Velmira
When I walked out of the clubhouse I deposited the money into my account and used some to buy new stationery I needed for school. Getting back home, my stepmother beat me up for staying out late yesterday and her daughter robbed me of my clothes, which made me angry, but I couldn't do anything.
When she noticed that I had paid my tuition fee, she flew into a rage and hated me even more. She called me names, wished I had never existed, and forced me to tell her who gave me the money. I refused to say anything.
What led to my arrival at the hospital was that she found out I had a huge amount of money in my account and demanded I hand it over. I refused, so she knocked the cup I was holding out of my hand and forced me to clean up the mess.
***********
Looking at the man in the hospital room, I felt goosebumps all over my body. I dropped the paper in fright and began to cry. I never wanted any of this, I just wanted to live a normal life.
"Do you know what hiding a child of the Federico family means?" His voice was cold; my body stiffened.
Did I just hear him say the Federico family? the most powerful and feared mafia family in the continent?
I stared at him in disbelief. "Surprised are we? I'm Luca Federico," he said with a smirk that made me shudder.
He was the current, ruthless mafia boss who had just taken control of the Dragon mafia gang.
"Do you know what we do to ladies who try to hide the Federico family child and use it as a threat?" His eyes gleamed dangerously.
I nodded, of course I knew. Who wouldn't? It was widely known: any woman who got pregnant for any of the sons of the Federico family and tried to use it as leverage would either die mysteriously or be force fed pills to abort the child. This was not a secret, I swallowed hard as he moved closer, cupping my face and smiling.
"What should I do with you?" His voice dropped low and was dangerous. I couldn't speak; I remained mute with fear.
There was a knock on the door, and Luca left my bedside. "Come in," he called. The door opened and one of his men I recognized came in with my stepmother, who looked frightened.
"Do you know her?" Luca asked in an unfriendly tone.
"Yes-yes, she's my husband's mistress's daughter, very useless," my stepmother replied. Shocked, I realized she meant my father's mistress was my mother , she was calling me the mistress's daughter.
I was furious but couldn't show it. I watched silently, waiting for Luca's reply.
Luca smiled at her response. "Good… she's useless?" he asked again.
"Yes, she's just a waste and means nothing to my family," my stepmother said. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I sobbed and avoided their eyes; the pain in my chest was too much.
"She has crossed my bottom line… What do you think I do with people like her?" he asked my stepmother. Without hesitation she answered.
"Kill her! She doesn't deserve to live, her existence is a curse." She glared at me.
"Fine… I like that," Luca replied, his smile wide but devilish. "Bring it in." He ordered, and the man standing beside my stepmother went out and returned with a medical tray holding a whitish drug and a cup of water.
"Your stepmother says you deserve to die… So… I'll fulfill her wish," he said.
The man brought the tray to me, and I began shaking in fear.
"Please… I didn't mean to trap you with the child in the future. I didn't even know I was pregnant. Please believe me, spare me, I beg you," I pleaded, but no one paid attention to me.
"Drink it," he commanded.
With trembling hands, I reached for the whitish pill, placed it in my mouth, and swallowed it, using the water to help it go down.
After a few minutes, my eyes began to blur. I saw my stepmother smiling, while Luca's face remained stiff.
Is this how I'll die?
Will I really die such a traumatic death?
Will my struggle to survive be the cause of my end?
Those were the questions that plagued my mind until everything faded to black.
******
Beep! Beep! Beep!
I heard the disturbing sound and woke up immediately, my body drenched in sweat. I was in a strange room. Everything, from the bedsheets to the interior design, was white.
A cold breeze from the air conditioner brushed against my skin, but why was I drenched?
Was I given a second chance or was I already in the afterlife?
I tried to sit up, but a sharp sting shot through my abdomen. I lifted my clothes and gasped when I saw little stitches on my stomach.
"What's going on?" I whispered to myself.
While I was still confused, I heard footsteps outside. Quickly, I lay back down and pretended to be asleep.
A man's voice spoke. "Tell our boss that she's fine and will wake up soon. Thank goodness he agreed to the surgery; otherwise, we'd have lost both the mother and the child."
I was stunned but kept my eyes closed, remaining still.
Another voice replied, "The boss was really angry about losing the child, but since he knew the mother and baby were both in danger, he chose to save her."
My mind spun. Was I hearing things? How could the same man who wanted me dead care about me?
I slowly opened my eyes. A doctor noticed and smiled warmly. "You're awake," he said.
I stared at him silently.
He leaned closer, whispering something to another doctor before the man left. "I'm glad you're awake," he continued. "Our boss was worried about you. Though we lost the child, he said your life matters the most."
I stared at him in disbelief. That can't be true. He was lying he had to be.
"I need to be alone," I said softly.
The doctor bowed and immediately left.
"Did he just bow?" I muttered, unable to believe it.
I closed my eyes, feeling dizzy. Suddenly, the door swung open. Luca entered, his presence alone commanding the air around him.
I swallowed hard as his eyes met mine.
"How are you feeling, Velmira?" His deep, magnetic voice sent a chill through me.
Velmira? Who's that?
I asked myself silently, staring blankly at him.