Billionaire's Dangerous Obsession

MIRA

I stand behind the shop counters, watching Momma and Papa stress over the long list of bills that just came by the mail.

Momma has emaciated horribly over the last few weeks, and Papa is just recovering from a heart attack, now this.

Added to Papa's hospital bills and the money for Anna's schooling, we barely have enough to feed, talk more of paying off thousands of dollars as shop rent and other taxes to the owners of our grocery store chain.

I feel my heart sink as I watch Momma bury her head in her hands, the frustration from trying to pay off last month's debt still very much evident on her worn out face. Papa collapses on a chair beside her, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

The air in the room is so heavy with despair, I almost choke from it.

I quit pretending to wipe down the already spotless counter and walk over to them, my steps slow and measured.

"How much are they asking for this time, Momma?"

She jerks from her slumped posture on the chair, quickly wiping at her eyes before turning to me.

The tears swimming in her eyes are like a thousand little pin pricks through my already shattered heart.

I hate seeing my parents in pain. I hate this feeling of helplessness that consumes me as I continue to watch them crumble beneath the weight of all these bills.

"It's nothing, bebita." She gives me a wan smile. "You do not have to worry about it."

Papa struggles to sit up and tears prick my eyes.

"How long?" I whisper brokenly. "How long will you continue to let them cheat us like this? We all know that they overtax us for this store. Surely, asking for a seven thousand dollars per year is outrageous. Why do you continue to sit back and let this happen?"

Tears fall down my cheeks in torrents but I'm past caring at this point.

"Come here, sweetheart. Come here."

Papa extends an arm to me and I run to him, burying my face in his neck. I breathe in his comforting sandalwood scent, trying to stifle my raging hiccups.

"Hush now, dear. Hush." He pats my back with a soothing rhythm.

"But it's not fair, papa." I sniff. "Can't anything be done about it? The government can't help us?"

Papa smiles – a sad, defeated smile.

"Let me tell you a little story, dear. It's about a man named Escobar Scuderi. Wanna hear it?"

I clean my eyes and look up.

"Mm-hm." I love Papa's stories.

"You see, princess, Escobar Scuderi is a very rich man. He owns millions of stores and restaurants both here in Italy, and in New York as well. We over here are just his minions because we rent his stores. If he decides to increase the rent to ten thousand dollars by the end of the week and tells us to pay monthly, we'll have no other choice but to pay. That's just the way it is. The government cannot do anything about it because Scuderi is an extremely powerful man, you see."

"Even more powerful than the government?" I ask.

"Let's just say that Scuderi is the boss of the government, sweetheart. I know you worry about us and the store, but worrying is our job, not yours. Try not to stress about this. Now come on, your Momma and I have a lot to discuss. Why don't you go up to the house and check on your little sister, okay?"

"Okay, papa."

I leave the store on shaky legs, but with anger and determination burning a destructive hole through my heart. Escobar Scuderi has made my family suffer for far too long. It is high time somebody stood up to his reign of tyranny.

If my parents feel too intimidated to solicit for their rights, then I will just have to do it on their behalf. I refuse to stand back and watch Momma and Papa continue to fade away under the weight of thousands of illegal debt.

Escobar Scuderi will have me to contend with because his reign of cheating the poor and innocent ends now.

***

I huddle beneath my hoodie, trying to escape the cold and cursing myself every single minute for choosing a seat close to the window.

My grip around the battered backpack I had grabbed from home before making my hasty escape tightens until the zipper begins to hurt my palm.

This is it. Today is the day I meet Escobar Scuderi.

I have absolutely no idea on how I'm going to meet him, or if I'm even going to be allowed to see him, but one way or the other, I'm not leaving Sin City until he cuts our shop rent by half.

My stomach growls and I wrap my fingers tight against my middle to stifle my hunger. It wasn't lunchtime yet when I left home so I had nothing to eat. I only have twenty dollars on me, and that includes my bus fare. I cannot afford to be hungry right now.

After Papa sent me back to the house, I just knew that I couldn't continue to sit back and watch as Scuderi persistently makes our lives hell. I had to do something. So I stuffed a few clothes into my backpack while my youngest sister, Anna, watched me with wide eyes, and snuck out the back door.

I ran all the way to the bus stop, praying fervently that no one discovered I was gone until I was well on my way to Sin City.

My heart sinks with the realization that Escobar might not even be at Sin City today, or tomorrow. I just read on one of the bills that was sent to Momma that Scuderi Holdings headquarters is in Sin City and I hopped on a bus. Fingers crossed.

My eyes are permanently glued to the window as I watch the beautiful city fly past. However, exhaustion and hunger weigh me down quickly and soon enough, I'm dozing in my seat.

"Sin City!"

I jerk awake at the bus driver's voice. We're here already?

I peek outside, a hand over my eyes to shield them from the sun's blinding rays. It must be high noon by now. I fold my thick, heavy tangle of red curls into my baseball cap, pick up my backpack and alight the bus.

Once down on the curb, I look around beneath the safety of my cap. Momma and Papa come to the city a lot for one work or the other. I cannot afford being recognized by someone that knows either of them.

The entire street is so busy. Why the hell is everyone in such a hurry anyways?

"Hello, excuse me?"

The middle-aged man stops and I heave a sigh of relief.

"I'm looking for Escobar Scuderi of Scuderi Holdings. Where can I find him, please?"

I watch as the man's face morphs from that of a friendly stranger to an angry troll.

"Please get out of my way, miss. I have important things to attend to." The man shoves past me so hurriedly, he barely replies to the thank you I throw at him.

It goes on like that for everyone I stop. I try to stop a few passersby to ask for directions but they just brush me off. The few people I've been able to ask about Scuderi look at me like I've gone mad. But I've come too far to give up now.

I walk farther into the city until I come across a small diner. I'm starved. Perhaps they'll have some information to share…and hopefully a few free crumbs to spare.

I walk into the diner with both fingers crossed. The little bell above the door jingles, signaling my entry, and the lone barista behind the bar gives me a tired smile.

She's a very beautiful young lady with sparkling, bright blue eyes.

"Hello and welcome to Sam's Steak House. My name is Vanessa, what would you like to have?"

The delicious smell of over-greased steak hits me and my knees almost buckle. Oh, Lord. What I wouldn't give to have a few extra cents to buy lunch. I embarked on this mission totally unprepared. I miss Momma's special apple pie so much right now.

I lick my dry lips and try my best to produce my brightest smile.

"Just water for me, please."

Vanessa narrows her eyes at me.

"Are you sure, sweetheart? You don't need anything to eat?"

My parents have always instilled a sense of pride in Anna and me. We are taught never to beg for anything unless it is absolutely necessary. Right now, I can go with my stomach empty for a few more hours. Just until I finish my mission.

I walk over to the bar with unsteady legs and climb into one of the stools.

"Just water, please." I repeat.

She smiles again.

"Alright then. A glass of sparkling water coming right up." She winks "That's Italian for water from our cleanest tap."

I chuckle at her attempt at a joke and she disappears through a door which I assume is the kitchen. She comes back a while later, a glass of water and a plate of burgers in tow.

I stare at the food and I almost weep. Was my hunger really that apparent?

"I…I'm sorry but I didn't ask for this…"

She gives my shoulders a friendly pat.

"Don't worry. This one's on me."

I look up at her uncertainly.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Eat up."

I do not wait to be told twice, I pick up the thick, juicy burger and bite off a huge chunk.

"This is so good." I tell her between bites.

"Glad you enjoy it."

She keeps on working on the ledgers while I make quick work of devouring the burger. When I'm filled to the point of bursting, I push the plate away.

"All done?" She asks.

"Yes, thank you. I can't possibly take another bite."

"Glad I could help."

She clears the dishes and comes back to work on the ledgers. I take that moment to look around.

The diner is shabby, almost decrepit. The wooden floors are chipped, the paint is peeling. It is in awful need of some repair work. I wonder why the owner hasn't fixed it up yet. Maybe he's planning to sell out.

A few tables and chairs are shoved haphazardly at the windows and the middle of the diner. The linoleum-covered counter is also gradually peeling away.

Something's off about all of this.

"Uh…" I begin. "My name is Mira. Mira Fernandez. How about you?"

Her soft blue gaze lands on me again.

"I'm Vanessa Collins. Nice to meet you, Mira."

I give her a small smile.

"Likewise."

"So, Mira. I get you're not from these parts, and you look lost. What are you doing here? Why's a pretty girl like you roaming about the city of predators?"

City of predators? That's a first.

"I'm looking for someone." I start slowly.

Her eyes widen and she begins to drum her blue-painted fingernails against the counter.

"Cool. How old are you, Mira?"

"Uh…uh. I'm twenty."

It's not entirely a lie. I'll be twenty in the next few months.

"Sweet! I'm twenty-two. We can be good friends."

Her enthusiasm is infectious.

"So, who are you looking for?"

I clench my fingers as my anger begins to resurface.

"Escobar Scuderi. I have a score to settle with that cheat."

Vanessa's eyes widen and just then, the little bell jingles, signaling the arrival of a newcomer and I feel the temperature in the room drop by several thousand degrees.

The pen in Vanessa's grip slips to the ground with an empty echo and her mouth goes slack with shock.

What the hell?

I raise a questioning brow at her but she doesn't look at me. Her entire attention is on the door, and whoever just walked in.

I pivot slowly on the stool and come face to face with four huge, heavily muscled men.

And they look like they're out for blood.

"So you have a score to settle with our master, eh?" One of them asks. His heavy Russian accent and gangster look send fear running up my spine in torrents.

"Vanessa." I whisper. "Do you know these people?"

"Yes." She equally whispers. "Those are Scuderi's enforcers. They deal with the city's debtors."

Just the mention of the word enforcers is enough to turn my knees to jelly. I have read all about them. Evil men that carry out their masters' dirty work. They can go to extreme extents like murder if they are being opposed.

One of them motions to Vanessa.

"Your boss has been owing his rental taxes for the past one year. The master has been patient enough. He requests his money today and not an hour later."

Behind me, Vanessa begins to visibly tremble.

"Please. Give us one more week. My boss isn't feeling well. He was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago and can barely afford his medication. Please, I beg you for a few more weeks."

I watch the exchange as if in trance. This is my entire life playing before my eyes, but with different actors. And I thought my family was the most affected by Escobar Scuderi's greed.

I watch as Vanessa continues to beg while the enforcers threaten to set fire to the store, and rage, venomous, burning rage, shoots through my veins.

I leap to my feet, blocking the path between Vanessa and the men. Barely above five feet, I cannot be considered as huge or scary. But Papa once said that I have a fury that can rival a tornado in motion.

"Stop this right this instant!" I scream. "Stop this!"

I turn to their leader and poke my finger in his face.

"You and your greedy, money-hungry master have succeeded in making life miserable for so many people in this city. Enough!"

The goon's face twists in surprise, then anger but I cut him off, my eyes blazing fury.

"Can't you see how your master exploits the masses? Do you think what he does is right? Well, if you do, then you all are disgusting. Every single one of you.

Now, take me to your master. I have a few things I would love to say to that monster." I seethe.

"Mira!" Vanessa screams.

I hear it before I feel it. Pain explodes in my right ear. For a minute, all I hear is a screeching, deafening sound.

I fall to the ground as my vision turns blurry.

I hear faint laughter in the background and something about the boss' nephew liking "this one."

Then I fade into oblivion.