Ace (eng version )

Who you belongs to

"It's over, I'm done..." I thought wistfully.

 I watched the rain falling with melancholy in the night lit by simple streetlamps. Casting a last look at the hotel room I sighed, what's the point of all this? The cold hit me in the face and the memories of the last days with:

"You did a good job babe... well it's deserved" he said with his eternal wicked smile handing me a wad of money, I looked at it in disgust. Dirty money. "Come on ... are you really gonna give me that face? Ain't you happy to be in your family business?" he said gravely. In fact, I wasn't... I'm not like them! I don't want this... but do I have the choice? "Yes Father .. I am" I just answered with a fake smile". It was the same from 18 years old, enough now to know that he was reminding me of where I belonged "Good, I prefer that".

I shook my head recovering my mind and getting out of my memories, noticing that it was barely half past midnight I decided to walk around my next task could not be accomplished before 2:00 a.m. I took the shortest path which led to a small hill in New York giving a view from city lit up in darkness by the lights of buildings and others. I love this place; it was almost like a home for me. I sighed " That's stupid... " and I pulled on my skirt a little too short for my taste "Why do I have to do this? Be beautiful, charming and seductive... be feminine ... Be helpful to your pops" as he like to repeat to me again and again.

My life boiled down to this, being involved in mafia affairs from a young age, attracting future targets without raising suspicion. Dream job huh? I would like even once that someone sees through this image of a girl having been raised in a luxurious environment, the real me, the pain. My mother died when I was young, I only knew my father's violence and his strict rules, giving the image that HE wanted me to give...In short, I was never really able to be myself. I just want it to stop. I brushed the semblance of hope that was drawing on my face with a hand. 

After all we live in a society of appearances... nobody has anything to do with others. Why would anyone be interested in the daughter of a mafioso, the daughter of a criminal? This is how our society mind-set: she/he got it because she/he deserved it, without ever trying to dig deeper and ask the real questions: Did she/he have a choice?

 Is it because I was born in this environment that my life does not belong to me? Holy question, isn't it?

"Beep", my phone ringing snapped me out of my thoughts.

After 15 minutes I was sitting on the stairs in Times Square, staring at the billboards. Suddenly I felt someone grab my arm "Hey! what's a pretty girl like ya is doin' out so late?" a man I didn't know at all approached me.

"Huh what clumsiness, I had forgotten that we can no longer go outside quietly" I thought about to defend myself. But a deep voice stopped me in my tracks. 

"Please excuse my rudeness, but this young woman is not alone, let's be more precise, she is with me. Is there any problem? I'm sure we can work it out".

 I turned my head and recognized the person I was going to meet, a tall, young and elegant man. Thanks God, he had arrived at the right time. The other man stammered something incomprehensible before fleeing.

"I...uh...thank you?"

"Haha but please, it's completely normal, for my part I do not find it appropriate to approach a young woman in this way"

"Sure... can we go then?" I asked a little confused by the fact that he intervened to help me.

"With pleasure my dear!" he replied with a benevolent smile.

He held out his arm to me and I wrapped it around his, starting to walk towards the second objective: the HQ of our "family" from where my father would take over in secret.

"Your name is Elena if I'm not mistaken?"

I looked up at the man

"Yes indeed, can I have your name?" not as if it really bothered me, simple politeness. My father only gives photos of the targets and no more, he told me it was for my security... as if he really care about me... He didn't answer me and only look at the path we had to take for five good minutes. We weren't very far.

"Che disperazione vedere un così bel fiore danneggiato dalla tristezza, tutto per un marciume che non sa come curarlo*"

"W...What? How do you-"

"Know that you're speaking Italian? Well, it's easy, it's not the first time that we saw each other. During other meetings with your father, I was also there and although you did not see me, I did. I knew right away that you were special, there was something about you that other people didn't. But you hide behind a mask. I'm not stupid and I know what you are doing right now, against your will. But you don't have to, at least you don't anymore. If you give me the chance, I can help you. This opportunity will only come once so think about it carefully."

I looked at him taken aback "Are...you saying you can help me?"

"A proposal! If you can hear me out... I may guarantee to get you out of this life and get you my security if in exchange you work for me as a detective. It's a deal then?"

I took his outstretched hand to shake it, here is the opportunity I was waiting for...even if I had a feeling that things won't be so easy. 

"But... who are you?"

He looked at me amused

"I am Ace"

*what despair to see such a pretty flower damaged by sadness, all because of a rot that does not know how to take care of it