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"𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝"

Monday morning turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than I had expected.

This is most likely because I had officially asked Roman out and he had given me yet another mind-blowing orgasm, as well as the fact that I had spent the entire night with him.

Fairly, I had every reason to have a decent Monday morning.

I began my day by visiting a small cafe close to my school. It was essentially just across the road so it wasn't far.

Today's classes were shorter. This afternoon, I had three, which meant I had the entire morning to myself.

All of my friends, including my brother, were attending classes. Since Aydan's first game was coming up on Friday, we planned to all go together.

Nicolo's and my birthday were also approaching next week.

Our birthday was March second. My mother claims that we were supposed to be born in February but were pushed further because we weren't ready.

I started looking for a gift for Nico while I was here in the cafe. My brother was difficult to please, but I knew exactly what he'd appreciate.

With him being picky, I was on the easier side.

Frankly, I was also a light gift receiver. Meaning, I was a sucker for the small, meaningful things.

I'd be grateful if you bought me a Dimond necklace, but if the necklace had a personal meaning to it, I'd be entirely satisfied with the gift.

In any case, anything someone gave me meant the world to me since it coming from said person.

My brother seemed to have almost everything he could want and could easily buy whatever he wanted - so, I decided to give him something more personal, something that was just for the two of us.

My mother had bought Nicolo and me matching rings a few years ago. It was some kind of 'twin' thing, and I thought it was cute, while Nicolo thought it was funny.

A Japanese emblem was engraved on the ring. Both of the symbols represented twins. The one I had represented the girl and the one Nicolo had represented the boy.

Its apparent message was one of good fortune and safety. And that the rings would somehow magically direct us back to each other if we were ever separated.

It was a myth, or legend, whatever you wanted to call it. I thought it was adorable and admirable, and as much as Nicolo had put on his 'big boy' ego, he still wore the ring every day, up until last year.

We hadn't worn it in a long time since his fingers had grown and mine had as well. So what better gift to deliver than an old one?

This weekend, I decided to see a jeweller to renew our rings and get our sizes corrected. I knew Nicolo would appreciate it; the rings meant a lot to both of us, even if we didn't express it.

I jotted down the jeweller's phone number on a sticky note and stuck it on my laptop so I wouldn't forget.

I absolutely wanted the best of the best, so I went to a luxury jeweller recognised for perfect replacements and designs, located here in the city.

After another hour, I had packed all of my belongings and was ready to leave.

My unobservant body had collided with a smaller one as I had nearly made it out of the cafe.

I lurched back, clutching my bag to my chest and glancing at the person.

Of course, with my luck, it was Haley.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" I asked her, moving to the side to let her through.

Her gaze was drawn to me as if she just recognised my voice.

When she turned to face me, the grimace on her face was replaced with a displeased expression.

Jesus, I was being nice...

"It's okay," She mumbled and walked inside.

I stepped around her and opened the door again, but another figure had crashed into me, and I was on the verge of kicking someone at this point.

But what shocked me the absolute most was who the person was.

Roman.

Something flashed across his features before it returned to its normal stoic. I stepped back to allow him to pass.

When I saw Haley smile warmly at him and come beside him, looping her hands over one of his arms - my throat had gone completely dry.

He stiffened under her touch, and when I returned my gaze to his face, it had darkened.

I watched the interaction with complete fucking shock.

What in the fuckery is happening right now.

"How have you been, Arabella?" Haley asked, innocently.

My teeth were gritted, and I stared at the two with a resentment and irritation that I couldn't put into words.

I looked back and forth between them several times before staring directly at Roman, ignoring her question.

"What's going on with... you two?" I queried as calmly as I could, the long pause between my words simply adding to the severity of the situation.

My attention was fixed on Roman, his soulless gaze staring right through mine.

"Roman asked me out," She stated emphatically.

"Well, technically, his father offered... but that's beside the point," She continued to blabber, her face lit up with a smile.

Personally, I couldn't believe what was going on and I looked at her in disbelief before summoning the strength to smile and nod.

I moved past Roman, purposefully shoving my arm against his, and walked right out of the cafe, my prior happiness disappearing into thin air.

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The desire to insert a bullet into the girl beside me was extremely likely.

Her unrestrained screechy voice had deafened my ears to the point where I considered pulling out earphones and blasting incomprehensible music to drown out the noise.

"Ro, what do you want me to get you?"

I leant back in my chair, rolling my eyes, and glanced out the window where Arabella had previously walked away from.

"Nothing." I replied bluntly.

"Are you sure?" She asked again. I looked at her coldly from across the table, and she got the message, walking away with a sense of fear.

Resting my arm against the armrest, I moved my palm up to my temple and slowly massaged it while I recalled Arabella's hurtful expression.

I would never have brought Haley here if I had known she was here.

Of course, I would've informed Arabella about this, but I had only just been told about this 'agreement' this morning.

My perfectionist of a father had advised me of some shady business Haley's father was getting up to behind our backs.

Because the problem appeared to be considerably larger than anticipated, I had to go 'undercover' to resolve it.

To put it another way, utilise Haley to disclose whatever the fuck her father was up to.

Apart from his Mafia activities, the man appeared to be a well-known businessman and has been involving some outsiders in our firm. And that's durably what I was trying to find out today.

Haley came off as an innocent woman. But she knew everything her father did, and the two were as close as ever, so she was quite nearly our only shot.

We couldn't merely kidnap her father and torture him until he spoke, owing to his success as a businessman. There would be news stories and other nonsense about him throughout New York.

Only after we figure out who he's been dealing with, would I kill him.

I could already see it in my mind's eye. 'Businessman dies a suspicious death. Causes: bullet wound.'

Their stories are usually the same, as they are for every known individual I've eliminated, as Arabella likes to put it.

I raked a hand through my hair roughly, while my mind seemed to be much too engrossed with reminding me of the most dreadful look on my Ella's face.

My fists clenched at the sides as I realised it was once again my father's fault.

Arabella didn't deserve to see that, she trusted me as I trusted her. Despite this, she sees me with another female right after she officially asked me to be with her.

Haley had returned, and my focus remained away from her.

She slid her chair closer to me, now sitting right beside me with her legs brushing against mine on purpose.

I shifted my own body away slightly and rolled my eyes internally.

"What are you thinking?" Her voice, yet again, came out in the sultry tone she tried with me.

God only knows if it's some throat infection instead.

I leant in a little closer, wetting my lips and turning my attention to her obnoxiously fluttering eyes.

It was close enough to make her want more, which was exactly what I needed to happen in order to get her to speak.

I gave a half-hearted shrug and averted my gaze from her.

"What are you thinking?"

She laughed, forced of course - nothing I had said was funny.

"Well..." Her voice drifted off as she placed a hand on my arm, slowly moving it, something that I couldn't stand. Like I've said initially, I hated being fucking touched.

Although, Arabella seemed to be the only person I could tolerate. Factly, I craved her touch.

"I'm thinking of you," She whispered, batting her eyelids.

I hummed, hardly paying attention to what she was saying as I gazed out the window.

"Haley," I said, and she nodded enthusiastically while retaining her hand on my arm.

"Yes, Roman?"

"Who's the man your father was with the other night?"

It was blunt, I knew that. Honestly, I didn't know any other way to put it. At this point, it's just a waiting game.

Said game was merely to see if she was ignorant enough to disregard the question as nothing and answer it - as it would give her a step closer to get me to fuck her.

Or, she wasn't naive and decided to question the question.

"Which man Ro?" Her eyes were innocently glancing at me as she asked, confused.

As my head begins to muddle from the intense angst of yearning to murder her, I bring my other hand to my jaw and begin to rub it.

I turn back to her, avoiding her eyes, and look behind her thick head - telling myself to hold it together.

"After the event on Saturday, he was talking to a man outside." I give the information slowly, hoping she will soak it in.

Her eyes light up with recognition, and she frequently nods her head.

"Oh, yes! That was Jeremy. He's been helping my father with some of the shipment loadings you've been conducting."

Fucking finally.

"Last name?" I demanded, adjusting in my seat as I prepare to leave.

"Jeremy Berlin," She responded, her voice faltering slightly as she sat there watching me.

"Where are you going?" She asked with a frown.

I exhale and run my hand through my hair, again.

"I have class," I reply shortly and bluntly.

"What? Your next lesson, though, is business, which isn't for another hour..."

My attention is riveted to her; her knowledge of my classes surprised me a bit. I take my phone from my pocket and dial my father's number, rolling my eyes.

I walked away from the girl, ignoring her, and strolled outside. Leaning against the brick wall, I patiently wait for my father to pick up.

Still amazes me to this day how I've been the one to do everything, yet he still couldn't get off his ass to call a few people and sort this one out himself.

My business is my business - and his is his own. It's always been that way, and it's always going to be that way.

Not a fucking mix and switch, to which he's attempted today.

I leant off the wall and shoved my hand into my pocket, my jaw clenched at the sound of his voice.

"Names Jeremy Berlin,"

From the other end of the phone, he hummed in response and started calling men in.

"I already have," I muttered.

The sinful thought of shooting her was terribly likely. With the short glares she had given Arabella, she had brought upon herself.

For a brief while, he was silent, as if he had taken my words seriously.

With a shake of my head, I scoffed at his assumption.

"I'm not going to kill her yet; don't we need her?"

He hummed again,

I looked up from the sidewalk when I noticed movement in front of me. From across the road, my eyes scanned the girl who's continually been forfeiting my mind for the past month or so.

She was carrying her bag over her shoulder and frowning at something on her phone.

"Alright," I reply to my father, my legs already progressing in her direction.

Translation: "Bye son, I'll speak to you later,"

"Ciao."

I shove the phone in my pocket and walk across the street, stepping directly towards Arabella's tear-streaked face.