Chapter 48

Mia

He seemed surprised that I asked, but he smiled all the same.

"It was a long day," Albert replied, tucking his phone in his pocket. "Mostly paperwork and meetings. The usual." He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "But there was an interesting development with the Bennett portfolio."

I frowned. "Bennett? Who is that?"

I didn't know a mafia called Bennet.

His eyes lit up and he looked actually excited. "They're a new client I got recently. They've entrusted my company with quite a bit and I'm hoping to grow it by at least 10%."

"So, what exactly does your company do?" I asked. "I thought..."

"That I only deal with the mafia?" He smiled. "I don't... actually do much under the table. I'm in finance. Do you know much about finance?"

"Money," I said. He laughed. "What?"

"That's a pretty good description." Albert leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "My company specializes in risk management and investment strategies for high-net-worth individuals and institutions. We help them protect their assets and grow their wealth."

I nodded. "So, you make money grow. That sounds incredibly complex."

"It can be. We deal with a lot of numbers, complex financial models, and market trends--"

"Graphs that I'll never be able to read. Cool."

He smirked. "I could teach you. If you'd like. It might be of use to you in the future. Don't you want to know what to do with all of your money?"

" What money?"

"You'll be debt free within a month, and then I hear nurses make quite a bit of money starting from their first year... Even if you plan to buy Dolce and Gabbana for every outfit you wear outside of your scrubs, you'll need to invest properly for retirement."

I blinked at him. " I hadn't thought about that.... But I guess I could schedule a meeting with you in the future if I needed it."

My heart skipped a beat. The silence felt deafening as I realized what I said. His expression softened.

"I'll keep a spot open for you."

I looked away, clearing my throat. "You said something about the Bennet portfolio? Something interesting?"

"Ah... They want to start a non-profit to manage their business taxes. It's not a bad idea, but the issue is what their non-profit will support. I'm hoping to pitch for education." He glanced at me. "Of disabled people looking to support themselves."

I swallowed. Not wanting to read into what he was saying, but I couldn't help but think of my mother.

A genuine smile crept across my face. "That's fantastic, Albert. I hope it goes well."

"Me, too."

I ended up dozing off just after finishing the paperwork I needed to get done, and again, I woke up in my own room. I was discharged about an hour after I woke up and drove to the penthouse. Albert wasn't around, but that didn't bother me. He'd called and texted throughout the day, and I had been in an out of sleep as well.

When Katie's shift was over for the day, I headed to her job to meet up with her. She embraced me tightly.

"Ivan told me what happened. Are you all right?"

" There's so much to say, but I'm mostly all right now. Mom's surgery went over just fine."

I started to leader towards the car, but she pulled me back.

"Let's walk. do some walk, right? It's not far."

I nodded. We walked for a little bit before I started to realize that there were plainclothes bodyguards shadowing us. She grabbed my hand, and before I could fully process what was happening, Katie was pulling me toward the subway entrance at a running speed. I followed her lead, my heart pounding as we hurried down the stairs. The clang of the subway cars and the murmur of the crowd seemed to blur together in a cacophony of noise.

We pushed through the crowd. Why were we running? Weren't they Albert's men? Katie’s grip was firm on my arm as she navigated us through the bustling station. My mind raced, a mix of fear and adrenaline fueling my movements. I glanced back occasionally, but the bodyguards were still maintaining their distance, though they were clearly trying to keep up.

Katie led us onto a train, and we found seats towards the middle, trying to blend in with the other passengers. She was visibly tense, her eyes scanning the train for any signs of our pursuers. I felt a knot in my stomach.

"What's going on?"

She shook her head. After a few stops, Katie finally relaxed slightly, though her eyes remained vigilant.

“We should be okay for now,” she said, her voice low. “We lost them, I think."

She looked at me. "You turned off the app, right?"

I blinked at her and nodded, lying as I started to put it together. Katie wanted to ditch the bodyguards for a reason, but after the other night, I didn't want to feel as though there was a chance Albert couldn't get to me if something happened.

As the train rumbled through the tunnels, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Why was she running from them?

We got off a few stops away and Katie led me to a bar I didn't recognize. I followed, assuming she wanted to unwind with a drink. Why we had to do that without the bodyguards, I wasn't sure. The neon lights outside flickered, casting an eerie glow on the sidewalk as we entered. The atmosphere inside was a stark contrast to what I had expected.

The bar was a chaotic scene. Strip shows were happening on a small stage in the corner, with scantily clad performers gyrating to thumping music. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and smoke, and call girls mingled with patrons. In another corner, a group of people was openly using drugs.

I felt a wave of shock and discomfort wash over me. This was not the kind of place I had anticipated visiting, and the wild, unrestrained atmosphere made me feel uneasy. Katie seemed unfazed by the chaos, her demeanor calm and focused as she led me through the crowd.

We found a pair of seats at the bar, and Katie slid into the seat with practiced ease. I hesitated before sitting down, my eyes darting around the room.

Katie noticed my discomfort and gave me a reassuring look. “Don’t worry, we’re here for a reason. I needed to get you out of sight for a bit, and this place is good for that.”

I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. “Okay, but this place is... intense.”

Katie chuckled softly. “Yeah, it’s not exactly a five-star experience...”

The bartender approached, and Katie ordered drinks for us. I took a deep breath. The drinks came quickly. Katie took a sip of her drink, her gaze drifting over the chaotic scene in the bar. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before turning her attention back to me.

“You know,” she began, her voice barely audible over the music, “I never imagined Ivan would be involved in places like this.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What do you mean?”

Katie sighed, looking around the bar with a mix of disbelief and resignation. “When I first met him, he was so charming. He never showed me this side of his life. I only discovered it when I found him in a place like this one day by accident.”

"... What were you doing in a place like this in the first place?"

She grinned but didn't answer. Though, I could see the conflict in her eyes, a struggle between the man she thought she knew and the reality of his world.

“I was shocked,” Katie continued, her tone heavy with emotion. “I thought I knew him, but seeing him in a place like this... it made me question everything. I don’t know if I can accept what he’s doing, what his world really involves.”

Her admission was raw and vulnerable, and I could sense the weight of her words. It was clear that the reality of Ivan’s life had shaken her, leaving her grappling with her feelings and her place in his world.

“Is this the point I get to say... I told you so?"

She scoffed. "Sure."

I sighed, looking down at my drink. "I won't. It’s hard to reconcile the person you care about with the life they lead, especially when it’s so different from what you expected.”

I couldn't help but think about Albert and how unsure I was of how to move forward. If Katie was this torn and she knew about Ivan's connections from the beginning, what was I supposed to do? What had she seen?

What hadn't I seen?

Katie nodded, her expression thoughtful. “Exactly. I thought I could handle it, but this... this is overwhelming. I’m trying to figure out what it all means for me, for us.”

She sniffled. "I think I'm going to have to break up with him..."