Charade Games | Completed

Chapter 43: A Choice

A/N: A very, very long chapter--hope you'll like it. Also, here's our lovely Alden in the flesh.

Hope everyone has a Happy Reading!

           

1987 Milan, Italy

The man's laugh resounded against my ears.

The sound, like a snare match striking against a matted surface; it ignites for quick moments—and then subsided just as fast.

All the while, the crowd was mesmerized by the flames, staring as their breaths were caught in their throats.

Cocking his head to one side, it was as if the whole ordeal meant nothing to him.

Nonchalantly, he popped another cigar in his mouth as his eyes gleamed in treachery. The side of his lips curling in a smile as he lit the silver lighter in his hands.

Alden kept a straight face. A monotone smile still left on his lips with his eyes still pinned to the man.
But otherwise, he was still calm and collected as the attention drifted.

"May I ask what's so amusing to you?" Alden questioned the man—his brows scrunching up in an upsetting curiosity.

"No, no –I just thought— "

"This was the entire ordeal?" He slapped a hand on his forehead.

"This?" He started the crackling laugh again, this time louder than before.

Wiping away a fake tear in his eye, he cleared his throat as the menacing man returned.

Tucking the cigar between his two chubby fingers, his nails clung onto the cigar's surface as he breathed out a string of smoke.

"If you're going to accuse me, then I must return the favor. That would only be fair." His eyes circled at Alden, a tooth slipping through his grin.

"You do realize, that even if you accuse me of anything, that wouldn't change the fact your neck is going to wrung for this." Alden snapped.

The man responded with a snicker. The cigar now loosely hanging between his fingers as he took another whiff. Slightly licking his lips in anticipation he replied—

"We'll see."

"Now as I was saying—seeing that the Castro familia has paid me so much kindness. It's only proper that I do the same.

His eyes wandered to the people staring at him blankly.

"Let me share with you a little something I found."

Reaching into his front pocket, his round and crumbly fingers pulled out an object.

It sat neatly in his hands.

An object that I recognized.

That everyone also recognized.

And an object that I carelessly lost.

In between his fingers, sat a slightly cracked frame with the lenses dyed in a murky red. The color dripping down from the lenses as the surface was indented with two initials sitting on the black surface.

The man glanced at me.

His head slightly rocking to one side as he playfully jingled the glasses to taunt me of my fear.

Amidst the driving murmurs and confused looks given to him, I tightened my fist as I kept my emotions to a bare minimum.

But the more I tried to subdue it, the worse it became.