THE MAFIA'S PENANCE

GUNSHOT WOUND

The gunshot is heard. I tried to feel the pain in my body but I was fine so I opened my eyes immediately and saw the man in black who brandished his gun at me had fallen to the ground and was bleeding out of his chest, even though he's not dead.

"In this situation you shouldn't cry, Viv." Renata's voice came from the back of the car I was riding in.

I turned to look at Renata as there were a lot of gunshots coming from the La Nostra guards who came along with Renata. Renata's distinctive smile gushed across Renata's face with a long barrel gun he carried.

Renata walked over to me. The man who was lying near me tried to raise his gun towards Renata but easily Renata fired several shots at him until the blood of the man narrowed to me who was surprised to close his eyes again.

"Art would be very sad if you were dead." Renata's words made me open my eyes and look at her who was smiling at me.

For a moment I was shocked at his presence that came carrying a long-barreled weapon, plus how he shot someone brutally without fear. As for me, seeing the blood splashed onto my body alone was extremely horrifying to me.

"A doctor must have gotten used to seeing blood." Renata walked towards the front of the car while shooting at some people who were already sprawled due to being hit from the guards of La Nostra.

Now that I understand, it turns out Renata is indeed my brother's fiancee. He fits perfectly with my brother Arthur, who is known for being cold-blooded. Even my sister never once held a gun, let alone a long-barreled weapon. It was impossible for me to shoot it because I was so scared when I saw blood.

"Viv, are you okay?" Vernon's voice came from near Alec's car. He stood up even though his upper shoulder was shot.

The question woke me from the horror of this situation. I got out of the car and looked for Alec without caring about Vernon who was about to walk towards me. Alec's not in his car anymore.

"Alice." Call me with fear.

"I'm here, Viv." Alec's voice came from the side of the car.

Immediately I looked for him and saw Alec sitting on the ground with his right leg injured by the impact of his car that was hit by a tree.

I felt a sense of relief when I saw he was still alive until I unconsciously hugged him by not caring about the existence of Vernon who did not see the two of us for a long time.

"I'm doing fine. You don't have to worry." Alec told me that he was holding her.

"Get rid of Viv, let me see the wound." Renata exclaimed, causing me to let go of Alec and turn to Vernon.

Renata opens Alec's bleeding right leg. Seeing him made my own legs feel weak. Until Vernon who saw me with a gunshot wound covered by his hand made him fall to the ground again. Renata immediately approached Vernon after telling La Nostra's men to take Alec to the hospital.

"You okay?" Renata asked Vernon who was looking at me. "Viv, help me get Vernon to the car."

I listened to Renata by walking closer to them. Vernon was still looking at me so closely that I helped him stand up.

"I can still get up, I don't need your help." Vernon cried to me, pulling out my hand that was about to hold his.

Vernon got up and walked into his car with Renata already in the steering wheel. I followed behind Vernon and sat in the front seat while Vernon was in the back seat.

After getting the handling, I went into the room where Alec was. I was so worried about her that I wanted to cry. But seeing Alec smile at me made me so relieved.

"It's okay, I'm fine. This wound will heal soon. Just a minor wound." Alec said to me who approached him in the room.

"I'm grateful you're okay, Alec." I answered with Alec's palm.

The question made me realize that I should be in Vernon's room right now and not here with Alec. But I was more worried about Alec even though the one who was hurt worse was my own husband, Vernon.

"You should see it now, Viv. He'll suspect later."

I listened to Alec and went straight into the room where Vernon was. Vernon saw my presence by throwing his face away. He was on top of a hospital bed not wearing a shirt with a bandage wrapped around his gunshot wound. Just now the doctor took a bullet out of his body. Looks like the bullet didn't hit any vital organs so Vernon looks fine.

"How are you doing?" My toot. "It looks like you're okay."

"It's just a small wound, I won't die from it." Answer Vernon coldly. "You're not hurt, are you?"

What Vernon asked made me realize. I wasn't hurt at all but it felt like the question was that I was trying to feel all my body in case I got hurt without knowing.

"Yes, there seems to be no wound on my body. I'm fine." I replied after making sure there were no injuries to my body.

"From now on you can't go anywhere, even if you want to get out, I'll have some people escort you. Do you understand?" Look at Vernon to me standing beside his bed, near him. "Now you're not only La Nostra but also Camorra."

Even though I wanted to refuse, there were no words I said. For now I think I will just be quiet even though later I will definitely find a way to get out alone without an escort. Any more when I want to see Alec, there's no way I'm going with Vernon's bodyguards.

"How's Alec doing?" Ask Vernon. "He's all right? You must have seen it before you got here, right? Either way you and Alec are so close because you've known me for so long."

"Yes, his leg was only a minor wound and will heal soon" he said." My answer. I don't know what I feel right now.

Vernon doesn't seem to suspect my connection to Alec. That's good, even though there's a little bit of guilt in my heart.

"We'll be home soon, I don't like the smell of the hospital." Vernon said as he went down the bed.

"You'd better be treated here a few days. So that the gunshot wound can heal quickly." I approached Vernon who was walking to get his shirt.

Vernon paid no heed to my words by wearing his white shirt and a watch on the bedside table.

"Vern, when you're home no one can take care of your wounds. It's best to stay for a while until the wound is properly treated, stay in the hospital." I walked over to Vernon so he would listen to me. Because treating a gunshot wound would definitely be difficult.

But Vernon still did not speak to me. He contacted his men to prepare the car because he was about to go home at this time.

"Vern!!" I held Vernon's arm so he could at least look at me and answer my words.

"It's not the first time I've been hurt, it's not so much that I have to stay here for a long time." Finally Vernon answered me. "Don't say as if you care about me. I know you're not worried about me at all."

Hearing him say that, I realized. His words made me ask myself, do I care about him, and do I worry about him too?

Suddenly Vernon pulled me into his arms. I was confused at what he was doing. Why is Vernon hugging me?

"Thank God you're fine and unharmed, Viv." Vernon held me tightly.

...–NATZSIMO–...