Chapter 4 Four

EMILIAN

-You are kidding, right? I asked Camilo.

The jerk denied it, letting me know he was dead serious. I slid a hand over my face, I could already feel the migraine starting to hit my head.

How come this idiot had thought of committing me like that and without consulting me? At times like these, he hated knowing each and every one of the laws, otherwise he could kill him and plead ignorance of the penal code before the judge.

And yes, I am aware that "not killing your neighbor" is something that you cannot simply ignore, because it is basically one of our pillars as a society.

-It's not a big deal Emi, I just asked you to accompany me to my younger sister's presentation. he said with a relaxed expression and leaning more into my desk. I inhaled and exhaled several breaths to calm myself before doing something I would later regret.

"Allow me to correct you: you told Kat that I would be delighted to go... and you hadn't even told me anything!" I yelled, hitting the table with my fists. I counted to ten before sitting back down.

-I still don't see the problem, you adore Kat. Camilo stated, from the way he was looking at me it was clear that he was sincerely confused.

"It's not about my appreciation for your sister. I replied shaking my head from side to side. And it was true, I loved the girl like a younger sister, even though she was only three years younger. -I hate with my life the type of music they play and you know it perfectly. I reminded him pointing a finger at him.

Now we were both spread out on the chairs and we were looking at each other defiantly, I narrowed my eyes slightly, giving him to understand that I would not allow him to convince me.

I had known the Pascualles since high school, Camilo and I were in the same class and Katherine was a few years below. Our friendship was one of those that occurs immediately, although it sounds cliché to say it, their father was also a lawyer and exerted a lot of pressure on his children.

In short, we were united by demanding and controlling parents, it was more than obvious that we should support each other. Despite his character, Camilo always met all the expectations that were placed on him; he never for an instant disappointed his family.

Her sister, on the other hand, was the perfect representation of a young woman raised in Beverly Hill or the Hamptons; I even came to believe that her parents would send her to a boarding school abroad.

Being so different in personality, everyone they knew doubted that this pair could even get along. And it was the opposite, the two adored each other and would be capable of giving their lives for the other.

At school we were a troublesome trio, you could never know what our next prank would be and between Camilo and I we always managed to get out of punishment.

The teachers adored us and even today I suspect they pretended to fall for the traps we set for them just to enjoy the excuses we would give them.

It was impossible not to feel attracted to us, my friends were golden blondes, with tanned complexions and blue eyes like the sky, they had so many physical similarities that more than one would think they were twins.

The three of us sweated charisma and from a young age we learned that people are pleased when you tell them exactly what they want to hear, that was our way of avoiding being expelled.

Nowadays none of them had changed much, except that we were now governed by the law and that Kat ended up dedicating herself to music after spending so many years searching for her vocation.

So I loved them as much as I could love another person I liked enough, but even that wouldn't convince me to go torture myself with that sound they called music.

"Sometimes you act like an eighty-year-old. Camilo affirmed, getting up from his chair and buttoning his jacket. I opened my computer and began to check the mail to see if it had any important information.

-Thank you very much, I have always believed that you are very wise. I said without looking at him and outlining a sly smile.

It wasn't a compliment.

"Better for you that I took it as one, dear. I assured while typing an answer for a colleague, about a consultancy that he had requested weeks ago. I didn't hear a response from Camilo, but he did slam the door shut, making a dramatic exit.

I frowned, Camilo Pascualli is not the type of man who will give up just like that and even less without giving up a fight. I had to keep my eyes open, I couldn't know what tactics he would use to try to persuade me.

I spent a long time distracted by the pending work, so I soon forgot about him and his possible tricks; A beginner's mistake, you should never underestimate your enemy and I learned that at night that day.

I left later than usual, by the time I got off the elevator at the reception it was already late at night and there were not many people left, a couple of secretaries and the cleaners, I felt calmer when I saw that the security guard was still in his position.

I said goodbye to him with a nod and walked to the parking lot looking for my car; the place was abandoned enough to make my hair stand on end.

Internally I scolded myself for consenting to such thoughts, the area where I worked had a very low crime rate. I was just torturing myself by seeing ghosts where there weren't any.

However, it was too quiet, the only thing I could hear was the clicking of my heels against the asphalt.

I was starting to get nervous and I even thought I heard another couple of steps following me, I tried to ignore them and walked as fast as my shoes allowed me; the footsteps were heard getting closer.

At last I was able to glimpse my car and I hastened to the step to arrive as soon as possible. I was about to open the door of the Volvo, when a man's hand closed on my elbow. I screamed and instinctively started throwing punches into the air, trying to get away from the stranger.

It was a useless effort, that man was too strong and kept me tight, I tried to hit him in the crotch as I had seen in action movies.

At that moment he spoke, with a voice that I knew perfectly well.

"Could you stop acting like a lunatic?" Camilo asked aloud.

I looked up, meeting his blue eyes that were looking at me furiously. After the main shock, I could also feel how the rage was slipping through my body, I began to tremble and I slapped him.

-What the hell is wrong with you, Camilo Damiano Pascualli? I uttered in an icy voice.

Slapping him had appeased my inner beast and in its place there was an iceberg, I seriously contemplated killing him, after all, I knew how to hide a body perfectly.

"I told you it was a bad idea to ambush her like this, Damiano. a voice whispered behind us.

Katherine Pascualli stepped out of the shadows, giving me an innocent smile that made her look much younger than she really was.

"I'm so sorry about all this, sorella. the youngest of the brothers apologized, calling me by the nickname they gave me when I was a teenager. I watched her with narrowed eyes, I couldn't stay angry when she called me that way and she knew it.

<> I thought without being able to help feeling proud of our young apprentice.

"Will either of you be so kind as to explain to me what's going on?" I almost had a sudden heart attack because of him. I said brushing a purple lock from my face.

The two brothers looked at me regretfully.

"Since you didn't accept the invitation to Kat's gig, I brought her to ask you herself." Camilo answered, puffing out his chest, like a proud child who expects recognition from his parents. Point a finger around us.

"And where does the kidnapping attempt fit into your fantastic plan?" I asked angrily, raising a hand to my face and counting to ten. "I knew you wouldn't be so calm." I sighed and turned around to face her sister.

-I'm sorry Kat, it's not that I don't want to support you, but that's not my kind of music and it will only end up making your night miserable. I said taking the blonde's hands, trying to make her understand me.

"Your brother told you that he engaged me without even telling me?" I asked, watching Camilo out of the corner of my eye. He had taken a step back almost by instinct and was partially hiding again in the shadows.

Katherine glared at her older brother.

-Of course he did, we have a pending conversation about that. She squeezed my hands to bring my attention back to her. -I still want you to come, even for a few minutes.

I opened my mouth to refuse, but Katherine cut me off again.

-It is important to me that my two brothers accompany me. He stated making dog eyes at me.

I turned my head to look away. His cheap convincing trick wouldn't work this time, we weren't sixteen anymore; I bit my lower lip, knowing that at any moment I would give in to my little sister's pressure. I shook my head to the side and closed my eyes.

"You won't be able to convince me." We are already thirty years old, we are adults. I assured firmly, even without looking at her.

"You're the one acting like a child, sorella." he inquired in a mocking tone. I opened my eyes when I heard her, she was right, my attitude was damn childish.

I squared my shoulders to recover the usual security of a lawyer that I used in court, I was aware that I had lost the battle, but the war was just beginning, I would not forget that between the two of them they harassed me to force me to accept. I knew it and so did they.

"Okay, I'll go." But you better find me a decent flirt, if I have to submit to that torture I want to do it in good company. I stated raising my eyebrows suggestively and outlining a mischievous smile. -First I have to go to my house to change. See you there? Camilo looked at me suspiciously. "I won't try to run away. I said feeling a little offended by the insinuation.

-We start at 9:00, don't be late. We already had to postpone it for a few hours because of you. Kat scolded me.

I nodded and both brothers turned around in the direction of Camilo's car, which I hadn't noticed until now.

It was a black Audi with tinted windows, he was very proud to own it, I didn't understand much about cars so I didn't know why I venerated it like a god, I always assumed it was something of the male gender, they behaved just like children at Christmas .

I got into my own car after seeing the Pascualli disappear down the road.

We were going in the opposite direction, so we wouldn't bump into each other until we were at the pub; Due to the hour, the streets were quite uncrowded, so it didn't take long to get to the condominium where he lived.

I parked the vehicle in the building's parking lot, greeted the guards on the afternoon shift, and walked to the elevator, whose doors were opening, revealing a redheaded figure that looked utterly familiar.

The corners of her mouth turned up in a smirk: Amanda, aka my upstairs neighbor.

-Neighbor. I uttered hoarsely by way of greeting.

I wasn't usually this annoying to any of my neighbors, not even the occasional flirts I brought home, but for some reason I couldn't fathom, this little redhead triggered all my hunting instincts.

-It's always a pleasure to see you. I stated with a more casual expression.

I wish I could say the same. He replied, wrinkling his nose in a grimace.

I couldn't help it and I giggled under my breath, I loved his defensive attitude, just like a wild animal, with that hair he could pass for a lion perfectly.

-Are we already with the offenses? I asked leaning a little towards her and resting my hand on the wall.

At that moment I noticed Amanda was still inside the elevator, stopping it. I stepped back to give him room to get out, which he did immediately; In the process, she stumbled and would have fallen to the floor had it not been for the fact that I gently held her elbow to avoid it.

For a few seconds I was lost in her eyes the color of spring and I had the fleeting feeling that the same thing was happening to her. Amanda was the first to pull away, as if the mere touch of my hand would burn her, I tried not to take offense at that and walked away.

We remained silent, each one lost in her thoughts not knowing what to say; I didn't understand why we got along like that, we would never be best friends, but I tried to remember when we started behaving like soldiers going to war every time we saw each other.

It was impossible for me to find something, apparently that had been our dynamic forever.

-Thank you so much. -Amanda's melodious voice brought me out of my thoughts, from the way she was looking at me she made it clear that she had been talking to me for a while. I prayed that my cheeks would not turn red.

-It doesn't matter. I assured with a nod. The silence fell on us again, it was I who broke it. -Have a good night, I guess we'll see each other. I said, pressing the elevator button again and entering its walls.

The last thing I saw before the doors closed was his face that reflected the same confusion that I felt. It won't take long to get to my flat.

The doors opened and a deserted corridor welcomed me. I looked at the walls whose paint was beginning to peel and jumped at the loud sound of the pipes.

Many people didn't understand what I was doing living in a place like that, being my father who he was; Every time I visited my parents, I heard the malicious comments, claiming that it was only a stage and that soon I would return home with my tail between my legs.

When that happened, my mother used to hold my arm and remind me that I was above all that, because the truth was much simpler than it seemed:

I didn't want to depend on my parents' money.

They had worked all their lives to collect the small fortune they amassed over the years and it was only fair that they should be the ones to enjoy it.

I was extremely grateful for the education they gave me and I couldn't say that my childhood had been bad, quite the contrary, despite the fact that they were never parents who pampered themselves, I always knew that they would be behind my back supporting me.

So when I turned twenty I made the decision to go live on my own, having saved enough to pay two months' rent while I found a job.

Neither of them made excuses and they allowed me to live to my heart's content, as long as I didn't drop out of school.

I started working as an assistant in a small law firm and due to the great qualifications I had it didn't take long for me to climb the ranks.

However, I decided to stay in the same apartment that had already become my home; With the money I earned, I decorated it and lived constantly remodeling it because since I was a child I had a weakness for beautiful things.

I entered the apartment, closing the door behind me and plopping down on a two-piece sofa that sat in the middle of the room .

For a moment I thought about risking the wrath of my brothers and falling asleep, I had a survival instinct so I got up immediately and began to take off my clothes.

That was one of the many advantages of living alone, you could walk naked through the house and no one would say anything to you.

I opened the bathroom door and turned the knob on the shower, calibrating it until it reached the right temperature, I collected my hair with a clip that I kept for such occasions and slipped into the water.