Ch. 151..155: Love Slave to the Mafia Boss's Passion Chapter 151-155

Chapter 151: Losing

My work at the art school was going well and the children in my class were fun to work with. Despite that, the joy of teaching the kid had waned during the past week as my mind shifted back and forth between the reality in front of me and my memories of Hayden.

"Malissa, do you have a minute?" the lady called out to me from behind the reception desk at the art school.

I had just finished teaching for the day and was packing things up.

"Sure," I said before putting some art supplies back into the cupboard.

"Your classes have been getting a lot of positive feedback both from the students and their parents. So, I was wondering if you would be open to take on additional classes," she said with a gentle smile.

"Umm…I guess I can…" I replied.

I was quite free now and I haven’t found a full-time job so working extra here wouldn’t hurt. I’ll be making more money that way too, so this was the perfect opportunity.

"That’s great. I’ll prepare some documents for you tomorrow and you can let me know what you think but we’re thinking of getting you to teach another class for older students," the lady said with a kind smile.

"Sure. That would be great. Thank you for the opportunity," I thanked her.

When the conversation came to a close, I picked up my bag and started heading back to my apartment. Perhaps things aren’t so bad after all. I looked up at the sky and saw that the dark grey rainclouds seemed to have parted and the sun was shining through. I don’t think it’s going to rain anymore today.

I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately and tonight was no different. Tossing and turning in bed for hours became a common occurrence for me. Usually, I would toss and turn in bed before sleep would take over sometime late into the night. It was the same for tonight; however, my phone started vibrating in the middle of the night.

Reflexively, I reached out my arm for the phone before connecting the call. It’s so late at night, I wonder who it could be…

"Miss Malissa?" a woman’s voice spoke through the phone.

"Yes, it’s me," I replied.

"Please come to hospital immediately. There’s been a sudden change in your grandmother’s condition…" the woman said urgently.

"Is she ok?" I asked as I bolted up in bed.

"Please hurry," the woman replied, and I could tell that the situation was dire.

"Ok…" I replied in a whisper.

I mumble softly just before the line disconnected. It was a nurse calling from the hospital and from her voice, I knew that things weren’t fine with my grandmother. Her condition must have taken a turn for the worst, and they needed me there immediately. I knew this, but I was too shocked that my body wouldn’t move.

Grandmother, please be alright…

…

When I arrived at the hospital, the nurse that had called me was waiting for me in the lobby. I was so scared that I honestly did not remember much of anything of my trip to the hospital. My lips were trembling, and I wasn’t sure if I could speak. One look at me and the nurse just nodded and beckoned for me to follow her.

"Please follow me, quickly," she said sternly.

It was late at night and the hospital was quiet. My mind was struggling to keep up with the situation and it felt like I was floating along as I followed the nurse on wobbly legs. After a short walk, we arrived at the ICU.

"The doctor will be here shortly," the nurse said before she nodded at me and took her leave.

I stood there in front of the door as I waited for the doctor. In less than a minute the doctor that was in charge of my grandmother’s case appeared through the double doors of the ICU. I turned towards him as I prayed silently for my grandmother to be fine.

"My grandmother…" I whispered in a shaky voice.

Tears stung the back of my eyes and it felt like I could stand crying at any moment now. The doctor had a grim look on his face and that alone told me that everything was far from fine. I gulped as I waited for the doctor to speak.

"Please go in and spend some time with your grandmother. We can talk later. There isn’t a lot of time left," the doctor said calmly as his hand started pushing the door open for me.

I was at a loss for words. A part of me just couldn’t believe that this was really happening. My grandmother had been in the hospital for a few months now and I should have been prepared for the worst. However, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t prepare myself to handle this. This is all just too sudden.

Tears welled up in my eyes and with a small nod, I entered the ICU where my grandmother was waiting. Before I entered the room, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to see. However, the sight of my grandmother sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed seemed too normal. Nothing seemed wrong with her, she was just sleeping there with many machines hooked to her body.

I could see that they were monitoring many things, the only thing I could understand based on my limited medical knowledge was her blood pressure and her heart rate.

There was a chair next to her bedside and I quietly sat down on it. I wasn’t sure what to do. I was scared that I would wake her up and disturbed her rest. She looked tired and the color of her skin didn’t seem healthy. Was this what it looked like when life is slowly slipping away?

Suddenly, my grandmother started stirring on the bed. Slowly her eyes opened. At first it seemed like she was slightly confused but then her eyes focused on my face, and she smiled a little at me.

"Grandma…" I whispered softly as I took her hand into mine.

 

Chapter 152: Last Words

"Lisa…" she said, her voice sounding so weak.

I felt so scared that I started crying, my tears flowing freely down my cheeks. My grandma also had tears in her eyes, and I knew that she probably knew that she didn’t have a lot of time left.

"Grandma…I…" I began speaking in between my sobs.

However, my grandmother just shook her head as if she didn’t want me to say anything. I bit my lower lips as I closed my eyes from the pain. More warm tears rolled down my cheeks as a result.

"Lisa…listen to me…well…" she said in a whisper so soft that I had to lean in to hear her speak.

Unfortunately, I had sense that her next words to me may be her last. I nodded my head and brought my ear closer to hear lips so that I could hear her better.

"You’ll be happy with Hayden. He’ll…take care of you…just like…when you were young…" she whispered as her breathing became more labored.

"What?" I said in confusion.

My grandmother was breathing in fast shallow breaths at this point and all I could do was hold her hand tighter in mine.

"I love you…Lisa…" she whispered.

"No…doctor…doctor!" I called for the doctor loudly as my hand reached out to press the button that had the bell symbol on it.

"I love you…grandma…someone please help!" I wailed loudly.

The door burst open, and the doctor and a few nurses quickly came into the room. The doctor began checking on my grandma while another nurse gently peeled me away from her side.

"Please leave for now…" the nurse said gently as she led me away and out of the room.

I couldn’t take my eyes away from my grandmother. What if this is the last time that I’m going to get to see her? What if there isn’t a next time?

My eyes were glued on her as the nurse continued to pull me away. Then the door of the ICU closed in my face, and I was back outside in the cold and lonely corridor that led to this room.

"Please wait here, the doctor will be here to see you soon," the nurse instructed before she quickly disappeared back inside the ICU.

…

I wasn’t sure how long that I’ve been sitting here all alone on this cold bench in front of the ICU. Most probably, not a lot of time had passed by. However, it felt like an eternity has gone by in the span of a few minutes as I waited eager to hear about my grandmother’s condition.

Finally, the doctor emerged from the ICU room. I stood up from the bench immediately when I saw him. My lips felt dry, and I didn’t dare ask the question that was plaguing my mine. The doctor must have gone through situations like this enough times already to know what I wanted to know.

Slowly the doctor shook his head with a regrettable look on his face. That was more than enough for me to understand that I had lost my grandmother forever. She’s gone…and she’s not coming back.

"Thank you…" I whispered softly as the doctor walked past me.

I bowed my head to him before I trudged back to the bench and slumped down on it in my grief and despair. It was always just the two of us against the world and now it would only be me against the world. I was now truly alone, and the sorrow and loneliness ate at me. The empty and silent corridor felt desolate and cold.

I pulled my knees up and hugged them as I curled into a ball before crying silently all by myself. Thankfully no one else was around to see me breakdown like this.

My entire body trembled as my own sobs wrecked my body. It became harder to breath, my chest felt tight, and my head felt like it was going to burst open. How can this be happening? She was just fine. A week ago, she just attended my exhibition.

Suddenly, the bench shifted, and I felt the presence of someone next to me on the bench. I have to dry my eyes; I didn’t want a stranger to see me like this. It was so unfortunate that someone else was here and needed to use the bench. I could understand, this was the only place anyone could sit in this corridor.

Before I could lift my face, I felt my body being pulled to the side and realized that there was an arm around my shoulders. Shocked and surprised at this sudden development, I blinked my eyes rapidly and raised my face.

"I’m here to pick you up…" the voice that I had missed and wanted to hear so much said.

"…Hayden," I whispered his name in pure disbelief.

My eyes widened in shock. In my grief, I must have conjured him up like a mirage in a dream. Hayden is here sitting next to me with his arm draped around my shoulder. How can this be?

It doesn’t matter if he’s really here or not, I thought as I threw my arms around him and buried my face into his hard chest. He’s so warm and he smells so familiar. I miss him so much. Unable to stop myself, I continued crying as he held me in his arms. I held onto him so tightly like I was hanging on to dear life.

The steady sound of his heart beating close to my ear helped to calm me down somewhat and so did the warmth radiating from his body.

Hayden stroked my hair softly and I knew that he was trying his best to comfort me. Although I knew that nothing could bring my grandmother back, being in his arms like this did help to ease some of the pain. At least, it was a thousand-folds better than crying all alone.

After I had calmed down somewhat, my body stopped trembling in his arms. Hayden continued to stroke my hair softly as I relaxed in his embrace. I had cried so much that I ran out of energy. Suddenly, I felt very tired, and my eyes hurt a lot.

 

Chapter 153: Here For Me

"Hayden…are you really here?" I asked absentmindedly.

"If you can ask a silly question like that, I think you’re fine now. I’ll take you back," he replied before loosening his arms from around my body.

I stared up into his face although I knew that my face must look like a big mess right now with my eyes puffy, my nose red and my lips swollen from crying. However, I still wanted to see his face up close. Hayden stared down my face before he placed a large hand on top of my head and started patting my head.

"You should go back and rest," Hayden said.

He stood up and the next thing I knew, I was being carried in his arms. I gasped in surprise before wrapping my arms around his neck. Hayden smiled down a little at me and I started relaxing in his arms. I felt so tired and weak, being pampered like this didn’t feel bad at all.

If this is a dream, I pray that I never wake up. I don’t want Hayden to ever leave my side again. My honest thoughts and my desire for him was so intense that it scared me.

Hayden drove me back to my apartment in his car. It was only when we arrived at the slightly run-down building that I realized that he hadn’t asked me where I was living. I guessed he knew everything already and I wasn’t that surprised about it. After telling him that I could walk, he offered me his arm for support before supporting me all the way to my room.

Hayden looked out of place in my small room, and I found it slightly funny despite my overall depressing mood. I wanted him to stay but I didn’t have the courage to ask outright. The thought of him leaving me all alone scared me senseless.

"You should rest," Hayden said as he ushered me towards the bed.

I got in bed with his urging and laid down. As he sat down on the floor next to my bed and watched me silently. If prince charming ever visited Cinderella in her small room under the roof, this would probably be what it’ll look like, I thought as a small smile curved my lips.

"Hayden…please hold me…" I whispered.

Those words escaped my lips before I could process them. I can’t believe that I just said that out loud. Hayden’s eyes widened a little at my forward plead and I reached out to hold his hand in mine. There’s no going back now. I pleaded to him with my eyes for him to come closer. I saw hesitation flicker on his face for a split of a second before he slowly got into bed with me.

I smiled and opened my arms to him as he lowered himself down onto the bed next to me.

In the next moment, I was in his arms with my face buried in his hard chest. He’s so warm and I love how he smells. Everything about the fact that he was here with me comforted me and made me feel like everything would be ok. I clutched at this shirt with my hand as I cried softly against his chest, and he stroked my hair comfortingly.

He didn’t say anything, and he didn’t need to. Just having him here with me was more than enough already. I could hear his steady and strong heartbeat and my crying slowly started to cease. My eyes hurt so much, and I knew that I had to stop crying. The pain of losing my grandmother felt so raw and intense that it was hard to control.

"Thank you…for being here with me, Hayden…" I thanked him.

"You should get some sleep…" he said.

"Will you…be here?" I asked, hopefully.

"I will," Hayden replied after a short pause.

I smiled at him through my tears. It was still hard for me to believe that he was actually here. Who would have thought that it would take my grandmother’s death for him to return to me. I wasn’t sure what exists between us right now, but I was thankful that he came for me. My eyelids felt heavy, and I could feel sleep starting to take over me.

However, before that there was something that I had to ask him before I lost this opportunity.

"Jack Witman…" I whispered softly.

At first, I wasn’t sure if Hayden had heard me, but the way his body stiffened and the air around him seemed to change told me that he definitely heard me just now.

"What did Ethan tell you?" Hayden asked, his voice suddenly very stern.

"He told me that if I wanted to know how I’m related to everything that’s going on, then I should ask you who Jack Witman is," I replied honestly.

"That troublemaker…" Hayden hissed underneath his breath.

"Who is he? Who is Jack Witman?" I asked, unable to hold back my curiosity any longer.

"Let me ask you this. How important do you think it is to keep a promise?" Hayden asked.

"Huh? What does that have to do with any of this?" I asked as confusion took over me.

"Answer me. How important do you think it is to keep a promise that you’ve made?" Hayden repeated his question as his eyes looked down at my face.

"Quite important, I think," I replied after some thought. I wasn’t sure where this was heading but I was anxious to find out.

"What would make you break a promise that you’ve made?" Hayden asked.

I snuggled closer to him as I thought about my answer to his question. Why is he asking me these things? Is he looking to break a promise that he made with someone? Who and what promise?

"I guess it depends on what is best for everyone. Things might change that might make it impossible for you to keep the promise or…it might be better to break the promise…" I replied a little hesitantly.

It was a hard question to answer especially if you didn’t know the context. Hayden seemed deep in thought at my response. I realized that he hasn’t answered my question and I was wondering if he would.

 

Chapter 154: Decision

I also had another question up my sleeve. It just popped into my head when I thought of what my grandmother had said. In her last words…

"My grandmother told me before she died that…I would be happy with you…that you would take care of me…just like when I was young. What did she mean by that?" I asked as I peered up into his clear blue eyes in wonder.

"Do you think people should decide for themselves how they should live their lives?" Hayden asked.

"What is this all of a sudden…?" I questioned in return.

"Just answer me. If it were you, what would you do? Would you want to decide for yourself how you’re going to live your life?" Hayden asked as he looked directly at me.

Was that a trick question, I wondered, because to me the answer was so obvious.

"Of course. I want to decide everything by myself, if possible," I replied without a second thought.

"What if you get hurt by your own decision?" Hayden asked a follow-up question.

"Umm…I’ll deal with it and live with it, I guess…" I replied as I thought about it.

I wasn’t sure if Hayden was doing this on purpose but these questions that he was asking me was serving as a very good distraction from my grief. By this time, I had stopped crying completely. I stared at his angelic face as he smiled at me. It seemed like he had reached some type of answer of his own, one that I was oblivious about.

"Then choose," he said.

"Choose what?" I asked, not quite understanding what he was saying.

"Do you want a life with nothing to do with the mafia or everything to do with the mafia? Choose, Malissa," he said before waiting for me to make my decision.

What is this all of a sudden?

"What…?" I replied blankly.

"It’s exactly like I just asked. Either, you have nothing to do with the mafia or you have everything to do with us. There is no middle path," Hayden explained.

"What happens if I choose not to have anything to do with the mafia?" I inquired.

"I leave. You won’t see or hear from me again. I will provide you protection until I am sure that no one from the mafia world will approach you ever again. You will live a normal and happy life and I won’t answer any of your questions because it’ll be better for you not to know anything," Hayden replied calmly.

He’s going to leave? If I choose a normal life, Hayden won’t be a part of it…

"What if I choose the other option?" I asked.

"I’ll answer all your questions. I’ll willingly break a promise that I made a long time ago and you will live as part of the mafia all your life," Hayden replied smoothly.

There was only one thing that I wanted to make sure of.

"Will I get to be with you?" I asked a little shyly.

"That’s up to you…" Hayden replied as his clear blue eyes held my gaze.

"Up to me? What about you?" I asked, not satisfied with his answer.

"I won’t answer any of your questions until you’ve decided. You don’t have to decide now. It’s a big decision so just take your time," Hayden said with understanding.

I didn’t know what to say so I just nodded. My mind and heart were constantly at war and I couldn’t come to a decision right away. My mind wanted a normal life away from the mafia. I wanted to live normally under the sun like I had nothing to hide rather than in the underworld. However, that normal life wouldn’t have Hayden in it.

I wondered if my heart could survive without him and whether a life without Hayden could be considered a normal and happy life.

I sighed loudly.

"You should keep yourself busy. It’s one of the best ways to deal with grief," Hayden suggested as he patted my head firmly a few times.

"Is that from personal experience?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" he asked, clearly not willing to answer my question.

"What about heartbreak? What’s the best way to deal with that?" I asked as I took his hand and placed it flat against my beating heart.

"I only break other people’s hearts, so I wouldn’t know…" Hayden replied with a seductive smile before he kissed my forehead and told me to go to sleep.

…

When I woke up late the next morning, Hayden was already gone. On the empty space on the bed next to me was a small piece of paper. Picking it up, I could see that it was a very comprehensive list of medicine that was supposed to help keep me fit and healthy. I laughed a little thinking that it would have been great if this was a prescription for heartbreak.

I laughed a little thinking about the fact that Hayden was actually a doctor. It was funny but I decided to head to the pharmacy to purchase the list of medicine that he had prescribed for me just because I wanted to know what each medication was for.

Just because it was customary, I held a small funeral for my grandmother. To my surprise, the hospital told me that everything had been arranged and paid for. All I had to do was turn up to the funeral and I found out that they were right. Everything was well arranged including flowers and other decorations. I knew that it was Hayden’s doing without needing to ask.

Not many people turned up the funeral because we didn’t have any living relatives. Some of my friends turned up and so did my professors from university. I was glad that the funeral was simple and wrapped up fast. My grandmother was laid to rest among a large bed of white roses, and I was sure that that would make her happy.

I cried for the last time for her and promised her that I would live a happy life for myself just like she wanted me to.

 

 

Chapter 155: Left Behind

A few days after wrapping up the funeral, I was moving along smoothly in the process of moving on with my life. It had been almost a week, but I haven’t made up my decision regarding what to do with my life in relation to the mafia. It was a very difficult decision to make and no matter how hard I thought about it, the answer did not immediately come to me.

Perhaps, I already had an answer in mind, but I was just too scared to admit it even to myself.

While I was on break from teaching my art class, I got a phone call from the building manager’s office of the penthouse where I used to live with Hayden. For some reason, I still had the number saved so I knew who the call was from right away. I wondered what they wanted after all this time. It had been many months now since we’ve moved out.

"Hello. Miss Malissa, sorry for calling out of the blue," a woman’s voice said.

"It’s ok. How can I help you?" I asked.

"We were in the middle of clearing up the room as the rent contract had just expired and we think you left something important in the penthouse," the woman explained.

"Umm…I don’t think that I forgot anything…" I said with confidence.

I did not forget anything. I definitely checked when I moved out.

"Well, the penthouse had been closed since you moved out so I’m assuming that it must be yours," the lady said sounding a little confused.

"Didn’t the rent contract expire the day that I moved out?" I asked, not quite understanding what she was saying.

"Not exactly. The contract just expired at the end of last month. So, although you have moved out, no one has entered the room due to the contract. Of course, rent was being paid in a timely manner," the woman explained politely.

Ok…I didn’t know that…

"Anyways, please come over when you’re free to pick it up. Are you free later today? We need to clear the place so I would highly appreciate it if you could hurry a bit…" the woman said.

"Oh…I see. Ok, I’ll go over when I’m done with work for today. Maybe like 6:30PM?" I suggested, although I was uncertain about what was going on but I didn’t want to inconvenience the building.

"Sure. I’ll wait for you. Thank you for your help," the lady said brightly.

"Thank you…" I replied softly before hanging up.

After my class ended, I headed over to the building where I used to live with Hayden. Staring up at the building brought back many memories. I sucked in a deep breath and walked into the lobby. As promised, the lady was waiting for me in the lobby and together we took the elevator up to the penthouse.

Although it’s been months since I’ve last been here, it felt so familiar that it might as well have been just yesterday that I was here.

"What was left here? I’m pretty sure that I didn’t leave anything behind," I said as I followed the woman inside the penthouse.

The penthouse was completely empty now with all its furnishing gone. My heart ached a little at the sight of the desolate rooms where Hayden and I used to live together. I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to fetch from here because there was nothing here.

"It’s this way," the woman said as she led me to Hayden’s bedroom.

If I remember correctly that day when I moved out of this place, Hayden’s room was taped close. The tape on his bedroom door was gone now. The building’s staff must have removed it to clear out the things from his room. Did he forget to clear out his room? Was that why I was called back here?

"This isn’t my room. I think you have to contact…" I began explaining before the remaining words that I wanted to say died on my lips.

Hayden’s room was as empty as the other rooms in the penthouse that I had walked past. All empty except…

"This painting seems to be for you..." the woman said as he gestured to the large painting hanging on the wall before she smiled at me.

It can’t be. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat at the sight of the 300-million-dollar painting still hanging on the wall. Had it been here all this time?

"Maybe Hayden forgot it? You should contact him or whoever rented this penthouse for them to come and collect it," I suggested.

I watched as the woman picked up a small paper card and handed it to me. Feeling slightly confused, I reached out and took the card from her.

’Cheer up, Malissa’

The note written on the card was short, but I could feel his intentions so clearly that it brought tears to my eyes instantly.

"You’re Malissa, right? So, this must have been left here for you," the woman said with a kind smile.

"Thank you…" I whispered as I tried to hide my tears from her.

"That’s not a problem. It’s quite big so let me know when you’re available. We can get it delivered to your new place," the woman quickly suggested.

"Ok. Thank you again," I replied as I tried to hold in my tears.

The woman quietly left as if she wanted to give me some time alone and I highly appreciated her considerate act of kindness. My eyes were blurred by tears, and I quickly wiped them away. Standing in front of the building, I felt that the colors of the painting looked dull and a little depressing today.

Although I knew that it was just the result of what I was feeling, it still saddened me to see one of my favorite paintings looking so sad.

I re-read the note from Hayden again and suddenly the colors of my world seemed brighter then before.