Chapter 22

MIKHAIL'S POV~











"Warmth is all it was."








The worst thing about getting better is letting go. The hardest part of letting go is choosing to ignore all wrongs and past mistakes, leaning towards forgiveness. The hardest part of forgiveness is choosing to ignore the scars which will ways remain as constant reminders of those painful moments but then, there's always that relieving feeling that comes with letting go.



I can't describe it but that's just how I'm feeling right now. Like a weight of a million years has been lifted off my shoulders. I had every reason to not be here today but here I am, relieved and smiling. I can't the last time I felt this free, it helped that I didn't turn down the invitation but took it up to bid the only father I have ever known farewell to the beyond. Even in death, I still wish him peace and love and all of the things he never was while he was here.

Even if it was only for some time I knew he cared about me. I watched as Matteo and Hazel approach me with worried expressions on their faces.



Even a blind man can tell how these looked good together as they walked side by side, they were both dressed in all-black clothing making them appear even more attractive. Hazel is in a loose gown and a scarf wrapped around her wavy locks while Matteo is in an all-black suit not new anyway. Just then, Hazel's heel broke as she stumbled almost falling but Matteo reached out just in time to catch and stable her. They both stared at each other for a while, forgetting what they had come to do here in the first place.



I smiled as I watched them, Matteo's stubbornness is the only thing stopping them from having moments like this. I cleared my throat catching their attention, they both separated from each other, Hazel pulling her scarf Matteo clearing and looking everywhere but me.



"What were you two doing?" I asked with a teasing smile I saw a flash of red on Hazel's cheek. She's blushing.



"We came to check on you. How are you doing?" of course, Matteo will always look for ways to check the subject. He still didn't meet my eyes as spoke to me which only confirmed one thing. He is embarrassed.



"As you can see I'm fine," I replied shrugging before patting the space on the bench beside me urging them to sit.



Hazel quietly joined me on my right while Matteo hesitated before taking sitting on my left.



"They're done with everything now it's time to go," Hazel said quietly. "Are you okay though?" She added with a worried tone. I kept silent for some time trying to gather my thoughts, we were still on the funeral grounds the whole place was quiet as ever. The only sounds I could hear were low bird sounds and the whooshing sounds of the wind on trees.



"I'm okay," I replied after some time.

"In fact, I'm more than okay" I grinned glancing at her. "Is that normal?"



"Yeah, maybe for some especially someone as strong as you are," she shrugged in reply.



"But I'm not strong though. I just choose to forgive."



"Choosing to forgive is not an option for the weak," Matteo added staring off in distance.



" Yeah, forgiving isn't easy. In fact, you being here isn't easy," Hazel looked to me "And I respect you for doing so. For not just choosing him but choosing yourself too. Not everyone can pull it off." I felt there was more to what she was trying to say but I didn't say anything only nodding my head in response.



"Do you think hell fire is real?" Hazel asked out of nowhere.



" What's hell fire?" Matteo questioned staring at both of us with a curious gaze.



"You mean you don't know what hell fire is? Like you've never heard of it?" Hazel asked mouth wide open.



"Yeah bruh, tell me you are kidding" I couldn't believe he didn't know what that is. I mean every single child must have heard the story of an eternal burning pit reserved for liars once or twice in their childhood years.



"I really don't know," he replied shrugging "Is there something special about it?"



"Why am I not surprised?" Hazel said giving him a dirty look "You would eventually end up there so there's no need to tell you about it now," Matteo frowned not liking her statement.



"What do you mean by that?"



"Don't you already know what I mean?" They both were now glaring at each other since I was in the middle of everything I knew I had to stop them.



"Okay cut it you two. Stop acting like kids!" I voiced out clapping my hands.



" Who's a kid?"



"Who are you calling a kid?" They both asked at the same time shocking the hell out of me. Their glare was now directed to me, so I was grateful when Jamie approved us with a phone in his hands.



"Boss," he greeted handing it to Matteo who quickly took it from him and started speaking Italian. From all indications, it seems like we will be flying back today instead of tomorrow.



"Come on let's go!" I stood reaching out a hand to Hazel which she took as I pulled her to her feet. Matteo finished the call and joined us, his eyes lingering on our joint hands as he gritted his teeth in anger.



"We are leaving," he stated before walking off leaving the rest of us behind.



"Leaving? Do you mean... leaving here?"



"No, Blakey. Leaving there," I replied sarcastically flicking her forehead. She groaned in pain reaching out to rub the sore spot, glaring at me.



"Are you okay?" Jamie asked staring at me weirdly. I raised an eyebrow in question, he shrugged looking away before turning to Hazel.



"Red, how ready are you for Italy?" He grinned, pulling an arm around her shoulders which she immediately shrugged.

"I'm so not ready" she groaned dramatically.









HAZEL'S POV~













I am not a fan of heights. Never have been, never will be. I was currently sitting uncomfortably in a private plane flying to Italy. I glanced at Matteo who is sitting not too far from me working on his laptop. Mikhail was beside him making a few calls while the other guys wandered around the plane in search of food to eat or chicks to bang. According to Andrew.



It didn't help that the dress I wore was incredibly tight making me even more nauseous than usual. I groaned as I took a sip of the whiskey I was holding in my hand which currently isn't helping at all.



"You can go and sleep in the room over there if you are uncomfortable where you are," Mikhail said pointing to a door at the far end corner of the room.



"No thanks," I replied. "I can barely shift in this couch I'm sitting not to talk more of standing and walking over there" the place seemed so far away and my mind couldn't stop calculating all that possibly go wrong with just me moving and inch.



"Keep being a baby then," Matteo remarked, eyes on his laptop.



"Excuse you?" He didn't even raise his big fucking head or look at me. He is just too annoying. Deciding to put him in his place, I stood up with shaky legs and walked slowly to the door. I could feel his stare on my back with every step I took. I supported myself with every object I could touch until I came to the dark door of the room. Looking back, I smirked as I caught his stare before placing my hands on the hinges and opening the door. The sight in front of me was what I least expected, Andrew was on top of the hostess that greeted us earlier, she moaned at whatever he was doing to her and as if he noticed my presence, he turned and caught my eye the both of us letting out panicked screams.



"What is it?" Matteo shouted from behind me walking over. I watched as his expression turned sore at the sight in front of him. The girl was an embarrassed mess on the bed covered with a blanket while Andrew had fallen off earlier as he rushed to pull on his clothes.



"What's going on here?" Matteo asked in a dark deep that promised a lot of violence if they don't start talking. I knew I had to do something.



"Okay, okay," I said reaching to pull Matteo back with me. "Let them arrange themselves first before you start with the investigation," he wanted to protest but paused when I glared at him before walking off to somewhere else. I smiled at them before leaving and closing the door behind me.



"Oh my God!" the sounds of Mikhail's laughter rang through the whole room making the situation even worse.



"Don't laugh, it's not funny!" I whined glaring at him.



" You...you should have seen your face just now," he said in between laughs "Oh my God, that was epic.



I needed this after today" he added wiping a tear that had fallen, I gave him a smile before sitting down on the counter. The situation wasn't too bad at all if it got him to smile after all the stress of today. He deserves this much.