Rio's voice trembled as he attempted to regain composure. "I won't ask again," he said. "Who are you?""I am your nemesis, Rio," replied Rex from the other end of the phone."What?" Rio muttered."I know you played a role in Luca's accident. Maybe you didn't pull the trigger, but you're the one who set it in motion. I must commend you for that. Well played, my friend," Rex's voice boomed, causing Rio to clench his fist."What do you want?" Rio managed to say."What do I want?" Rex responded mockingly. "No, my friend, you don't have the authority to ask that question. I give the orders, and you obey.""I will find you, and when I do...""Save your breath," Rex interrupted with a hiss. "Because things are about to become very unsettling for you. You're not my primary target, so you'll merely be my pawn. In a way, you're safe.""What?" Rio exclaimed."I've been sending those threatening messages to Marco, pressuring him to confess. Blah blah. But Marco isn't my target. I want you to go to
"What do you mean, Vic?" Rex asked, his expression more serious than ever."Remember when Romano's Pharmaceuticals was supposedly dissolved in the past? Well, it turns out it wasn't really dissolved. Does RM Pharmaceutical ring a bell?" Victoria questioned.Rex rubbed his chin, pondering her words. "It's the fastest-rising pharmaceutical company in the country. Of course, I'm aware of it.""Exactly. Through my investigations, I've discovered that Rio's father is the one running it," Victoria revealed, causing Rex to raise an incredulous eyebrow. He chuckled and waved her off."Rio's father is in jail. The poor man was sacrificed instead of the bloody Romanos," Rex retorted."Yes, he is. But he possesses far more power than you can imagine, even more than the Romanos. I have a suspicion that Romanos Pharmaceutical was actually run by Rio's father," Victoria stated."How is that possible? Just look at the name," Rex argued."I know, I know," Victoria hissed. "It's just a hunch for now,
Rio ended the call without responding. Leaning against the hospital hallway wall, he closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. Lost in his thoughts, he began to walk away, unaware that Andrea was observing and eavesdropping on him. Andrea casually slipped his hands into his pockets and calmly spoke into the phone, "I need you to do something for me," before ending the call.*******Elena sat alone at the bar, her gaze fixed on the drink that had been sitting in front of her for the past hour. She sighed once again, feeling a mix of desperation and uncertainty. Coming here had been a reckless decision, and actually drinking that beverage would only amplify her recklessness. But she felt an overwhelming need for it.Just as she was about to reach for the bottle, a hand intervened, preventing her from doing so. She looked up to see a stranger standing before her, bearing an uncanny resemblance to her father. His eyes, his hair—it all echoed familiarity.Confusion furrowed her brow. "Who a
Elena's heart ached as she stood at a crucial crossroad, feeling the weight of an impossible decision. Gazing into her brother's caring and worried eyes, she realized the bittersweet truth of their reunion. Though she had believed him to be dead, their circumstances forbade them from being together. Caught between spending a few fleeting months with Luca or losing her brother forever, Elena couldn't bear the burden."Elena?" Rex called out, sensing her inner turmoil. Another sigh escaped her lips as she mustered the strength to respond. "I can't go through with this, Damon," she confessed, her emotions overwhelming her. Hastily, she made her way towards the door, leaving behind a perplexed Victoria and Rex. "We've lost her too," Victoria remarked quietly.But Rex's determination flared within him. Frustration mounting, he pressed his hand against the couch, brimming with resolve. Victoria turned to face him, her eyes searching his. "Let's go, Rex," she urged, understanding the gravity
"Elena. Elena." Luca's voice called out, jolting Elena out of her reverie. She turned abruptly, her gaze meeting Luca's careful eyes. "Are you okay? Who was that?" he asked, his intense gaze locked onto hers."Huh?" Elena tried to compose herself, quickly reaching down to pick up her phone."I'll be right back," she said, attempting to leave, but Luca caught her before she could go. "What's wrong? I won't let you move until you tell me what's going on," Luca said firmly. Elena sighed. She wasn't ready to tell him that Ryan had been poisoned in jail. It would lead to a cascade of questions that could result in disaster.Placing her hands on his, she looked at him intently. "It's something related to Lucia, a personal issue. I'll be back before you know it, okay?" she reassured him and walked away before waiting for a response.Elena quickened her pace as she exited the hospital building and immediately hailed a cab. Arriving at the station, she rushed to the reception area where she fo
Carlos entered the dimly lit underground bar, where the energy was high and people swayed to the pulsating beats of the DJ. He let out a sigh and headed straight for a stool at the counter. "I'll have a shot of whiskey, please," he requested, catching the bartender's attention. With a nod, the bartender served him the drink."Thanks," Carlos acknowledged, taking the shot. The burning liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the fire of anger inside him. As the music continued to fill the air, his mind wandered to Elena. The pain of not having her consumed him, repeatedly striking his heart. "Another shot," he called out to the bartender.As Carlos downed the second shot and gazed at the crowd, he noticed someone familiar at the other end of the bar. He stood on the railing, observing Carlos intently. "Damn it, Rio!" Carlos exclaimed, attempting to leave the bar. As soon as he stepped outside, he came face to face with Rio."Hi," Carlos greeted Rio, his eyes fixed on him
"What? No way! How is that even possible?" Rio was taken aback by the question, needing a moment to collect his thoughts. He never anticipated his father following through with his threat, and he hadn't imagined such a scenario unfolding.Andrea nodded understandingly. "I thought as much," he said, patting Rio on the shoulder. "Look out for yourself, Rio. But I don't think Luca would appreciate anything more than friendship. Just saying, in case you still value your friendship... and brotherhood." Rio stared at him for a while before nodding. "Sure," he replied, forcing a smile as Andrea walked away."Damn it!" he seethed, angrily striking his leg against the wall. He tried to compose himself, reminding himself that he was in a hospital. He returned to the room, and they made arrangements to go home after Luca had settled.Once Luca was settled at home, Rio hurriedly left for the jail where Levante was held. He confronted his father face to face, demanding, "What the hell did you tell
"We received information from our sources in prison. Rio's father is insane. Here's the recording given by the warden." She handed him a small piece of the recording as Rex played it. Every conversation between Damon and Rio from earlier was audible. Rex listened while gripping the bed rail where Ryan lay in anger. "Those despicable people," he seethed furiously."Andrea and Luca are innocent," She said."Well, his grandfather isn't!" Rex exclaimed, hurling the clip in frustration."Keep calm, man. Ryan is right here," Victoria coerced him.Rex hissed, running his hands through his hair. "Well, he's unconscious, and there's nothing we can do about it," he replied."What do we do now?" Victoria inquired."We do what Elena always wanted. We leave this wretched place! Even if it means kidnapping Elena, I'll do it!" Rex declared, while Victoria looked at him disapprovingly."Oh, don't give me that look. You know it's the most logical choice right now.""Elena isn't a child. Let's stay com