CHASING SAPPHIRE🔞

Chapter thirty two:Pretty damage

~Heather~

I walk out of the room, and take a deep breath. One thing I hate is the sight of blood. And Vincent's really bleeding. Vincent. I blink and the little remorse I felt goes. I shouldn't. He deserves it. That's what keeps me going everyday, my daily mantra

"They all deserve it"

"Ma'am" I stand straight.

"What is it?"

"Your dad. He wants to see you" I nod and walk to his office. I enter without knocking and I meet the back of a pretty young guy.

"Papa?"

"Ooh, Chiquita, come over" I walk to him and he gestures for me to sit. I look at the guy's face. He's attractive, I'll give him that.

"Who's this?" The guy turns to me and smiles, showing me his pearly whites. Even his smile is nice. But, I prefer guys who don't smile much, he looks like a smiler.

"Hey. My name is Rico. You?" He has a thick italian accent. He stretches out a hand and I accept it, cautiously.

"Heather. Heather Del marco"

"Nice name"

"Good to see you guys are getting along well. Honey, you guys should talk more okay?" I know exactly what he's getting at. I stand

"No"

"What?" He looks surprised. "Rico son, can you please excuse us for a minute?" The guy nods and walks out.

"Son? Already? Wow dad"

"Sweetie, you need to get married. I have many enemies, so many. That's why I decided to merge with the mafia. I know I'll sooner or later be killed, I need to be sure the future of this clan is solid. You're my only child. You need to get a trustworthy life partner, that will rule and you by his side. If not, the power will just be transferred to another family or the clan will crash"

"You sound like a dying grandpa. I'm not getting married papa, not now, not ever" he sighs, he doesn't seem surprised.

"What's wrong with that guy? He has a wealthy background. He's pretty modest, very respectful and from the reactions of the female workers, he's pretty attractive. What else do you want?"

"Papa, that's not all that's required for marriage. Love, love is a neccesity"

"Chiquita, love is not important, not in this part of the world you live in. In this business line, people get married for money, fame, connections, protection, not for love" I shake my head.

"No papa, just because people do it doesn't make it right. That guy does look decent, but I don't know, he's too smiley, too polite, too submissive, I mean look how he just listened to you and walked out immediately" Dad just smiles

"All in all, he's not Ryan." I look at the ground. "I don't know how that boy got you so obsessed with him"

"Obsessed? I'm not obsessed!" That's absurd! Me Heather Del Marco, obsessed? Nah.

"Sweetie, you had me find him and bring his girlfriend here. You threatened him out of fear, that he won't care. Because of you, his best friend is on the verge of death. You haven't eaten a proper meal for the past three weeks and you don't even know it, yet you say you're not obsessed?" I blink.

"I-I'm not. I'm not obsessed and I'm not getting married, no" his phone rings and hold up his hand to silence me picking it up. I watch his features harden.

"Hello"

"..."

"Gonzalez?" For the first time in my whole life, I saw something in my dad's eyes...fear.

~Vincent~

My face hurts, hurts seriously. Is this how I'm gonna die? Let me just die. This is torture.

One of the guys gives the man a knife, I gulp.

"It's time for things to get even more bloody. Do you have a family?" I nod, but regret it immediately. Godammit, it hurt and I can't put them in risk. Shit.

"Then would you like to leave them a message. You're not leaving this room alive. So.." he takes out my phone and goes to camera. He aims it at me, mouthing "talk"

"Hey dad, hey sis. You're prolly shocked to see me like this. Truth is, I was keeping a lot from you. I still can't tell you now but sis, you're smart, you should be able to connect the dots. Anyways, this is a goodbye. I never thought my life would end like this. All I want to say is, thanks, thanks for making my life better, for helping me stay happy and dad, you love that woman, you know, the delivery woman, you know who I'm talking about. I just feel you haven't asked her out, because you're scared I won't want anyone to replace mum, but it's fine. It really is. So give sis exactly what she wants-even though she'd never admit It- a mum. I love you both. Please tell Sapph, I said I'm sorry and all my friends too. Plus Cindy. Tell Mrs Gonzalez, Rose, there's this other guy too, Qiaran. And also, I'm sorry, sorry that I left this soon. I-"

"-That's enough geez" I swear, I heard a sniff. "So much emotional stuff, hmph, aren't you a guy?" He turns off the camera.

"Make sure you send that" the man just gives me a blank look. Drops the phone and smashes it with his foot.

"What the- Why'd you?" The guy brings out the knife again

"How about we start with that mouth of yours. It seems to never stop running" he comes closer and I gulp.

Good gracious, let me just die now.

I close my eyes, tight as I feel the cold blade, he leaves it there for a second and then i feel the pressure, just as the door opens.

"Stop!" The blade is removed immediately, but I feel blood seeping out from the little cut. We all turn to the door. I see a man, another man in suit, but his eyes scream fear.

"I hope you haven't hurt the boy" the man with the blade looks at me, then at him.

"Well brother, define hurt"

The guy turns to look at half dead me. The look in his eyes, make me grimace, just how bad is the damage?

"Oh shit"

My pretty face!