Tainted

The plan

The Russo's were a powerful family in Italy, they could move mountains with a snap to their fingers.

The crime family was involved in various institutions of the country.

They were on good terms with doctors, senators, law enforcement and even Judges.

It had not been a difficult task to get the medical staff on Mateo's side, with a bit of incentive of course, they all worked along side Dr. Ahmed to fabricate such perfidious lie.

He was the Don after all.

So when Capri, Marcella and Tony noticed Dr. Ahmed frantically yell medical terms, that were unknown to their average minds, to the nurses on duty, they desperately tried to figure out what was going on.

The nurses gathered to help remove Mateo from his room to one of the emergency ones.

"What's happening"? Both women asked in unison, alarmed by the sudden state of the staff.

Mateo's bed was urgently taken to another area, all three visitors unable to see him as the nurses had gathered around him to push him into the emergency room.

It had gone from a calm morning to a frantic one as the staff rushed and ran through, once again leaving the atmosphere empty when they had piled into the emergency room where Mateo was being treated.

*

The medical staff had agreed on it being wise to let half an hour pass into the hour long wait of his stopping heart, before breaking the news.

Dr. Ahmed wore a neutral but solemn expression on her face as she stepped out into the presence of the three.

"What happened"?! Marcella asked, her voice breaking as she stared into the eyes of the doctor.

Ahmed was sad, not sad because her patient's heart stopped, not sad because she was faking, not sad because her life could've been ripped away from her if things would've gone wrong, instead her heart filled with sorrow as she had practiced something unethical as a surgeon.

Not that she had much of an option of course.

"Mr. Russo's heart stopped, his vitals dropped and I did my best to bring him back to life but there was nothin-

Marcella gasped loudly, trembling as the doctor's words sunk in, she dropped to the ground, hysterical sobs escaping her lips as she screamed as loud as her lungs would allow her to, pain and desperation filled her broken heart.

"No". A whisper resounded, Tony snapped his gaze towards Capri who stared at the doctor with widened eyes and trembling hands as her left one covered her mouth in shock.

Marcella was on the floor sobbing, she looked over at Capri with a desperate expression etched on her face.

"He's dead Capri, Mateo is dead". She cried.

Marcella hated Capri, she was the other woman after all but now as emotional pain flushed through both women, Marcella knew that the only one who could understand her sorrow at the moment was, Capri.

*

It was a briskly night.

The lights of the private jet shined through the dark atmosphere as the plane hummed, followed by the unmusical remainder of the roar.

Tony wore a slick suit, clean to the speck, the lower edges moving along with the breeze as he stood as straight as a soldier.

He stood next to the enormous jet, hands folded in front of him with a shiny thick watch adorned on his right wrist.

Following along with a twitch to his lips, a brief small smile appeared on his face as he watched his boss from afar.

Mateo took his sweet time as he walked towards the plane, grey slacks and a black tight dress shirt decorating his lean figure as he held his suit jacket over his shoulder in a fashionably manner.

He ran a hand through his black hair before grinning like a school boy who had just gotten a yes after asking his crush out.

Mateo had recovered rapidly, he was on the path of living a life free of crime if the plan ran by smoothly, all starting with faking his death.

So far so good.

"Boss". Tony nodded, a hand squeezed his shoulder, Mateo reciprocating the nod as he did so before making his way up the stairs of the jet.

He had left two women he loved heart broken, for Capri it would be temporary, for Marcella? Well, he couldn't trust her.

Though he left her her share, share of money and properties, she wouldn't go hungry for the rest of her life, everything else he kept hidden under various names, secret accounts and on islands.

Things were looking up for once.

"How was my woman"? Mateo asked as Tony sat across from him.

The interior of the plane was beige and black, elegance and wealth dripping off of it.

"Which one"? Tony causally responded as he pulled out his phone to scroll through it.

Mateo looked up at him through hooded eyes, grabbing a bottle of whisky that was placed on the table between the two.

"Very funny".

Tony shrugged his shoulders before responding.

"What can I say, they're dying inside".

Mateo shifted uncomfortably in his seat before nodding, sad to hear that they were suffering due to his plans, it would all be worth it in the end, he reminded himself.

"All part of the plan".

"Indeed it is".

They sat in silence, taking sips of their whisky as the plane took off into the night.

*

Capri hugged her pillow tightly as Axel wrapped his arms around her.

They spooned on her bed, her tears still running down her face as they laid in silence.

She had been sobbing throughout the night and her heart could take no more.

So she laid there silent, letting the tears stream down her face as thoughts and memories of Mateo flooded her tired mind.

"I'll always be here for you Capri". Axel whispered, feeling worse than he had already been feeling.

"I know".

The silence engulfed once again, Axel thinking of the right thing to say to render her mind, even for a moment.

"Maybe this was your path with Mateo, Capri. You were meant to love, forgive and move on, he has given you something that we all wish to feel, love is not a right it is a privilege and you were lucky enough to feel it and always keep it in your heart". He whispered, running his fingers through the strands of her hair.

"It hurts". She choked.

"I know, and it will for a while, but you will forgive and love again, you are capable of love and to be loved, I love you and Mateo did too".

Capri grabbed Axel's arm that laid over her waist, pulling him closer to her as she sniveled.

At the moment she thought of Marcella, she could only imagine how she must be feeling.

It was a day of heartbreak, she silently promised herself to pay her a visit throughout the week.