Luca gave Andrea a suspicious look. He shifted his gaze down to his phone that dropped on the floor. “What are you doing here?” He asked with a slight frown on his face. Andrea quickly picked up the phone.“Ah…” he chuckled nervously. “I wanted to borrow this,” he raised up Luca’s phone.“My phone?” Luca asked still confused as Andrea nodded. Luca sighed as he draped the white towel he was holding around his neck. He had another draped around his waist.“Is this the way you want to apologize?” Luca gave an accusatory stare as Andrea heart twinge in guilt. Momentarily forgetting about worrying that Luca would see the message in his phone.“You’ve been avoiding me,” Andrea started as he watched him. “You won’t even let me explain,”“There’s nothing to explain, Dad. Nothing can change the fact that you are selfish. Tell me something Dad, when did you know about my allergy?”Andrea paused for a moment then replied. “Few months after your kidnap. Leo told me about the allergy, but the ot
"Tell me, Celine," Rosa began, her voice rising with anger. "Where is my boy?""It's Maria," Celine corrected her.“I don’t give a fuck about your name!” Maria fired as she glared at Celine who just watched her in silence.“Well?” Rosa pressed. “He’s in good hands,” Celine replied as Rosa watched her, obviously doubting her words.“I want to see him, I want to to take to him,” Rosa said as Celine pressed her lips.“Why aren’t you saying anything? I want to see my son!” Rosa fired as she breathed heavily.“Shut your fucking mouth, or you won’t leave to see your son again, that is if he’s still alive,” Celine said in a anger.“What?” Rosa asked in a lower tone. “Dead?”“It’s not confirmed yet, but If you don’t get your acts together, I’ll make sure I kill him myself,” Celine said as Rosa slumped on the floor.Celine rolled her eyes as she walked past her and walked out of the room.**********It has been exactly thirty minutes that Andrea and Lucia has been sitting opposite each other
"It's irrelevant," the voice from the other end persisted. "But what about the pictures? Did you see them?""What pictures?" Lucas inquired, his curiosity piqued."Come to the address I'll send you, and all your questions will be answered. As for the pictures, I'll send them," the voice said before abruptly ending the call. A notification pinged on Luca's phone, indicating a new message.Luca swiftly opened it, revealing a photo of Elena and Carlos in bed. His legs turned to jelly as he tightened his grip on the phone."What the hell?" he gasped, shocked, while staring at the incriminating photos."Luca?" his father's voice interrupted his thoughts. Luca turned abruptly to find his father standing in the doorway, studying him intently. Andrea's gaze shifted to the phone in Luca's hand."Did you know?" Luca accused, glaring at his father."Know what?" Andrea responded calmly."Don't play dumb with me. You saw the damn picture!" Luca fired back."I don't believe it," Andrea immediately
Elena's heart skipped a beat when she spotted Luca standing near the table where she sat with Carlos. “So it’s true,” Luca has a painful smile dancing across his lips. Gasping for breath, Elena desperately pleaded, "No... No, I can explain. It's not what it looks like, Luca. Please, just listen to me.""It's time to let him go, Elena. Accept the fact that we're meant to be," Carlos interrupted, his voice dripping with arrogance. Elena's head snapped towards him, her eyes filled with defiance. At that very moment, Luca lunged forward, grabbing Carlos by the collar. "How dare you!"Carlos chuckled in response, meeting Luca's furious gaze without flinching. "You cheated with Maria. Why pretend otherwise?"Luca's glare grew fiercer, his anger reaching new heights. The words struck a nerve, fueling his rage. Elena desperately pleaded, her hands gripping Luca's arm, "Luca, please let him go."Eyes shifting from Carlos to Elena, Luca momentarily released his grip, shoving Carlos away. Carl
Andrea's grip tightened around Rosa's collar, causing her to gasp for breath. Fear and panic surged through her as she struggled to break free from his grasp. The café patrons watched in tense silence as the confrontation unfolded.Lucia intervened, stepping forward and placing her hands on Andrea's trembling fists. "Andrea, let her go," she pleaded, her voice filled with concern.Rosa managed to find her voice amidst the suffocating grip. "I'm not Celine," she asserted, her words strained. Andrea's hold loosened slightly, but his skepticism remained palpable."Don't lie to my face!" he spat, his anger simmering beneath the surface.Rosa fought for control, her voice strained but resolute. "I'm Rosa! If you want proof, I'll show you my ID," she challenged, desperate to make him believe her. The grip around her collar released, and she took a gasping breath, her throat raw from the encounter.Andrea stepped back, his eyes locked on Rosa as if he had seen a ghost.He stood for a moment
"Ah..." Ryan began nervously, his voice quivering. "Allow me to introduce you to Robert," he hurriedly approached Robert, who wore a worried expression, likely stemming from Rio's presence."Who's that, Mr. Ryan?" Robert asked, his gaze shifting between Ryan and Rio."Don't worry, Robert. He's my friend," Ryan chuckled, turning to Rio, who fixated his eyes on Robert without wavering.Rio approached Robert, his eyes scrutinizing him as he stood merely a foot away. Then, his gaze shifted back to Ryan. "So, now you bring strangers into my house? Ugh. And why are you still here? Are you obsessed with me?" Rio's irritation seeped through his words, causing Robert to feel increasingly uneasy."Let's discuss this later. The kid is scared, Rio," Ryan interjected, forcing a chuckle when he noticed Robert's discomfort."I want him out of my house," Rio declared, his gaze locked on Ryan while his hands pointedly gestured toward Robert.With that, he turned and ascended the stairs to his room, le
Ryan forcefully pushed Rio away, his voice filled with frustration. "Rio, what the hell? There's a kid here," he whispered, his actions revealing a momentary lapse in control.A mischievous smile played on Rio's lips, surprising Ryan. "Why pretend you didn't enjoy it, Ryan? It's what you've always desired," Rio taunted, causing Ryan's cheeks to flush as he nervously bit his lip."This isn't the right time for this," Ryan replied, avoiding eye contact and shifting his gaze to Robert, who observed them innocently."When then? Shall we go upstairs?" Rio's voice dropped to a low, sensual tone, igniting an unexpected desire within Ryan. He had never seen this side of Rio before, and although it felt strange, there was an undeniable appeal.Interrupting Ryan's thoughts, Robert spoke up. "I want to stay," he declared, capturing the attention of both men.Ryan questioned, "Stay? For today?""Yes," Robert confirmed, "but I have a condition." Rio crouched beside him, eager to hear what Robert h
"I'm not entirely certain, Mr. Romano, but Celine is the kind of person who acts before you even have a chance to think about it," Rosa responded. "If I may ask, sir, where is your son right now?" She inquired."At..." Andrea began to reply, but then realization hit him. "He left earlier, and... oh no," he cursed, pulling out his phone and dialing Luca's number. However, it wouldn't connect."What's wrong?" Lucia asked, her face filled with concern."I can't reach Luca," Andrea said, his heart pounding in his chest."What? I thought he went to see Elena.""That's what it seemed like. Luca received a message from an unknown number. This is what I've been trying to tell you, Lucia. Elena and Luca have fallen into a trap. Oh my God, I can't believe I overlooked this," Andrea seethed, standing up."I'm going to the police station. Luca might be in danger.""I'll go with you," Lucia offered."Me too," Rosa chimed in, rising from her seat."It's alright, Rosa. We'll handle this. Thank you f
“Rio,” Rossi said. “There’s a commotion in the hospital he was admitted in. He is on the rooftop with Elena. Luca should have received a call by now. He keeps asking for him.” Rex turned to look at Luca who stared anxiously at him. “I’m with Luca right now. We’ll head there right away.” Rex said and hung up.“What…”“Your crazy Boyfriend has her.” Rex seethed.“What?”“There’s no time. Let’s leave.” Rex said as he walked out of the house, trailed after by Luca.As they entered Rex’s car, Luca was still oblivious to what was happening.“Aren’t you wrong? Rio is in a psychiatric hospital.”“And he has my sister. He is threatening to kill her.”“What?” Luca's eyes shone in surprise. How is that….”“I don’t fucking know!” Rex snapped as he faced the road and hit the accelerator. Luca stared at him and looked at the road ahead. What the fuck is happening?When they got to the hospital, there was greeted by the crowd in front of the hospital as Rio stood at the edge of the rooftop, with a
Rex paced around the living room frantically. It was late in the night and there was no sign of Elena. He has been trying to reach her since they left King’s Hotel. After the argument with Rossi, it was as of Elena had disappeared into thin air. She wasn’t even in the motel she has been hiding all this while. He dialed his father….they had both exchanged contacts earlier, both promising to give each other updates on how things would proceed.“I can’t seem to find her,” Rex said immediately after he heard the beep.Rex could hear him sigh from the receiver’s side. “Where she’s staying?”“Not there. And she isn’t picking up my calls. The call doesn’t seem to go through no matter how many times I try.” Rex said in frustration. “Does Levante have her?”“I will ask my people to track her. She’ll be fine, Rex.” Rossi said.Rex hung up but the gut feeling that his sister was in danger was overwhelming. He couldn’t just sit and wait without doing anything. What if Elena was in danger? A tho
Luca moved instinctively towards her and drew her into his embrace. Elena's lips curved into a smile as she snuggled close to him. “What happened with Rio wasn’t your fault.” She said.“I know. I know. But I can’t seem to stop blaming myself.” He murmured in her hair. Elena rubbed his back like a child that needs consoling.“Let’s get married. And leave this place.” Luca said as Elena’s body stilled in his arms. She didn’t expect things to be going this way.She freed herself from him and looked at him. “Really?”Luca smiled at her. “And it’s not because of the child. I haven’t felt attracted to anyone the way I am to you since Angelo’s mother died. I’ve only loved her.” He said as Elena forced a smile. She hated the fact that she couldn’t tell him the truth yet. It wasn’t the time. When everything’s settled, they would have the whole time in the world. She promised herself.“For now…” Luca stared lovingly at her as he removed the strand of hair that was covering her face. “Let’s help
“What development?” Elena asked.“Someone with the same goal as us contacted me.”“What?” Elena raised a brow. “What do you mean?”“I don’t know. He wants to stay anonymous till the day we meet.” Rex said, frustration evident in his voice.“Does that make sense? Do you want to meet up with some stranger? Because of what?” Elena asked with a sarcastic look.“I don’t care. I lost Victoria. I don’t want to lose you too. As far as I know, Levante thinks you’re dead. We need to strike now. When they least expect.” Rex said with determination.“Do what you want.” Elena stood up and picked up her cell phone on the bed. “I’m going to meet the father of my unborn child.” “What? By this time? Why are so stubborn? What if Levante sees you?”“I don’t care. I might as well tell Luca the truth about them. He would stop caring about that Rio.” Elena hissed and headed for the door.The evening breeze was gentle but Elena couldn’t help but feel chilly as she stood by the roadside, looking for a cab t
“I fucked Martino.” She said dryly as Rex's eyes flickered at her for a while and averted his gaze quickly as if trying to hide something. “I fucked him,” Victoria replied as Rex shifted his gaze to her face again. “Okay.” He shrugged. “It’s all for the plan, right.” He asked, desperation hidden in his voice.Victoria cupped her face in frustration. “I love him, Rex.” Rex's hands stiffened in his pocket. He parted his lips but nothing came out. “Say something, damn it!” She fired as Rex chuckled.“Say what?” He asked, trying to fight the emotion that was burning within him.“Curse me. Call me a filthy bitch. I can take it all. But I do love him, Rex.”“And us?” Rex asked as if that has been the question in his mind.Victoria closed her eyes for a while and opened it. “I don’t know.” She shook her head as Rex’s heart sank.“I don’t know, man. I need space.” She said as tears streamed from her eye. As she turned to leave, Rex caught her arm again.“Our plans?”“Are you kidding me ri
Martino sat down in the visiting room while Levante paced around in front of him. He didn’t dare to talk. After he received his call at the hospital earlier. His urgent tone signaled to Martino that Levante was, even more, crazier than his son. “PTSD ugh?” He stopped moving as he regarded Martino. Martino paused, nothing ever gets past this man. More reason why he should be more cautious.“The doctor hasn’t made any diagnosis yet. He’s still under observation.” Martino replied, careful with his words in order not to infuriate him any further.Levante nodded. “Will he be admitted to some psychiatrist hospital?”“Like I said…”“I bloody heard you the first time, Martino!” Levante fired as Martino bowed his head. That’s more like it. This was his true character. Not the unusually quiet type that was unpredictable.“I’m sorry boss.”“Did the doctor say what caused his trauma?”“I…”“I could get that information in a matter of seconds. Think before you lie.” Levante hissed.Then why did y
“What?” Luca asked, surprised. “This is crazy, Rio.” He added quickly when he noticed his surprised look wasn’t helping matters.“Yeah! I’m crazy about you, Luca!” Rio sobbed as Luca pressed his lips in exasperation.“Those times in the past…” he started slowly and his grip on the injection was less. “I would always watch your back. Dad said it was my duty. It was our duty to watch out for the Romanos.” He scoffed with a bitter smile as Luca watched him. He hated seeing him like this. He couldn’t do anything and it added to his frustration. “I misunderstood man.” He added.“You were the best thing that happened to me,” Luca said.“Were?” Rio raised a brow.“Rio…”“Those times when you would always stay alone. Angry you couldn’t approach other girls, I wished you would just look at me. Even for once.” Rio said.“I didn’t….” Luca brushed his hand through his hair. “I didn’t know, Rio.”“Well, Now you know!” He snapped.“Yes. I do. And I appreciate you….your love.”“No, you don’t,” Rio s
“Victoria….I…” Martino started to say but the words got hung up in the air.“Martino?” Victoria called when he didn’t say anything afterward.“Anything I do in the future, just know I love you. I love you so much, Victoria.” Martino said and hung up. He swung around and marched back to the cottage. He narrowed his eyes at Elena. “I’m not going to kill you. A certain person is betting on me. So I wouldn’t want to break her trust.” Elena watched him. Was it Victoria?“Then what?” She asked with a frown.“Let’s make a deal….” “Deal?”“You already know by now that Rio wants you dead. And I can’t seem to understand why you said he tried to kill you in the past…” Martino gave her a wary look. But Elena didn’t reply. There was no use hiding it. Or was there? He is going to spare her. She should keep her mouth shut till the end.“Your deal…” she said.“Stay away from Luca. Go far away from him. Out of the country….I don’t care. Because if I see you anywhere around him, I’ll be the first to
“How are you feeling, Rio.” Levante ignored his initial statement.“It’s not your concern. You’ve always wanted to do my bidding right? Then take her out? I don’t want to see her ever again!” A silence ensued for a while then Levante spoke up. “Did she try to hurt you?”“Is that more important to you?”“Answer the damn question, boy. I pay my enemies back in full.” Levante spoke harshly as Rio sighed.“Not directly.”“What do you mean?”“Luca slept with her.” He said and paused but his father didn’t say a word. “I got overwhelmed with the thought and crashed on a poll.”“I can’t believe this,” Levante muttered under his breath.“Well?” Rio asked.“Focus on recovering. I’ll take care of the rest.” Levante said and hung up.“That isn’t a bloody answer,” Rio muttered as he put down the phone. He lay there in silence as he took time to eventually review his decision. He had called his dad on impulse. He was angry. Especially after that talk with Luca. His rage knew no bounds. He just cou