Chapter 4 - The Debt of a Desperate Mother
Three agonizing days passed, and Jenny could not stop staring at the black business card resting on her kitchen counter.
Her son, Leo, was completely back to his energetic, happy self, breathing easily thanks to the expensive medicine she could never have afforded.
Jenny knew exactly who Marco Vitelli was now; a quick search on the library computer had revealed terrifying articles about the ruthless head of the city’s largest criminal syndicate.
She knew she should absolutely stay away from him, completely terrified of owing a debt to a man who ruled through fear and violence.
But she also knew that without his sudden, miraculous intervention, her son might not have survived that horrible night.
Her fierce pride and deep sense of honor completely refused to let a debt of life go unacknowledged, no matter how dangerous the creditor was.
On Thursday evening, Jenny baked a simple, warm loaf of banana bread, wrapped it carefully in tin foil, and put on her worn navy coat.
She left Leo safely with a trusted elderly neighbor and took the bus to the address listed on the back of the black card.
The address belonged to 'The Obsidian', a highly exclusive, massively expensive private club in the heart of the financial district.
Jenny stepped off the bus, immediately feeling completely out of place standing on the pristine sidewalk in her cheap clothes.
Two massive, heavily armed security guards in dark suits stood directly in front of the club’s heavy oak doors, blocking her path.
“Private event tonight, ma'am, you need to leave,” the larger guard stated coldly, stepping forward to intimidate her.
Jenny stood her ground, clutching the warm tin foil package tightly to her chest.
“I am here to see Mr. Vitelli,” Jenny said firmly, her voice shaking slightly but holding an incredible amount of courage.
The guards actually laughed, completely amused by the audacity of this poorly dressed woman asking for the most dangerous man in Chicago.
“The boss doesn't see random people off the street,” the second guard sneered, reaching out to grab her arm and push her away.
Before the guard’s fingers could even brush her coat, the heavy oak doors swung violently open.
Marco Vitelli stood in the doorway, his dark eyes blazing with an absolute, terrifying fury that completely froze the guards in their tracks.
“If you ever touch her, I will cut your hands completely off,” Marco roared, his voice echoing fiercely down the quiet, expensive street.
The guards immediately stepped back, bowing their heads in pure, unadulterated terror at their boss's sudden wrath.
Marco’s furious expression instantly softened as he looked down at Jenny, completely surprised to actually see her standing there.
May you like
“Come inside, Jenny,” Marco said softly, gently stepping aside and holding the heavy door open for her.
Jenny took a deep breath and walked past the terrified guards, stepping directly into the dark, luxurious world of the mafia king.
