Chapter 216

Chapter 216

The room was silent as a grave as we all stared at each other. Beau glared at Johnny while Johnnylooked at Luke, Carmen, and his younger cousin, Kenzo-while I couldn’t take my eyes off Dario.

I knew he had to be there for the conversation, considering any feud within the family business alsoinvolved him nowadays, but it was still difficult to be in the same room as him.

It was hard enough, pretending to be happy while I felt miserable. I felt broken, but I would not allowmyself to show it. How could I sulk about Dario? Where would that leave Christian and Siena?

“So.” Christian cleared his throat. “First of all, Kenny—I would like to thank you for going against ourevil uncle to protect the family business,” Christian told Kenzo. “We still failed but that’s not importantright

now”

Seeing Christian talk to three teenagers was extremely uncomfortable and obviously, something hewasn’t very good at as he wasn’t very compassionate. “It’s no problem. I was glad to help.” Kenzosmiled while he stared at Carmen.

1 could see right through him and could smell his fear from here, but the poor boy was trying to hide hisfeelings for a girl who couldn’t care less. Carmen sat with her head glued to the floor and seemed closeto walking out. It was mainly because of Johnny, and I could not blame her for being traumatized. It’snot every day someone who is supposed to protect you is willing to sacrifice your life for their benefit.

“Look, I think we can all agree that a lot has happened, and most of it shouldn’t even have happened—and…

Christian frowned his eyebrows at me while I gave him an encouraging nod. “I want to say that I’msorry for failing you, every single one of you, and I take full responsibility for everything that happened-and it won’t happen again.” He apologized. “I’m sorry, and now that I’ve apologized…I hope we can allmove on?”

It was silent for a second before Beau scoffed at Christian’s apology. “I want you to look at Carmen,and I want you to think about your apology. Is that the best you can do?”

“Beau, please.” I pleaded, but Christian stuck out his hand to stop me. “No, let him continue. I’mlistening.

Beau took a deep breath. “I already said everything I needed to say.” He spoke. “I’ll stand behind youbecause of Serena and Siena-but that’s it.

“Very well then,” Christian spoke, annoyed, and turned around to face Johnny. “Johnny come on, youknow what you have to do.”

“No, no, no, Johnny repeated with a surprised look on his face. “I’m not going to apologize for doing myjob-I won’t,” Johnny stated.

“I brought Luca to my dad, so we could get them together and get rid of them, and when you weren’tworking along I got so angry that I couldn’t think clearly, and I would’ve done it again…for the family.Johnny spoke without a single stutter.

I felt shocked and disgusted with his choice of words, but I knew my expectations were too high. Yes,Johnny had always been nice-but he was still a Lamberti. He wasn’t even close to being a saint, andwe all shared different views from each other. Even though his family was messed up-he was actuallywilling to kill his dad and Luca.

My eyes moved from Beau’s clenched fist to Carmen, who was shaking, while Luke and Kenzo triedcalming her down.

“So you just won’t admit to your mistakes?” I spoke for the first time, after seeing the devastated lookon my sister’s face. “Are you really that selfish?”

Johnny seemed regretful as he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Serena, I tried to keep them safe, and I toldChristian to cancel the party-but he didn’t listen—”

“So my siblings should pay because he didn’t listen to you?” I finished his sentence. I had expectedChristian to jump in, but he didn’t utter a word. It brought me back to when Cesca and Gio talked crapabout me while Lucio didn’t have the guts to stop them. If this was his way of leading a family business.then maybe he wasn’t supposed to be leading one.

“Christian, say something,” I whispered as I slightly nudged his shoulder. “You said he owed them anapology!”

Christian seemed uncomfortable, and it was probably because he was in the middle of all of this. “I-“Hesighed with a hopeless expression on his face. “I-”

“Yes?” I furrowed my brow. He most likely didn’t expect it to go like this. He probably thought we wouldall hug it out and move on, but it was so much bigger than that.

“Look, Serena.” Johnny stepped forward. “My job is to protect Christian, no matter what-and nothingwill get in the way of it. Not even these little brats-

“That’s it, one more word, and I’ll kill you!” Beau snapped as he lunged forward. This time Christiantook action almost immediately and rushed in front of Beau to stop him.

It was a good thing we went to a separate room, and it was a good thing I decided to leave Siena withmy parents, as all we could hear were the two yelling back and forth at one other. I looked back atDario to see if he would interfere, but he leaned against the wall with an unimpressed look on his face.

“Aren’t you not going to do anything?” I managed to call out Dario. Whether I wanted to talk to him ornot, this was going too far and it had to stop. Dario stretched out his arms and took an exhaustedbreath.

“Everyone, shut up!” He yelled out of nowhere. We all froze up and stared at him as it was unusual forhim to lose his temper. Even when he had called me out for my desperate behavior, he did not yell atme like that.

“You know, I’m looking at all of you, and all I can think of is, where the hell did I get myself into?” Dariopaced through the room. “Are you guys serious? Do you guys think this is some after-school club orsomething?” He spoke in disbelief.

I felt terrible for Christian because Dario was correct. Ever since Lucio had fallen ill, there was no unity.and Christian was partly to blame. He was supposed to lead them but clearly wasn’t himself and all hecared about were his cousin’s feelings-because he did not want to hurt him.

I told him that the only reason his family could walk over him was because he let them, and he listenedto me and told me I was right-so why was he holding himself back? He surprisingly took a step backand let Dario handle the situation.

“Johnny Dario began. “This has been going on for long enough-but I’m not Christian, and I won’t let youdisrespect the Alfonzo’s, so apologize.” He demanded before he turned to Christian. “I’m sorry, nodisrespect.”

“No none taken, do your thing.” Christian encouraged him. It almost seemed as if he felt at ease withthe idea of not having to do anything.

Johnny, as stubborn as ever, shook his head.

“No, I won’t.”

“Apologize, or I’ll make you apologize, Dario spoke in a threatening tone. I didn’t know whether it wasbecause he held an actual position, but he seemed different. He seemed more serious and determined.

I supposed Johnny could see it as well because this time he turned around to face Kenzo and the twinsand didn’t hesitate. “I’m sorry.” Johnny said. “If you really knew me, you would’ve known that I wasn’tactually going to do anything.

“And you!” Dario looked at Beau. “I understand that you’re angry and hurt-but you need to learn to getover things. I don’t know what they did to you at the Garcia’s, but it’s time for you to lose that mentality.”

Beau seemed shocked. “I need to get over things

“Yes, you need to get over things.” Dario nodded. “What Johnny did was wrong, but you would’ve donethe same if you were in his position-and don’t tell me you wouldn’t because we both know how faryou’re willing to go to protect Serena.”

Beau lowered his head, unable to say anything-because Dario had a point. The harsh truth was thatany of us would’ve done the same thing. “I won’t forgive him,” Beau whispered. “I won’t.”

“I’m not telling you to forgive him. I’m telling you to keep it together.” Dario stated. It was not a request,but an order-but it somehow seemed to be working.

“Listen!” Dario continued. “After we’ve caught my dad-you can all slaughter each other for all I care-butwe’re not going to beat him like this, and I won’t let any of you cause Christian any more stress.

Everyone looked at Christian to see if he had anything to add, while he seems impressed with Dario. “Iagree.” He spoke. “I mean, all of you are giving me a hard time.”

All of you?

“You see!” Dario pointed out. “He has a baby and a fiancée to take care of, his father is dying, he has tolead a business, he has to deal with my uncle-and now you’re letting him deal with this?”

“No, of course not,” Johnny mumbled.

“Do you really care about your cousin as you claim you do, or do you just want him to jump off a bridgeright now?”

“Bridge?” Johnny spoke flustered. “No, I don’t.”

“That’s what I thought because we all want the same thing, right?” Dario looked at everyone, only to getno answer in return. “Right?” He repeated himself. The way he spoke to them as if they were littlechildren was embarrassing, but perhaps a good strategy.

“Mistakes were made and what happened is unfortunate-but I swear to god.” Dario sighed.

“You will not ruin this business, and you will not ruin uncle Lucio’s day. I won’t let you do that-I won’t!”

Dario’s outburst seemed to be working, and he somehow managed to grab everyone’s attention. “Sowhen we go out there, we will forget about all of this, and you will all grow the hell up and put a fuckingsmile on your face and take the damn picture for Lucio, okay?”

Dario waited for Beau and Johnny to give him an answer, but all the two could do was glare at eachother.

Dario chuckled. “Why don’t I hear anything? Christian, did you hear anything?”

“I didn’t hear anything.” Christian shrugged as he stood next to Dario. Both of them looked at eachother before they looked at Beau and Johnny.

“Okay, I hear you,” Beau spoke. Johnny cleared his throat. “Yes, okay.”

The two shot each other one last glare before storming off, and that enough prove that this was farfrom being finished. Knowing my brother, he would take his revenge one way or another-but at leastnot for

now.

“And you three!” Dario addressed Carmen, Luke, and Kenzo. The three widened their eyes in surprise.“W-we?” Kenzo spoke.

Dario forced the three to stand up and wrapped his arm around their shoulders. “Yes, let’s take a walk.”He spoke. “We need to have a talk.”

Christian and I were the only ones left behind in the room. “Are you okay?” I asked as I slowly rubbedhis back. “Yes, fine.” Christian smiled. “I just thought that he was supposed to be the nice one.”

“So did I.”

“He’s really good at this, isn’t he?” Christian commented. Dario was good at his job, but just like Dariohad. changed-Christian had also changed, and I would be lying if I said it didn’t bother me. Yes, Iwanted him to be more kind-but not like this.

“Why didn’t you speak up?” I addressed the situation. Christian chuckled and cupped my cheek with hishand as he stared into my eyes.

“You mean why I’m weak?” Christian frowned his brow with a smirk on his face.

“Well…yes?” I admitted. I would’ve never had the nerve to say it out loud, but he did it for me.

“I’m not weak, Serena,” Christian told me.

“I’m just simply recharging my energy for when we need it the most.”

“Wait, what does that mean?” I asked suspiciously. He wasn’t going to do anything crazy, right?Christian planted his lips against my forehead. “It means you don’t have to worry about me.

“Come on, Luca should be here soon.”

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you replace any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report