4. Cunning Trap

“You must be joking,” said Stellina when she woke up from her astonishment.

Diego shook his head again, this time with a melancholy look in his face. Without saying any words, Diego took out the phone from his pocket.

That man with sharp nose and dimple dialled a phone number in his phone and made a video call.

“Yes, Sir. Gina’s here.” A middle-aged lady in maid outfit could be seen answering that video call.

“How is Arianna’s condition?” asked Diego with his natural sorrowful face.

That video call changed into back camera view, where it showed a little girl with a straight, jet-black hair, shivering in her sleep.

Diego showed that view to Stellina. That woman accepted the phone given by Diego although her hands were trembling in anticipation. She didn’t understand why Diego showed that thing to her.

“Her name is Arianna, my beloved little girl,” Diego started to explain.

“It has been a week she is having a high fever and seizures. Have a listen to what she says in her sleep, she keeps on calling for her mom,” continued Diego.

Stellina looked at the little girl in that phone screen, feeling sorry in the process. She touched the phone screen, as if wanting to pat that little girl’s head to calm her down.

“What does it have to do with me?’ asked Stellina in confusion when Diego took that phone back from her hand.

“Gina, give Arianna medicine so she could sleep tonight. I will be home soon,” said Diego towards the phone, disregarding Stellina’s question.

After ending that call, Diego then opened his phone gallery and was looking for the old pictures.

After finding his marriage picture, he showed that photo to Stellina.

“This is my late wife,” said Diego softly.

Stellina was bewildered to see the face of that woman, dressed in the bride outfit, which resembled her so much. Even the color of their hairs and eyes were also the same. The only difference was in their hairstyle.

“How could it...,” Stellina was choked on her words, completely puzzled.

“Her name was Vellina. Vellina Pacnozzi,” said Diego again, ignoring Stellina’s remark.

“Vellina?” parroted Stellina. She didn’t even think that the name of that woman in the photo was also similar to hers.

“You said, your late wife. Is she...,” Stellina couldn’t finish her words.

Diego then pretended to be sad. He looked at the face of that woman in that photo with a gloomy look, then turned to Stellina’s face with a knotted smile.

“You know, it just feels like destiny, for me to meet you when my wife passed away this evening,” said Diego; half of what he said was a lie, though.

“This evening?” parroted Stellina again. Diego nodded.

“I know, our encounter was far from romantic, but I fell in love with you at the first sight,” said Diego tenderly while touching Stellina’s cheek affectionately.

Stellina was stunned for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. She was so close to be engulfed in the temptation of the man before her.

Stellina slapped Diego’s hand away. She was not stupid. Of course she knew that Diego was not truly in love with her. Diego only saw her as the substitute of his late wife.

“You can’t fool me,” said Stellina sternly. Diego felt baffled for a while to find out that Stellina wasn’t as clueless as he thought.

“You only want to make me your wife’s substitute, right?” investigated Stellina.

Diego pretended to be dejected. That man covered his face with his wide hands as if he wanted to cover his sorrow. In fact, it was quite the contrary.

Diego spontaneously covered his face because he was unable to hide his wide grin when he found out Stellina’s unpredictable reaction.

“Yes, you’re right. Indeed, I want to make you as a replacement for my wife,” remarked Diego when he managed to gain back his composure.

“But is it wrong for me if I want to make my little daughter happy, and in the same time preventing the sadness of my father-in-law?” argued Diego, his tone sounded somehow demanding.

“Do you think my heart wasn’t broken, when I heard the news regarding the death of that woman I loved so much?” Diego kept on his world-class acting.

Again that tall and sturdy man wiped his face, clearly he was upset. He gazed at Stellina with a frustration look.

“Listen, I’m not going to force you. I only want to tell you one thing. If you become my wife, then that man in that room will become my father-in-law. Of course I won’t hesitate to do anything in order to save the life of my father-in-law,” said Diego meaningfully.

“Come inside and have a look at his condition. After that, I will take you home. Regarding your decision whether you want to become the replacement of my wife or not, you can decide later. I’ve prepared myself for another broken heart. Whatever your decision, I will accept it,” continued Diego with her sweet words.

Stellina wasted no time and immediately rushed inside the room where her father was treated.

She was so shocked to hear the result of doctor’s examination to the point that the thought of seeing her father never crossed her mind before, and the distraction that Diego caused earlier didn’t help either.

Enrico was lying weak on the hospital bed with hoses in his bodies. His wrinkly face was covered by a foggy respiratory aid tool.

Stellina looked at her father’s face with a sad look. Her heart felt like it was clutched tightly by a thornful hand. Her heartbeat felt so much pain each time she saw her father’s chest, struggling to move up and down in an attempt to just breathe.

Stellina reached Enrico’s hand, full of aging. She grabbed that old hand and she kissed it full with affection.

Diego’s words echoed again in her ears. Was it true that damned man would fight for her father’s life if she agreed to be his wife’s substitute?

Stellina recollected the pieces of events in the hospital corridor earlier. The video of a sick young girl, the wedding photo of a woman who resembled her so much, the sorrow in Diego’s eyes she just saw, and his words before Stellina entered this room.

Deigo said that he wouldn’t force her to be his wife’s replacement. But, in this kind of situation, did Stellina have any other choice but to agree?

Stellina was unsure that she could find a lungs donor for her father all by herself, but with Diego’s connection in the black market, that thing was no longer an impossibility.

Stellina witnessed by herself how Diego’s connection in this hospital made her father got the fastest and best treatment compared if she took the regular route.

Of course, it’s not impossible for Diego to get her father a lungs donor later.

Truly, to see her father’s helpless condition, Stellina felt she could sacrifice anything, even her own life.

Diego followed to enter that room. Tenderly, she pat Stellina’s head. She was still crying by the side of that hospital’s bed.

“My father, can you save my father?” asked Stellina in the middle of her weeping.

“I just talked with that doctor. Your father must be immediately moved to the hospital in Rome,” answered Diego, trying his best to sound concerned.

“He also must quickly get lungs transplantation if he wants to recover like he was before. If we only rely on the treatment, the doctor was concerned that his days are numbered,” continued Diego while penetrating Stellina’s eyes with his deep gaze.

That girl sighed out of anxiety. It was unusual for her to lose self-control like this. But the situation she was facing right now made her unable to think clearly.

“You said, if I agree to be your wife’s replacement, you will try your best to save my father’s life?” asked Stellina.

“I didn’t say that,” argued Diego gloomily.

“I don’t want to force you. I will accept your decision, even if you reject me. Of course, I will be very happy if you accept my feeling, to the point that I will give you anything,” said Diego again, even softer this time.

“Anything,” Diego repeated his words again.

“Including fighting for my father-in-law’s recovery,” remarked Diego, emphasizing his statement.

Stellina jeered sarcastically. No matter how Diego packaged and polished his words, still the main point of his statement was if Stellina wanted her father to recover, she must be willing to be the substitute of that sly man’s wife.

“You give me no choice at all. Let me discuss with my mother and sister first,” answered Stellina, trying to regain the control of the situation.

Diego flashed his sinister smile. How dare this woman place herself in a higher position than him. Didn’t that woman understand his situation that she had no other choice but to follow what Diego wanted?

Diego nodded, pretending to agree. Then he took out his phone and sent a short message to the doctor who just examined Enrico before.

Then, in order to eliminate suspicion, Diego pretended to call Fabian.

“How was it, Fabian? You’ve taken care of their bodies, right?” Stellina shuddered upon hearing Diego’s conversation.

Diego who was aware of Stellina’s disapproval look, raised one of his hands as the sign of apology, then he swiftly left that room to continue his conversation outside.

Exactly on that time, the doctor whom Diego called before, entered the room in order to check the LCD screen beside Enrico’s bed.

“How is it, doctor?” asked Stellina anxiously.

“Mr. Enrico’s condition is very bad, Miss. I must immediately move him to specialized hospital in Rome,” answered that doctor.

Stellina looked at her father in confusion. At that time, Diego had re-entered the room, according to his plan.

“What happened?” asked Diego, pretending he had no idea about what was going on, when it was him who designed this scenario with that doctor.

“My father must be immediately moved to hospital in Rome,” replied Stellina, sobbing weakly.

“Mr. Diego, you must make your decision right now, because the access privilege of that specialized hospital could only be given to you,” urged that doctor to Diego.

“This hospital can’t just give this access privilige to anybody but our VVIP customers. So, will you allow your privilege to be handed over to this patient, Mr. Diego?” asked that doctor again.

Diego scratched his head, as if he was thinking of something important.

“I can’t just give my privilege to stranger. I’m worried that later my other family members will need that access,” lied Diego.

“How about we bring this patient to another hospital?” asked Diego again. That doctor sighed before answering.

“I’m worried that other hospitals will turn Mr. Enrico down because his current condition has already been so bad. If it hasn’t been for Mr. Diego who specifically requested me, I myself also would have refused him because it could tarnish this hospital’s reputation,” answered that doctor.

Stellina turned to look at Diego; her eyes glimmering with hope. Diego looked back at her with regret.

“Let’s just bring your father to another hospital. We won’t know until we try,” Diego attempted to give a false offering.

“No, I’m not risking my father’s life,” replied Stellina upset.

“Please do anything to save my father’s life. I will do anything for that,” continued Stellina eventually.

“Anything?” asked Diego to confirm.

“Anything! I will follow all of your requests, so please save my father!” answered Stellina with tears gushing across her cheeks.

“Alright, I believe you won’t risking your father’s life by breaking your promise later,” said Diego to Stellina.

“Doctor, I’m willing to give my privilege for this patient, so please take care of everything. Make sure Mr. Enrico Pezcatores get the best treatment in that hospital,” ordered Diego to the doctor.

Stellina buried her face into her palms, feeling helpless to face her defeat.

Meanwhile, Diego looked at that woman with a smile full of victory.