But as soon as Chloe turned around...
SPLASH. SPLASH.
Lorenzo had just slapped Chloé twice, so violently that she collapsed heavily to the ground, her cheeks burning, her head ringing. His breath caught under the impact. But as if that wasn't enough, Lorenzo roughly grabbed her arm and roughly pulled her to her feet, before slamming her violently against the door.
His bloodshot eyes stared into his with maddened rage. His veins were swelling on his forehead, his jaw clenched, he seemed beside himself. His hand then tightened around her fragile neck. The grip was so strong that Chloe immediately felt the air running out of her.
She struggled, frantically patting his arm to get him to let go, her nails clawing desperately at his skin. But nothing. Lorenzo continued to squeeze, like a rabid animal unable to control itself. His heavy breathing echoed through the room, his crazed gaze cutting through Chloe like a blade.
Lorenzo (beside himself)
– Who do you think you are? Eh ? How dare you meddle in my fucking business? Do you think it's a game? Do you know what you did there? Do you at least realize? Do you know who this girl is? Do you understand what shit you just got me into by firing her? Damn!
His voice was a mixture of raw anger and madness. Then, with a sudden movement, he let go of her neck. Chloe immediately collapsed to the ground, hands trembling on her scarred throat, catching her breath in a strangled sob. Her eyes filled with uncontrollable tears, and she began to cry profusely, her body shaking with pain and fear.
Lorenzo looked at her, his face red with rage, his fists clenched, as if he was still holding back from exploding.
Lorenzo (furious)
– Don't meddle in my business anymore, kid. This is the last time, I swear.
Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and stomped towards the stairs. But as he set foot on the first step, Chloé's voice broke the silence, torn by sobs.
Chloe (screaming, in tears)
– I hate you! You bastard! You're just a monster...I HATE YOU!
The words slammed into the air like a slap. Lorenzo froze for a second, his back tense, then replied without even turning around, his voice booming throughout the house.
Lorenzo (roaring with rage)
– IT'S RECIPROCAL, YOU DIRTY KID! You're making me freak out, seriously!
He rushed up the stairs, his footsteps echoing harshly on the steps, and disappeared down the hallway, his rage still burning.
Downstairs, Chloe was left alone, collapsed on the ground. Her tears were flowing freely, her heart was beating wildly, her neck and cheeks were on fire.
Chloe (sobbing)
– I hate him… that bastard. I hate him with all my heart... He's just a monster.
Exhausted, she got up with difficulty, her legs trembling, walked over and sank onto the sofa. Curled up on herself, one hand still placed on her reddened neck, she cried without stopping. Her sweat-soaked hair stuck to her forehead, her face streaming with tears. She closed her eyes, short of breath, and continued to cry silently, broken by what she had just experienced.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Lorenzo was pacing around his room like a caged lion. His nervous steps echoed on the floor as he held a bottle of whiskey firmly in his hand. His eyes, red with anger and alcohol, burned with uncontrolled rage.
Lorenzo (inner voice)
This kid… she fucked everything up. This girl was my last card to catch this son of a bitch, and she ruined everything! Fuck, I'm going to break her if she keeps meddling in my life. What does she believe? That she can show up and stick her nose in my business? Shit…
His heavy breathing filled the room. With a brutal movement, he threw the glass of whiskey against the ground. The crystal shattered into a thousand pieces, scattering in a sharp crash that resonated like an echo of his rage.
With his face closed, his jaw clenched, he then headed towards the bathroom. He burst in and slammed the door behind him so violently that the whole partition vibrated.
Eclipse of a few hours.
In the middle of the night.
Lying on his bed, Lorenzo had been staring at the ceiling for hours. Bare-chested, dressed simply in his pajama pants, his arms crossed behind his head, his jaw was clenched. His anger had calmed a little, but it was impossible to fall asleep. His dark gaze remained fixed on the void, as if his thoughts would not let him go.
Lorenzo (inner voice)
I've been receiving threats for three fucking years from an asshole who doesn't even have the balls to show me his face. Honestly, it's getting on my nerves. This bastard is playing with my patience, what does he think, that I have all the time? Today, I finally wanted to know who he is thanks to this girl I brought back. According to my information, she knows things about this guy, she could help me catch him.
I have a photo of this asshole, but his face is hidden under a hood. I searched everywhere, I tried everything, but nothing: impossible to discover who is hiding behind it. This girl wasn't just a passing girl... she was a fucking private detective. We hire people like her to seduce our enemies, make them talk, and bring us the information we want.
But of course... I forgot that I was married to a kid. A kid who screwed up everything. She really annoys me, this little girl. I can't imagine living with her my whole life. I should never have signed those damn marriage papers, but my old man knows exactly how to make me comply. And the worst part of all this? It's because this son of a bitch who's threatening me already knows that I'm married to Chloé. Like this bastard sticks to my ass everywhere I go. It drives me crazy.
Time passed, but Lorenzo remained frozen, his mind in turmoil. Then, with a sudden movement, he stood up. His muscles contracted, and with a heavy sigh, he rose from the bed. He hastily put on his shoes and left the room, almost slamming the door behind him.
In front of Chloé's room, he pushed the door open with a sharp push. But the bed was empty. His eyebrows furrowed. He stood still for a moment, his jaw clenched, then gently closed the door before going down the stairs.
In the living room plunged into darkness, his gaze finally caught Chloé's silhouette. She was sleeping curled up on the couch, her hand on her throat as if still protecting herself, her hair scattered across her face. His pale complexion betrayed the dried tears that had fallen.
Lorenzo stared at her, without moving, his gaze cold and burning at the same time. There was this strange mix of suppressed anger and worry in his eyes.
Then, slowly, he lowered himself. His hand went under Chloe's legs, the other slipped behind her back. In a single movement, he lifted her from the couch effortlessly, as if she weighed nothing, a fragile doll in his strong arms.
Chloe's head instinctively came to rest against his bare chest. His soft, steady breathing was felt against her skin. Lorenzo remained impassive, his gaze fixed straight ahead. Yet his arms tightened slightly around her, almost in spite of himself, as if a part of him refused to let her down.
His step echoed in the silent house. Slowly, he crossed the living room, climbing the steps one by one, his pace calm but heavy with thoughts. His face remained closed, but his eyes burned with a mixture of anger and annoyance, an inner storm that he refused to express.
Arriving in front of Chloé's room, he opened the door with a curt gesture and entered. Without a word, he approached the bed and placed the young woman down with surprising delicacy for a man like him. She lay on her back, still asleep, her hair falling messily around her peaceful face.
Lorenzo pulled the sheet and covered her up to the neck. This gesture, simple but almost protective, contrasted with the hardness of his features. Then, with a sudden movement, he turned away. Without giving her a last glance, he left the room and slammed the door behind him, the noise echoing down the hallway. You could sense that this curt gesture was not only annoyance but also a way of hiding the fact that he had, for a moment, been worried about her.
To be continued...