I slid myself behind the wheel, revved the engine and stepped on the accelerator speeding up to wherever place I could just clear my head.
'He is the reason why your parents never came home that night!'.
Those words kept echoing in my skull, over and over like a death knell. So he was the reason I was an orphan. For years, I had carried the suffocating weight on my own.
"Bad luck" wondering if I had only been in the car with them,maybe...just maybe I could have done something or atleast, we would have been together. I spent a lifetime blaming myself for surviving, while the true monster was out there living in luxury.
Vincenzo's face flashed through my mind, that cold , arrogant perfection of his. A new jagged sudden emotion clawed at my chest, feeling the need of destroying him and burn his world down until there was nothing left but ash.
I jammed the break suddenly causing a sharp screech of tires cut through the night in front of a bar called Tipsy Demon. At first glance, it looked like any ordinary roadside spot. The neon sign flickered boldly in the night, and its modern glass facade revealed nothing of the storm brewing inside me.
I exhaled slowly before stepping out of the car and entered the bar knowing fully well that there's no going back, though it looks like a normal bar common people visit. I know I shouldn't do this but I just needed a place to drown the weight of what Aunt revealed to me. The rich aroma of alcohol filled my nostrils and the atmosphere was stylish, even upscale-so unlike the chaos in my head, I sat onto one of the barstool.
"One cocktail" I said
The glass barely touched thew counter before I drowned it in one gulp. The fiery liquid scorched my throat, but I welcomed the it. Anything is better than thinking right now.
Just as I was savoring the sting someone appeared beside me.
"Rough night?"
A voice came beside me, I turned and frozed seeing who was it. The tall leaned man from the ballroom,his neatly blonde hair glinting beneath the dim colourful light. Even through the haze of alcohol, I could still recognized him, He offered a smile. "Well, I didn't get the chance to introduce myself the other day." There was something soothing in his voice.
"I'm Matteo." He said, I raised an eyebrow. "Matteo?.... Italian?."
He chuckled, and something about the sound somehow almost made my skin tingle.
"You don't have to tell me your name," he added, leaning in slightly. "Your aunt already did."
"Okay" I answered shrugging my shoulder, before drowning in another sip of my final one.
The alcohol was already kicking in hard, blurring the edges of everything around me into.
Maybe that was the point.
**********************
I groaned softly, rolling on the soft bed. I didn't want to wake up when something struck into my head. My head throbbed painfully.
"Ughn"
I pressed my fingers to my temple,wincing as the memory of last night refused to form. I glanced around, slowly realizing that I'm in my room.
'Wait..how did I get home?'
I tried to piece it together of what happened but everything felt... scattered
"Useless!" I muttered under my breath before heading toward the bathroom. Staring at my reflection in the mirror noticing how my face looks tired and tanned, After brushing my teeth and showering, I slipped into a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve turtleneck.
As I descended the stairs, closing my eyes to savour the smell of the toast and freshly brewed coffee, and opened my eyes to see what I didn't expect.
The guy I met at the bar last night, He sat at the table with my aunt, casually sipping his coffee casually.
My gaze shifted between both of them, They had clearly been talking before I arrived.
'Did he brought me home... and stay??'
"Good morning" He said, flashing the same charming grin
I didn't respond immediately.
"How's your hangover treating you?" He added.
"I'm fine" I replied shortly
"Matteo, I'm glad you could join us" my aunt said smoothly,then glanced at me.
" I see that you're feeling better."
"I'd love to stay longer," Matteo added, standing up, "but unfortunately, I don't have the luxury."
His eyes flickered to mine.
" I hope we get to talk again soon."
He winked at me before walking out, leaving me speechless, However I reminded myself that I'm alone with my aunt, the room went silent.
"Have you finally thought about it?" she asked, her eyes steady on me.
I slowly set my spoon down.
"Yes".
"And are you ready?"
I lazily met her gaze. "Yes."
She studied me for a moment as if searching for hesitation, she seemed satisfied when she found none. She nodded and resumed eating.
"The papers will arrive soon," she said calmly before wiping her mouth with the napkin on the table, standing up and left the room.
I sat there alone, staring into my plate. The weight of my decision settled deep in me.
***************
I flopped onto my bed, bouncing lightly on the mattress. Grabbing my tablet, I opened my work dashboard to check out the daily activities in my small company that i built over the years. After a while I contacted Emily my trusted assistant. She was holding down the fort back in New York, managing the company while am here.
With no pressing updates, I reviewed her reports, feeling the pride warming me, She had everything under control.
Then a notification popped up suddenly on my screen.