Twisted Fixation

『 Chapter 22 』

When Yuri snapped her eyes open, an unfamiliar ceiling welcomed her. She sat up, her head pounding as she tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was being with Giancarlo in the pool area.

She sighed as she came to the realization that the room was completely different from hers. She is more likely in Giancarlo's room, especially seeing how everything screams elegance and Italian style. The walls were adorned with intricate paintings, and the furniture was made of rich, dark wood. The bed was massive, with luxurious silk sheets and plush pillows. The curtains were made of the finest materials and draped elegantly around the windows.

Although Giancarlo is not around and there is no sign of him anywhere. When she looked at the clock, it was seven in the morning.

As if on cue, there is a knock on the door, and then it opens, revealing one of the maids, who bowed upon seeing her.

"The boss left an hour ago, but he gave instructions to make sure that Signorina wouldn't skip her breakfast, and you are free to go wherever you want to."

She raised her brows in amusement, but she couldn't suppress the smile on her face when she heard those words: that Giancarlo is completely giving her freedom. Such a gesture that she did not expect from the mafia boss.

However, she couldn't help but wonder what his true intentions were. Was this a ploy to gain her trust, or was he genuinely trying to show her kindness?

Regardless, she decided to take advantage of the situation, especially since she needed to find the people on her list.

After taking a quick bath, she put on a pair of jeans and a navy green shirt that perfectly fit her. She grabbed a pair of sneakers and headed out the door, ready to tackle the day ahead.

When Giancarlo's men saw her, some quickly approached her and asked if she needed any assistance, but she declined. She is uncertain of what is going to happen later, but one thing is for sure: it wouldn't help the situation if she was going to be seen with the mafia.

She roared the engine of the bike and took off down the open road, weaving through traffic with ease.

Her first stop is the 69th precinct, where Miller Jones is currently the captain. The man was promoted shortly after the death of her father. The promotion alone is suspicious and laughable, as Miller Jones does not have the qualifications for it.

As she walks into the precinct, she can feel the tension in the air. The old beige walls and flickering fluorescent lights greet her. She approaches the front desk and introduces herself to the officer on duty. He greets her warmly.

"Did the Captain know that you were coming today?" the officer asked. She flashed an innocent smile and even acted surprised.

"Oh no, he does not. I was actually in the area when it occurred to me that he got transferred here, so I thought that I would pay him a quick visit. He used to know my father when he was still at the 99th precinct."

"Is that so? That is alright though. The Captain is in the office, and I am sure that you will be alright."

He directs her to Captain Jones' office. As they walk down the hallway, she can hear the sound of phones ringing and officers talking on their radios. When they finally reached the captain's door, she took a deep breath as the officer started knocking and announced their presence.

Captain Jones opened the door and was about to speak when he saw her.

"Oh, Captain, she introduced herself as someone who knows you from your previous precinct."

The sight of the man made her blood boil, but she knew better to control herself. She had a job to do, and she couldn't let personal feelings get in the way.

Captain Jones was just looking at her intently, as if trying to identify her.

"It has been a while, so you might not remember me anymore, Captain. I am Yuriko Rivera. I am the daughter of Juan Carlos Rivera."

When his father's name passed her lips, it was as if the temperature of the whole place dropped, especially seeing the look on the captain's face.

"You have grown so much, Yuri, that I didn't recognize you. Please leave us," he told the officer.

He invites her in, but his demeanor is cold and guarded, as if he wanted to leave his own room because her presence is unbearable.

"We were so brokenhearted during those days that I wasn't able to congratulate you, Captain."

Captain Jones plastered on a fake smile and even shook his head. The exact look on his face right now is the very reaction that Yuri has been expecting.

"Too much happened during that time, so it was understandable. I couldn't celebrate then, especially after what happened to your father."

If she had not stopped herself on time, she could've grabbed the hairpin and lodged it in the man's chest.

"Perhaps it would've been easier if his death was not connected to the mafia. But still, didn't you think that someone needed to be responsible for that?"

She begins to ask him about her father's case, but he brushes her off and tells her that it's a closed investigation.

"I know how painful it is to lose a loved one like that, Yuri. But those people who got entangled with your father are no ordinary people. Giancarlo Costa is basically a god in Sicily. I am sure that you are aware that the police have been persevering to dismantle the mafia, but how do you even catch the wind?"

Yuri balled her fist. These people have weaved a web of lies, and now they're undeniably caught up in it. For a moment, she was tempted to tell him that she is with Giancarlo, but it wouldn't do anything good for now.

"I figured it out that much. Anyway, it's not as if I am trying to reopen the case or anything like that. It was just a question that suddenly popped in my head when I saw you."

Captain Jones set his lips on a thin line. "You cannot bring back someone who is already dead, but do not lose sight of what's ahead, Yuri."

She forced a smile, biting her tongue. "It has been a pleasure to meet you today, Captain Jones."

Leaving the precinct, she heads to a nearby coffee shop to gather her thoughts. As she sips her latte, she pulls out her notebook and begins to read everything she knows about Miller Jones that she got from Giancarlo's intelligence team. He has a history of corruption and has been involved in several scandals over the years.

As well as the other names on the list.

"Yuri, is that you?" She looked at where the voice came from, and a few meters away from her table, a man stood with a bright smile on his face. Based on the way he's dressed; he is a police officer.

"Hey, it had only been three years since we last saw each other. Did you already forget me?" the man even tugged his lips downward as if offended that she was not able to recognize him.

She narrowed her eyes, trying to remember who she was. Her jaw dropped upon being hit by the realization that she indeed knew him.

"Cassius?"