Chapter 3 The Choice

MAEVE

This is getting tense. I wish I had just stayed in that office lobby and waited for them to call me.

I couldn't bring myself to look up at the glass again. My eyes remained fixed on the table in front of me, but my mind kept going back to what was happening outside.

Everything had gone quiet.

The busy streets that had been bustling with people and cars not long ago were now almost empty.

My fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

Oooh, Maeve, don't look. Don't look up.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to take a slow breath.

But I already knew what those men were.

Mafias.

And one thing about Mafias was that they killed without mercy. They didn't give a fuck about who they had to hurt or what stood in their way.

Maeve, they are not here for you. Keep calm.

I took another breath.

Besides, you are inside a restaurant. You are out of harm's way. You are safe.

I kept repeating the words in my head, hoping they would calm me down.

They didn't.

My hand moved to the ring hanging around my neck. I held it tightly between my fingers.

Damiano.

His name immediately came to my mind.

I always called his name whenever I was scared. And right now, I am scared.

Ya Allah, help me stop calling his name. I squeezed the ring harder.

He is the man who rejected you, for crying out loud. Why would you be calling his name?

I shook my head. Why was I thinking about him now?

I looked through the window again. The van was still there. Two hours. It had been two hours already.

Aren't they supposed to be done with whatever they are doing, for crying out loud?

My eyes remained on the van for a few seconds before I slowly looked away.

I wonder why our government allowed the Mafias to operate in broad daylight when the government should arrest them and stop all this shit.

“When I become president, I will do that,” I muttered to myself jokingly.

The thought almost made me laugh. Almost.

As if someone like me could ever become president.

I was still lost in my thoughts when the door to the restaurant suddenly opened.

My head snapped toward it. The same men in black walked inside.

My stomach dropped. Everyone immediately went down on their knees.

I stared at them. They all had guns in their hands.

Fuck. Are they here to take money too?

My fingers tightened around the ring around my neck.

Does this restaurant have anything to do with them?

Ya Allah, I never asked for any of this. Save your daughter just this once.

I quickly reached for my scarf and pulled it higher, covering my hair properly. I adjusted it again, making sure it covered not only my hair but part of my face as well.

Maybe they wouldn't notice me.

Maybe if I stayed quiet, they would leave me alone.

Then I heard footsteps. One of the men was coming toward me.

My heart immediately began pounding. Did I do anything wrong?

No.

Don't tell me that man with the nose mask reported me after he saw me taking a picture.

My fingers began to tremble.

No.

They must not know I took a picture of them. If they know, I'm done for.

I had just finished university. I was here for work. I hadn't even fulfilled any of my promises to Athair and Máthair.

I can't die now. I couldn't. I would tell them the truth. I would give them my phone. They could take the phone.

All I wanted was for them to spare my life.

“Ma'am.” The man's voice made me flinch.

He was standing in front of me.

I slowly looked at him before lowering my face again.

He was wearing a nose mask like the others.

“Please stand up, Ma'am,” he said in an impatient voice.

“Why should I stand up?” I asked without thinking.

My hand immediately covered my mouth.

I closed my eyes for a second. I hope this mouth won't put me in trouble one day.

“My boss over there wants to see you.”

I slowly lifted my head.

My eyes followed the direction he was pointing.

A man in a black suit stood among the others, one hand inside his pocket.

I stared at him. Something about him made my heart skip. He looked familiar.

Even with the nose mask covering part of his face, there was something about him that I recognized.

My eyes narrowed.

He was the one who caught me taking the picture.

So he must be the boss.

“Please.”

I quickly dropped to my knees.

“I am sorry for taking the picture. I will delete it now. Please let me go.”

My hands shook as I pulled out my phone.

I opened the picture and quickly deleted it.

“There. I deleted it.” I looked up at him. “Please let me go.” He squatted down beside me.

I froze. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then his voice came.

“Ma'am, please follow my instructions and don't make things hard for any of us.”

His voice was cold. Dangerous. I swallowed hard.

“What if I decide not to follow you?” I asked.

The moment the words left my mouth, I wished I hadn't said them.

His hand moved toward his gun.

He brought it closer to me.

My breath caught. My entire body went stiff.

I felt like I was going to pee on myself.

“Then consider all the people inside here dead,” he said.

My eyes widened. I slowly looked around the restaurant.

Everyone was still on their knees. Nobody moved. Nobody dared to speak. I looked back at the gun.

My throat went dry. “You have a choice, Ma'am.” His voice remained cold. “Make your decision now.”