The Story Of An Anonymous Girl ✔

Chapter 23

OLIVER

"Quello che è successo?" I question him. (What happened?)

"Avrebbe dovuto consegnarci tre spedizioni questa settimana. Invece, l'ha dato agli americani. Il bastardo pensava di poterla far franca. Capo lo sa dalla scorsa settimana." He replies angrily. (He was supposed to deliver three shipments this week to us. Instead, he gave it to the Americans. Bastard thought he could get away with it. Boss has known about it since last week.)

Once we are far enough from Mia, we start talking in English. I know how to speak Italian properly, but not fluently. So, it's easier to converse in English.

"What did you do?" I ask him.

"Injected ricin." He responds emotionlessly.

"Thank God. Now I don't have to deal with him. Did he hurt Mia?" I query worryingly.

"I didn't see any bruises except for the ones on her wrists and ankles because of the ropes. You didn't need to come here, though. She can protect herself."

"Why not? He could have hurt her or killed her. That too, because of me." I reply angrily.

"She has a sharpened pocket knife, Oliver." He says, shocking me.

"What the hell? She doesn't-" I am cut off by his voice.

"She does. You have to believe me. Roberto didn't tell me that he had captured her. When I was talking to him, I could hear very slight creaking noises. He brushed it off as nothing. He went to get me some water. I injected ricin in his arm from behind. When I went down to the basement to check where the noises were coming from, Amelia was there, standing with a pocket knife in her hand. She held it skilfully. Somewhat like how an assassin would grip it."

"I want to believe you, but I can't. If Mia does have a pocket knife, why hasn't she told me about it? Is it legal to own one?" I ask him.

"The one she has - is legal in Miami. It's three inches long and a foldable one. It's an old one. She was probably carrying it as a tool in Toronto." He replies informatively

"But why does Mia have it? I want to ask her. Let's go and confront her about it." I say.

"I am not going to let you do that." He replies, dominantly.

"Why the fuck not?" I yell at him.

"Because it's going to reduce the chances of you dating her." He replies, screaming back at me.

"How?" I inquire timidly. If he gets angry, then I am dead. Brother, or not. I think calmly for a second and understand that he is precise. How Leo and I met is a long story and I haven't told Mia about it because I hadn't expected them to meet anytime soon. But now I guess, I should tell her.

"If she hasn't told you about it, she doesn't want you to know about it. So, no, you are not going to confront her about it." He says the last part relatively calmer than the former part. 

"Okay, fine." I reply, knowing that he makes sense.

"But, I just have to ask her something about it." He says, earning a glare from me.

"If she can't talk to her best friend about it, how the hell can she communicate to a complete stranger about it?" I roar out.

"Sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers, Olive. You know that better than anyone." He replies calmly and reasonably.

"She doesn't think of me as a stranger, I think. She knows about Bella." He adds.

"You told her?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. If you trust Amelia, I trust her too." He confirms.

"Okay. What do we do now?" I ask.

"Go home. I'll tell Amelia that Noah had called you immediately to the frat house. I'll bring her to your place once I'm done talking to her. You can stay on the call with me the whole time I talk to her. Just keep yourself muted. You'll probably curse like an idiot, and she'll get to know all about the plan." He commands. We start walking back towards the house, and I am still contemplating if I should go home.

"Fine. Bye." I say, calling his phone, deciding to go home.

"Bye. Drive safe." He says to me, accepting my call and I mute myself.

He asks her, "So, Grace, wanna tell me about that pocket knife?"