𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼

𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼
Wine

❅𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼 ❅

The walk up to our room was silent.

Mazin didn't say a word to me, but I could feel her dark eyes burning into the side of my face as I avoided her stare.

I could physically feel how upset she was with me.

And while I knew avoiding her stare made it worse, I still couldn't find the courage to glance over anywhere near her vicinity.

All I focused on was the precision of her boots hitting the floor with each step she took, my footsteps much softer than hers.

I drew in a deep breath when we finally made it into the room, hesitantly walking past her as she held the door open.

I winced when the door loudly fell shut, walking over to the glass wall to eye the mountains rather than my own girlfriend.

At least until the blinds slowly started coming down, covering the glass wall entirely.

Which naturally made me turn around, noticing Mazin held the remote in her hand.

"I should've told you," I said first, feeling so much anxiety by this silence between us.

I just wished she would rip the band-aid off and say something to me.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, Mazin," I spoke again, watching as she calmly set the remote down on the bed where our jackets and snow pants were.

"You mean lying to me?" Mazin asked, her dark eyes holding mine, "You're sorry for lying to me."

I shook my head, "I didn't technically lie—"

"I specifically asked you that day if this concerned the gang," Mazin cut me short, rolling her shoulders back as she stood stuck in place.

She didn't bother to take a step closer to me.

Which naturally upset me.

She always likes to touch me.

"I thought I had done something wrong—I went out of my way to get you spring rolls because I genuinely thought it was me, Virelai," Mazin said.

I blinked a few times, feeling so caught off guard by her precise stare and serious tone.

I can't think, let alone speak.

"I just didn't want to tell you because I knew you would've canceled the trip," I admitted in a soft whisper.

"I would've immediately canceled this fucking trip," Mazin didn't hesitate to say, sighing almost in disbelief, "Do you hear how superficial that sounds? You wanted to risk your safety—everyone's safety, for what? To go to Aspen for shopping and—"

"You're making it sound like something it's not, Mazin," I quickly cut her short, feeling my face burn from her words, "I just didn't want to ruin a trip everyone was looking forward to."

Mazin lazily raised her brows, "And you made this decision on your own, I see," she said, her tone holding a level of sarcasm.

"But we're fine—clearly we're all fine," I pointed out, my voice growing slightly louder with frustration, "It wasn't even the gang, Mazin."

My girlfriend laughed insincerely through her nose, "You're naive if you think it wasn't them, Virelai," she said, shaking her head at me, "You made an uncalled-for decision—one that could've gotten a lot of people hurt."

"But they didn't—they aren't, Mazin," I tried to explain, growing frustrated that she wasn't listening to me.

"And what if they did? What if Nelli got hurt? Or maybe Tahir?" Mazin asked me, crossing her arms over her chest as annoying tears burned in my eyes at the idea of her words coming true, "My fucking parents, Virelai—you truly had no right to make this choice without anyone's say."

I quickly wiped under my eyes, "I wasn't thinking in that way—"

"Exactly, you weren't thinking," Mazin cut me short, her voice firm and only making more tears burn in my eyes as I drew in a deep shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," I forced out as I glanced down to the floor, feeling entirely ashamed.

She's right.

I put a lot of people at risk.

And for nothing—just a superficial trip that could've been rescheduled.

"Is that what you were planning to say when someone ended up at the hospital?" Mazin asked me, twisting my apology back to me, "Or were you not thinking that far ahead?"

I shook my head, "I said I was sorry, Mazin," I tried to tell her again, sniffling as I wiped more of my tears away.

"Sorry isn't enough right now, Virelai. Sorry is something you say when you're running late or you forgot something at home. It's not something you say..." Mazin trailed off, drawing in a deep breath, "It's not something you say when you put everyone's life at risk—even your life at risk."

I nodded a few times, "I know-I know," I whispered, glancing up from the floor to meet her stare.

Mazin suddenly took a step toward me, but she didn't open her arms for me.

She didn't even lift them to touch me or console me.

She just stood directly in front of me, staring down at me with disappointment.

"This is my family, my friends, my girlfriend—all people I want to spend the rest of my life with," Mazin carefully said, staring down into my eyes burning with even more tears from her words, "You never get to make a call like this without my permission. This is my territory now, one you're a part of whether you're with the Chun family or not, and I do not make judgment calls like this."

I nodded once, feeling my stomach grow with nervous knots at how serious she was right now.

Her tone, her stare—even the way she's standing.

This isn't my girlfriend.

This is the leader of the Moretti gang—a role she's rarely taken in front of me.

"You keep making decisions like this and you're dad's empire will fall faster than it was fucking built, Virelai—and you'll bring my family down with it," Mazin said, her stare strictly holding mine as tears continuously fell from my eyes.

And her words only seemed to make me crumble worse, turning away from her as I buried my face in my hands.

"Maybe I shouldn't lead his empire," I forced out, silently crying even harder into my hands.

"Maybe you shouldn't," was all Mazin said, and I could feel her presence back away from me—naturally making me turn around again.

"I'm really sorry, Mazin, please," I forced out, watching as she grabbed her phone and wallet from her coat on the bed, "Are you mad at me?" I asked her almost desperately, feeling my chest grow so tight at the idea of her saying yes.

"I'm frustrated with your actions. Not you," Mazin corrected me as she walked over to the door.

And her words made me feel somewhat better.

Just not fully.

I don't want her to be frustrated in any shape or form because of me.

"Where are you going?" I whispered, following behind her to the door.

"To handle this," Mazin said as she opened the door.

I nodded a few times, "Of course-of course, I... don't forget dinner is at—"

"I'm not going to make it," Mazin cut me short, walking out of the room, "I love you," she mumbled, leaving before I could say it back.

The silence left around me was so thick that all I could do was cry.

I was so stupid for making that decision.

So fucking stupid.

Mazin's right so much could've gone wrong.

And then what?

What would I have done?

It didn't feel like a big deal but if someone got hurt—if someone died...

It would've been on my hands for not speaking up.

I would've had to live with that.

I let out a deep sigh, sniffling again as more uncontrollable tears slid down my face.

I tore everything from the bed—the jackets and snow pants, pulling the covers down so I could get underneath them.

I didn't bother changing out of the black long-sleeve and leggings I wore.

I just slid off my boots and got in the bed, burying my face under the pillow as I continued to silently cry alone in the large bed.

It felt like there was so much built up inside of me.

So much anxiety.

Mazin normally calms me down, and she's not here to do that right now.

I squeezed my eyes shut, letting out a deep breath as I tried to focus on the softness of the sheets or the pillow resting over my head.

Just not my heartbeat.

Anything but my rapid heartbeat.

Time went unmeasured as I laid silently, my tears slowly drying and my breaths finally more paced.

I knew dinner had to be soon but I chose to lay there for longer with my eyes closed and my mind everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Until finally, I laid up and checked my phone.

Yes, for the time.

But mostly to see if Mazin texted me—even if it was a text still scolding me for my decision, I would be very appreciative.

There was no text.

Nothing from Mazin at least.

The group chat was filled with texts from everyone else about dinner and what time we were leaving.

Thirty minutes is not even remotely enough time for me to get ready.

But tonight was different.

Tonight I pulled on a pair of jeans with a white long-sleeve t-shirt, opting for a brown fur coat and Moon boots.

I went over the slick bun that was still in my hair from earlier, not even bothering to do my makeup before leaving the room to meet everyone downstairs.

The chatter that flowed from the lobby was a direct contrast to the silence I had previously sat in.

If anything, I wanted to be alone, but it felt rude to cancel last minute.

"Hey," Nelli said with her usual smile, until her brows furrowed, glancing past me almost in search of something.

Or someone.

"She's not going to make it," I quickly said, forcing a smile when Nelli grew more confused, "She um wasn't the happiest that I didn't tell her about the phone."

Nelli's furrowed brows raised, "Oh my gosh, Vee, I'm so sorry. I didn't know she didn't know—"

"It's fine, really, I didn't tell you. I didn't tell anyone," I whispered, realizing again that Mazin was right.

I should've told someone.

"I swear I wouldn't have brought it up if I knew," Nelli whispered to me, clearly feeling bad for bringing it all up earlier.

I shook my head, "You couldn't have known, really," I assured her, glancing over when Ronan approached us with Alena and Dove.

Tahir was nowhere to be found—and I don't think that's a coincidence.

"The cars are ready," Ronan told us, causing me to glance over to everyone else as they began making their way toward the front doors of the lobby.

Everyone was accounted for—Tazmin and Lena were busy talking to Omara and Nadia.

While the twins walked out with Marie and Jada as they conversed with Morana and Zane.

That left us following behind them, focused on a different conversation that I didn't bother zoning in on.

I just remained silent, wondering how Mazin was doing—if she's eaten or possibly tired.

Or if she's still frustrated with my actions as she said.

It was all I could think about even as we got seated at the nice restaurant decorated with Christmas trees in every corner.

Christmas music played faintly in the background as I tried my best to be involved in the conversation, but I just didn't have the energy.

I also began noticing the way Tazmin or Lena would look at me.

It wasn't bad.

But I knew that they knew.

I knew Mazin told them.

And that makes me feel so much worse.

They're probably upset with me too.

"Vee," Lena suddenly said, not only earning my attention but everyone else's.

Which slowly made the different conversations around the table fade, especially when Lena stood up—ignoring the hand that Tazmin firmly placed on her arm.

"Come help me pick out the wine for our table," Lena said, not giving me an option to decline.

Nerves shot through my body as I hesitantly stood from my chair, noticing Tazmin draw in a deep breath before letting it out.

This doesn't seem like it's going to be a good conversation.

And I think everyone at the table might think so too, given how quiet they remained as we walked away toward the wine room.

It was down the tall hallway of the restaurant, the tall black shelves holding the different expensive wines to taste test or hand-pick for your table.

"You know," Lena started, eyeing the first shelf of wine that we stopped by, "I used to lie to Tazmin a lot when we first met."

I furrowed my brows at her words, not recalling Lena or Tazmin telling us anything about this small detail of their past.

It kind of made me feel better—even if what I lied about put a lot of people at risk.

"I constantly lied, over the smallest things," Lena told me, now grabbing one of the bottles of wine to look over the label, "Others were big—so big that if it went sideways, I wouldn't be here with three children, talking to you right now."

I remained wordlessly silent, especially when Lena glanced up, her dark eyes meeting mine.

"Do you know what I learned?" she calmly asked me, putting the wine bottle back without so much as glancing away from my stare.

"What?" I whispered, knowing she was waiting for me to answer.

Or say anything really.

Right now I'm just stuck frozen.

"Lying takes more than it will ever give," Lena finally said, her stare more precise than her own daughter, "No matter the circumstances. No matter if you think it's right or wrong. You take something from the person you're lying to every time."

I remained silent, my breaths measured and my trembling hands clasped together as I tried my hardest to remain somewhat unaffected by her serious nature with me.

I had never witnessed Lena anything but happy and joking—aside from disciplining her children or when Tahir would purposely try to annoy her with his jokes. 

"You take their trust," Lena finally revealed, her voice lowered between us even if we were alone in this wine room, "And once you lose trust, you have nothing, Virelai," she added, using my full name for once as the air hung heavy between us.

It made my heart pound in my chest, especially from her tone and stare. 

"I know, I didn't think it through," I tried to say, but it came out as a whisper, feeling everything crumble around me.

Everyone's definitely upset with me.

Lena's upset with me and I'm sure Tazmin is too.

Tahir is probably pissed that he has to miss dinner right now to manage my fuck up with Mazin.

"It should never be a thought or a contemplation," Lena corrected me, shaking her head once, "It's a reflex, being truthful with the person you love—even the people you care about, it's a reflex."

I nodded a few times, "I... yeah-yes, I wanted to tell her—"

"But you didn't," Lena gently cut me short, her expression almost growing disappointed, "And I don't want to be standing here having this serious conversation with you, Vee, but this is my daughter who we're talking about."

I nodded yet again, this time quicker, "I know, I swear I'm really sorry for all of this," I tried to tell her, squeezing my trembling hands tighter together.

I don't want to cry right now. 

Crying would be embarrassing and unnecessary given I'm in the wrong here. 

"You're like a daughter to me too," Lena suddenly said, eyeing me with a look that I finally recognized. It was more motherly, and it managed to soothe me slightly, "I care about your safety, I care about my son's safety, and both of my other daughter's—even my wife's safety. I care about everyone sitting at that table," she told me, softening her words as if she could feel my anxiety.

"I do too," I said, my voice still shakey and barely audible.

"Then you need to hold them in higher regard—you didn't just lie to Mazin, you lied to everyone sitting out there," Lena calmly told me, reaching up to gently squeeze my arm, "Let this be your only mistake—don't be like me and learn numerous times about how badly lying to the people you care about can get."

I nodded once, "It will be my only mistake, I promise," I assured her, somehow still holding my breath with anticipation for what she would say next.

But all she did was smile, sending a wave of relief through me.

"Good, I'm really glad to hear that, Vee," she whispered to me, gently pulling me closer to her by my arm for a hug.

And almost immediately, I hugged her back, feeling so desperate for some kind of consolation.

Lena's familiar sweet scent gathered around me, reminding me of my childhood as we settled in the warm hug. 

"Is Mazin really mad?" I decided to ask her as we remained in the comforting hug for a moment, wondering if Lena saw a different side to her daughter than I did. 

Lena placed her soft hand against the back of my neck, holding me closer to her, "She's hurt that you didn't confide in her, Vee," she explained, naturally making my chest ache unbearably.

I didn't want to hurt her. 

I quickly blinked away the annoying tears burning in my eyes, "I just hope she forgives me," I forced out as we slowly pulled back from the hug. 

Lena shook her head with a smile, "We both know Mazi will," she quickly assured me, reaching over to grab one of the bottles of wine, "But if she's anything like her mom sitting out there at that table—you'll need this tonight."

I hesitantly took the wine from her hand, "Mazin would like this?" I asked in confusion as Lena now began browsing the other wines.

"Yes, but that's for you," she told me, walking over to the other shelf of expensive wine, "My wife can hold a grudge and so can our daughter, so it might just be you and that bottle of wine tonight."

I pursed my lips together, eyeing the bottle of wine in my hand in disappointment.

I would rather have my girlfriend's company instead but I guess wine never hurts.

"These two are perfect," Lena suddenly determined, picking up the two bottles of wine from the shelf so we could head back to the table. 

Which was just as lively as ever, sitting back down with everyone as Tazmin glanced between me and her wife. 

I could notice her whisper something into Lena's ear upon kissing her cheek, taking the two bottles of wine from her hands.

I glanced away from them as they began privately conversing about a topic that I knew regarded what just happened in that wine room. 

Everyone else was focused on lighter topics. 

But still... I just couldn't muster up the energy to contribute to the conversation. 

All I could think about was my conversation with not just Mazin but Lena as well.

It was hard to eat with my mind purely on my girlfriend, hoping I would see her tonight and get to sleep in her arms.

But as Lena had predicted, Mazin wasn't waiting for me back in our room.

Even as I got unready for bed, which took around thirty minutes, Mazin was still nowhere to be found.

I still decided to pull on one of her Chrome Hearts hoodies with a pair of my shorts, crawling into the large bed as her familiar detergent gathered around me.

I popped open the bottle of wine, using the corkscrew I had called the front desk for.

I also had them bring up a wine glass.

Preferably a large one.

Then I grabbed the remote for the TV, deciding to watch the cartoons Mazin and I used to love as kids.

As I sipped on my wine, fully immersed in the TV, my troubles seemed to fade.

Each glass of the red liquid seemed to make the details of today grow further and further away.

Still, my girlfriend's beautiful face danced in my head even as my eyes grew heavier and my thoughts turned fuzzy.

Tonight it was just me alone in this king bed, regretting the decisions I had previously made.

But I knew one thing for sure now. 

I'll never lie to Mazin again.