𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐫 ✔️

39. Control

CHAPTER 39
Mattia Cattaneo

"How'd you know we fucked?" I ask as I make my way down the hallway with bags in both hands and my phone pressed between my ear and shoulder.

"Ilaria," Marcus says on the other end and I can hear the grin in his voice.

Ilaria had mentioned earlier how she was in the mood for some ice cream and chocolate cake so of course, I went to the store.

Couldn't have her craving anything when I could just get it for her.

"Jesus fuck," I roll my eyes and he chuckles on the other end. "How did she- never mind," I cut myself off. "Don't want to know."

"Oh come on," he dramatic says on the other end and I softly groan, unlocking the door. "You should've expected it. We're cool like that. Plus it was some sort of promise we made long ago."

"Yeah, whatever," I say as I open the door and walk inside – closing it behind me. "Can I end this call now? You're kind of getting on my nerves," I say as I walk into the kitchen, dropping the bags on the countertop.

My eyes grow wide as I see rose petals scattered on the floor, leading away from me.

There are red balloons floating against the ceiling, the entire place having a weird – romantic-like – setting to it.

"Marcus?" I say, taking a step forward. "Hang on a second."

"Why? You okay?" he asks and I slightly frown in confusion.

"I think someone broke into our apartment," I say and he gasps.

"What? Are you guys okay- is Ilaria okay?" he asks and I can hear the panic rising in his voice. "Mattia, why do you think so? What happened?"

"Because I'm walking on rose petals right now," I say as I get to the stairs.

The rose petals continue, leading all the way up.

"Oh, Jesus Christ," he groans. "That's romantic, you dick," he says on the other end.

"It's really not," I say as I quietly walk up the stairs.

"Yeah, and why's that?" he asks and I stay quiet as I get to the top.

"Because Ilaria left for Rome with Angelo last night," I say and a deadly silence falls on his end.

"Mattia, are you fucking with me?" he asks and I can hear the confusion in his voice.

"No, I'm not," I truthfully say as I place my hand on the bedroom door.

"Nothing you're saying is making any sense right now," he says and I hear some shuffling on his end. "I thought she was home with you. Didn't you get her ice cream or something? Why'd you get it if she's in Rome?" he asks and I block out his voice as I push the door open.

The rose petals lead up to our bed. The entire ceiling is covered in red helium balloons. There's a heart made of more petals on the bed with an envelope in the centre.

"Mattia, is everything okay?" Marcus asks.

He continues speaking but his voice turns distraught as I walk towards our bed.

I reach for the envelope, picking it up while I hold my phone pressed between my ear and shoulder.

I pull what looks like the back of three Polaroids out of the envelope.

My heart hammers in my chest – out of pure anticipation – as I slowly turn them over.

The first picture is of an airplane. The second is of the same airplane engulfed in flames as it had already crashed. My heart hammers in my chest as I look at the third picture.