Chapter Six: The devil himself

" What's the next course of action, boss?" Matteo asked after the long silence in the car.

" It's the same as the old one, I will come here tomorrow to claim what will be mine but it isn't going to be the house but something more... profitable." Jerome answered with a dark voice laced with mischief and smirked like he found the plan quite amusing. Matteo tightened his grip on the steering wheel with his knuckles turning white in the process when he heard his boss's statement. He knew how his boss could be, what he was capable of and somehow knew what Jerome was hinting at. Marco's daughter, he was going to take her instead. And the thought of his boss claiming possession of Marco's daughter made bile run up his throat. Matteo hated the idea and hated his boss even more for thinking for it but what could he do? Matteo didn't even have to look at his boss to know that the man had a smirk on his face. What Matteo didn't understand was why his boss would want to take Marco's daughter? He haven't even met the woman. What were his motives? what is he out to gain?

Matteo was pondering on the possible reasons why his boss would want to take such a step but was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the voice of his boss again.

" Why are you so quiet? Is there a problem?" Jerome's harsh voice asked when he saw Matteo looking deep in thought. Honestly, it was weird when he was people doing that, deep thinking was his thing! He also noticed how Matteo's mood greatly shifted after he told him part of his plan, he looked displeased. Jerome's eyes were like high tech camera, he notices everything around him and nothing escapes him. He saw everything. He saw how white Matteo knuckles were while gripping the steering wheel and could guess what was going on. Either Matteo was going soft or had fallen for Marco's daughter and was sure it couldn't be the former because he knew Matteo was as tough as nails. Matteo never felt any compassion for any of his debtors and could easily pull out a gun without even batting an eye, so what changed?

Matteo quickly adjusted his posture, making his face emotionless and as hard to read as possible because he know his boss only asked questions when he is suspicious of something. Matteo didn't want his boss to know what he want thinking or even feeling at the moment because Jerome knew how to manipulate people using their emotions, to find out their deepest darkest secrets. Jerome was like the devil himself and was good at what he does, manipulating people. He was so good at it that most of the time people didn't even know they were being manipulated and Matteo didn't want to be his boss's next victim.

" Nothing boss." He answered and Jerome nodded, he knew Matteo wouldn't answer his question honestly and it only proved his suspicion even more. Matteo was always a straightforward person, who always had an answer to almost anything.

" Ok, let's go." Jerome ordered, with that Matteo started the car and drove off into the night.

**********

" You what?!" Andrea's voice rang in the room.

" Keep your voice down, it's late and your siblings are still asleep." Marco tried to calm her angry daughter.

" Keep my voice down? Why should I keep my voice down? How could you do this? You knew how mom loved this house and you still had the heart to do this! How could you? You are the reason we are losing the house and for what? your gambling habits? Is that it? Didn't you even think about your children? where are we going to live?" She scolded her father with tears rolling down her face. She couldn't believe they were going to lose the house just like that. How could her father be so selfish?

" Andrea, it wasn't my intention, I thought if I played some more rounds, I would be able to get back some more money but I ended up losing everything and I'm sorry. Please forgive me, forgive your foolish father. I beg you." He pleaded and tried to hold his daughter's hand but she was quick to move it away and glared angrily at him. After Matteo left, Andrea saw her father sitting on the couch holding his head in his hands, looking defeated. She sat down next to him and starts asking him about the man he was talking to early and how he knew someone who looked so dangerous. Marco let out a tired sigh and knew he couldn't keep her in the dark anymore as he was going to lose the house the next day, so he did the only logical thing that came to his mind, he told her the truth. At first she didn't believe him and thought he was joking but now she couldn't even control her anger. She was yelling at him, venting all her rage at him but no matter how angry she was now, she was still much more disappointed than angry.

" it wasn't your intention, huh? I didn't realize that you were forced to gamble your life away and about forgiveness, I'm not the one whom you should to be asking for forgiveness. It's mom who was you need to ask, she was the one you wronged here not me!" She yelled then stormed off to her room and slammed the door shut. He father helpless slumped back on the couch and started lamenting on all the mistakes he had made so far, all the wrong moves he had taken. He didn't deserve any forgiveness, not that of his wife's or his daughter's, he couldn't even forgive himself. It was only his life he had wasted but he had also tampered with the bright future that his little children had. He had nothing anymore, no money, no house. Nothing. Where would they live after today? Would they just go hungry and homeless? How did he lose anything in such a short amount of time? He used to be somebody, someone who had more than enough money to take care of his family, so how did he get here? Though he wasn't very rich and influential before but he still had enough to pay the bills with ease. He knew that it was all his fault, this was his punishment for being selfish and he would forever hate himself for it.