My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 67

Ivy

I had no idea how far Raphael’s house was, but it seemed like we were driving for miles.

I gripped the phone tightly in my hand, every bump in the road messing with my nerves. Raphael’s words replayed in my mind, a cruel reminder of the dangerous situation I was in.

The car stopped in front of a mansion. It was fenced-in, bigger than Aidan’s house, and even more luxurious. What’s with these Mafia leaders spending so much money on houses?

I glanced at Molly, her face a mask of fear. "Stay in the car. If anything happens, drive away and get help."

"No way, Miss," she said firmly. "I’m not leaving you alone with those monsters."

"He told me to go alone," I said. "I don’t want to piss him off and risk Aidan’s life."

Molly’s eyes softened with concern, but she knew I was right. She squeezed my hand tightly, a gesture of support. "Just be careful."

"Remember the plan. If I am not out of the house in twenty minutes, send a message to Aidan’s men," I said urgently.

Molly nodded.

I took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. The mansion loomed ahead, its imposing structure starkly contrasting with the serene night sky. I approached the iron gates, which swung open with a creak, inviting me into the lion’s den.

As I walked up the driveway, the tension in my chest grew tighter. Was I going to die tonight?

The grand entrance doors opened, and Raphael’s men appeared, their faces expressionless as they escorted me inside. The interior was even more lavish, adorned with expensive artwork and opulent furnishings.

Raphael stood at the end of the grand hallway, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched me approach. "Ivy, welcome," he said, his voice dripping with false hospitality. "I’m glad you decided to come."

"Where’s Aidan?" I demanded, my voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside me.

He chuckled, motioning for me to follow him. "All in good time. How about you have a drink with me?"

"I am not here to socialize with you, Raphael. You promised Aidan was safe, so prove it," I said curtly.

Raphael’s smirk didn’t falter, but there was a glint of annoyance in his eyes. "Very well, follow me."

He led me down a series of corridors, each more opulent than the last until we reached a heavy wooden door. He knocked twice, and the door opened to reveal a room guarded by two burly men. Inside, Aidan was sitting on a chair, his hands bound but otherwise unharmed.

"Aidan!" I rushed to his side, touching his face gently. Relief and worry swirled in his eyes as he looked up at me.

"Ivy, you shouldn’t be here," he said, his voice strained with concern.

"I had to," I replied softly, my voice trembling with concern. I cast a quick, worried glance over my shoulder at Raphael. "I needed to make sure you were okay, Aidan. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being hurt."

"By putting yourself at risk?" Aidan barked.

"Your woman is brave, I’ll give her that," Raphael said coyly.

I ignored Raphael’s comment and focused only on Aidan. "Are you okay?" I asked, my hand cupping his cheek.

Aidan nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "I’m fine. This is nothing I am not used to."

My voice trembled with barely contained rage as I turned to face Raphael. "What the hell do you want from me?"

He met my gaze with a smug smile. "Your company."

I blinked. "What?"

"You heard me. I want you to give me your company," Raphael repeated.

I felt my blood boil at his audacity. "You think you can just take what’s mine? My father built that company from the ground up and it’s worth billions. I won’t just hand it over to you."

Raphael’s smirk widened, revealing a glint of malice in his eyes. "Oh, but you will. It’s a simple exchange, Ivy. Your company for Aidan’s life."

My heart sank at the mention of Aidan’s name. He was worth more to me than any business deal, and Raphael knew it.

"You’re sick," I spat out, trying to hide the fear that threatened to consume me.

Raphael shrugged nonchalantly. "I’m just a man who knows what he wants - power, control, and your company happens to be the key to all of it."

I looked over at Aidan, who was glaring daggers at Raphael.

"What if I refuse?" I asked, grasping at any hope of escaping this nightmare.

Raphael’s smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculated expression. "Then Aidan dies tonight."

"Don’t listen to him, Ivy. He doesn’t just want your company, he wants you too," Aidan growled through gritted teeth.

Without warning, Raphael strode over to him and delivered a brutal punch to his face, causing me to gasp in shock and fear for Aidan’s safety.

"Shut your mouth, Blackwood; the grown-ups are talking," Raphael snarled before turning back to me with a dangerous glint in his eye. "Now, let’s make a deal."

I stood frozen, my mind racing with fear and fury. I couldn’t let Raphael get away with this, but I also couldn’t risk Aidan’s life.

"Alright," I said, my voice trembling but determined. "I’ll give you the company. But I need assurances that Aidan will be safe and released immediately."

Raphael smiled, satisfied. "Of course, Ivy. I’m a man of my word."

"You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you," I retorted. "I want Aidan released first, then I’ll sign over the company."

Raphael’s eyes narrowed. "You are in no position to make demands."

"Maybe not," I admitted, "but if you kill Aidan before I sign, you’ll get nothing. And if you kill me afterward, there are legal safeguards that will prevent you from taking control of the company."

Raphael considered this, his gaze cold and calculating. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. Aidan will be released once the documents are signed."

"Bring the documents here," I demanded. "I want to read through everything."

Raphael signaled to one of his men, who left the room and returned a few minutes later with a stack of papers. I took them, my hands shaking, and began to read.

My body shuddered as I read over the documents. The conniving bastard had thought of everything. According to these papers, it appeared that I was willingly handing my company over to him for a sum of money. But the truth was, he wasn’t paying me a single cent.

I looked up to him. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Raphael’s smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with a twisted satisfaction. "It’s simple, Ivy. Power and control. Your company gives me both. With it, I can expand my influence, launder money more efficiently, and legitimize my operations. You see, it’s not just about the money. It’s about what the company represents and the doors it opens."

I felt a surge of anger. "My father built this company with integrity. You’re going to ruin everything he worked for."

Raphael shrugged, completely unfazed. "Your father is perfectly fine. He retired and is now living his best life with his boat. I’ve done my research about you. You are the only one who will be losing everything."

Aidan shifted uncomfortably beside me, the pain from Raphael’s earlier punch evident on his face. "Ivy, you don’t have to do this," he said softly.

I met his gaze, my heart aching. "I don’t have a choice, Aidan. I can’t let him kill you."

"He is going to kill me anyway," he hissed.

Raphael clapped his hands, drawing my attention back to him. "Enough sentimentality. Sign the papers, Ivy, and let’s be done with this."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands. "I’ll sign."

"Ivy!" Aidan growled warningly.

In the back of my mind, I knew Aidan was right. But I couldn’t let him die, not when there was a chance to save him. My hands trembled as I picked up the pen.

I released a heavy sigh and signed the documents. Once I was done, I handed the papers back to Raphael, who took them with a triumphant smile.

"Excellent," he said, tucking the papers into his jacket. "You’ve made a wise decision, Ivy."

"Now release Aidan," I demanded, my voice cold and firm.

Raphael threw his head back and laughed.

I groaned inwardly. Here we go...was I about to hear the Villain’s monologue?

"You silly girl," Raphael said mockingly. "I was never going to release him."

Yeah...shocker.

"If you believed I’d let my enemy walk out the door unharmed, you are dumber than I thought," he said.

I decided to stall him until Molly signaled someone to send more men to rescue us. "Whatever happened to the truce? Didn’t you become friends or something?" I asked.

Raphael’s laughter subsided, and he turned his cold gaze back to me. "Friends? Hardly. A truce is merely a temporary pause in hostilities. And it seems, Ivy, that you’ve been underestimating the stakes in our world."

Aidan’s eyes blazed with anger, his fists clenched tightly. "You bastard. Let her go, Raphael. This is between you and me."

Raphael shook his head slowly, almost pityingly. "Oh, Aidan, you still don’t get it. Ivy is valuable to me now. With her company in my hands, I hold even more power."

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "So, what’s your plan? Kill Aidan and keep me as a hostage?"

Raphael smirked, clearly enjoying the game. "Ah, look at you catching on. You are smarter than I thought."

At that moment, I caught a glimpse of movement outside the window. Maybe Molly had sent the signal, and Aidan’s men were moving into position. I needed to keep Raphael distracted a little longer.