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With a deliberate motion, I reached for the pack of cigarettes on the dashboard, fingers brushing against the familiar texture. I pulled one out, the flame of the lighter casting a warm glow in the dim interior of the car.
I lowered the window and inhaled the first drag, the cool night air mingling with the tendrils of smoke that curled and dissipated into the darkness. The scent of gunpowder and distant chaos wafted in. It was a scene of duality—the city’s underworld was engulfed in a battle for power and dominance while I sat in contemplative serenity, a master of shadows and secrets.
In that moment, I knew one thing with unwavering clarity.
After this night, after the smoke cleared and the echoes of gunfire faded, I would return to Audrey. I would attempt to dispel the fear that had taken root in her heart. It was a daunting task, one I found more difficult than the elimination of an old and powerful Mafia family, but it was one that I had to undertake, for the sake of my child and the promise of a future free from the shackles of darkness.
As the minutes stretched on, the gunfire began to dwindle, replaced by an eerie hush that settled over the compound. My cigarette burned down to a stub and I flicked it out into the night, watching it disappear like a fading star. The plan had unfolded, the don of the Bianchi family, Giuseppe Bianchi lay defeated at last, and the city’s balance of power had shifted. I’d finally accomplished what my father had struggled but failed to do all his years.
I waltzed into the battered building with Anton, Vlad opting to remain in the car. I met Giuseppe on his knees surrounded by my men, his frail countenance glaring at me menacingly.
"I thought we had a deal, Mr. Bianchi," I said to him with a straight face.
He chuckled, "Well, when I saw such a prize handed to me on a silver platter, how could I pass it up?" Anton and I glanced at each other, before I pulled my gun from my vest and pointed it at his head. This was a scene I had lived over and over since my teenage years. I was caught in an infinite time loop, with only the faces altered.
"Any last words, Don Giuseppe Bianchi?" I asked him.
"Make sure you take good care of your kid," he closed his eyes and braced for the end. A loud bang echoed as the body of Giuseppe fell inanimate to the floor.
"Move out, people," I ordered and we left the building.
With a final glance toward the compound, I bade Anton to turn the car around and head back toward the heart of the city. Our mission was complete.
The silence within the car remained, but now it was tinged with a sense of accomplishment. I realized that maybe it was a sense of camaraderie that had prevented my father and old man Giuseppe from ultimately taking out the other. After all, they did go way back. Fortunately, such a bond didn’t exist between us, and I had a goal to achieve.
The city’s skyline rose before me, and the dream of the world I sought to shape slowly took form in my eyes—a paradise where my child, where all children, could thrive without fear. And so, with the echoes of gunfire fading into the night, I pressed on and headed back home.
Chapter 18 - Audrey
Ivan was absent this whole weekend and I was fighting pregnancy cravings, mood swings and utter confusion in my mind. Hence, I decided to face one pending thing and dialed one of my best friends.
"Hello," Charlotte answered the call groggily.
Did I wake her up?
"Sorry, Char. It's Audrey," I replied sheepishly.
"Oh my—oh my God! Gold! Is that you? Is that really you?" Charlotte exclaimed.
"Yes. Yes, it is," I laughed. It was nice to hear that nickname Gold again.
"Where have you been? The note you sent to both Claire and me saying you needed time to figure everything out was so vague. Then, when I visited your place, the landlord said you had moved out to go live with some rich guy," Charlotte related.
"Yeah, I'm very sorry about not reaching out earlier. A lot of things happened," I humbly apologized.
"So where are you right now?"
"Remember Ivan, right?"
"Yes, the father. Did you finally meet him?" Charlotte asked.
"Yes, I did. It’s been a whirlwind ever since, but--" I hesitated. “Char, I am engaged to be married.”
"Whoa! Oh my God! Since when?" Charlotte's surprise was palpable.
"It's been two weeks or so. The wedding will be soon," I drew imaginary circles on the silk sheet of the bed, "You'll be there, right?"
"Of course we will, Gold,” Charlotte assured me.
