Chapter 5

• Nessa Sims
• ~•~
• “We need to talk.” Vito’s voice cut through the quiet room.
• He was already dressed in his usual tux. Why was he dressed up so early in the morning?
• “Good morning to you too.” I pushed my blankets to the side and sat up, realizing I was not going to be getting any privacy in this house. “Yeah, we need to talk.”
• “One of my drivers will drive you so you can go pick up your son and get whatever you need from your apartment.” He walked towards the window and pulled the drapes to the side.
• “Is that all you want to talk about?”
• “Yeah, for now.”
• “Well, I can’t stay here. I have a whole life, you just can’t disrupt it out of the blues.”
• I tried my best to stay confident while saying it even if I was a little bit scared of what his reply would be. After thinking about it, I realized it was ridiculous. I had a son, a family, a team. What would I tell them about my absence? It didn’t make any sense for me to stay at his place.
• “We’ve talked about this and we’re not having this conversation ever again. If you try to run, I’ll find you. You have no choice but to stay here.” He walked towards me and placed his hands on the bed stand.
• His tone sounded fierce and commanding. It sounded like a threat, it definitely was.
• “And during your stay here, I know I’m irresistible but try not to fall in love with me. This relationship is strictly professional.”
• He sounded so cocky. Even though I found him very attractive, falling in love wasn’t part of my plans at this point in my life. I was never going to fall for a man like him. He was arrogant and demanding. He seemed like the kind of man who only cared about what he wanted.
• “I should be telling you that. You forced me to stay here against my will and popped up severally unannounced. Are you obsessed with me or something? “
• “I’m running late for my meeting. You can get breakfast downstairs later.” He acted like I didn’t ask him a question and left the room immediately. How could a man be so infuriating?
• I freshened up and put on my clothes from the other day. I picked up my phone to check if I had received any texts from my mum or Ellie. Those were the only two people who texted me on a normal day.
• I didn’t see any texts from them, but it was still very early so I figured they would still be asleep. I checked my mail and forwarded the appointment mail the doctor had sent for Liam to my mum.
• I went downstairs to find the dining room. Since I didn’t know where it was, I decided to explore the house.
• I walked towards the open space we had come through the other night. I still admired the beautiful paintings on the wall for a moment.
• “Who are you?” I heard a female voice walking towards me.
• “Hi, I’m Nessa.” I tried to be polite as I looked back to see a beautiful woman nearly the same age as me. She was also dressed up elegantly. I wondered who she could be.
• “Okay, Nessa. What are you doing here?” She asked curiously.
• “I don’t know, I work for Vito now I guess. Who are you?”
• “I’m Vito’s girlfriend.” So he had a girlfriend. All my theories about him being in love with me were null. “I’m Valerie. Nice to meet you.” She added.
• “I’m looking for the dining room.” I didn’t want to stay back to have further conversations with her.
• “Follow me.” She walked into the living room and beside it was the gigantic dining room, right outside the kitchen.
• “Have a seat, the chef will get you something in no time.” She walked away immediately and I sat down.
• It didn’t take long before a young man came out of the kitchen with a trolley filled with different meals. The scent of the food was amazing and I already knew it was going to be delicious. The thing about rich people was that they always paid for quality.
• “Hello, Nessa.” He called my name as he started setting the table. I should have been curious as to how he knew my name, but I figured Vito’s girlfriend must have told him. “I’m Tremani.” He placed the pots gently one after the other.
• “Hi, good morning.”
• “The boss already told me about you.” He corrected my suspicions.
• “Okay, nice to meet you.”
• “Enjoy your meal and make sure you have enough to eat.”
• He was the nicest I had met in the house, although I hadn’t met so many people. Just the people with stern faces who move around with Vito.
• I had only scrambled eggs and French toast for breakfast even though there was a variety to choose from. I ate quietly but Tremani came from time to time to ask me if I needed anything.
• “I hope you enjoyed your meal.” He smiled at me from across the room.
• “Yes, I did.” I returned the smile. “Do you by any chance know who’s meant to take me to go pick up my son?” I asked him.
• “Yes, he’ll be here shortly.”
• He went back to the kitchen to continue what he was doing and I rounded up my breakfast and went back upstairs.
• A few minutes later the telephone in the room rang and someone asked me to come down so he would drive me to meet my son and get new clothes.
• We drove to my mum’s house so I could pick up Liam. I was escorted by two of Vito’s men alongside the driver. He probably didn’t want me to try and escape so he ordered his men to follow me.
• My mum was already sitting on the front porch when we came. Her eyes were fixed on the black cars that just pulled up at the front of her house.
• “How’s Liam?” I asked before I even got to where she was seated.
• “He’s doing better and asleep. Who are those people?” She asked me, her gaze still on the two black cars.
• “It’s nothing, just work.” I didn’t know if I should tell her the truth. I didn’t want her to know I was involved in the mafia against my will. I knew it was dangerous and she knew it was as well. If she found out, she would never let me take my son there.
• “Hmmm.” She sounded suspicious but didn’t say anything else.
• We went into the house and I sat on the blue sofa that had been there ever since I was a kid. It was comfortable and brought many memories so it was hard to get rid of even though they had done many renovations in the house.
• “I came to pick up Liam.”
• “I haven’t taken him to see the doctor yet.” My mum replied.
• “I can do that.”
• “So why did you send me the email from the doctor if you knew you were coming for him?” She sounded so defensive and angry like it wasn’t my son we were talking about.
• “I sent it in case. I don’t know. Just pack up his stuff and tell him I’m here.”
• “You can’t take care of him well, just let him stay here until he’s completely fine.”
• “Mum, please let’s not start again. I’ll be able to take care of him better now.” I was already doing well with Liam, I tried my best to provide the necessary things he needed but it wasn’t good enough for my mum.
• “With what? Your meager and inconsistent job?” She didn’t have to come at me like that and I couldn’t tell her I’d gotten a risky job with meaningful pay.
• I didn’t reply to her, I walked into the room where Liam was sleeping. He looked so peaceful sleeping, tucked in with fresh sheets and a thick blanket. My mum always made sure he was comfortable.
• I started rethinking my decisions. Was it really safe to take him to Vito’s house? What if something bad happened to him? I wouldn’t forgive myself.
• “Mummy.” Liam sounded excited to see me. I went over and kissed him on his cheek.
• “How are you doing my baby?” I parted his curly hair and hugged him tightly. “Do you feel better?”
• “Yes, I feel better. Mama gave me my drugs.” He replied.
• “How do you feel about staying with Mama for some time?” I decided he wasn’t going to go there with me. I didn’t want to put my son in danger.
• “What about school?” Liam liked school a little too much because that was the only place he got to hang out with people his age.
• “Mama will take you there when it’s time.” It was still the summer break and schools hadn’t reopened.
• “Okay, I love staying with mama.” He jumped happily on the bed.
• Of course, he loved staying with her. She treated him so nicely like a prince.
• “The people you came with say they have to speak to you urgently.” My mum came from inside the parlor.
• “Urgently?” I took a deep breath and muttered.