SHE (Book #1)

Chapter 49

***Tempest POV***

I press the button to roll down the window as the smoke gets caught in my lungs.

"My apologies," Carlos says as he exhales smoke from his cigarette, "I should have asked if I could smoke in your car,"

"You shouldn't smoke in general, Mr. Romano. Your lungs won't appreciate being charred, you know," I say, making a turn at the traffic light to take him back to his hotel.

He takes the cig out of his mouth, "The cigarettes I smoke are custom made, not like these additive infested nicotine rolls of chemicals London sells. Besides, I smoke occasionally, dear, not 20 a day,"

I raise a brow at his explanation. I never understood why people smoke or why they found joy in doing it. It is just gradually destroying your body until you turn into some disgusting consequence. However, Carlos seems to understand and has his own cigarettes made, so I guess I should cut him some slack.

"Why do you look so sad, dear?" Carlos asks.

I let out the hurtful breath I have been holding, "I don't know... Malachi doesn't deserve any of this. He really doesn't and the way he just LET me take everything without a single fight hurts a lot more than any argument I have ever had with him. And his mother... breaking her heart in front of her husband didn't feel as good as I thought it would, but it had to be done. There was no way this could have a happy ending," I blurt.

Carlos stays silent to collect his thoughts.

"Tempest. I think, right now, you are not in a position to worry about others. Have you once sat down and thought about how horrible life has been for you? Malachi will be alright, for sure. I made sure Jacob signed the papers in front of me, and more than half his assets will go to his wife and Malachi. His mother will be fine; Emelia will get through this like the strong woman she is. Jacob can burn in hell, for all we care. But YOU, what's your next move? What are you planning on doing with everything you are about to inherit, dear?" Carlos speaks to me like he is concerned.

He came two days ago after he heard from Mr. Stone about everything I did. He wanted to see all the damage I have caused within a week and was impressed. I told him about my concern for Malachi, and he said he would fix it. he would handle everything perfectly fine because he was proud of how quickly I was able to bounce back.

But I didn't bounce back.
In fact, I am deteriorating.
Nothing I do truly fulfills the overwhelming joy of vengeance.

"I am leaving this place," I finally say, "I feel like the longer I stay here, the more I am reminded of my past,"

Carlos nods, "Where will you go? Do you have extended family members?"

I shake my head, "My mother was... was all the family I have ever had. I will be on my own for a while. I have transferred my college application to a university in Canada. I have already found a great place to stay, I can work and supply for myself if I need to," I hear my voice cracking. The fact that I have to run away from the only blood relative I have in my life pains me.

I pull into the hotel parking lot, "I don't plan on returning until it's time for me to take over the mafia. There is nothing for me here,"

"If you need anything, you know you can contact me? If your grandfather denies you money or refuses to let you leave, I will come and make sure he lets you go," he puts a hand on my shoulder, "I know you and I started on the wrong foot, but... I will never get to give a piece of fatherly advice... I will never have kids of my own to protect and watch succeed, and I am not asking you to be my daughter... I am asking you to look past my previous evil intentions. I might be THE bad guy, but I am not A bad guy,"