Her Last Night in the City Chapter 02
Nico’s cold gaze landed on me. I glanced at him once and looked away.
Whispers rippled through the crowd. “That’s the Don’s old mistress? She looks homeless.”
“She only got close to him because she looked like Elena. Total gold-digger,” someone sneered.
Elena waited for every taunt to sink in before she smiled and spoke. “So tell me, Natalie. Did you steal my ring?”
Nico watched me without blinking.
Elena crossed her arms. “If I remember right, you were the one who brought fresh towels to my suite.”
“I wasn’t!” I said, looking around at my coworkers. “Tell them! I just got here!”
No one said a word.
Elena looked at me with that half-smile.
The room went dead quiet. Everyone shrank like they were trying to disappear.
The manager pointed at me. “Don’t drag us into this. You were here this morning.”
A server nodded. “Yeah. I saw her go into Elena’s suite.”
I couldn’t breathe. This was a setup. They just wanted to please Elena.
“Ms. Volkov,” the manager bowed. “I’ll handle it.” Then he straightened up, his glasses catching the light. “Strip her.”
Two bodyguards slammed me to the floor almost instantly. I fought back, but they pinned my head down while others tore at my clothes. Nico and Elena sat nearby, polished and untouchable. The humiliation cut deeper than any pain I’d endured over the years. Worse than that, I was running out of time. The hospital. Luca needed that heart.
“Nico!” I looked at him desperately. “It wasn’t me! Please! You know me!”
“We were together for eight years. Did I ever take anything from you? Did I ever ask you for a single dollar?”
Nico was quiet for a moment. “People change,” he said flatly.
A cold dread washed over me instantly. I collapsed to the ground.
They stripped me down.
“Look at those ribs,” someone laughed. “Disgusting.”
Nico’s face darkened. He used to rest his head on my shoulder and trace his hands along my body. He said he loved the way I felt. Now he looked away.
Elena grabbed my phone, unlocked it with my face, and started scrolling.
“A hundred-thousand-dollar loan?” She turned the screen so everyone could see. “That’s a motive, isn’t it? Steal the ring, sell it, pay off the debt. Maybe get a little revenge while you’re at it.”
Nico shook his head. “Even after you left me, I never thought you were this kind of person, Natalie. You really let me down.”
“You know I left. Do you know why?” I said through my teeth.
Elena grabbed a fistful of my hair, a blade catching the light. “Shut your mouth. One more word and I’ll knock your teeth out.” She turned to Nico. “Baby, don’t waste your energy on her. Let me take care of it.”
Nico said nothing.
“Call the police,” I said. “I didn’t take it. Let them investigate.”
“The police,” Elena laughed. “Of course you’d snitch. You know Nico doesn’t deal with law enforcement.” She raised the blade. “I’ll start with your hands.”
“Elena!” Nico snapped sharply. “Don’t. Too messy.”
A flash of frustration crossed her face. She sheathed the knife. “Then tie her to the column.”
The manager dragged me toward a marble column. I fought hard. He smacked me.
“Accept it, Natalie. This is what happens when you cross the mob,” he hissed.
I was shaking, my mind blank.
Running out of time. Luca. My Luca.
I’d sworn I would take this secret to my grave. But my baby could die any minute.
“Nico! Nico!” Like I’d let go of everything, I screamed, tears streaming down my face. “I need to get to the hospital right now and make a payment. If I don’t, you’re going to regret this. You will regret this!”
Nico paused. “Who’s sick? You?”
“Probably her boyfriend,” Elena sneered. “She’s just playing the victim again.”
“No! Nico, that’s your son!” I screamed. “If I don’t pay in thirty minutes, they’ll give the heart to someone else!”
“He’s dying!”