Running Away from the Godfather

My necklace!

Aria's POV

I look out of the shop's window. I bought random stuff. I don't know if I got the right stuff.

My brain is not functioning. My lip is slightly swollen from where I bit on it when I tackled Antonio. It was bleeding, but the shop assistant helped me stop the bleeding.

Mark does not like blood. Mark does not want anything imperfect. Sometimes, I wonder if I have made the right decision to get engaged with him. Luckily, we are unmarried, and I can still change my mind.

I freeze as I see Amelia helping Antonio to the car. The police have not arrived yet, but I wonder if they will if Antonio's men take care of it.

I know Amelia will pretend that she was the one who saved Antonio. I know I should not care. Deep down, it does hurt my heart. I am sure Antonio looked me in the eyes when I tackled him. He should know it's me who saved him and not Amelia. She always gets what she wants. Even when we were children, she got everything she wanted.

The car hasn't moved yet. I think Antonio is waiting for his men to come back. I hope they found the failed assassin. But I can't shake off my suspicion of Amelia's actions. It's like a dark cloud looming over me.

"Who is that man? And how do you know him? I have seen a lot of paintings you have done about him. Is he your first love?" Mark asks, and I can hear the jealousy in his voice. I get irritated immediately.

"Do not tell me you do not know who Antonio Pistone is. He is the wealthiest man in Italy. I know he was gone for a while because he was studying. But you should know his family. We used to be together in the same school, and we used to be childhood friends. However, now we are nothing. Anyway, I got everything I wanted." I say.

"Ariana, you did not get anything you wanted. You just put random stuff in the basket. And now you want to pay for things you don't need. Let me walk with you through the shop and let us get what you need. The ordeal must have shocked you. You look like you are traumatized. It is not something that I would suspect from somebody who is nothing to Antonio anymore. However, I'm not going to fight with you right now. Let's get everything that we need and get out of here. We will be safe once we are home. He looks like he is an important person. I also saw your drawing. Where is the godfather of the Italian Mafia? Please tell me he is not a godfather of the Italian Mafia. We will be in big trouble if they realize that you were the one who tackled him. You heard the Italian Mafia's godfather, if that is what he is. Let's get everything you need and then go home." Mark says. He started grabbing stuff I wanted that was on my list.

We do not visit town often, so I had to get everything, especially my art supplies.

I start helping him. Sometimes Mark is a pain in the ass, but it is times like this that I am glad when he is with me.

"Okay, we've got everything we can go now." Mark says.

I want to linger inside the shop longer because I do not want Antonio or Amelia to see me.

When I feel nervous, my hand goes to my neck, and I realize my necklace is not around. Perhaps I lost it when I tackled Antonio. I have to come and look for it. That necklace is essential to me. I have to find it. It's the only thing I have left of my friendship with Antonio. It is all that I have lived of him.

Without thinking, I walk outside. I walked to the place where I tackled Antonio. I look around, but I cannot find anything. Maybe I just lost it in the car.

"What are you looking for?" Mark asks behind me.

"My necklace. The one I always wear. It is important to me." I say.

"Maybe it's inside the car. Let's go and look there." Mark says.

My back is turned to Amelia and Antonio, and when we walk to my car, I walk on the other side of Mark so they can not see my face. They will think that we are bystanders who want to look at the place where Antonio was almost shot.

I am not worried about them seeing me. I know they can not see my face from the angle they are sitting inside the limo. However, as we pass the limo, the window goes down. I can hear Amelia's voice telling Antonio that he may have a concussion and they should go to the doctor.

"Aria Miles? Is that you?" Antonio asks.

Mark and I keep walking, as I know that Mark doesn't know me by Aria Miles. He only knows Ariana Brown.

My heart races like a drum in my chest as I walk faster to escape the two people in the limo. I can't handle this today. Mark doesn't seem worried because he knows I am Ariana Brown, not Aria Miles.

We walk to my Porsche, and he opens the door for me. I get into the car and hear the limo door open behind us. Mark puts the bags in the back of the vehicle. My window is tinted, and nobody can see me from the outside.

"Aria! I need to talk to you." Antonio says as he walks to our car.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you have the wrong person. The woman in the car is my fiancé, and her name is Ariana Brown, the famous artist. She is very private and does not like anybody to know what she looks like." Mark explains to Antonio. I can see Antonio looks confused.

"Ariana Brown?" said Antonio, staring intently into my face, "She looks so much like a friend of mine. A dear friend, I miss deeply."

I didn't know if I could believe him, but his words brought a glimmer of happiness and hope to my innermost recesses. But at the same time, fear kept me in the car, not daring to say a word. Why would he say that? Did he not believe Mark and suspect me? I do not know if my life is in danger...