Chapter 34

Nicole tossed about in her bed, unable to sleep as her slumber was being haunted by terrible nightmares.

Suddenly her eyes shot open and she was instantly jerked awake. Her heart beat was racing to its summit. Nicole sat up and placed a hand on her chest, trying to calm down her erratic heart.

"God. Why am I feeling so scared?"Nicole asked no one in particular.

Her worried thoughts then drifted to Raphael and her breathing got hitched.
He wasn't back home yet. Her eyes roved around her room, scanning every corner.

  "Raphael?"She called out as she stood up from the bed in hopes of meeting him in the bathroom or closet.
The only response she got was an empty closet.

  "Raphael where are you?"Nicole cried out to herself, slumping on the cold floor of the closet.
This wasn't the way she imagined her married life to turn out.

She hardly saw her husband because he was always too busy with work.
They hardly spent time with each other again as Raphael had other important issues to attend to.

She didn't like the turn of events. She just wished Raphael could quit his mafia.

* * * * * * * *

  Nicole walked out of the her bedroom with gloomy thoughts. The warm shower she just had did nothing in soothing the torrentious waves that had become her nerves.
  Her hands scraped against walls of the hallway as she walked towards one of the staircases that stood at the centre of the living room.

"Raphael?"She called out hoping he was just around the corners of his imperial mansion.
Her worried voice echoed back as replies as she ponderously walked towards the stairs.

"Thoma, Emilio, Lorenzo, Marco, Luca?" Nicole called out, her footsteps quickening in pace.

"Goddamit! Where are all the men in this house?!" Nicole scoffed in vexation, approaching the staircase.
Her hands held on to the gold railing with her eyes scanning the living room.

It was bustling with activities as usual. Workers were scattered around cleaning. She noticed a few were heading upstairs and in their hands held various cleaning equipment.
  But no sign of Raphael.

"Sofia good morning...oh..are you?"Nicole's voice trailed off once she alighted from the stairs, observing Sofia clutching on to a pink petite handbag and cook book.

"Goodmorning Nicole. You look worried. What's up?"Sofia asked.

Nicole exhaled and dragged the words slowly from her mouth. "Did Raphael come home this morning?"

Sofia shook her head and a pained stare got plastered on Nicole's already worried features. "I haven't even seen Emilio. No sign of Thomas, Luca, Marco and Lorenzo. Atleast before they stopped by regularly"

Sofia gently rubbed Nicole's shoulder, trying to calm the melanin lady. "They are all busy with work Nicole. Raphael will be back I promise"

"I hope so"Nicole muttered underneath her breath. Her eyes then trailed to the cook book that was hauled against Sofia's chest.

"Are you also going out?"Nicole queried, her eyes darting to Sofia's face.
"Mmhm"sofia hummed in reply.

"I am going for my pastry practice. Please don't get too stressed up ok"

Nicole adopted a faint smile on her lips. "Where is Aurora?"

Sofia jutted with her chin towards the kitchen. "She and some chefs are preparing breakfast"

Sofia quickly gave Nicole a brief hug, her hands rubbing Nicole tensed back. "I'll have to go now. I'm running late. Take care Nicole"

  She immedately scurried out of the living room leaving Nicole stunned.

"Seems everybody is so busy"Nicole murmured to herself. She stood on the spot for some seconds, her mind racing to where Raphael could have spent the night yesterday.

  With sunken shoulders, Nicole turned to head back upstairs when a feminine voice whipped across the living room.

"Nicole good morning" Leila's voice rang through the walls of the living room.

Nicole turned back to meet a smiling Leila walking towards her.
Her heart skipped a beat and emotions rushed to her veins.

"Leila you are here. Is Raph...."

Nicole wasn't allowed to complete her statement as Leila's voice abruptly cut her short. "No Raphael didn't come with me"

Sadness and anxiety spread across Nicole's tensed up features.
"Leila I feel worried"

It took every nerve of self restraint in Leila not to hiss at Nicole.
"Why?"She asked with a farcade smile.

"Raphael is making me worried. What do you guys do exactly in your mafia?" Nicole asked in hushed tone.

"Important stuff Nicole" Leila chuckled.

"Raphael didn't come home last night. I'm worried as to where he must have spent the night"

"You don't need to be worried Nicole" Leila responded with a hand placed on one of Nicole's shoulder.
"Raphael has tons of buildings scattered around Italy. He can sleep wherever he wants"

Nicole stared at Leila and sighed before turning to head up stairs.
She could hear Leila's matching footsteps behind her.

"You seem stressed Nicole"Leila lowly said with a smirk as Nicole walked ahead of her.

"Ofcourse I am"Nicole replied.
"I mean this mafia. I don't like it"

Leila rolled her eyes and put on a soft smile before coming to walk side by side with Nicole.
"That is who your husband is. This is what he does. You have to come to terms with it. It's really not easy for Raphael. Going off to work, attending multiple functions, dealing with various shipments all round the coast of Italy and beyond, running his casinos, hotels and strip clubs and meeting high class politicians"

Nicole felt a clog in her lungs and she gulped hard trying to swallow it.
She never knew Raphael ran casinos and hotels.

"I mean you should give him a break you know. But if I were in your shoes too I'll literally be worried. Well not just about his safety also about the marriage" Leila mischievously uttered knowing it will trigger Nicole.

Nicole instantly shot her a persistent stare as they walked through the hallways. "What do you mean Leila?"

"Come on Nicole. Raphael meets various high class individuals which includes ladies. Well i don't blame you though. You haven't seen 2% of the women that works in your husband casinos, strip clubs and hotels"Leila scoffed.

Nicole halted and gripped Leila by the arm causing her to flinch. "I don't understand you? Does he meet with them? What are you trying to insinuate Leila?"

Nicole already could feel her pulse racing at 140 beat per minute as a silence like wild fire erupted between her and Leila.

Leila yanked her arm away from Nicole's grip and came to stand in front of her. "I am not insinuating anything. I am just giving you a tip of the iceberg. Raphael surprised everybody by settling down with a woman. He isn't known as a one woman man. Don't be surprised that he actually goes to meet one of his should I say mistresses after a long day of work just to cool off"

Nicole gasped on hearing Leila's vile words. "Why are you saying this? You know fully well I'm married to him. Why will you tell me all these?"

Leila rubbed her temples and exhaled. "Ofcourse I know you are married to him. I just want you to make sure no other woman in his mafia is challenging your spot with your man. Men aren't loyal Nicole"

Leila walked away, a wry smile forming on her face leaving a distraught Nicole to her disheartening thoughts.

Nicole suddenly found it hard to breathe. She became claustrophobic with the walls of the hallway seeming to be closing in on her.

She gasped repeatedly for some time and massaged her throat.
"Raphael wouldn't use work as an excuse to meet other women. He loves me. He wouldn't. No he wouldn't do that"

Nicole repeatedly said those words to herself with tears pooling in her eyes as she walked towards her bedroom.