Open Confessions

"So she'll be fine if she just takes her medication. I advise that she take a lot of rest to allow her bone to heal." The doctor said to Adonis, who was sitting beside Cara on the bed.

It was the next day, and they were about to be discharged.

"Are you sure it's okay for her to leave?" Adonis glanced at Cara; she looked worse than he did. Her left leg was wrapped in a crutch, her head in a bandage, and her arm in a cast.

"If you're going to be discharged, then I want to be discharged too." Cara harrumphed.

The people in the room had silently been watching them bicker back and forth as Adonis had been trying to convince Cara to stay back for the past thirty minutes, but she wasn't having it. He had work piled up from the few days he wasn't around and had yet to fully investigate the break-in scenario, so he decided to head back home. The moment Cara found out, she also decided to leave.

Adonis sighed in frustration. He couldn't believe she was already back to arguing with him so quickly.

"Cara, I think it's best you remain here for a few days. You should be properly treated."

"I'm fine. All I have to do is wait for my bones to heal. Moreover, Dr. Bruno is your family doctor, isn't he? You can call him in to check on me daily. Right doctor?"

The doctor looked torn. They had been pulling him left and right since he got into the room, and he didn't know what to do anymore.

"I'll be at your service whenever you call, Mrs. Bernardi, but I doubt you'd need me. With a few painkillers, you're good to go."

Adonis threw him a deadly look, and he quickly added. "But staying back is the best choice, ma'am."

"I'm not staying back. If you leave without me, I'll just find my way." Cara insisted.

Tired of their argument, Luca leaned off the wall he had been watching from.

"Adonis, she says she's fine. You don't need to stress it."

Cara nodded in agreement.

"Thank you-

"Meanwhile," she squinted at him. "Meanwhile, Cara, you look really bad, but maybe it just looks worse than it feels, yeah? So why don't we just get drugs from Dr. Bruno, and he can come in daily to check up on her? I think that's a fair compromise, right, guys?"

"Right." Cecelia and Tina chimed in.

"Good. Now can we get going? I haven't had breakfast yet."

They filed out of the room and into the cars Luca brought along for the pickup. He got in the first car, taking his fiancé and Tina with him, while Adonis and Cara got into the second car, which was being driven by one of their men.

"I heard Nonno came around yesterday."

Adonis hummed, staring out the window. "You were asleep. He's back at the mansion, overseeing things till I get back."

"Do you know who's behind it now?"

"I don't."

Cara sighed.

"Remember the blueprints I took a few days back?"

Adonis turned to look at her.

"I gave it to one of your enemies. I was still pissed at you for your nonchalance towards my father's death; I wanted to hurt you through any means. "I just didn't know he'd go this far." She confessed, and Adonis remained quiet.

"I've come to realize that it doesn't matter any more. I'm sorry."

"Who?" he asked.

"Sorry?"

"Who did you give it to?"

"Uhmm... a man I owe some money to. He's the same one that killed my father."

Adonis looked out the window again.

"I knew that. You were very foolish to think you could make a deal with a man that killed your father. Did you expect to be on your side all of a sudden?"

"I made a deal with you." Cara pointed out.

"I did not kill your father. Listen, Cara, in my world, everyone is dangerous and not trustworthy. Remember what I said to you yesterday? I'll protect you for as long as you'd let me-if only you let me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. You made me see reason anyway."

"That is?"

"It's better to clean up trash before everywhere becomes too filthy."

"I don't understand.

"I'm pushing the coronation back for now. I have something more pressing to take care of."

The wheels turned in Cara's mind. She wasn't taken aback by his lack of surprise at her confession. If anything, she'd be surprised if he didn't already know, but his decision to push back the coronation wasn't one she expected.

It was all he had ever talked about since she met him. Everything he had done up until that moment was in preparation for the coronation. For him to push it back meant he had something bigger in mind.

It wasn't her business. As long as it doesn't interfere with her plans, she wouldn't care.

Cara reached out to place her free hand on his.

"I'm sure you have your reason." She smiled. "I feel like I've been given a second chance at life, and I intend to use it well. Do whatever you want, Adonis."

Adonis studied her with a calculative look.

What was she up to this time around? He didn't miss how she managed to omit the fact that she had lied about not knowing the men who killed her father. He decided to have someone follow her around. This time, he wanted a report on her every move and would not risk knowing even the simplest of things she does. Be it consciously or unconsciously.

At last, they arrived at the mansion, and Cara looked at the place that she'd gotten used to calling home. It was going to be her home for the next year, and she was going to make the most of it.

Without waiting for Adonis, who had started dishing out orders the moment he got out, she headed for the door, turning over her shoulder as it was pulled open.

"Adonis?" She called out.

"What is it?"

"I think I'd like to learn how to fight."

He stared blankly for a while before shrugging.

"Okay. As soon as you're better, I'll get one of the men to teach you. I'll be a bit busy for the main time so I can't do it myself."

"Oh, don't worry. I already have someone in mind." Cara beamed before going in, and Adonis returned to ordering the men around.

What he never expected was to see the man who had tainted his drink with an aphrodisiac in his home the next day.