L A N A

I am completely stunned, staring back at him in disbelief as a deep frown settles on my brows. My eyes search the room, analysing the reactions of the people around me. Everyone seems confused, their clamouring growing louder and louder until their gazes finally land on me, eyeing me with nothing but pure judgment. As my eyes search the crowd, that's when I finally take notice of someone... of her...

Elizabeth...

She is staring at me with her arms crossed, hidden in the crowd. Her face is blank for a moment... but soon transforms into something devious, something so evil it makes my blood run cold. She smiles, like she's enjoying every second of this... like she's been waiting for my downfall, and it finally seems to be happening.

My eyes snap back to Tyler, finding him staring down at the floor with fake sadness. He can't even look me in the eye.

"You're lying, Tyler... tell them the truth..." I let out, trying my best to keep my voice from breaking as tears stream down my face. I glance around the room again, and the more I do, the more I find people staring back at me with pure judgment. They don't really believe him... do they?

"It's not true!" I suddenly blurt out, my voice shaking once I see how they're feeding into his lies. "You're the one who-..."

Before I can even get another word out, Elizabeth steps forward and speaks, fake sadness and disappointment written on her face. "Lana, I saw the messages. I didn't want to believe it, but there were too many to ignore... You don't have to hide it any more..."

My heart drops again, and pure rage fills my body as I turn to face Elizabeth.

Betrayal upon betrayal. My closest friend, now turning against me.

"Elizabeth... how you could do this to me?" I say quietly, shaking my head at her, staring at her with disgust. Before I can get another word out, someone enters my line of vision...Tyler's mother.

Margaret approaches, her face a mask of disappointment and fury. She blocks my path and stares back at me with rage clear as day on her features.

"You little whore..." She seethes, and I stare at her in shock.

"Mrs Woods, please...-" I try to reason with her, but she refuses to let me speak.

"We took you in, treated you like family, and this is how you repay us?" She continues, and I struggle to find the words to say. I'm too overwhelmed. Finding Tyler cheating with my best friend, and now having him lie to everyone to save his own skin, is too much for my mind to process all at once.

"You have to believe me, I never cheated on him, he's the one who-..." I plead, my voice breaking, but once again, she doesn't even let me finish. Instead, her hand swings fast, and before I know it, the sharp crack of her palm hitting my cheek echoes through the room. Gasps ring out and my head snaps to the side. My face burns, not just from the slap, but from the humiliation. My ears buzz. I'm dizzy, stunned. How is this happening to me right now...?

"You manipulative little bitch," Margaret seethes, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at me. "You grew up with nothing and tried to crawl your way into our world like a parasite. Tyler gave you everything, and this is how you repay him? And now you want to spin the story?!"

I try to speak, but my voice is caught somewhere between my chest and throat. Everyone's watching, wide-eyed and whispering. No one moves to help. No one says a word in my defence.... They all believe Tyler's lies.

"That's not true..." I finally manage, my voice small. "He's lying. He's the one who cheated. I walked in on him and Elizabeth... I saw it..."

"Desperate," Elizabeth cuts in sharply, her tone suddenly cold. "You always were, weren't you? You latched onto Tyler. After all, he was safe, because he could give you the life you never had. You never loved him. You used him... And that wasn't enough for you..." Elizabeth shakes her head. My eyes narrow at her, filled with venom as I stand up straight.

"Used him?" I laugh bitterly, even as my tears spill. "You're the one in his bed, Elizabeth. Don't act like this was some noble act. You lied to me. You both did..."

"She's clearly having some kind of mental breakdown," Tyler says smoothly, turning to the crowd with practised grief in his voice. "And I don't want to shame her any more than necessary, but I found texts. Pictures. Videos. Messages from someone she's been seeing behind my back. I didn't want to believe it either. I loved her..."

He turns to me now, eyes glassy, expression perfectly controlled. "But I can't marry someone who doesn't respect me or herself."

And the crowd eats it up.

I hear someone mutter, "Typical social climber."

Another says, "Wow, I never trusted her vibe."

A third: "Poor Tyler. He deserves better."

It's all crashing down.

Diane stands a few feet away, stunned. I meet her eyes, pleading with her, hoping she'll say something, that she'll do something. But she doesn't. She simply shakes her head and looks away. My throat aches. My hands shake. I look around the room, at people I've laughed with, danced with, built relationships with, and realise none of them ever really saw me. They saw what Tyler let them see. What Margaret allowed...

And now, they see what they want to believe: the poor orphan girl who conned her way into their world and got caught.

"No one's going to say anything?" I whisper. "None of you? You all believe him...?"

Silence.

Margaret crosses her arms. "You need to leave. You're no longer welcome here."

Something in me breaks completely. My tears continue to fall, but I don't say a word. Instead, I begin backing away from them, from all of them, giving Tyler and Elizabeth one last look before I spin around and run out of the room, through the open double doors, out into the night air that bites at my skin. My heels clack against the stone steps, but I don't stop... All I know is that I need to get away from here...

I hear someone call my name behind me, but I don't turn. They won't believe me. Not tonight. Maybe not ever, and Tyler knows that.

He's won this round.

But he doesn't know what losing me really means yet.

L A N A

I don't know how long I've been walking for, but I know it's long enough for my legs to feel shredded.

The cold creates goosebumps and shivers along my skin, and my heels are now working against me. I probably should've taken them off the moment I ran out of there, but they were expensive, very expensive... Well, according to what Tyler told me...

Ugh. 

No matter what I do, I simply can not escape the thought of him, of what he's done, with him and Elizabeth...

My feet are sore, but somehow, my mind isn't so much focused on the pain; instead, a different kind of pain plagues my thoughts. I can't believe I was humiliated like that. How could I let them do that to me, treat me like that? I begin thinking of what else I should've said, how I should've reacted, but I was too stunned to do anything that really mattered...

I make my way through the night as the city buzzes around me, having no clue what has happened to me. I stumble through it, somewhere between rage and shock and right now, I'm not even crying anymore. That part's done. My face is smudged with makeup and tears, my body stiff, but I keep moving. I don't know where I'm going, just away. Far enough that no one can find me and tell me this wasn't real.

That they didn't really turn on me.

That he didn't really say those things.

That she wasn't in his bed this whole time.

I pass corner stores, past flashing neon signs and fast-food joints that smell like grease and burnt dreams. A group of drunk guys yells something at me from across the street, but I don't hear what it is, thankfully, and just keep walking, my arms wrapped around myself and my head down. One of them starts to follow for a second, but a passing cop car sends him scurrying. Doesn't matter. I'm already too far gone.

I could've just gone home. But how can I even do that...? It'll only make the betrayal worse and make the pain heavier. I don't want to have to think about how many times he would sneak her into our apartment when I was at work, how many times the two of them had slept together in my own bed...

No. I can't manage thinking about that right now; it's only going to drive me crazy. The best thing I can do is book a hotel. At least for the night, until I can figure out what I'm going to do... Thankfully, I still have my purse, my phone and my card. Even though Tyler was providing for both of us, I also worked as a graphic designer and media specialist, so I had a little money of my own. Not as much as he does, but enough to keep myself afloat... And though it'll take some time, I'll be able to get back up on my feet after this.

I sigh to myself and glance around me, trying to spot any bars or restaurants I could stay in while before I book an Uber and a hotel for the night, and maybe get a drink or two... or five. 

I look around my for a moment, until one building catches my eye, gleaming with a red neon sign that reads...

Bella...

The name doesn't ring any bells, but something about the glow of that red neon pulls me in. Maybe it's the way the light bleeds onto the sidewalk like spilt wine, or it's how different it feels from the rest of this cold, indifferent city.

I make my way towards it, but hesitate at the entrance. The double doors are dark wood, polished so clean I can see my miserable reflection in them. My makeup is mostly gone, my hair wind-snatched and chaotic. I look completely insane. I quickly gather myself and run my hands through my hair so I look somewhat presentable, just so that they don't kick me out before I can enter. All I need is just somewhere I can sit, where it's quiet and warm, somewhere that doesn't remind me of everything I've lost tonight and a place where I can just have a moment to think.

And so, I finally push the door open.

The smell hits first. Rich cologne, aged liquor and cigars. It smells like class more notably... money. The lighting is low, ambient, and mysterious, a mix of red and purple and orange. I hear the soft hum of jazz ring through the air, and so I glance around to find a live band playing, tucked in a cosy corner of the room. A piano, saxophone and double bass echo-filled the room, and it brings a soft smile to my face as I walk in. I do really love jazz and soul music, so it's something I can appreciate...

A beautiful woman greets me at a small desk near the entrance. Her black dress hugs her graciously, and her hair is pinned up like she's walked out of an old film.

"Buonasera," she lets out, her accent light and polished, European maybe, and I have no idea what she's saying.

"How may I help you, signorina?" She asks with a polite smile, and that's when I realise she might be speaking Italian.

I pause. "Um. I was hoping to just... sit somewhere. Maybe get a few drinks." I sigh heavily.

She gives an understanding nod, staring at me without judgment. "Of course. Please, follow me."

I give her a small smile before glancing around as I walk behind her. The place is mostly filled with sharply dressed men and even sharper-looking women. It looks like the type of place where you order your whiskey neat and everyone knows your name but says it quietly. It's luxe without being flashy, and intimate but intimidating.

Maybe I should leave...

But then again, maybe this is exactly the kind of place I need to be right now. Somewhere, no one knows me, where I can pretend I'm not the girl who got dumped, betrayed and slapped in front of a hundred people...

The hostess guides me to a bar, bringing my attention back to the present. The stools are leather, and the bar top is deep mahogany. The bartender is tall, clean-cut, and looks like he belongs on the cover of a magazine. He is perfectly handsome. Seems all the staff here is just effortlessly attractive. He smiles gently as I sit down, cleaning a few cups before throwing the towel in his hands over his shoulder.

"What can I get for you tonight, beautiful?" he asks, a flirtatious smile on his lips as he looks back at me.

I'm unable to help the smile that forms on my face as he looks down at me. But then I let it fade as a sharp pang hits my chest. I can't be smiling at another guy flirting with me... what would Tyler think? That would be cheating?

My thoughts are instinctual, and quickly, I remind myself that I no longer owe any loyalty to him. He's chosen to do whatever he wants, so why the hell can't I?

I lean against the bar, maintaining eye contact with him as a warmer smile appears on my lips. "3 shots of rum, please. And your nicest berry cocktail."

He arches a brow before a chuckle leaves his lips, nodding gently before he gets to work.

I settle in, letting the heat of the room wrap around me. It's the first time all night I've felt even remotely grounded, and maybe I should soak it all in.

He sets the shot glasses in front of me, bringing my attention back to him.

"Rough night?" he asks.

"You have no idea," I answer before grabbing the first shot class and downing it in a second. Then the next, then the next. It burns, but it's clean and expensive. I sincerely hope it does the trick in helping me numb myself. I sigh to myself once I've downed all of them, shaking my head for a moment before taking a sip of the cocktail, letting it slip down my throat and soothe it.

I finally allow myself to relax... but it seemingly only lasts for a moment...

I soon hear a series of footsteps echo through the room, and it makes me turn to my right, my eyes landing on the people who have just walked through the entrance.

The moment they do, the air suddenly shifts, becoming much heavier, and I don't seem to be the only one who notices it. No one says a word, but the atmosphere changes like a cold front just blew in. Conversations quiet down, and glasses lower. Eyes lift, not casually, but like they're watching for danger.

And then I see them. The five men who enter the room, immediately sending my heart racing for no apparent reason...

The one in front moves like he owns the place. He is dressed in an expensive-looking charcoal grey suit, gold cufflinks, and black leather gloves that he keeps on the entire time. In fact, all of them have gloves on... He has silky brown hair, slicked to the back, and he is extremely handsome. But his expression makes me feel uneasy, a sudden coldness passing through my body...

Alarm bells go haywire in my mind, my intuition immediately telling me to be on high alert...

And somehow in my gut, I know he's trouble...

L A N A

The four men behind him are huge, all of them wearing the same matching black suits, all of them moving with the same precision, scanning the room suspiciously as they stick to the man in front of them. Are they... bodyguards?

"Don't stare for too long or you'll get yourself in trouble." I hear the voice of the bartender, and that's when I look back at him, curiously, noticing that even he is trying to keep his head low.

"Who is that...?" I suddenly find myself asking for God knows what ever reason. The bartender pauses what he's doing and looks back at me as if I've just asked the most absurd question on the planet.

A deep frown settles on his brows, and he glances around a few times as if to check if anyone is listening. "How can you be here and not know who that is...?" He asks, his voice quiet and low, and my heart won't stop racing in my chest. What is he not telling me?

"That's Ezio Benedetti." He whispers as if I'm supposed to know who that is. More confusion reigns on my face as I glance back at the man, watching as he strides through the club like he owns every inch of it. I look back at the bartender and find his expression fixed on someone, Ezio, I presume, and in a moment, his expression turns cold.

The bartender shifts closer to me, his voice still low. "Whatever you do, don't react. Just breathe." He tries to say, but all it does is make me even more nervous.

"Why, what's going on?" I whisper to him, feeling too scared to turn around.

"Don't make eye contact. Stay calm. You're just a guest." He says, refusing to answer my question, and I breathe slowly to try and calm myself, picking up my drink and taking a large gulp of it as I feel the alcohol slowly hit my body.

My hands suddenly go clammy, and I find it hard to keep still. I'm supposed to be ordering an Uber right now and getting out of here, not trying to figure out who this mysterious man with 4 bodyguards is...

I subtly turn back and watch as Ezio walks with effortless grace to the back of the lounge. His men, just as sharp, just as silent, move closely behind him. He stops beside a man sitting at a private corner booth. They don't shake hands. They don't smile. The man simply looks up at Ezio, staring as if he's seen a ghost, the men around him suddenly standing to their feet in pure terror.

Then, what happens next leaves me completely stunned...

It happens in a split second.

One second, Ezio is saying something to the man across from him, watching him seemingly plead for his life, the next, he is whipping out his gun faster than the eye can catch and shoots the man at point-blank.

I jolt, before my entire body freezes.

The gunshot is sharp. Not explosive or too loud. Instead, it's muffled and controlled through the silencer fitted at its tip. The music cuts for a second, the instrumentalists momentarily stunned, before they take a look at each other... and then... they continue playing... like nothing just happened.

What.. the actual... fuck...

The man Ezio was speaking to slumps sideways in the booth, with a gunshot wound to his forehead, blood spewing out the back of his head and spilling onto the floor.

I glance around the room and notice how no one else reacts; in fact, everyone is perfectly calm despite a man just getting shot and killed in front of them.

My throat closes up. My brain stops processing.

Did I just see that? Didn't everyone else see that?! Why am I the only one giving a normal reaction?

Ezio steps back, placing his gun back in his pocket and adjusting his jacket. Two of the men standing behind him step forward to carry the dead man out of the room, and more men pile in with cleaning supplies, moving towards the areas where the deceased man had spilt blood.

Okay, what the fuck is this place?!

People go back to their drinks. Slowly. Like this is routine. Like this is just another Tuesday night.

But me, on the other hand? I can't move.

I can't pretend I didn't see what I just saw. My breath catches in my chest, and that's when Ezio turns and locks eyes with me. That's when I feel the air sucked out of my lungs, my blood turning cold.

He smirks right at me, a slow, evil smile that says, 'You saw. I know you did.' Except he is not at all sorry that I did...

I try to look away, but I can't. I feel pinned to the seat, like a rabbit in a trap.

He lifts two fingers and gestures, ordering the remaining two men behind him to approach me.

No. No. No.

That's when I slide off the barstool without thinking, my heart pounding so hard, the fear causing a knot to form in my throat and my stomach. As I stand up, a wave hits me harshly, and that's when I feel the alcohol start to kick in. No... no, no, no, no... this can't be happening to me right now...

"Don't run," the bartender says under his breath, making an attempt to talk some sense into me.

But I'm already on my feet, with the only intention of getting the fuck out of here. I take off sprinting towards the lounge doors, watching them draw closer and closer. I'm almost completely through them, until I collide with two bodies in front of me, two large men who had been standing close to the entrance this whole time. 

I gasp as I stumble back, staring back at them fearfully and glancing around at where else I can go. I turn my head to the receptionist from earlier, hoping she would help me in some sort of way, but all she does is watch me with raised eyebrows, as if I'm the only strange one here. I continue backing away, my back bumps into something that makes me gasp, more men... more of his bodyguards. They all surround me, staring down at me with cold, robotic gazes. That's when two of them grab and turn me around, beginning to haul me back into the lounge as I begin struggling against their hold, exasperated breaths leaving my lips as I look up at them fearfully. 

"L-let me go... please!" I begin fighting them as they lift me off the ground effortlessly, holding me by my arms as if I weighed nothing. And that's when I realise that they're taking me right towards him... towards the man they call Ezio Benedetti...