Stop Chasing Me, Mafia Lord!

Since the day I woke up from the coma, Giovanni was the only one who came to visit me. At first, it felt comforting, knowing someone was there, that someone cared. But with time, I noticed the absence of others—the cold, empty hospital room, the silence that stretched for days. I didn’t know my family, didn’t remember them, so it wasn’t a surprise they weren’t around. But it stung a little to realize how alone I truly was.

Giovanni, though, he was always there. Or at least, he used to be. Now, things were different.

His friends—our friends, as he liked to call them—never warmed to me. They made it clear I was an outsider. Every time I was around them, the tension thickened, their eyes flicking between me and Giovanni like I didn’t belong. I could feel the judgment, the whispers behind my back. Anya was their choice for him, not me. Anya, with her perfect life and flawless reputation.

I knew they were rooting for her. It didn’t matter what I felt, what Giovanni had promised me. In their eyes, I wasn’t enough. I had no name, no family, no status. I wasn’t the girl they wanted for him. I tried to ignore it, to brush off their comments, but tonight, it was too much.

I half-expected Giovanni to come after me, to pull me back and ask what was wrong. But he didn’t. He didn’t even notice. How could he when he barely looked in my direction.

That hurt more than anything. The weight of it settled in my chest, heavy and suffocating.

When I got home, I felt numb. I couldn’t keep pretending this was going to work. I couldn’t keep pretending like I was fine being a shadow in someone else’s life. Giovanni had made his choice—maybe not in words, but in actions. And his actions screamed that I wasn’t the one he truly wanted.

I started packing my things. Clothes, shoes, a few personal items. It wasn’t much, but it was all I had. I couldn’t stay here anymore. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was going to do, but anywhere was better than staying in this limbo.

As I shoved the last of my things into my suitcase, my hands trembled with frustration and pain. I wasn’t going to wait around for Giovanni to choose me.

Dragging my suitcase, I stepped out into the night, the city lights flickering like distant stars. The air was cool against my skin, the quiet streets a stark contrast to the noise swirling inside my head.

I walked aimlessly, trying to clear my thoughts, my mind buzzing with everything that had happened. I didn’t see the car speeding toward me. All I heard was the screech of tires, the blinding headlights rushing at me.

For a moment, time froze. I stood there, paralyzed, my body unable to move as the car came closer, inches from impact. It wasn’t until the last second that I stumbled backward, barely missing the collision by what felt like mere inches.

My heart raced, my legs shaking beneath me. I stood there on the sidewalk, panting, staring at the car as it sped off into the night, disappearing around a corner without a second thought.

I almost died, but it seemed it wasn't my time yet.

I started walking again, my legs still shaky from the near miss, but I stopped in my tracks when something strange caught my eye.

A black envelope lay on the ground, right where the speeding car had almost run me over. It definitely wasn’t there before. My breath caught in my throat as I bent down to pick it up. Something about it felt wrong. The envelope itself was smooth, expensive even, the kind of thing you’d expect for a formal invitation. But I was certain—the car had left it behind.

I hesitated for a moment before tearing it open. Inside was a single sheet of paper. The handwriting was sharp, angular, like someone had deliberately taken their time with each stroke.

[Leave while you can, or you won’t be so lucky next time.]