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One thing I do know for sure, I will find out exactly where I’ve seen this guy.
Chapter 11
Micola
It’sbeenthreeweekswith this new phone, and I can’t lie, it’s the best one I’ve owned. Most things Alex touches or suggests are of good quality. I can’t lie about the best of people, and Alexander triumphs in the arena of fine quality. As much as it should be obvious, not everyone with money has style, and not everyone with money cares to hire people to style them if they can’t themselves. And it’s not only the technology or the eye for art where Alexander demonstrates quality.
Every day, Alexander sends me random midday texts filling me on his day as if we are some real couple. At first, I thought it was weird, but then it became expected. Sometimes, it can be quite helpful if I have no real plans for the day. There’ll be a place he goes to that’ll inspire me to check out later or the next day. He also adds a little flare to them like, ¨ Don’t get the cappuccino from there,¨ or, ¨I know you like citrus salads, so try the lemon fennel,¨ or ¨I left you 36 roses by your door because I can¨ or ¨It feels chiller than the weather says it is. May want to skip having those toned legs out today.¨
Charming has always been a great quality of his. I’ve been trying my best to ignore him in person. He does the same. Well, except a couple times. Minor things. Since the evening of the auction, Alex has stolen two kisses from me. Once in the kitchen after we watched Clara, the guitarist-singer, in concert. Once at home. We both grabbed a drink from the kitchen before heading to our own parts of the house. Alex grabbed me fairly casually to give me one thorough kiss that got me wet and made my eyelashes bat. And two days ago, he decided to devour my mouth on the veranda after a small art gathering in Hackney. He came into my room to relay some unnecessary message that could’ve been texted. He wanted more, and God knows I did too, but I pushed back, and Ithink I don’tregret it.
We are well aware of what we’re doing. I haven’t embarrassed our forced romance in public, so I’ve missed the chance of suffering the consequences, although it’s more like enjoying the consequences. I keep my head buried in art books, museums, and galleries across the city, and I even have several lunches with Clara.
Just returning home from eating an exceptional Pakistani lunch, I slide my bedroom door close. I plop on my bed when I spot a box on the bench at the foot of it. It must be a gown or something inside Alex wants to give me. Our next scheduled meeting isn’t for another four days. I actually have a meeting with Simon in a few that I’m almost tempted to cancel for no particular reason other than I feel like laying low today.
Hopping off my bed, I retrieve the brown box wrapped with a bloody red colored ribbon. It doesn’t feel pleasant in my hand. It feels a bit cryptic. I’m not sure how it got in my room. Alex must’ve entered, but that is unlike him, and plus, he’s been at Carvel these past few days making sure everything is going as planned. He’s quite the perfectionist. Plus, whenever there is an outfit for me to wear, with the exception of the first night here, it’s always hand delivered by Rosy, one of the house managers.
This is not an outfit.
I shake it, and something thumps around inside. I place it close to my nose and get a whiff of something putrid. I set it on the vanity table and grab a pen from the nightstand. Using the pen, I undo the ribbon. It falls apart easily. I take a deep breath before I lift the top of the box off. There’s a dark blue handkerchief with something wrapped inside. My instincts are telling me to not open it with my bare hands.
I scurry to the bathroom and find a pair of cleaning gloves in the back of the sink’s drawer. Slipping them on, I return to the box as the putrid smell reminds me of a cross between wet spring soil and diarrhea. Maybe fertilizer? But why? I jab it with a pen. Nothing moves. I flip the handkerchief over, and it still won’t open. It’s about the size of a phone. I unwrap it, and sure enough, it is a phone.
I press to turn it on, and it flashes red, blue, and white lights at me, bright and wild, mirroring American police lights. What the hell is this about? Then all of a sudden, it starts to speak to me in a chilling robotic voice.
¨Micola Costa, you know better than to sleep with the enemy. Your days will be gloomier the longer you disobey your family’s legacy.¨ And the message is on a loop.
My fucking brothers are so childish. I honestly want to laugh, but I’m more angry than anything.
How the fuck did this get in my room, and why does it stink like horseshit? Is it made out of it? Was it placed in it?
I wish Alex was here. I need him. As far as I know, there is only the chef in the kitchen, making us easy-prep meals. I can maybe ask her if she knows who dropped off this box. Right in my room?
Mateo and Ciro are sick! There’s no point in trying to call and argue with them. They sent this to scare the shit out of me, but all it makes me do is dial Mom. It’s almost noon in New York, and even though Mom loves her late brunch and outings with her friends, I hope she’s motivated to answer my call. There’s no guarantee she’ll answer me. This is an unknown number. I call. She doesn’t answer. I hang up and call again.
¨Hello?¨ There’s discomfort in her voice.
¨Mom! It’s me, Micola.¨
¨Hey. Are you okay?¨
“I’m okay for the most part.¨
¨Are you enjoying your summer off? I see you haven’t been posting on your Instagram, which is really not like you.¨
¨No, but my summer is busy over here. Healthfully so.¨
¨Are you really over there with Alex?¨ There’s disgust in her voice.
¨I have a deal with him. We arenottogether, and there’sno wayhe’s going to break my heart again.¨
¨Oh, well, your brother showed me the news article and pictures, and it looks otherwise to me, Micola.¨
¨Mom, I know it’s hard for you to believe, but we have an arrangement. It’s an agreement. An actual contract that we signed. I’m supposed to play his girlfriend while we are here in order to help him make deals which grants me a handsome donation from him to my studio. Very handsome amount.¨
¨Sounds like nonsense to me. He’s tricking you. You keep saying handsome to describe the amount of money this Handsome Matani is giving you. That’s what Matani’s are great at. Tricking.¨
¨I know, Mom. You have plenty of reasons to believe that, and…¨
