Chapter 78: Chapter 78

ANGELIC...

I toss the full cup of coffee into the nearest trash can as I walk down the college hallway. Definitely the worst coffee I've ever had.

It's funny to go back to my normal life and realize that nothing is really normal. Last summer, I walked down that same hallway, but I was a different person. Everything was different, and now... and now LeBlanc exists.

I don't like him, however, I like the person I'm with him.

My phone vibrates and I take it out of my bag. When I see that it's a call from Margot, I have a huge desire to reuse the call. But given Elliot's illness, the family's media fame, and the detective on our trail, I decide to answer.

- Margot ?

- Did you read the news this morning? - she growls, without even greeting me.

I hear noises in the background, and it reminds me that Elliot's birthday is only a few days away. It wouldn't be Margot Donneli if he didn't throw a big party.

- Not yet. What was it? - I ask.

I leave the college building. I still have to wait for Skyla to leave her class because I'm on a walk today. I sit on one of the concrete benches in front of the building and watch the movement in the street.

- Elliot froze the mutual fund this morning. Three Silicon Valley companies have closed and more than thirteen million people have been laid off. It's in two fucking hours! - Margot is screaming, and I have to take the phone away from my ear - People are protesting in front of the White House. Elliot's car has been pelted with rotten eggs and tomatoes - his outrage is so well expressed I can imagine him huffing - Re-election will now be impossible!

Margot doesn't care about my dad, let alone his candidacy. But she cares about her social status, and a lot! In other words, being the wife of a bankrupt politician is out of the question.

- Wow... - I have almost nothing to say - Do we have any recommendations?

Now that our lawyer has been killed, who will tell us what to do?

- Yes - she lowers her voice - If you have money in the account, withdraw it immediately. We will also be selling some jewelry and bags so we don't starve for the next few days.

I smile, even though I don't find it funny.

So this is what the background looks like?

- Now, we're really broke, aren't we? - I'm asking a rhetorical question.

- Elliot would need a lot of money to fix this shit - Margot sighs - No one in their right mind would waste money on the Donnelis.

Your words hurt me. It hurts me physically to hear Margot talk about our family like it's bullshit. Yes, we may be in the mud right now, but there have been Donnelis better than me, better than Elliot, and definitely better than her.

“Come home and put the jewelry aside for me to pawn tomorrow before the police come and take everything we have left,” Margot continued. For the first time in a long time, I hear the defeat in his voice.

- He is fine.

After that, Margot hangs up.

I take a deep breath and look up at the blue morning sky. Things would be different if my mother was here...

When I look back down the street, I see the Bugatti parked on the other side. I almost smile. However, I know he's watching me, so I won't give him that satisfaction. I get up, adjust my dress and head for the car.

The street is busy today, and on days like this, I'm grateful to be an anonymous person. If they knew I was Elliot's daughter, they'd throw tomatoes and eggs at me too!

When I pull up next to the Bugatti, LeBlanc rolls down the passenger window and I lean in until I can see him. I hate to admit how attractive he is, but today, in particular, I'm a little impressed. He wears casual clothes, like someone coming out of a round of golf on a Monday. And, of course, every good tycoon wears aviator sunglasses.

"Nice dress," he said.

I look down. It's the same dress I wore to church the last time we saw each other.

- Are you stalking me?

" Yes. He takes off his sunglasses as he speaks in a neutral tone, as if he doesn't just sound like a psychopath.

- And who taught you the way to me? - I ask, mocking him, because I heard this question when I looked for him. He's laughing.

- I wanted to do you a favor - LeBlanc points to the console of the car, where there are two cups of coffee of my favorite coffee - Coffee?

- I have to go home, and Skyla will drive me.

- Send him a message. Say you'll come with me.

I smile. Solving other people's lives is always so easy.

- Because? - I ask.

- Because I ask.

His eyes are fixed on mine, and the way the green and yellow blend together has me mesmerized. They do not see, they devour.

"Asked," I repeat, raising an eyebrow.

I open the door and get in the car, without too much reluctance or banter. I actually didn't want to wait for Skyla's class to end anyway. As soon as I settle into the seat and buckle my seatbelt, LeBlanc hands me the cup of coffee. I breathe in the sweet scent of whipped cream and I already feel like my day has improved.

- How do you know what I like to drink? - I'm asking.

LeBlanc starts the car and pulls into traffic. He turns his face slightly towards me.

"I know everything about you," he said looking me in the eye. Part of me is racing because I know there's no legal way to find out everything about someone else's life. But the other part of me...

No one has ever cared so much about what I love. Of course, my father should have paid more attention to me so that I didn't have to be thrilled that an older man did.

- Actually, I read the morning news - he whispers - If you need anything, you can talk to me.

Oh yes. The news of Elliot's bad decision.

- And what would you do? Will you take me home and pay my bills? - I'm kidding, because I'm tired of serious things.

- If you needed it, yes.

I stare at him, looking for a cocky little smile. However, it is serious, focused on traffic. LeBlanc wasn't kidding.

If another man said those words to me, I would be offended. Being supported as an invalid is not something I want to do any longer. Yet, in a weird way, when he says he would do this for me, I feel a little comforted.

- Elliot is desperate not to go bankrupt. He did the first thing that seemed to make sense and ended up losing the support of half the country - bitch - I can bet he did it for Margot.

- Because?

I look at the landscape through the window. I think of a rational answer that doesn't make me look like the grumpy stepdaughter who doesn't like her stepmom.

- He always did everything for her - I say - I hate the way he put me in the background, but I'm not judging Margot... - my voice sounds a little lower - I mean, it is a viper, but who would You don't want to be treated with so much priority?

Elliot wouldn't just die for Margot. He would live for her. He would leave everything behind and live off the crumbs she threw from the table. It doesn't matter what she does, who she sleeps with, or if she's just financially interested. Nothing matters as long as she's still your wife.

- You are right. She seized the opportunity - LeBlanc agrees.

I look up at the sky, which was blue and is now gray.

- Do you think it will rain today? The clouds are dark - I ask.

- Probably yes - his tone expresses disgust, so I glare at him. It's one of the few times he shows emotion.

- You don't like the rain?

- Nope. Rain is the enemy of work - he thinks for a second - So is sleep.

- Who? - I almost screamed - Sleeping is the eighth wonder of the world!

- For the lazy, maybe.

- Stop the car. I can't stand being next to someone so grumpy.

He smiles and I realize this is the first minimally normal interaction we've had. No beards or control games. Just two people talking and laughing because they don't have to declare the defense position all the time. It makes me smile because I missed some light moments.

I... I like it. I like to think there's a trace of normalcy in our interaction.

THE WHITE...

When we arrive at the Donneli Mansion, it's as if all of Angelic's life energy has been depleted. She gets out of the car when I open the door, enters the house and looks around. And right now, she's just a scared girl, unsure of her future. Angelic walks in front of me, and as I plan to walk towards Elliot's office, she begins to climb the stairs.

- You know my father has no salvation, right? - Said Angelique, suddenly, still turning her back on me.

Hi...

Not. He has no salvation. But she's still there, isn't she? To live day after day as if his family name was worth more than his own life.

"I'm not here for him," I reply.

Angelique looks at me over her shoulder, and when she does, I can almost see more than just the outside. I don't believe in that soul shit though... if anyone has one, it's Angelique.

The moment she turns around and finishes walking up the stairs, I realize I'm here for a reason: to put a period in the place of a comma. I walk to Elliot's office.

If it was another president's house, I wouldn't have so much freedom to come and go. Respect would be above any intimacy. However, after bad decisions by his government, Elliot completely lost his credibility. He is only seen as a seat warmer for the next president.

Arrived at the office, I knock twice on the door and open it. Elliot sits behind the mahogany desk, smoking a cigar. Seeing me, he nods, getting up quickly.

- It's good to see you - he extends his hand to me, but I refuse. I don't want to have the smell of tobacco ingrained in me.

- Doing bad business? - I comment.

I go to the window overlooking the garden. I remember the birthday party that took place here. It was one of the first conversations I had with Angelic, and if I'm not mistaken, his tongue was as sharp as it is today.

- You know what it is - Elliot brings the cigar - They'll hate me for a few hours, but then they'll forget.

- So you're not thinking about getting re-elected.

I turn to the president. His mischievous eyes stare at me like I'm an ally. As if we shared the same idea.

Millions of people have lost their jobs today, and because of this, their children will have nothing to eat for dinner. People who had little and now have nothing. Yes, they will, but not before they almost die.

- I do... - he taps the end of the cigar on the ashtray - I make new friends and get rid of old ones. I arm myself in the most subtle way possible. In the elections, people will have no choice.

I said with a nod, looking out the window. I'm diagonal to see Elliot in my peripheral vision. I never back down.

I make new friends and get rid of old ones...

I don't need to think too much. Within a few weeks, there were two attacks and two deaths of significant people in the Elliot cycle. If he has new friends and got rid of old ones, then...

- Mares was on his way - I say - And the lawyer too.

I don't have to look at Elliot to see the big eyes. The cigar stops in the air between his fingers. That's a good enough answer for me.

- I can understand what you did with the lawyer. He knew too much - I say - But the senator...

"He knew about the diamonds," Elliot admits breathlessly. He walks around the table and approaches me - Angelic would marry Vicenzo, then the Mares would get their hands on the diamonds, effortlessly.

"She wouldn't marry him," I assure you.

Elliot stares at me, but doesn't ask about it.

- Anyway, Mares had more resources than me. It was a snake, and it wouldn't take long to pounce – he takes another hit, then throws the cigar to the ground and stomps on it – Shit! Everything went wrong.

Needless to say, Elliot is digging his own grave. He knows it. His decisions are so badly taken that they seem to come from evidence.

- Do you know how many millions have been invested in Silicon Valley? - he asks - I lost all investments.

The diamonds would save Elliot anyway. He would be freed from the noose around his neck. However, I wonder how far would he go to get the diamonds? What would he do with the people around him? The people you claim to love?

What would he do with Angelic?

I don't want to say that I'm better than him. One day, these diamonds were also my goal.

- How much do you need? - I wonder.

- Who? What do you mean ? - Elliot frowns.

When I did my first job, I loved the feeling of power that moment gave me. Deciding on someone's death. Define what will be your last day, your last meal, your last words...

I felt it was God.

Then came the other jobs. With each shot, the feeling of control increased. I didn't feel like the villain of the story; I just felt it was the bridge. People who had money but lacked the courage to pull the trigger came to me, and I answered their requests like prayers.

However, Margot found me. It was easy; I was supposed to study the situation, find the perfect moment and shoot. I didn't, and I'm glad I didn't. Those fucking diamonds aren't worth Angelic's life.

"Give me an amount, and I'll pay it," I whisper.

Elliot wants money to settle his life and get out of the abyss. I will give you this.

- What do you want in return?

I turn completely towards him, looking him in the eye. I see a ray of hope because this rat would do anything for money. So, loud and clear, I say:

- Her daughter.

Elliot stifles a laugh, almost in disbelief.

- Why would I want this?

- Private matters.

Elliot doesn't need to know my motives. He might just think I'm doing this because I don't want the FBI chasing me when they find out what he's up to. Because, you know, they're going to find out.

He shakes his head. Elliot knows that selling his daughter would be as bad as prostitution, if not worse. However, no one said they cared.

- She's an adult, anyway, I can't force her to move in with you - he leaves. I can see the gears in his head spinning, because he knows I have enough money to save his life three times, and there would be more. Elliot sits in his chair, looks at me and shrugs - Damn. Vicenzo would marry her and he wouldn't pay me for it - he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees - Ten million dollars.

If I were an ordinary man, I would be horrified. A good man capable of selling his own daughter? Who could be so cruel?

However, I have seen too much barbarism around the world. Elliot is almost boring. But I have to say that the only thing holding me back in this room right now is the certainty that Elliot's terrorism has come to an end.

Now the only thing putting Angelic's life in danger is me.