We owe it to ourselves

Nicole's parents were gathered, and Rina expressed the concern she felt for her daughter. On several occasions, she felt like she was being watched, so Gío increased the security.

"We need to increase the security for our daughter. It should be done discreetly, just like before. I'm sure Sergio is up to something, and I don't want my daughter to find out about what's happening," Rina expressed her concern to Gío. She had felt under surveillance on multiple occasions, prompting them to enhance security measures.

"I haven't discussed this with Bruno yet, but if Sergio tries anything against my daughter or my grandson, I will take action," Noah replied, equally worried about his daughter's safety.

René approached them and noticed their troubled expressions. "I can see you're concerned. What's going on?"

"I'll tell you, but I haven't informed Bruno to avoid worrying him. We don't want Nicole to find out, please," Noah said.

"I won't say a word to her. What's happening?" René asked, growing increasingly concerned.

"Rina has been followed. We believe it's Sergio. A few months ago, he had the audacity to approach her and issue threats. We suspect he might attempt to harm Nicole or the child."

"That man is dangerous. Bruno told us about what happened with Nicole's inheritance. It's logical that he wouldn't want to lose that fortune. After what he's done, I believe he's capable of anything," Rina said, expressing her concern.

"We have several bodyguards watching over Santi and Nicole. They keep a safe distance, unnoticed by them, but close enough to act in case of an emergency," Gío reassured.

Sara approached with Santi, interrupting their conversation. Bruno stayed on the beach, sitting in the sand, watching Nicole.

Nicole and Sophie were playing, dodging the waves. Dante joined Bruno and sat beside him.

"Who would have thought," Dante said, still watching the girls.

"What?" Bruno didn't understand what he meant.

"That these two girls would steal our hearts. I had sworn that after what happened with Shelsy, I would never fall in love again."

"I swore the same thing, and here I am, sitting here drooling over a girl," Bruno sighed after saying it.

"We're completely screwed, brother," Dante sighed as he spoke.

"I have no doubt about that, ha, ha, ha."

"Sophie came into my life when I least expected it. The last thing I wanted was a serious relationship with anyone. But I met her, and she filled my life with joy. Her way of seeing life drives me crazy. She always has a solution for every problem, brings happiness to sadness, and turns the complicated into something simple."

"You really got hit by Cupid, little brother. I've never seen you like this," Bruno admitted, realizing how much this girl had changed his perspective on life.

"I've never felt this way, not even when I was with Shelsy. By the way, I think it's time we talked about her. It's something we owe each other. How did you meet her? It's something I've always wanted to ask you," Dante said.

"For a long time, I couldn't talk about her because it hurt. Now, I'm completely indifferent. I met her on a blind date in Milan. At that time, I was fully dedicated to my career. My profession was the only thing that mattered to me. Some friends insisted that I accept a double date. 

Shelsy had attended the fashion week in the city. She was the main model for a prestigious brand. The moment I saw her, I liked her, and I didn't leave her indifferent. That's how our relationship began. I truly believed she loved me. She traveled here frequently, always telling me it was for work-related matters. I never thought she was cheating on me. Sometimes, love doesn't allow us to see reality," Bruno shared.

"I thought the same. That woman only loves herself. I met her in the same way, on a double date. She was a very passionate woman. I think sex played a significant role in our relationship. She started flirting with me, and I just went along with it," Dante admitted.

"What irony. I didn't want to be intimate with her. I loved her so much that I wanted our wedding night to be something special, unforgettable. I foolishly believed it would be her first time. Now that I know the truth, I feel like a fool," Bruno confessed.

"I'm sorry, brother. Without knowing it, she was hurting you," Dante expressed his remorse.

"No, she's the only one who hurt us. But let's forget about that now. Let's live in the present. The past troubles no longer exist. The only thing I'm interested in is reclaiming my family. I want Nicole and my son by my side," Bruno expressed his desire.

"I hope you can win her back. My sister-in-law still holds resentment towards you, and to be honest, I think she has every right to," Dante admitted.

"I know I deserve it. I hope to soon erase those bad memories from her mind. I love her and I want to make her happy," Bruno replied.

Nicole and Sophie emerged from the water and stood at the shoreline, where two handsome guys immediately approached them.

"Hey, beauties, can we join you?" one of the guys boldly asked. The girls looked at them, surprised by their audacity.

"No, thanks," Nicole curtly replied.

"Don't tell me you're stuck-up. Are we not good enough for you?" the guy reacted with annoyance to their rejection.

"Look, guys, we don't want any trouble, so it's better if you leave," Sophie exclaimed, growing irritated by their persistence.

Dante and Bruno approached them.

"What's going on?" Bruno asked, feeling like steam was about to come out of his ears.

"Nothing. This is between our girls and us," one of the guys replied.

"Well, well, so they're your girls. What do you think, bro?" Dante asked Bruno with a playful tone, as he took things much differently than his brother.

Bruno approached and hugged Nicole, giving her a kiss on the neck, while Dante also approached Sophie and kissed her passionately.

Embarrassed, the guys retreated from the scene. As soon as they were gone, Nicole moved away from Bruno.

"Don't you ever do that again!" she exclaimed, visibly upset.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Bruno apologized, trying to avoid any further problems with her. He would find a way to make her fully accept him eventually.

They returned to the house, and Max approached Nicole, while Bruno watched angrily. He didn't like the idea of that guy being close to her at all. After a while, Amadeus approached them, and Max quickly moved away.

Max didn't want to get involved in something he didn't consider right. He had been wrestling with his thoughts ever since he met Amadeus at the bar. He felt torn between his feelings and the fear of being judged. He never expected to go through something like this. He had friends who had chosen to openly proclaim their feelings and preferences to the world. He questioned his own, always believing that the reason he rejected all the girls was his deep love for Nicole.

He mentally scolded himself, unable to believe that he was experiencing this. He understood it in other people, but not in himself. It didn't feel right.

He leaned against the railing, gazing at the sea, when he was startled by the warm embrace of someone's arms wrapping around his waist.

"What's going on, buddy?" Nicole felt concerned seeing her friend acting so strangely.

"Nothing, little dragonfly. I'm fine," he replied.

"I know you too well. We grew up together. You may fool other people, but not me," Nicole insisted.

"Really, there's nothing wrong," he said with a smile, determined not to confide in Nicole about what he was going through. She would be the last person he would share it with.

From a distance, Bruno watched them. Why couldn't she be that way with him?

Alizza decided to enter the pool and waited until everyone was nearby before taking off her dress. Everyone was left speechless; her swimsuit was a thong, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Sophie playfully covered Dante's eyes with her hand.

"Wow, this girl is bold. And to think she barely speaks at the office," Bertha, who had just arrived, commented. Alizza didn't quite sit well with her. She tried to appear very serious and helpful, but something didn't add up.

Meanwhile, Sergio was trying to convince Deborah to approach Bruno.

"I'm only asking you to pretend to regret leaving him. It's not like you have to genuinely love him. If you do it, you'll help our plans," Sergio urged.

"You know very well that Bruno stopped mattering to me a long time ago. He's so much like his father, and I don't want him to think I feel any love for him," Deborah replied.

"Haven't you felt even a little bit of remorse? I mean, he's your son," Sergio insisted.

"Not at all. Bruno was an accident. I never wanted to deform my body, let alone tie myself to someone who would depend on me all the time. That's extremely annoying. He never left me alone for a single moment. I just wanted peace and silence," Deborah explained.

"I always knew you didn't want to have children. But now, if you don't want our fortune to be taken away, you need to make sure your son is on our side. We need him," Sergio emphasized.

"Fine, I'll try. But you know it will be difficult. My son might hate me," Deborah admitted.

"You have nothing to lose by trying. On the contrary, if you succeed, we'll keep the company and all our fortune. You can use the excuse of the child. You can go to him and tell him that knowing you have a grandson has awakened all that repressed motherly love in you after so many years. Haha, haha," Sergio suggested.

"You know I can't stand kids. What if he accepts and wants to introduce me to him? I'd have to put up with it, and it would be very difficult for me. You're asking too much, and I'm not sure if I can pull it off. They might notice my dislike," Deborah expressed her concerns.

"You'll have to do it. He can convince Nicole not to claim her inheritance. Everything we have truly belongs to her," Sergio insisted.

"I'll do it because I love you and to preserve our fortune," Deborah reluctantly agreed. The idea of getting close to them disgusted her, but she was willing to do it to maintain her lifestyle.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down, my dear.," Sergio approached her for a kiss. Deborah was a remarkably beautiful woman. Despite her age, she maintained her beauty and figure, appearing younger than she actually was.

Her beauty was as great as the malice within her. She wanted to see René and his son destroyed because, in her eyes, Bruno was merely René's child.

Sergio handed her some documents containing the information the detective had provided about Bruno, Nicole, and Santi.

"Read these reports carefully. Your ability to approach Bruno depends on them."