My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 49

Aidan, back then...

I saw Ivy push Aaron off.

Oh good. Maybe she didn’t want to kiss him.

But Ivy was laughing, her eyes sparkling. Her laughter echoed through the grand ballroom as Aaron leaned in closer to her.

I watched from across the room, my heart pounding in my chest as jealousy bubbled up inside me like bitter bile. The air around me seemed to thicken, making it harder for me to breathe.

The DJ changed the tune to something slow and romantic, adding fuel to the fire that was already burning in my chest. I watched them sway together under the glittering chandelier. Their bodies move in sync with each other’s rhythm.

Without thinking, I marched out of the building, leaving prom and my date behind. I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t watch her be happy with another guy.

I didn’t know why I was feeling like this. I thought I was ready to give her and let her be happy, but now...

I didn’t know where to go or what to do with all these emotions churning inside me. I wanted to punch something - no, someone. But who? Myself? No, it wasn’t my fault I couldn’t control these feelings. They just...appeared out of nowhere and consumed me whole.

I walked aimlessly down the sidewalk, and then eventually, I ended up back home.

I was face to face with my father as I entered the house. The worn-out couch creaked under his weight as he sat down heavily, a cold bottle of beer in one hand and the remote control in the other.

"Ah, look who is finally finally home?" he drawled.

I attempted to slip past my father and retreat to the safety of my room, but his hand shot out and gripped my arm with surprising force, stopping me in my tracks. I winced at the sharp pain shooting through my arm, but I refused to show any weakness in front of him.

"Where do you think you’re going, huh?" he slurred, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. His bloodshot eyes bore into mine with a menacing intensity, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I just... I need some space," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the anger and frustration coursing through me.

"Space?!" he scoffed, his grip tightening on my arm. "You think you can just waltz in and out of here whenever you please? You’re nothing but a worthless piece of—"

His words were cut off by a sudden burst of anger and frustration. I couldn’t take it anymore. The pent-up emotions from watching Ivy with Aaron and the suffocating pressure of my father’s constant abuse all exploded within me like a volcano, ready to erupt.

With a primal scream, I wrenched myself free from his grasp and stumbled backward, my heart racing with adrenaline-fueled fury. I could feel the rage building inside me, threatening to consume everything in its path.

"You don’t get to control me anymore!" I shouted, my voice hoarse with emotion. "I’m sick of your bullshit, sick of living in this hellhole!"

The look of shock on my father’s face quickly turned into one of pure rage. He lunged forward, his heavy hand colliding with the side of my face. The force of the blow sent me sprawling onto the ground, and I tasted blood as it trickled down from my nose.

"You ungrateful little shit!" he roared, advancing towards me.

But this time, I wasn’t going to cower in fear like I always did. Something inside me snapped. I was done with being a punching bag, both figuratively and literally.

With all my strength, I pushed myself off the ground and lunged at him. My fist connected with his jaw, sending him reeling back in surprise. It was an unfamiliar feeling - standing up for myself and fighting back against years of abuse.

We continued to exchange blows, but this time, it was different. I wasn’t just taking it anymore. I fought with everything I had, fueled by years of suppressed anger and frustration.

"St...stop it! Stop it, please!" a small voice whimpered, and I halted.

Ellie was standing by the doorway, staring at us, wide-eyed and teary.

My heart sank as I looked at Ellie, her delicate frame trembling with fear and confusion. In that moment, the realization of what I had done hit me like a ton of bricks. I had let my anger consume me, and in doing so, I had scared my little sister.

I never showed my violent side to her before. She has had enough of that from our father. I only wanted her to know me as the brother who loved her.

I took a step back, my hands trembling at my sides as I struggled to find the words to explain myself. But what could I say?

"I-I’m sorry, Ellie," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I didn’t mean to..."

But my apology fell flat, drowned out by the echo of violence that still lingered in the air. How could I expect her to understand when I didn’t even understand myself?

Tears welled up in Ellie’s eyes. "That’s enough, okay?"

My father groaned from where he lay on the ground, his face all bloody. Despite everything, a small part of me felt a twinge of satisfaction at seeing him brought down to my level, if only for a moment.

But the satisfaction was fleeting, overshadowed by the weight of what had just transpired. I had crossed a line, one that I could never uncross. And now, I was left to face the consequences of my actions.

With a heavy heart, I turned and fled from the house, the sound of my father’s curses echoing in my ears. I didn’t know where I was going or what I would do next, but one thing was certain - I couldn’t stay here anymore.

~-~

I blinked my eyes open as the sunlight assaulted my eyes. I had spent the night at a park bench, and now it was morning.

As I sat up groggily on the park bench, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, a familiar figure approached me. It was Tony, a guy from school who had graduated a couple of years ago. We weren’t particularly close, but I knew him well enough to recognize him.

"Hey, Aidan, what are you doing out here?" Tony asked, his tone casual but with a hint of concern.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to gather my thoughts. "Just... needed some fresh air," I muttered, not really wanting to get into the details of my tumultuous night.

He narrowed his eyes. "Shit, man. What happened to your face?"

"None of your fucking business," I barked.

Tony nodded knowingly, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he seemed to come to a decision.

"Listen, I need a favor," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "What kind of favor?"

Tony glanced around cautiously before leaning in closer. "I need you to deliver something for me. It’s nothing illegal or anything, just a package."

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to get involved in whatever Tony had going on.

"I will give you a cut of the money I make from it." Tony paused. "And trust me, it will be a lot."

"Okay, I’ll do it," I finally agreed, hoping that this would lead to some distraction from the mess that my life had become.

And I needed money in any case. I could use to leave the house and never look back.

Tony flashed me a grin, clearly relieved. "Great. Meet me here tonight, and I’ll give you the details."

With that, he clapped me on the shoulder and sauntered off, leaving me to contemplate my decision.

~-~

As I made my way to the meeting spot that evening, my mind was still reeling from the events of the past day. I couldn’t shake the guilt and shame that weighed heavily on my shoulders, nor could I ignore the gnawing fear of what lay ahead.

But as I approached the designated location, a sense of apprehension crept over me. Something didn’t feel right. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and a chill ran down my spine.

Before I could react, a group of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, surrounding me with menacing intent.

"Looks like we got ourselves a little rat," one of them sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

"I am here to deliver this package," I said, keeping my voice steady.

The figures exchanged knowing glances, their expressions hidden in the darkness. For a moment, the silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.

Then, the leader of the group stepped forward, his features partially obscured by the dim light. His eyes bore into mine, assessing me with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze head-on. "I was told this would be a simple delivery. I don’t want any trouble."

The man’s lips curled into a sinister grin, and he took the package from me. He took out a switchblade knife out of his pocket and made a slit on the package to look inside the content.

"What the fuck is this?" he roared immediately.