(Theme Song of the Chapter: One Way or Another - Until The Ribbon Breaks)

Sophie◆Cruz

I STORMED INTO the Accardi mansion, my anger fueling every step I made. Determined to confront Aiden, I charged through the grand foyer, my eyes darting around, searching for him. The estate was awfully quieter than normal, and the mansion was lowly lit due to nightfall.

I found him in a dark room deep on the left side of the vast house, seated at the head of a long, polished table. His brother, Enzo, was there too along with a group of men who looked like they had stepped straight out of a mob movie, all wearing dark tailored suits.

My steps faltered as I took in the scene. Aiden's eyes flicked up to meet mine, his expression unreadable. Enzo leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he noticed my presence. The other men barely acknowledged me, their cold eyes fixed on Aiden as if awaiting his next move.

I walked further into the room before hitting a hard surface. I looked up to see a large guard stopping my advances.

"Excuse me, sir, I just need to talk to Mr. Accardi," I said, my voice wavering slightly.

A series of heavy laughter could be heard in response to my words.

"Which one?" I could hear a distant, unfamiliar voice say.

The guard's expression remained stoic, and he didn't move. I glanced past him at Aiden, whose eyes were now blazing as they locked onto mine. I swallowed feeling the eerie awkwardness in the room. The curious and intimidating gazes of the men around him were focused on me.

I glanced back up at the guard still blocking my path, then shifted my gaze back to Aiden. "Please."

"Look who's back to being a sweetheart," Aiden grumbled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The men around him erupted into another round of laughter, but there was nothing humorous in Aiden's tone.

And they noticed as they looked to him stiffly before falling silent.

His eyes remained locked on mine, the intensity making my stomach twist.

Aiden then suddenly broke eye contact with me before shooting daggers at the guard next to me. "Rimuovila" He said. (Italian|remove her)

"Capo's orders," the guard said without hesitation before picking me up and carrying me out of the room.

The large double doors shut behind me and I am left standing in the hallway completely stunned. He takes all of my hard earned furniture from my apartment, and I couldn't even get the chance to ask for an explanation. My blood boiled and my body began to grow hot.

My steps were hard as I approached the back of the mansion, the cool air of the Miami night entered the house through the open door. I sighed walking out into the large balcony taking in the outside air.

I sniffed the air smelling smoke, and when I whipped my head around my eyes met the hazel ones of the woman I had met earlier in the day. She stared at me with a sly smile on her face as she took another puff of her cigarette.

"Here," She said, extending her hand with the cigarette butt. "You look like you need."

I let out a breath, shaking my head. "I don't smoke."

She hums to herself, looking into the grand backyard of the Accardi estate. The ocean waves could be heard not too far in the distance and I found myself shutting my eyes, feeling almost at peace.

"Let me guess," The woman, Chiara, trailed off. "You're at war with capo Accardi?"

I furrowed my brows. "Capo Accardi?"

"Aiden," She drew out his name doing her best to mimic my voice.

I shifted uncomfortably, my shoulders tense. "How'd you know?"

"That look on your face..." She said before scrolling through her phone. "And this..."

She flashed her phone in my direction and dead center was a photo of me and Aiden at the club yesterday, the photo was taken in the middle of our tense argument. I sighed realizing the reality of what it meant to be in the proximity of man so well known in this city.

"Sophie," She said with astonishment. "I didn't know you were so feisty. You look like you're really putting the man in his place. All the blogs are talking about Accardi's new fling."

I don't respond but looked down at my feet. The whole city now believed I was involved with him—that I was one other girl to add to his long list of affairs. And worst part was, they weren't entirely wrong.

"Why so sad? You're famous, Dolcezza." She added.

I scoffed. "People died that night and what's on the front news page is me and him?"

"I guess people find you two so much more interesting than the death of 12 sketchy nobodies." She retorted. "They were criminals, Sophie. They had it coming."

Criminals? Her voice was so casual and indifferent talking about death, and her words let me know that that Chiara knew more than I in regard to the events of last night.

I narrowed my eyes at her subtly. Who was this woman, really?

"Be careful, Sophie." Chiara said studying me from afar. "I've been down that road. Trust me, Aiden Accardi is bad news for a girl like you. You might think that this is what you want, but you know deep down you're gonna start to want more...or worse you might even learn to love the guy."

I shook my head, my face scrunching up in anger as I pondered about Aiden and all his actions recently.

"No." I muttered. "There's nothing going on between me and Aiden. I despise him...I almost even hate him."

Hate is a powerful word, one I rarely used. Yet, if ever it were deserved, it would be for a billionaire killer, indifferent to all but his own ambitions.

Her intense hazel eyes were still as they remained on me—the humor in them rising. "Really?"

Flashbacks of him and I with both of our reflections in the mirror as his hands roamed my body flickered in my head.

I grow a bit flustered at her attention. "We'll n-not anymore."

"You really think it will stay that way?" She asked, her voice was pressing, a knowing smile forming on her lips.

"Y-Yes," I responded, but the flattening confidence in my answer was apparent.

Chiara nodded her head slowly. "Good, cause Aiden only loves one thing."

"Himself," I answered for her but she shook her head.

"No, that man doesn't even love himself..." She said, blowing out her cigarette.

Her head snapped back in my direction, her lips moving dramatically as she mouths a single word. I catch it just before she disappeared back into the house.

Control.

Aiden Accardi loved control.

◆◆◆

Aiden Accardi was one of the most busiest men in America. My subsequent attempts to confront him about removing my property from my apartment along with the high surveillance from his guards were hindered by his absence.

He had reportedly not been home for two days as told by Walter.

This meant I was left to stew in my boiling anger and frustration for the past two days, my consuming rage barely tempered by phone calls from curious friends prying into my relationship with Aiden and my newfound "fame." The calls were cut short, though—any mention of the Accardi middle child set me off. Instead, I spent my time taking dips in the Accardi estate's massive pool, accompanied by Chiara's occasional company for entertainment.

"I don't know how I'm going to survive," Chiara said, taking a sip of her champagne as she rested her elbows on the cobblestone edge of the pool, tilting her head back dramatically. "Some of my luggage still hasn't arrived, and I don't nearly have enough clothes with me."

I turned to the woman with wide eyes. Yesterday I had helped the girl organize her closet, and let me just say, this woman had enough clothing to fill up a shopping mall.

She met my eyes and a mischievous smile is now on her lips. "Dolcezza, promise you'll go shopping with me. We can even find a replacement for those hideous shoes you seem to love so much."

I scoffed my mouth opening. "Are you talking about my flats? They're not hideous."

Listen, they may not have been up to par with the plethora of designer she owned, but they were comfortable, and I couldn't live in six-inch heels like she managed to.

Before Chiara could say anything, Aiden's infamous Bugatti pulled up to the large driveway and we both went silent as we watched from afar. I could hear Chiara let out a humored huff.

"Looks who's back..." she muttered.

I pursed my lips at the sight of the man leaving his car. He sported a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his inked and strong forearms. A gold chain glimmered around his neck as the Miami sun hit the expensive accessory. His black hair was perfectly framed around his face with a few strands falling over his forehead.

He caught sight of Chiara and I lounging in the pool and his eyes narrowed. I could already feel myself tense as he strode over to our direction.

"You two been behaving yourselves?" He asked and I didn't even hide the roll of my eyes.

Chiara let out a humored chuckle. "Behave? Not even in my vocabulary."

Aiden shot her an irritated look before his dark brown eyes found mine. "What about you, Sophie the sweetheart?"

I frowned at him. "I say pretty behaved for someone who just found their apartment completely emptied." I snapped causing Chiara to release a laugh.

"And the war continues..." She chimed in.

I could see Aiden's jaw tick but the man feigned a smile. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, the furniture sold really well on the black market."

My body heated up and my mouth began to further tense. The way he talked about selling my belongings was so shameless, so casual like my things didn't matter—of course they didn't matter to him. Aiden Accardi was a selfish man who only cared about the interests of himself.

Chiara shook her heading tsking the man in front of us. "Aiden that is cold, but you've done way worse. Anyways, all this tension is bound to give me wrinkles. I shall make my exit."

And without another word she got out of the pool and entered the main mansion with her hips swaying.

He and I remained in a staring contest, our eyes not leaving the others.

"You had no right." I gritted out.

He just looked at me blankly before he said, "How was the visit with your grandmother?"

His tone was so ominous and my heart fell to my stomach.

Of course, he would find out. Of course, his people told him about Lola.

Anxiety filled my body. I have learned not take anything that man said lightly—I have seen him put a bullet into someone's head without any hesitation.

The anxiety accompanied by my frustration and anger pulled my body out of the pool, and I stormed away from him entering the guest house. I pretended not to take notice to the several guards Aiden had outside near the front door.

I huffed. I was in a prison, a prison Aiden was trying to mask as freedom. I couldn't leave the estate without being followed by his clan of criminals—I couldn't hang with my friends, go to the store, or do anything of leisure. I couldn't go home to the safety of my apartment because there was nothing to go home to.

He knew what he was doing. He was trapping me.

He was keeping me under his watch.

But now, this was more than just about me. This was about my Lola, and I would rather die than let anything happen to her.

"Hi, Detective Vargas," I took a quiet breath, my fingers trembled around my phone.

I went into the isolated bathroom of the guest house.

"You are right. Aiden Accardi is a dangerous man and should be in prison. Just tell me what kind of information it will take to get him there."

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