Love Me Red ✔️

No Sins Forgiven

23

Veronica sighed heavily as she stared at the clock. It read four in the morning and Alessandro still hadn't come home. He never stayed out late without telling her, she even called him sixteen times and he didn't pick up once. It never happened before. Also, her anxiety escalated whenever she thought about his leg. He was supposed to be resting with four fractures. What should have she done with his stubbornness?

She again glanced outside through the window, hoping to see his car pulling up.

Twenty minutes had passed by and still no sign of him. She put her finger on the redial button and kept calling him. Just as her heart began to burst with some odious notions, a rap on the door caught her off-guard. Her head jerked in the door's direction and instantly, she flew toward it. Opening it quickly, she prayed it to be him but her nervous smile faltered when one of his men nodded at her with a profound look. It was Alessandro's third man—Mando.

"What is it?" Veronica was to enquire with a bustling heartbeat, she silently prayed for everything to be fine otherwise why would his man be outside of her room at this hour?

Mando took in her reaction with a masked expression. "Ma'am, there's been an emergency. Sir has fallen from the stairs and is currently being examined by doctors on the top floor, he asked me to call you," Mando narrated with a guarded expression. Veronica let out a shaky breath, just what her heart was telling. Something was wrong.

"Top floor? What is he doing there?" A hand fell on her chest. "Is he okay?" A sting passed by her heart as she imagined him writhing in pain. Tears mildly pooled in her eyes. She shut the door and gestured to him to lead the way. She didn't even bother to put the silk gown over her sleeveless nightdress.

Mando nodded and started walking off. Veronica followed.

"I asked you if he is okay?" She repeated when they reached the stairs. Mando halted for a moment and shot her a vacant look.

"He is," He nodded and resumed walking upstairs. "Just got a couple of wounds reopened," Hearing that, her heart sank more. She sped up. After ten minutes of constant climbing stairs, they finally reached the fifth floor.

Mando led her into an abandoned hall. The floor was deprived of any artificial source of light. Only luminous moonlight was casting its glow through the giant windows. Mando halted before the main door and gestured for her to enter. Veronica glanced at the door and frowned. Was he here? In a store-hall?

Veronica sighed deeply and opened the door. As expected, darkness welcomed her. Her gut feelings weren't in favour of her going inside but why would this man pull a prank on her for no reason? Alessandro's health was more important than her fears so she chose to step inside. By passing another gloomy corridor, she opened the second door and walked into the hall.

A little terrified and panic-stricken, she looked around for a single lit bulb but only moonlight graced its rays inside the eerie hall. Why in the world would Alessandro come here in such an unfit condition? He really needed a good earful. Stepping over and over, she checked all five doors that led to different rooms, he must be inside one of them. But after finding all of them locked, she couldn't help but feel the layer of apprehension washing over her. Fear swept the ground off her feet and now something in her heart was screaming danger. This wasn't good. She had to leave.

Abruptly, she spun to her heels and rushed toward the main door. As she turned the knob, the door refused to open. She pulled the knob again and again but in vain. Her breathing heightened and she knocked on the door. "Mando! Open the door," She screamed and when no reply came from the other side, she kicked the door in frustration and used her whole strength to break the door.