Twisted Fixation

『 Chapter 33 』

Yuri slowly sat up in bed, her head still pounding. She couldn't remember much but the last thing she remembered from the previous night was that she bumped into Giancarlo when she was walking back from the comfort room.

As she tried to piece together the events, she noticed a small note on her bedside table. Curiosity piqued, she reached for it and read the elegant handwriting:

Signorina, I hope you're feeling better. I took the liberty of changing your clothes and tidying up while you were sleeping. Should you need anything, let Favio or the maids know. - G

Grateful for the kind gesture, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and made her way to the bathroom to freshen up. The warm water cascading down her body washed away any remnants of dread as she chuckled at how someone like the mafia boss could be so thoughtful of her situation. She was even certain that nothing intimate had happened between them because she didn't feel sore.

"How are you feeling? I was told that you knocked yourself out last night," it was Favio who saw her first when she walked into the dining area. She was about to retort when she noticed Giancarlo, who was already seated, engrossed in his breakfast.

He looked up to her. "I had the chef prepare a steak for you. You like your meat medium well, don't you?"

She absentmindedly nodded at that, as the mention of food made her mouth water. She took a seat across from Giancarlo, appreciating the thoughtfulness of Favio who pulled a chair for her.

She wanted to ask him about last night's events, especially that she doesn't remember a lot of things. She's worried that she did something stupid and if that was the case, she intended to apologize.

"Do you have any important matters to attend to after this?" she asked Giancarlo curiously.

"I'll sort out what I am going to do with that pig in my guest room."

At first, she didn't get it until it occurred to her that Cassius was still on the estate. She completely forgot about him.

The chef walked in, and from where she sits, she can smell the aroma of sizzling steak filling the air, complimenting the scents of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries.

"You haven't told me the reason yet as to why you brought him here."

Giancarlo paused and looked at Favio for a moment before darting his gaze back to her again. "Cassius Sullivan is a cop. It seems like you are forgetting that the mafia doesn't work with the authorities, hence we have the Omertà."

Yuri took her first bite, and the tender meat melted in her mouth, perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection.

"That's the reason why I want to talk to you about it. I know that he's a cop; hence, when he offered to help me, I didn't accept it because I was thinking that you were not going to allow that. But then, I couldn't help but think that he could be helpful."

It was true that the mafia operated outside the law, and alliances with law enforcement were unheard of, yet she couldn't just shrug off Cassius's offer of assistance.

"With you saying that, it makes me think that the help I am providing you is still lacking."

She shook her head at that. "That is not what I mean. It's just that perhaps collaborating with an unlikely ally could make things easier and faster. I am most grateful for your help; hence I do not want to be a burden. I know that you also have other important things to do, more important than me."

The mafia boss smirked at that and leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table.

"And you think that accepting the help of a person who once betrayed you is the best option to do that? Signorina, that bastard cheated on you and left you despite you having given him everything and sacrificed a lot for his sake. If he was able to betray you like that, what's going to stop him from doing it again and to me? Who knows he's just doing that to gather information about how he can take me down?"

Yuri paused, narrowing his eyes as she considered his words. She understood that Giancarlo was just being cautious. Perhaps it would be foolish to trust Cassius, but she is still willing to take the risk, especially after seeing the glimmer of regret in his eyes the last time they talked.

"I do not think that he had an idea that we were working together before you brought him here. Look, I understand that this is not going to be easy, but why don't the three of us talk about this?" with a determined look, she added softly, "I know I am asking much, but please do have faith in my judgment."

Giancarlo did not respond but just stared at her, his expression a mix of skepticism and concern. After a few minutes, he let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"Alright, let's hear what he has to say."

***

Cassius woke up wincing in pain as he felt his body throb with a dull ache. He slowly sat up, noticing that his body was wrapped in bandages, the room around him was dimly lit, and the air carried a sterile scent. Enduring the throbbing pain in his head, he tried to piece together what had happened, but his mind felt foggy, as if trapped in a haze. He attempted to stand up, testing his shaky legs, but he hadn't even taken three steps when he fell down on the bed again. That's when he noticed that there was an IV drip attached to his arms.

The door burst open, and a man wearing a custom black suit entered. Upon taking in the face of the man, that's when he remembered what happened.

Looking around the room, it doesn't look like he is in the hospital. Does this mean that he is still in Giancarlo's territory? Questions have started to swirl in his head, but he knows he can't afford to dwell on them for too long. The man approached him with a stern expression.

"The boss wants to speak with you," the man said, his voice low and commanding.

Cassius swallowed hard as he nodded his head in resignation. The man turned on his back and went to the door, leaving him behind.

He was certain that Giancarlo was determined to kill him, so why does it seem like he changed his mind? He recalled seeing Yuri, but he couldn't be sure if that was true or just a figment of his imagination as he was crossing the way to the afterlife.

The door opened again, and his eyes widened upon seeing who had entered.

"How are you feeling?" Yuri asked, looking at her emotionlessly. He was about to respond when another figure appeared behind her.

Cassius closed his eyes tightly as he recalled the last conversation he had with Yuri. She told him that she has someone who is helping her, but not in his wildest dreams did he expect that it would be the mafia boss.

Yuri's cold gaze remained fixed on him, while Giancarlo, who is known for his ruthlessness and cunning, observed him with a calculating stare.

This isn't the situation he expected at all.