoo on his neck. He smirks at me, he knows exactly what he's doing.
"Rafael nice to see you finally joining us," Matteo says.
"My apologies for the late arrival," Rafael says before taking a seat. I quickly bent down to pick up all the papers and was stunned when I felt a smack at the back of my head.
"I'm not going to repeat myself. I already told you no more mistakes." I quickly nodded and picked everything up.
"Matteo dont be so harsh on the girl. She was just distracted by my good looks."
A few moments passed of me wondering how I am going to tell Matteo that Rafael is lying to him. I ignored their conversation, I didn't care what it was about I was just hoping that they didn't mention me again. A hand roughly grabbed my shoulder and made me jump.
"Katie, why do you never pay attention." He said as he gritted his teeth. "Go get Rafael a glass." I quickly nodded and left the room. I walked down to the kitchen and searched for one of the glasses that Matteo usually used when the company was over. I finally found it and as I turned around I stopped dead in my tracks. Rafael was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.
" So you're Matteo's little pet?" He says with a smirk. " You know, you can't tell him that it was me and my friends that took it right? I can easily tell him how willing you were to show us the spot. After all, we never would have found it without you."
"Matteo isn't stupid, he will figure it out regardless. They'll get it back" I tell him and walk past him but he grabs the back of my neck roughly and pulls me back.
"You underestimate us, Katie." He says smugly in my ear. "Now go back to the room and pretend this conversation never happened." I nod quickly and rush back to the room. He follows me and I enter the room acting as if nothing ever happened and place his glass down on the table.
Matteo pays no attention to the fact that he walked in with me and continues on his horrible conversation. If Matteo found out I knew they stole it and did not tell them, then he would definitely be finished with me and give me away to someone worse. But if I did tell him, then he would find out I helped and it would be the exact same outcome. Either way this situation messed me up.
After a few hours later they had finally left and I was exhausted. Matteo refused to let me leave that room all day and instead had me doing every odd job he could think of. Finally, I sat on the floor, done and glad that they had finally left. Matteo walked in and the look on his face was odd, almost concerned or scared. I wasn't sure.
"Rafael didn't do anything to you did he?" He asks, and I look at him very confused and shake my head. He grabs my chin. " You're lying. You came back with him and you looked nervous." He pushed my hair to the side. "I knew it! I thought I saw some bruising here." I had not thought that Rafael grabbing my neck would bruise.
"You did that." I lie but I could tell he wasn't believing it.
"Why are you lying for him? Do you know him?" I was starting to get nervous now. "Tell me now!"
"I-I can't tell you."
"You have to tell me. If you don't, I'll send you away." He said but I just shrugged. He would send me away either way.
"He's my ex, alright. And don't worry he won't tell anyone I'm here. He only used me." I lie and surprisingly he looked like he believed me.
"Well let's just call him and make sure he tells no one." My eyes went wide and I tried not to show that I was panicking.
Rafael's p.o.v
Katie was quick to lie, I like that about her. I could see the fear in her eyes though as Matteo stated he was going to call me. She didn't realize that I was watching everything and I had been for a few weeks now. Just on cue, my phone rang.
"Rafael, my man. Why didn't you tell me you knew Katie?" He jumped to the question quickly.
"Ahh, I see she told you. Yes, it was a while ago. She was just a bit of a side thing. A hot side thing might I add." I could see the look of confusion on Katie's face and then the realization. She glanced at each of the corners and her eyes landed squarely on me. Well not exactly on me.. more like the tiny camera we installed. Smart girl.
"Alright just keep this quiet, and I'll let you have her whenever you want," Matteo said. And Katie immediately shook her head at him.
"Perfect. Talk to you soon." I say before hanging up.
"Please, Matteo no! don't let me go back to him. I thought you wanted me to yourself?" Katie begged Matteo. It looked pathetic but then again I can see the worry on her face. She had never actually been with me so the idea probably made her sick.
"I just thought you'd want to rekindle with your ex. I'm only trying to help." He says and the tone was very sarcastic.
"I told you the truth. Why isn't it ever enough?"
"Don't act like you want to be with me. You take every chance you get to spend time with Marco, so why not use that time to spend it with other men. At least then I'll make something off of it." Katie looked so done. I was not sure how long they had her for but she looked defeated.
Katie's P.O.V
No matter what I did it was useless, now he was going to send me off to Rafael and who knows what he would do. I did not know whether or not I should tell Matteo about the cameras, as I was not sure where I could tell him that was safe. At the same time I did not want to tell him either in case he found out that I helped them. Either way, it turned out terrible for me as per usual.
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