She got out of the cab, paid the driver, and then watched him drive off before she proceeded down an abandoned alley.
She walked until she reached a wide brick wall. She looked around to see if anyone was there.
Not seeing anyone, she placed her finger on a block. It beeped, right before half of the brick wall went up, revealing a secret room.
She walked in and made a gesture for the wall to close back. She went deeper inside until she entered an open space with two cars.
She went towards one, and pulled the gray car cover off, revealing a shiny black Bugatti sportscar, almost as new as the day she was gifted it.
She pulled the door open, entered inside, and started the car.
She turned around and drove towards another entrance, leading her to an underground parking lot in a mall from where she went on with her journey.
**********************************
She parked her car in an open area and entered the park.
As she continued walking, the number of people she encountered on her way kept decreasing until there was no one around.
She passed through a tree grove and then appeared at a clearing with a clear pond in the middle.
When she was little, her mother would tell her stories about this place. In fact, she could almost still hear their last conversation about the place, and her mother's gentle voice answering...
"Angelo [Angel]?" "Yes, bambina [baby]" "If there was anywhere you'd want to go to and spend the rest of your life, where would it be?"
Her mother smiled. "It would be where La mia piccola Naya [My little Naya] is"
Naya giggled. "No. I mean a place on earth, assuming I wasn't with you yet". Her mother sat thinking for a moment before replying.
"Well, Naya, there is this pond inside a beautiful park. It is so crystal clear that you can perfectly see your reflection in it" "Really?" "Really!"
"That sounds magical" "It is magical. People say that it is crystal clear because fate [fairies] come every night and bathe in it"
"Wow!" "Wow indeed. I've always dreamt of seeing the lake for myself, but my parents and your dad wouldn't allow me"
"Why?" "Because, Mio caro [my dear], that pond is all the way in Los Angeles. It is very far, and both my parents and your dad are way too overprotective to allow me to go there" she answered.
"Well when I grow up and become very rich and very strong, I promise to take you there. I'll stand against Dad, Grandpa, and Grandma if I have to"
"That's very sweet, Naya, I'll be waiting"
A pang of sadness itched at the back of her head...She never got to fulfill that promise.
She pulled out the yellow Dahlia flower she had plucked on her way there and walked towards the pond.
She had always believed her mother's spirit had turned into a fairy and always came there every night to bathe in the water, thereby making it crystal clear as she said, that was why she always brought a yellow Dahlia with her whenever she came there.
"I brought your favorite flower for you, Angelo. I never understood why you ever liked Dahlias nor the color yellow, ma immagino che non a tutti piaccia la stessa cosa[but I guess not everyone likes the same thing]"
She bent down by the bank, dropped the flower there, and watched it float away from her.
"You have no idea how much I miss you. If you had stayed with us, you would still be alive now, and would probably be here by this pond with me" Tears began gathering at the rim of her eyes, but she sucked them in immediately.
"Anyway, I'm honestly not sure if you can hear me or not, but I just need someone to talk to right now, and there seems to be no one except for you who can listen to me.
Tutto è stato come un giro sulle montagne russe [Everything has been like a rollercoaster ride]"
An unusually gentle wind shook the trees and brushed past her face as though giving off a 'go on' signal.
She sat on the ground, pulled her legs up to her chest, and crossed her arms around them.
"A few months ago, I went on a mission for Dad to steal... er... 'permanently borrow' some papers from an opposing mafia. I went with Elizabeth, and well, I've told you how she is. She ruined everything, things turned around, plans changed, tables turned, and we got caught.
He forced me to marry him and blackmailed me with Dad's life. He put me in such a helpless position that I could do nothing but sit like an obedient puppy so he wouldn't do anything to Dad.
I want to hate him, but he makes it so hard. He is dangerously attractive, he has this beautiful smile that makes him all the more attractive, and is like a walking woman magnet.
I lose my guard, feel relaxed and safe whenever I'm around him. and I like being around him for some reason, it's almost like he has cast a strong spell on me or something.
His problem is his arrogance, ego, bossiness, and possessiveness. He now feels like he owns me, so he gets to direct my life as he wishes"
She sighed and looked up at the sky.
The clouds had gathered to form a menacingly thick dark veil above her head.
"I don't know what's wrong with me, . I'm not one to fancy men, bonds, feelings, and all that shit, but with him... It feels so right and nice.
But the worst part is that he isn't a one-woman man. He doesn't even believe in relationships or feelings. He just believes women exist for pleasure and sex, nothing more"
Another violent wind blew fiercely, leaving her hair in a slightly tousled mess.
Soon, she felt a little drop of rain fall on her nose.
She stood up immediately as she felt other heavier drops falling as well.
She took out her umbrella and opened it as soon as the drops of rain turned into a heavy shower of rain.
"I have to get going. I'll come back again, I promise. And this time, I will fulfill my promise" he declared and walked out of the clearing into the original park.
The heavy rain and wind, sent people running helter-skelter for cover away from the merciless downpour of the rain.
She liked it.
The beautiful chaotic power of the rain bringing everyone and everything to a peaceful still within minutes.
She walked calmly towards the park's exit but felt like someone was following her.
She turned immediately but didn't see anyone. She scanned around skeptically, but could only see a wet and empty area.
"Must be the effect of those drugs" she muttered to herself and turned back around, only to bump into someone's chest.
She gasped as her umbrella fell into a mud puddle, leaving the rain to beat her face.
She almost fell too, if not for the strong arms that held her and supported her back to her feet.
She blinked several and wiped her eye to clear off the blurriness that had gathered on the lenses in her eye.
She looked up clearly to see Don standing with an umbrella, with clenched jaws, and a mouth pursed together in disapproval.
She pushed her hair behind her ear as he pulled her underneath his umbrella.
"Ace? What are you doing here?"
He didn't answer but continued walking with fast angry strides until they reached a large car pavilion with many cars some meters away from the park.
He closed his umbrella, pulled out a car key, and pressed a button on it, which caused an ash-colored car to beep in response.
He went to the passenger side of the car and opened the door for her.
"Get in!" he bellowed.
"No!"