I slid myself behind the wheel, revved the engine and stepped on the accelerator speeding up. The tires screamed as I floored the accelerator, speeding blindly into the night, desperate for the wind to strip the thought out of my head.
'He is the reason why your parents never came home that night!'.
Those words kept echoing in my skull, over and over like a death knell. So he was the reason I was an orphan. For years, I had carried the suffocating weight on my own.
"Bad luck" wondering if I had only been in the car with them,maybe...just maybe I could have done something or atleast, we would have been together. I spent a lifetime blaming myself for surviving, while the true monster was out there living in luxury.
Vincenzo's face flashed through my mind, that cold , arrogant perfection of his. A new jagged sudden emotion clawed at my chest, feeling the need of destroying him and burn his world down until there was nothing left but ash.
I jammed the break suddenly causing a sharp screech of tires cut through the night in front of a bar called TheTipsyDemon. At first glance, it looked like any ordinary roadside spot. The neon sign flickered boldly in the night, and its modern glass facade revealing nothing of the storm brewing inside me.
I exhaled slowly before stepping out of the car and entered the bar knowing fully well that there's no going back, though it looks like a normal bar common people visit. I know I shouldn't do this but I just needed a place to drown the weight of what Aunt revealed to me.
The rich aroma of the expensive alcohol filled my nostrils and the atmosphere was stylish, even upscale-so unlike the chaos in my head, I sat onto one of the barstool.
"One cocktail, strong one" I said
The glass barely touched the counter before I drowned it in one gulp. The fiery liquid scorched my throat, but I welcomed it. Anything was better than thinking right now.
"Rough night?"
A voice smoothed over the music beside me. I turned and frozed seeing who was it. The tall leaned man from the ballroom,his neatly blonde hair glinting beneath the dim colourful light. Even through the haze of alcohol, I could still recognized him, He offered a smile.
"Well, I didn't get the chance to introduce myself properly the other day." There was something soothing in his voice.
"I'm Matteo." He said, I raised an eyebrow.
"Matteo?..Italian?."
"Yes" He chuckled, something about that sound somehow almost made my skin tingle.
"You don't have to tell me your name," he added, leaning in slightly, his scent a mix of sandalwood and rain. "Your aunt already did."
"Right" I shrugged reaching for another drink.
The alcohol was kicking in hard now, blurring the edges of everything around me into hazy and painless gray. Maybe that was the point.
**********************
I groaned deeply, rolling on the soft bed. I didn't want to wake up when something struck into my head. My head throbbed painfully.
"Ughn"
I sat up carefully as more pain broke through me, I pressed my fingers to my temple,wincing as the memory of last night refused to form. I glanced around, slowly realizing that I'm in my room.
'Wait..how did I get home?'
I tried to piece it together of what happened but everything felt... scattered
"Shit!.. it's useless!" I muttered under my breath before heading toward the bathroom.
Staring at my reflection in the mirror noticing how my face looks tired and tanned, After brushing my teeth and showering, I slipped into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve turtleneck.
As I descended the stairs, closing my eyes to savour the smell of the toast and freshly brewed coffee, I stepped into the dining room and stopped dead.
Matteo was sitting at the table with my aunt, casually sipping from porcelain cup. My gaze shifted between both of them, They had clearly been in deep conversation before I arrived.
'Did he brought me home... and stay??'
"Good morning" He said, flashing the same charming grin
I didn't respond immediately, my throat feeling a bit tight.
"How's the hangover treating you?" He added, his eyes dancing in amusement.
"I'm fine" I replied shortly,taking my seat.
"Matteo, I'm glad you could join us" my aunt said smoothly, her eyes flicking to me with a silent warning.
" I see that you're feeling better, Jennie."
"I'd love to stay longer," Matteo added, standing up and adjusing his jacket. "but unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of time."
His eyes lingered on mine for a second too long. " I hope we get to talk again soon."
He gave a small playful wink before walking out. However the room plunged a heavy silence the moment the front door click shut.
"Have you finally thought about it?" My aunt asked, her eyes steady and unblinking.
I slowly set my spoon down, the metal clinking on the bowl.
"Yes".
"And are you ready?"
I met her gaze, my eyes cold and hollow. "Yes."
She studied me, searching for a tremor of hesitation.When she found none, she nodded, satisfied. She wiped her mouth a silk napkin and stood.
"The papers will arrive soon," she said calmly, leaving me alone with the weight of my decision.
****Later that afternoon****
I flopped onto my bed, bouncing lightly on the mattress and grabbed my tablet, I opened my work dashboard to checking the daily activities in my small tech firm i had built over the years. I contacted Emily my assistant. She has excellently hold down the fort back in New York while I was trapped in this nightmare.
Everything was under control, I felt a brief relieved and pride, it has been a reminder of the life I had work so hard for.
Suddenly, a notification popped up on the screen, turning my blood to ice.