Captured By The Mafia

Nathalia's POV

"That's all for today. Class is dismissed."

My classmates quickly stood up and hurriedly left as soon as our last professor left the room. Some of them were even pushing each other at the door, seeming eager to go home. I couldn't help but laugh as I organized my belongings.

I was taken aback when I felt a tap on my right shoulder. Madeline's smiling face greeted me when I turned around.

"Your debut is coming up soon, girl! I'm sure Uncle Edwin and Auntie Marcel will prepare for it extravagantly! I'm so excited already!" she squealed.

I just shook my head while smiling. "That's not going to happen."

She suddenly stopped, her forehead creasing. "Huh?"

I shrugged. "I already talked to them about it. Just so you know, I want my birthday this time to be simple and private. I'll only invite a few guests, and there won't be a big party like you expect."

I slung my handbag over my right shoulder and stood up. It was only then that I noticed we were the only ones left in the classroom.

"Let's go!" I said to her.

She followed me with a pout on her face.

I was sure that our three other friends, Harold, Albert, and Damon, had already beaten us to the cafeteria to eat. They often get hungry, but I never quite understood where they put all the food they consumed.

"Are you serious about this? I can't believe you convinced your parents. Knowing them, I'm sure they have already planned something special for your special day," she said with a tinge of regret in her voice.

I winced at her words. Indeed, my parents loved to surprise me. In the past, they always went all out to prepare for my birthday celebration.

They invited many guests, some of whom were their business partners. The parties were often held at a resort, hotel, restaurant, or one of their grand function halls.

But I want this year to be different. Yes, my parents own a large hotel chain, but I don't want them to spend a lot of money just because of me.

Because I am not their real child.

This is a part of my identity that no one knows, not even my friends. It's better that way to avoid questions and issues.

Over the years, Mom and Dad never had another child. I understand why they lavish me with almost everything. Other people understand it too, as they often say that I am their only child.

They are one of the reasons why I am excited to finish my studies. I only have two years left, and finally, I'll be able to help their business. It's one way for me to show my gratitude to them.

"At first, it was really challenging to convince them. It took me a lot of effort just for them to say yes," I admitted.

That's true. They gave me a lot of conditions before they agreed.

She let out a sigh, causing me to glare at her. She quickly raised both hands in surrender.

"Okay. If that's what you want. We don't mind whether your birthday celebration is extravagant or simple. But I guess we're included among the few guests, right?" she asked hesitantly.

I briefly stopped walking to give her a disapproving look. "Of course! What kind of question is that?"

I don't know if it was just my imagination, but sadness seemed to have passed through her eyes, quickly replaced by joy.

"It's nothing. I just want to confirm. I don't want to assume that we're invited."

I lightly hit her on the arm. "You're really crazy!"

Both of us just laughed before continuing our walk.

We stopped as we reached the locker area. I was about to open my locker when Madeline excused herself, saying she'd just go to the restroom. I didn't say anything and simply nodded in response.

When I finally opened my locker, I furrowed my brow as I noticed a white envelope placed on top of my book there.

I noticed that the top of the envelope was blank, without anything written on it. Though curious, I picked it up and opened it without hesitation. Inside was a folded white piece of paper, which I quickly read.

Advance happy 18th birthday, Nath. I can't wait to see you soon.

My forehead furrowed even more after reading it. I checked the back of the paper and the envelope, hoping to find some clue about who it might be from.

But there was nothing else written, just that message.

I tried to remember if I had a friend or someone I knew well that I hadn't seen in a long time.

But I couldn't think of anyone.

I just shrugged and decided to hide it in my bag. Perhaps one of my classmates was just messing with me because they had nothing better to do. I couldn't say if it was a secret admirer or something else, as it was the only time I received such a letter. Besides, no one has ever courted me. Some have attempted to, but for reasons I couldn't quite figure out, things never progressed.

I was about to close the locker door after placing some of my belongings there when I noticed something else resting on top of my book.

My heart pounded with nervousness as I reached for that object.

A black rose.

My hand trembled as I took it, and I closed the locker door without thinking. I started walking slowly, my attention fixed on the black rose.

However, because I was slightly looking down, I didn't notice that I was about to collide with someone, causing me to accidentally drop the rose I was holding.

"Sorry!" I said, about to pick up the fallen flower when he quickly reached it before I could.

"Interesting," I heard him mutter before he handed me the black rose. "Here."

I was taken aback, almost holding my breath as I took the rose from him. But at that moment, my attention wasn't on the flower but on the man standing before me.

He's wearing a black hat, tuxedo, and shades, so I couldn't make out his entire face.

I was about to say something when he walked past me, leaving me with no choice but to follow him with my gaze.

But I gasped and almost jumped in surprise when someone suddenly tapped my shoulder from behind.

"Let's go. They're waiting for us already."

I turned around abruptly, and once again, Mads' smiling face greeted me. It seemed like there was no moment when this girl wasn't smiling.

I quickly recovered from my surprise.

"Okay."

I quickly hid the black rose inside my bag. I don't know why, but I had a feeling that something unsettling might happen in the coming days.

Adding to my thoughts was the familiarity of the man I bumped into earlier. For some reason, his presence intimidated me.

Just who the hell is he?

Nathalia's POV

I turned off the engine of my car as it came to a stop in front of a tall building. After making sure I didn't leave anything behind, I got out of the car and looked up at the towering building before me.

I took a deep breath before I started walking, going along with the flow of people entering the building.

As I entered, the lounge area greeted me, filled with many people lounging around and reading magazines. Most of them seemed to be guests of the hotel.

My attention was immediately drawn to the large chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It looked cold and beautiful, made of crystal.

I began walking on the red carpet laid out in the hallway, passing by pillars adorned with indoor plants.

I smiled as I proceeded to the reception area.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am. How may I help you?" the receptionist greeted me politely, wearing a wide smile on her lips.

I glanced around. It wasn't my first time here. But even so, I couldn't just visit my friends.

I had been waiting for them for hours at the university earlier, hoping we could all sign our clearances together. But the whole day passed, and not one of them showed up. They didn't reply to my texts or answer my calls. They were all offline, so they didn't see my messages.

"I'm looking for someone. Specifically, there are four of them. They're working-"

I stopped speaking when I caught sight of Mads' familiar figure. She was still wearing her housekeeping uniform and seemed to be in a hurry.

I would have said more to the receptionist, but I quickly thanked her and excused myself to follow my friend.

She proceeded down a long corridor and opened the door at the end of it. I waited a few minutes before following. I was sure she'd be surprised to see me here. She made several turns and entered several doors, and I almost lost track of the way back.

I can count on one hand the number of times I have visited them here. Well, the fact that they weren't responding to my texts and calls made me do so today. As far as I knew, they were off work today. That's why I couldn't shake this feeling of unease. Maybe the hotel was short-staffed and they were called in for an emergency.

Honestly, I couldn't understand why I was secretly following her. I had this strange feeling inside me, urging me to do so, even though I could simply call out to her instead.

But my forehead creased in worry as I noticed her heading towards the basement.

I wonder what she will do there.

As far as I know, the four of them work part-time here as housekeepers and bellboys. That's how they managed to gain admission to the prestigious university we are attending now.

It's not solely because of their earnings from working here, but because the hotel owner himself provided them with an education.

They're all orphans who grew up and got to know each other at an orphanage.

Though I don't have any idea about the whole story behind it. I don't even know why they were orphaned. I didn't bother to ask because I knew how sensitive the topic was.

Besides, I have my own secret that I don't want them to find out either.

As Mads mentioned to me, they just woke up one day to find that a good samaritan had taken in the four of them from the orphanage.

And that person is none other than the father of the owner of this hotel. I've heard a lot about Don Isaac Anderson, but I haven't seen him in person or even seen a picture of him. According to Mads, Don Isaac is a very private person.

On the other hand, I have seen his son, Stephen Anderson, at least in pictures. How could I not? He's often featured in various newspapers and social media sites due to the different controversies linked to his name.

I remember the day I asked Mads about that matter. They immediately refuted the allegations circulating about Stephen. They said he's kind and that his enemies in business are merely tarnishing his reputation. Perhaps because, at such a young age, he has already made a name for himself and established and managed his own company.

He owns this hotel, and his father's business is separate. He's indeed one of the most sought-after bachelors in town.

But he's also someone I consider a competitor in our business.

As I reached the basement, I looked around and noticed that Mads was nowhere to be found. It seemed like I got lost in my thoughts.

"Where could that girl have gone? And what is she planning to do here?"

I frowned, as I still couldn't spot her. As I scanned the area, I realized that it appeared to be a private and hidden parking lot. There was neither a security guard nor any CCTV cameras in sight, which was very unusual for a well-known, five-star hotel.

The space was smaller, and only a few cars were parked there. Moreover, the route to get there was too complex, almost as if it had been intentionally designed that way.

I shrugged off the things I noticed. I was about to turn back and text them again when suddenly I heard a loud thud. I instinctively looked around and followed the source of the successive noises.

For some unknown reason, anxiety suddenly gripped my chest. One part of my mind was screaming at me to leave and go back inside to accomplish my original purpose here.

But another part of my mind was urging me to continue.

Until I reached the farthest corner of the basement. However, my eyes widened in shock at what I saw, and I instinctively covered my mouth with my right hand to stifle any noise that might escape.

I quickly hid behind one of the parked cars and cautiously peeked, witnessing an unpleasant scene unfold before me. I was far enough from the commotion, and I was sure they couldn't easily spot me, but the distance was enough for me to see what they were doing.

I never thought that I would witness such a scene in real life.

Because right there, I saw a man, hopelessly lying on the ground, groaning in pain as he held his stomach and begging for forgiveness to...

My gaze shot up, and my jaw nearly dropped when I saw who was responsible for this.

Stephen Anderson!

I couldn't be mistaken! Even just looking at his picture, I could be sure it was him!

He has a pointed nose, round and blue eyes, clean-cut hair, and red lips. His muscles were visible beneath the shirt he was wearing. He had a tanned complexion that suited him well.

I must admit, he could pass as a model.

But I immediately shook my head, overwhelmed by the thoughts rushing through my mind.

Oh, shit! What is Mads' boss doing to that man?

But then he glanced at his cellphone, as if reading something, before turning his attention back to the man lying lifelessly on the ground. There was no emotion evident on his face.

"Take him. I need to teach him a lesson and make him remember that he messed up with the wrong person."

It was only then that I noticed the men surrounding them, all dressed in black with shades covering their eyes. Together, they worked to lift the beaten man and place him inside one of the waiting cars. The windows of the car were tinted, so I couldn't see what or who was inside.

Soon, they all got into their respective vehicles. When they disappeared from my sight, I didn't know what possessed me, but I found myself running back to the main lobby, my legs trembling from a mix of fear and anxiety.

I'm not trying to be a hero, but my parents and friends taught me to stand up for what is right.

Oh well, let the chips fall where they may. I'll probably get an earful from Mom and Mads if they find out.

But who would have thought that the ever-famous Stephen Anderson could actually hurt people like that?

I snapped out of my thoughts when I accidentally bumped into someone. I would have ignored the person if he hadn't called my name.

"Nathalia! What are you doing here?"

I paused for a moment and quickly turned around when I heard his familiar voice.

Harold!

I was about to approach him when I remembered the guy. I needed to save him as soon as possible!

"I'll explain it to you guys later. I need to go!"

I heard him call after me loudly, but I ignored it.

Once outside the building, I immediately noticed the successive appearance of familiar cars from various directions. Without hesitation, I hopped into my car and sped away to follow them.

I kept a sufficient distance between our vehicles to avoid arousing suspicion. It's one of the things Damon taught me before.

I don't really know why I'm doing this. I should have just let it go and returned to my friends as originally planned. I shouldn't involve myself in things like this!

But my conscience couldn't bear to simply ignore what happened, especially when my friends' boss was involved. I need to know the reason behind his actions. Before anything worse happens to my friends, I have to make sure they leave that hotel!

I didn't realize how long the journey was until their cars suddenly stopped in front of an abandoned building.

I parked my car at a distance, hidden behind a large tree surrounded by trash bins and big drums, to avoid detection.

I closed my eyes tightly, torn between continuing or not.

I took a deep breath as I finally reached a decision.

"You can do this, Nath! For justice's sake!"

I prayed multiple times before my hands started trembling as I got out of the car. I wiped the sweat forming on my forehead. Before fully stepping out, I made sure to have the only thing I could use in such a dangerous situation-the Swiss knife. Even though I knew I was at a disadvantage no matter how you looked at it.

I also had my phone in my pocket, set to silent. It would be risky, and it might even cost me my life. I ignored the numerous missed calls and texts from my friends.

I winced, realizing that not one of them had answered earlier.

I started to take steps towards the abandoned building, but I quickly hid behind a large drum when I unexpectedly spotted two armed men talking.

The sight of their imposing guns almost made me lose my wits. I held my breath in fear of them noticing that someone else was here besides them.

As I entered that place, the realization of the trouble I had gotten myself into flooded my mind. I swallowed hard, feeling uneasy.

"Oh my God, Nath! What have you gotten yourself into?" I exclaimed.

I felt like smashing my head against the wall because of my reckless decisions. But deep down, I knew that no matter how many times I did it, nothing would change.

I took a deep breath. Whatever. Since I was already here, I might as well deal with it.

I walked slowly towards the old building, noticing that there were no guards patrolling around. I made sure not to create any noise. Harold had taught me how.

In situations like this, I was truly grateful for the things I learned from my friends.

When I noticed that there were many guards in front, I turned around and passed on the right side of the building. Fortunately, there was an opening, and no one was guarding it.

As I got closer, the voices I heard conversing inside became clearer.

"Who do you work for?"

I froze in my spot when I saw Stephen pointing his gun at the poor man while stepping on his wounded arm. But before anyone could notice me, I quickly hid behind one of the drums, which were covered by numerous boxes. I crawled closer to their position, tightly holding onto my Swiss knife.

Once I found a comfortable position, my right hand trembling, I opened my phone and looked for the camera app before switching it to video mode. I glanced around once more to confirm that they couldn't see me from where I was.

"You might as well just kill me! Because you won't gain anything from me!"

What did he say? Kill? Can Stephen really do that?

I almost dropped the phone because of what I heard. Luckily, I quickly regained my composure after the shock.

Stephen had a man who suddenly approached him and handed something over. I squinted my eyes to make out what it was.

Wait, a flash drive?

The man burst into loud laughter, as if going crazy. He could actually laugh in this situation.

"Do you think it's over just because you got that? Remember, it isn't just my boss who's working to obtain that thing."

An evil smile appeared on Stephen's lips. "I know, but, sad to say, a few days from now, I'll finally get a hold of that thing. Too bad they won't make it. Because from the very start, I already won."

"Hah! We'll see-"

"I have your family." Stephen interrupted whatever the man was about to say, causing him to fall silent.

My fist clenched even tighter upon hearing this. Truth be told, I'm scared. But anger dominates what I'm feeling right now.

How dare he involve an innocent life in this?

"P-Please! Not my family. I'll talk," the man pleaded, his courage vanishing in an instant.

Stephen rotated the gun in his hand. "Good. Now, I'll repeat my question: Who do you work for, and what information did you give them?"

"I-I work for the Ferrer's. I haven't told them anything yet because I just transferred all the information I gathered into the flash drive."

The next thing I heard was the echoing sound of gunshots in every corner of that place.

"Dispose of the body immediately. Make sure it's clean, so there won't be any trace," Stephen casually ordered his men.

I tightened my grip on my phone, which managed to record the entire event. But before I could stop it, I saw with my own eyes Stephen glancing in my direction.

Oh, my God! Did he see me?