Chapter 15: Chapter 15

I am sitting on a chair while Marta’s co-worker Layla is working on my makeup. My brain has been pacing around for five minutes trying to figure out what in the hell is going on and the hell I saw. My mind is blasting with questions and I feel like one more question will blast me up.

Why will Richie lie to me, it doesn’t make any sense. I saw the plank fall on his arm, I saw the blood streaming from his body. It’s not possible, I know what I saw, Richie can’t be lying. But at the same time, my mind keeps telling me I’m wrong, it doesn’t make any sense, if Richie is truly hurt then how was he did he slam his hand against the car without feeling any pain?

There was no sign of pain on his face.

When Rebecca told me to stop the car, I saw Richie, I guess his car broke down and he was repairing it when he suddenly got frustrated and slammed his hand on it. He didn’t look like he was in pain, in fact, he looked angry; he probably must have finished arguing with someone. It is shocking because the last time I checked, Richie wasn’t able to drive his car and today he drove. And that’s even what shocked me the most when I saw Richie, he had no bandages on and his arm looked perfectly fine.

God! This is so confusing, I am going crazy in my thoughts. I am so glad that I told Rebecca to come over so we can talk about this. Something is definitely wrong and I’m gonna find out what it is.

"A little bit of blush and……done," Layla says pulling me out of my thoughts. She gives me a small mirror to look at myself.

Wow! Is definitely the first word I will like to say but "Damn" escaped my mouth. She is very good at her job. She seriously worked some magic on me. My makeup is flawless there isn’t a single blemish on my face.

"So, what do you think?" She asks smiling at me. She seems so confident.

"I love it," I respond still looking at my face.

"Great. Your dress is ready, you can put it on."

I thank Layla for helping me lay the dress on the bed. I put on a golden floral lace strappy backless gown. The back is completely open which exposes my bareback and shoulder. Layla helps me put on my diamond necklace with its set of earrings. I slip on my shiny heels and then walk to the full-length mirror to take a look at the full ensemble. The gown is so long that it covers my heels, one wouldn’t even know what kind of shoes I am wearing.

I turn around the moment the door was opened by Richie. I looked at the smile on his face, and my gaze immediately turn to his so-called broken arm. It hurts me that Richie is lying to me. I should have expected it from him, after all, all mafias are liars.

Layla excuses herself as Richie walks into the room. "Thanks, Layla." I say before she left.

Once Layla steps out, I turn my gaze to Richie. "Thanks for the dress," I say. I don’t want to act ungrateful that’s why I thanked him.

"I should be thanking you for wearing it." He smirks walking toward me.

I roll my eyes. Doesn’t he get tired of flirting?

"You look very beautiful." He says kissing the side of my head. He gently wraps his arm that isn’t bandaged around my chest as he kisses my hair. He says he doesn’t want to ruin my makeup by kissing my face.

Asshole. I want his lips nowhere close to my body.

Richie continues to kiss me and I couldn’t hold it back. I can’t take this anymore, I have to say something. I can’t let him keep lying to me like this.

"You seem quiet today, are you okay?" His arm is still around me, and he looks at the side of my face. I nodded and a fake smile popped on my face.

I want to question him but I don’t want to be proven wrong. It’s going to hurt him if I tell him that he is lying about the injury.

"No, I won’t buy that, definitely something is going on in your brain. What’s wrong." He said finally taking his hand off me. He stands in front of me and he holds my hands gently and firmly.

I looked at the bandage he had on his arm, and I couldn’t bring myself but to ask him what has been blasting in my head.

"Are you actually injured, Richie?" I ask

"What are you talking about? I don’t understand." The smile he had begins to vanish

"Your arm, are you hurt?" I ask again

"Oh that. It hurts a little but I will be fine." He asks caressing that side of my face " Is that what is bothering you?"

"No." I take his hand off my face. I turn around wanting to try to stop myself from the urge of tearing that bandage off his arm so I can see if he’s really hurt or not. I put my hands against my temples. This is so hard, I hate when I’m being lied to. I hate Richie personally, and now he just made me hate him more.

"What’s wrong Rach?" He asks stepping closer to me. He turns me around to face him "Did Emily say something?"

"No." I say

"Then what’s wrong? Did something happen at the salon?"

"No." I turn around and he makes me turn to look at him again.

"Rach, come on, what’s wrong?" He asks; concerned.

I shut my eyes and take a deep breath. Opening my eyes I blurt out "I want you to take your bandages off."

"Uhm- okay." He says and begins to loosen the bandage around his arm.

"You’re not gonna ask me why I asked you to do that?" I ask, surprised by his actions.

"Why would I? You are worried and if a little thing like taking my bandage off is gonna make you feel better then I will do it."

He’s just trying to flatter me. I’m not falling for that. Richie wraps up the bandage off his arm and my eyes widen to see that he’s actually injured.

"You see Rach, I’m healing. You have nothing to worry about." He says smiling

"How is that possible." I instantly clasp his arm. "I saw you, you can’t be injured." I turned his arm around and there is it- I am wrong. My fingers were stained a little bit with his blood and I realized what I just did.

I made a big fool out of myself.

Richie is hurt and I made the poor guy take off his bandages.

"Rach, what’s going on?" He asks

"I will be back," I say, ignoring his question.

I need some fresh air, I have to rethink what I saw. I was about to walk into the bathroom when Richie holds my hand. I turn around and he had a questioning look on his face.

"I didn’t want to ask you this because I thought you are worried for me but what you just said made me realize I’m wrong." He steps closer to me to have a full look at my face

"Rach, did you think I was lying to you about being injured?" He asks; his voice low and firm.

"Yes." I didn’t waste a second before I responded. I have the right to check, even if I am wrong, I’m glad I checked because if I didn’t, I would have spent the whole day thinking of it.

He sighs letting his head drop "Come on Rach. I.." He halt mid-sentence "Why would you even think that?"

"I saw you today. I don’t know whether you wear coming back from the office or going but I-"

"Today is Sunday Rach," He cuts me off "Why would I go to the office? I had an interview at home and I didn’t even leave the house afterward." He explains

"Look, Rach, I know you don’t love me and I understand that. I know you don’t want to move in with me and I also understand….but." He breathed in "You gotta at least try and trust me. I will never lie to you, Rach."

Unsure of what to say or what to do. I stood there looking at him. How can I be so stupid, I saw the plank fall on him and I am still doubting him. He saved my life and I doubt him for that.

"I am sorry if I’m overreacting but I just find it very hard that you thought I am faking my injury." He sighed

I will be lying if I say I don’t feel terrible right now. I want to tell him what I saw but I don’t think I’m in the right place to say anything that will defend my actions. I understand what he’s saying, it’s so hard to live with someone that doesn’t trust you. I can’t trust Richie- that’s for sure but I can at least try and understand him.

Richie brings out the first aid kit and he sits on the bed trying to wrap a new pair of bandages around his wound.

Man! I feel so bad for questioning him.

I walk to him and sit beside him. Without saying a word, I take the first aid kit from him and hold his arm to help him. As I was cleaning his wound, I feel his eyes on me but I refuse to look at him.

"I’m sorry," I say with my gaze still on his arm.

"It’s okay. I needed to change the bandage anyways." He responds casually.

"I am sorry for doubting you," I say biting my tongue. "I shouldn’t have done that."

"It’s okay, Rach. I understand."

I know he doesn’t understand, and I know he’s hurt but I don’t think I can do anything about it. I finish dressing his wound and I was about to walk into the bathroom to get that little blood stain off my finger when Richie spoke.

"The party has started, everyone is waiting for us." He says gazing at his phone. He then looks at me as he tugs his phone into his pocket. "Are you ready?"

I nodded "Yes."

~ RICHIE POV

We got to the living room and all the light went off and a bright directional light shed on us making us the center of attention. Flashlights screamed at our eyes as Rachel and I walked down the stairs side by side. My hand is on Rachel’s waist and my gaze was only on her.

She looks very beautiful.

The host welcomed Rachel and me as the most beautiful couple in town. Rachel has a beautiful smile on her face, she looks very happy and I too have a smile on my face, but I’m not sure if I’m happy. The audience begins to clap as the flashlights of photos begin taken never stop. The host is right, we do look like the most perfect couple. That smile I had on my face never left- how would it? I just made Rachel feel bad about herself. I didn’t enjoy doing that but I had no choice, I was in a stranded situation. Rachel is right, I am not injured, nothing is wrong with my arm. I am not a fool to save a girl and put myself in danger. I love my life more than anything in this world and for no reason will I put myself in harm.

All this was Papa’s plan, he guided me to it. He told me everything I could do to get her into the Maranzano mansion and I guess it perfectly worked. He had me talk to the Carpenter to switch the real plank with a fake one and he got me this amazing doctor that could easily do exactly as I say with just a pale of cash. I knew Rachel was going to take me to the nearest hospital so that wasn’t a bit surprising. Every single thing that happened that day was a lie, a big fat lie that had to be made to get her to stay with me.

My family never went to Miami, they were on our farm house which is miles away from here. Papa had them move for the day, he told them that he wanted to celebrate his life and the amazing family he has. So with that, he got all of them out of the house and told them that I couldn’t go with them because I have a last minute important meeting. I got the driver to do exactly what I wanted him to do and he did that job perfectly. As for the maids, Papa handled that. I don’t think any of my family members know what Papa is planning to do, I don’t even know what he’s planning to do either but I think it’s the best thing; he always does the best things.

The moment I heard a car park in an instant, I knew I was being watched and I knew it was Rachel, from a glance at her car, I knew it was her and I knew I had to do something about it. So I got back home early and hired some very skilled special effects makeup artist that will help me get my arm injured- well, look injured. They did a perfect job just the way they do in the movies. Even my fake blood looks real. I had to pay them double the price since it is a last minute job but it was worth it. Rachel totally bought the fake injury.

I turned my gaze to Rachel, she is talking to some guest. I sometimes wish the smile on her face last forever, it makes her look even more beautiful but I’m afraid it won’t because she’s never gonna expect what’s coming for her.

I’m so sorry Rachel, but Papa’s gotta do what he gotta do. I don’t know what his intentions are but I trust him. He is my only true family. The man that dug me from the grave I fell.