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CHAPTER 2: MEET MARCUS CASTELLANO

Marcus POV

Hi my name is Marcus Castellano. I have black hair and brown eyes, I've got six pack abs and I'm 6 feet tall with tattoos covering my shoulders and arms. Also I'm 26 years old and I'm the CEO of Castellano Holdings or at least I used to be. I am the only child of Andreas and Veronica Castellano. My family is of Italian descend.

So let me tell you about the shitshow that has become my life.

It all started the day that I lost the love of my life. Gina Rossi. To me she was the most beautiful girl in the world and I promised her that I was going to marry her someday. I lost her all because of one crazy bitch who wanted me all to her herself.

I sit back on my couch while drinking my beer and I think back about the day that Gina walked out of my life.

FLASHBACK

Gina had just told me that she is breaking up with me. I tried to explain to her that nothing happened between me and April but somehow she didn’t believe me. She just ran out of my house. I tried to stop her but it was too late, she had already gotten into her car and drove off.

I decide to drive over to my best friend Michael’s house. He opens up the door and I grab him by his collar. “Why did you lie to Gina asshole?” I ask Michael. “Marcus I have no idea what you are talking about.” He says to me. “Don’t act stupid with me. You told Gina that I hooked up with April at the party last night! You lied to my girl and now she dumped me.” I yell at him.

“Oh yeah about that.” Michael said. “Oh yeah ..” I said and then I punched him in the face. He falls to the ground and then he grabs onto his bloody nose. “Listen it wasn’t my idea. April wanted me to bring you to the party. She hooked up with some random guy and then she photoshopped your face onto the guy’s body before she posted it on Instagram. And she also sent the photo to Gina.” Michael says.

“You knew about this?” I ask him and he nods. “I was in on the plan from the beginning. April wanted you and I thought that Gina didn't belong with you. She’s too much of a nerd.” Michael says. That’s when I start hammering punches on his face. “She is the only girl for me!” I yell at him as I kick him in his stomach.

“You know that it was the right thing to do. Gina doesn’t belong in our world.” Michael says as I step away from him.

“She does in mine. You and I are no longer friends.” I say as I walk off his front porch. “You can’t do this Marcus. You can’t throw our friendship away just because of some girl. Your father will hear about this!” Michael yells back at me.

“Go right ahead.” I yell back at him. I get in my car and I drive over to Gina’s house. I see her car in the driveway so I know that she is here. I knock on the door and Mrs. Rossi opens for me. After I asked her if I could see Gina, she tells me that Gina is not here, that she took off in a taxi. I knew right then and there that it was a lie so I just let it go. I asked her to let me know if Gina comes back and she said that she would.

I decided to go back to Gina's house tomorrow. When I got back home, my mother, Veronica, was downstairs waiting for me. “Honey I'm so sorry to hear that Gina broke up with you.” Mom says as soon as I walked into the house.

“How did you know so fast?” I ask her. “Gina texted me and said that you guys had broken up.” She said. My mom was lying to me. She and Gina didn't get along so I know that Gina wouldn't have texted her.

“Isn’t that what you wanted mom?” I ask her. “Excuse me?” She asks me. “I said isn’t that what you wanted? For Gina to break up with me?” I ask her again.

“Yeah because I thought that she wasn’t the right girl for you. You'd be better off with April.” She says. “There is no way in hell that I would ever go for that slut.” I yell at her. “Don’t you talk about April that way. She is a sweet girl.” Mom says. “Open your eyes mom. That’ sweet girl’ is playing you! She is a manipulative bitch!” I yell at her and she slaps me in the face.

“It’s disrespectful to yell at your mother that way. Now I want you to go up to your room and get ready for dinner. You have to dress appropriately because we have guests coming over.” She says as she walks away from me.

I just sigh and I walk up to my room. I walk past my dad’s home office and I see him sitting behind his desk. “Hey dad.” I say as I walk past. He looks up and he asks me to come inside. “I just got a call from Michael’s dad. He said that you beat Michael up real bad. Care to tell me what happened?” He asks me. I sigh as I sit down on the chair in front of his desk. I start telling him everything. From Gina breaking up with me to Michael confessing to me about April’s plan.

“So the party was a set up all along?” My dad asks me. “Yes. I think that it was April that arranged everything.” I reply. “You know her father wants to make a deal with me. And I wasn’t so sure if I should go through with it until now. I know that April is manipulative and if she's like that then so are her parents. Your mother on the other hand wants me to go through with it.” My dad says.

“So what are you going to do?” I ask him. “I am going to tell them no tonight when they come over for dinner.” My dad replies. “Mom said that we were going to have guests over for dinner but she didn’t say that it was the Mastersons.” I say. “Yeah well now you know. Don’t say anything to your mother about what I just told you. She will try and persuade me to go through with it. I'll make the announcement later.” My dad says.

“Sure thing dad. Can I go now?” I ask him. “Yes. I'll see you later at dinner.” Dad says. I get up and I leave his office, I walk up to my room. I head into my en-suite bathroom and I take a shower before I get dressed in a normal pants and a button up shirt. There is a knock on my door and I go and open it, knowing that it was our maid Sandra.

“Mr. Marcus, your mother has asked me to tell you that dinner is ready.” Sandra tells me. “Tell her I'll be right there.” I reply and she nods at me before she walks away. “I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when they hear what dad has to say.” I whisper to myself as I put my shoes on.

I walk downstairs to the dining room where mom, dad, April and her parents are waiting for me. “Marcus so nice of you to join us.” Mom says. I take a seat right next to her. Dad is sitting at the head of the table while mom and I sit to his right. Mr. Masterson is sitting on the other end of the table with Mrs. Masterson and April sitting across from me.

April keeps staring at me. “Hey Marcus how are you? I heard about you and Gina. I am so sorry.” She asks me. “Cut the crap bitch. I know that you had planned it all. Michael told me everything.” I tell her and she looks at me shocked. “Don’t look so shocked bitch!” I yell at her. “Marcus. Don’t be rude. April is our guest.” Mom says as she smacks me on the shoulder. “Not for long.” I whisper more to myself.

Dad looks at me before he turns his attention back towards the table. “I have an announcement to make. I want to get this over and done with. Mr. and Mrs. Masterson. I went over your proposal and I have made my decision.” Dad says as he looks at April and her parents.

They look at him with a hopeful expression on their faces. And so does mom. “I will NOT make a deal with you.” Dad says. Mr. Masterson stands up. “And why not?” He asks dad. “Your companie's dealings look shady and I did my research on you. I know about all of your illegal activities and also I know everyone that you have manipulated and blackmailed in order to get what you want. Another thing that I wanted to say is I don’t like you and more importantly I don’t trust you at all. Now you have 2 minutes to leave my house or I will get security to come and throw your asses out.” Dad says.

“You can’t do this!” Mr. Masterson says. “I can and I have now get the fuck out!” Dad yells at him. April and her parents grab their things as they leave. Dad turns to mom. “Don’t think I don’t know what you are trying to do and I can tell you now that it won’t work. I also know about your escapades behind my back so I'm just letting you know that I want a divorce. Got it?” Dad says before he gets up and leaves the room.

Mom looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “You deserved that.” I say before I also leave the room. I head up to my room and once I am inside, I take out my phone to call Gina. I want to tell her that it was all a set up. The phone rings and rings but she doesn’t pick up. I sigh as I sit down on the bed.

“I will go over there tomorrow then.” I say as I lay down on the bed and I look at the photos of Gina and I on my phone. “ I love you Gina.” I say before I drift off to sleep.

FLASHBACK ENDS

I went back to her house the next day and nobody was home. I went back again and again but I never saw her or her mother there so I decided to ask Gina’s friend, Tatiana, if she had heard from her. “Sorry Marcus but Gina told me that she was leaving town. She just didn’t say where she was going.” Tatiana says.

I looked for Gina everywhere but I couldn’t find her. It was like she vanished without a trace. A few months after Gina left, I heard that Mrs. Rossi had sold the house and she moved to another neighborhood in Los Angeles.

That’s is when my life started spiraling down the drain. I started hanging out with the wrong friends, going to more and more parties, I started drinking a lot, I was doing drugs and I went to bed with a new girl every night.

All of that just to forget about the pain over losing her. But mostly to forget her.

I went to study business at Oxford University but I would fly back to New York occasionally.

Then when I was 22 my dad died, leaving Castellano Holdings to me. And it was hard for me. I just wasn’t ready to take over the company so I let my dad’s vice president, Armando Garcia, do everything while I was out enjoying my life.

All I did was go into his office at Castellano Holdings to sign some documents and then I was out of there. I have no idea what those documents were. Armando used to tell me that my father would'nt want me to act like this. He said that I should take responsibility for this company and I'd always tell him that I'm not ready to run such a big company before.

Neglecting the company was my biggest mistake because now I am being investigated by the police for fraud. And that is not all. They are accusing me for the murder of my dad. Which I know that I am innocent. I loved my dad. I would never kill him. But the police don’t think so. They say that all of the evidence is pointing at me.

I'm now under house arrest at my house in L.A and I have to appear in court in a month's time. My front door opens and I see my best friend, Mateo, walking in with groceries in his hand. “Hey Marky.” He says as he looks at me. “Hey I told you to stop calling me that.” I say to him. Mateo puts the bags on the table and he grabs himself a beer from the fridge. He walks over and he sits on one of my other couches.

I lift up my leg that the ankle monitor is attached to and I scratch around it. “Damn this thing is so itchy.” I say. “Yeah well after we prove your innocence then that shit will come off.” Mateo says. “How do you know that?” I ask him. “They think that I did it.” I say.

“I know and I have something to tell you.” Mateo says and I look at him.

“So I think that I might have found a private investigator who might be able to help us with your case.” Mateo says. “Who?” I ask him. “Rossi Private Investigations.” Mateo replies.

“Rossi P.I? Gina’s mom is going to take my case?” I ask him. “No it’s some guy named Pavlo. He works there and he agreed to it. He wants to meet with you tonight.” Matteo says. “That’s better than nothing. Tell him it’s fine that we could meet tonight. Give him my address.” I reply and Mateo nods at me. He takes out his phone and he starts typing on it.

For a moment there I was getting happy. If I was going to meet with Gina’s mom then I could have asked her where Gina is right now. But I doubt that she would tell me.

Mateo puts his phone down on the table. “The guy said that he will be here at 6pm.” He tells me and I nod at him.

“Are you thinking about Gina again?” He asks and again I nod again. “Look man. I know that what happened between the two of you is bad but the best thing for you to do now is to let her go. It’s been like what? 7 Years? If she wanted to make contact with you then she would have done it by now.” Mateo says.

He knows everything about me and Gina and also about what had happened between us.

“I know that I should let her go. But it’s hard.” I say to him. He looks at me. “You know what you need?” He says.

“What?” I ask.

“A game of pool.” He says as he walks over to the pool table and I decide to join him. Maybe this will get my mind of Gina.

“Get ready to have your ass beaten again.” I say.

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