Heartbreak & Lies

I was sitting by the dinner room table, feeling really small, while being surrounded by Jonathan, Giovanni, Antonio and 3 other guys. All of them seemed to be pissed off.

“Why can’t you listen to me?” Jonathan yelled and slammed his fist down on the table.

I flinched and felt new tears running down my cheeks.

“I fucking told you, all of us told you, to stay the fuck away from him” Jonathan roared.
“Do you know what you have caused? Huh?!”

Feeling really scared, I hesitantly shook my head.

“Because of you, Luigi is hurt. Are you feeling proud of yourself?” Jonathan continued yelling.
“I’m starting to regret feeling sorry for you back then” he muttered.
“Go to your fucking room and stay there while we figure out what to do” he commanded while grabbing my arm harshly and started dragging me towards my room, before throwing me in and locking the door.

I don’t know how long I was lying on the floor crying my eyes out, but finally I calmed down and started thinking hard. Why was all of this happening?

Matteo’s face popped up in my head and I realized that he could probably help me, so I called him. Don’t ask why I trusted him so much, I just did.

“Residenza di Salmonelli” a woman answered.

“Hello, my name is Emma Hockings and I’m trying to reach Matteo Salmonelli” I said quietly, suddenly feeling stupid.

“Matteo, una donna anglofona sta chiedendo voi” I heard the woman say.

“Emma?” I heard Matteo ask after a few seconds.

“I’m scared” I whimpered, feeling close to tears again.

“Tell me what happened” he said, sounding very concerned.

I told him about everything that had happened since we moved here and how crazy Jonathan was acting.

“Shit” Matteo groaned.
“Can you in any way get out?” he asked.

“I could try to sneak out through the window. Why?” I inquired.

“Good. Do you remember where that fountain is? Go there and I’ll meet up with you” he said and said goodbye before hanging up.

I quickly changed out of my dress and heels into something more comfortable.
As quietly as I could, I opened the window, climbed out and closed it behind me.
I tried to keep to the shadows while sneaking away from the house.

I ran through the streets towards the fountain but didn’t see Matteo once I was there, so I sat down, waiting.

“Emma” I heard someone calling 5 minutes later and turned around.

“Matteo” I beamed.
“I didn’t think you were coming.”

“My car is over there” he said and nodded towards where he had come from.
“I’m taking you home for now” he explained and pulled me with him.

The car ride was very silent.

When we got to his house, which was almost the size of a mansion, he pulled me inside and pushed me down onto a couch.

“Is there anything else I need to know?” he stared at me.

“Um, no. I’ve told you everything” I answered quietly.

“Ok. You know that I can’t let you go back there. I don’t like the sound of what’s going on. The last thing we need is for them to do something drastic” he grumbled.

After that he was very silent, looking like he was thinking hard about something.

“Could you wait here? I need to make an important call” he smiled at me.

I nodded and he walked away somewhere.
Now that I was alone, I took a good look at this room.

It was very big, filled with antique furniture. There was a fireplace by the couches and above the firewall was this huge oil painting of Matteo in a tux and a beautiful woman in a wedding gown.
My heart sank a little. Matteo is married.

“That’s my wife, Rita” I heard Matteo say from behind me.

“She’s very beautiful” I tried to smile happily.

“Do you want anything to drink?” he asked and gently rubbed my arm.

“I would like a coke, please” I mumbled and watched him leave again.

Soon he came back with a glass of coke and we sat down.
I took a sip and glanced at the painting again.

The coke tasted a bit funny but I didn’t want to be rude, so I kept my mouth shut and drank it.

“So, how long have you been married?” I asked, feeling a tiny bit hurt.

“3 years. It was arranged but she is a good woman so I don’t have any complaints” he answered.

“Do you have any kids?” I blurted out and then blushed.

“No, not yet” he laughed.
“I wouldn’t mind it though.”

I started feeling woozy and my eyelids wanted to droop. Oh, dear god…

“You drugged me” I accused and tried to glare at him.

“I’m sorry. This is for the best, I promise” he whispered and caressed my cheek.

Next thing I know, I fell into darkness.