Chapter 5 The Last Resort

NEXT DAY

Alessia paced anxiously inside Crimson Lounge. The lounge was empty at this hour except for the low hum of the cleaner's vacuum as the only sound breaking the silence.

"Alessia" Tomasso called, as he entered the lounge making Alessia pause for a while, the smell of cigarettes clinging to him as he sauntered over to the bar.

"Do don't like my company, so did you ask to meet me?" He asked hitting the nail on the head.

"Tomasso, please. I need to know where Leo is!" Alessia's voice cracked with desperation, she could barely keep it together.

"I don't know where he is"

"You have to help me." Alessia pleaded

Tomasso groaned "I already told you, I don't know where he is. What makes you think I do?"

"Because you two are always together," she snapped. "Leo stole five million euros, Tomasso! From the Crimson Empire. Five million! Do you even understand what that means?" Alessia's voice wavered slightly as the amount sank deeper into her chest.

There was a long pause, and then Tomasso let out a rough chuckle. "Five million, huh? That idiot never knows when to quit."

"Tomasso, this isn't a joke!" Alessia's frustration boiled over,

"Look, Alessia, I don't want to get mixed up in this. I don't know where he is or why he stole from the empire. Your brother is screwed and I don't want to get involved."

Before she could say anything else, he turned and walked away.

Twenty four hours had just swept by and she was no where close to finding her brother.

Alessia lifted her head slowly as she glanced at Tony's door. Maybe, he really was her last option.

Alessia knocked softly on the door.

"Who is it?" came a rough voice from the other side before the door was opened.

Alessia's voice trembled as she spoke.

"Tony I need your help"

Tony walked back to his chair and leaned back, blowing out a thick puff of cigar smoke that filled the small office, his eyes narrowing in amusement.

"Help you? Why would I do that?" he scoffed, waving his cigar lazily in the air. "You think I'm running a charity here?"

Alessia felt the lump in her throat grow larger. She could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes, but she blinked them away. Crying wouldn't help her now.

"I swear I'll pay you back," she pleaded, her voice barely holding steady. "I just need a little amount to solve some things."

"A little amount?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "How much are we talking?"

"Five million."

Tony burst out laughing. The sound was cruel, echoing in the nearly empty room. "Five million? Alessia, you call that little? There's no way in hell you're getting that kind of money from me."

She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks "Tony, please. I've worked for you for years. You know I'll pay it back."

"I'm not interested"

Her chest tightened. "I'm begging you, Tony. I don't have anywhere else to turn."

"You're wasting my time, Alessia. Get out."

"What?" Her heart pounded as the words hit her like a blow. "Please I-"

"I said, get out!" Tony barked, his voice full of venom. He strode toward the door, yanking it open. "And don't you dare come begging me again. I've had enough of your whining."

Alessia stood there, stunned, her feet frozen in place. How could he be so heartless? How could he just throw her out like she was nothing?

But that was exactly how Tony saw her-nothing. She wasn't worth his time, his money, or even his pity.

"I don't have time for this," Tony muttered under his breath as he brushed past her, slamming the office door shut behind him.

For a moment, Alessia stood outside the empty office. She felt the tears finally spill over, hot and uncontrollable, as she sank to the floor. All hope had been crushed in that moment, and she had no idea where to turn.

Her knees buckled weakly as she fell to the floor.

'Why?' she thought

Was this it?

First a sick mother, a rude boss, an unconcerned brother, now a debt she has nothing to do with except been the sister of the thief.

Was this really it?

The end of her simple life?

The tears she had tried so hard to stop came rolling down her cheeks like a leaking faucet but as quickly as they fell, the quicker she wiped them off.

Hours later, Alessia hadn't moved. She knelt on the floor outside the lounge, eyes vacant, staring at the dirty concrete beneath her. The world blurred around her, her mind replaying Tony's cruel words.

The lounge door creaked open, and she looked up through tear-filled eyes. Tony sauntered out, but he wasn't alone. A brunette woman, dressed in tight clothes, giggled as she clung to his arm.

Alessia watched from her spot on the ground as they whispered to each other, oblivious to her presence. Tony handed the woman a stack of cash before they disappeared into one of the private rooms.

'So he had money.'

Rage bubbled up inside her. He had money for his pleasures, for throwing at random women, but he wouldn't spare her a dime to save her family.

Her hands balled into fists, her nails digging into her palms and the tears finally stopping as she stood up.

Tony had cheated her out of money for years, cutting her wages, taking advantage of her hard work. He had stolen from her in his own way, just like her brother had stolen from the Crimson Empire.

Maybe it was time to take something back. She didn't want to be this person-someone who stole, someone who broke the rules-but what choice did she have? Tony had money, and plenty of it. It wouldn't hurt him to lose some.

The lounge was quiet apart from the distant groans, obviously from Tony. Alessia snuck back inside as she slipped past his office and into his private room.

She gulped shakingly as she frantically searched through his desk drawers. Papers, receipts, and junk cluttered every corner, but no money. Her heart pounded as she opened drawer after drawer, each one coming up empty.

"There has to be something..." she muttered to herself, her voice thick with frustration as her eyes caught something.

A safe. She quickly pulled it out, her fingers trembling as she fumbled with the lock.

Click.

The safe swung open, revealing bundles of cash, neatly stacked and secured. Alessia stared at the money, stunned for a moment. Then, with a shaky breath, she grabbed a bag from the corner of the room and began stuffing it with as much money as she could.

"This is payback," she whispered under her breath, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "All the times you cheated me, Tony. This is me taking what I'm owed."

She zipped the bag shut and, with one final glance over her shoulder, hurried out of the lounge, her heart racing as she dragged the heavy bag behind her.

The cold breeze of the night danced on her skin as her footsteps echoed behind her.

Alessia hurried but heart missed a beat when she reached home. The door was slightly open.

Was Leo home

Or was it people from the crimson empire.

A cold pit of dread settled in her stomach but whatever it was she would find the answers when she entered in.

"Mom?" she called out cautiously, stepping inside.

The house was silent.

Too silent.

"Mom!" Alessia rushed into the living room, only to find her mother lying unconscious on the floor. Fear gripped her as she dropped to her knees beside her. "Mom, no! Please, wake up!"

Her hands shook as she grabbed the object she called a phone, dialing for an ambulance. She barely registered her own voice as she shouted into the phone, begging for help. Time seemed to stand still as she stared at her mom who looked like life had already been drained out of her.

"Mom, you can't leave me. Not now when I need you the most"