Dario
We spent a very pleasant afternoon together as a family, Cecilia again made our meal as she did yesterday and at breakfast earlier in the morning and after lunch we just enjoyed each other's company and when evening came we again had our meal together at the table.
I stayed all day and afternoon ignoring the messages and calls but I couldn't ignore them anymore, when I finished dinner I asked for permission and went to my room even against my will.
I saw that there was an absurd amount of messages and missed calls from various suppliers, members of the mafia, my brother and my father, I decided to return only to my brother who when he answered the call I noticed how desperate he was.
Saul
For God's sake, where were you that you didn't answer this fucking cell phone? The world is ending, I was already thinking of going to get it!
Dario
Saul, calm down! Tell me what the damage was and what you've managed to resolve because I know you didn't just stand by.
My brother told me that he contacted our main suppliers explaining the situation and that we still weren't definitely connected with the Tolentinos since the engagement party didn't even happen, he managed to avoid a big problem by preventing the wretched Tolentinos from gaining advantage in something that didn't even happen but I knew from the tone of my advisor's voice that there was something more.
Saul
This is how I managed to reverse the situation but his absence was questioned by our father. Even though he is not in office, you know how influential that old man is.
Dario
I am well aware of that, what did you say to our father?
Saul
Of course I lied! I wasn't going to tell him about your trip and Cecilia even though I had to say I would call him.
All I wanted least of all to talk to my father but if he didn't call I know he would even come after me.
Dario
All right, Saul! I will call him now, if anything comes up, call or text me. I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.
Saul
No problem, brother! If he's not answering my phone, I know it's for a good cause. See you later and good luck with the old man.
I hung up the call already dialing my father's number, as soon as he answered he started to throw all his whining and complaining in my ear.
Giovani Albertini
We are in a real chaos here and you decide not to answer the phone. I guess you have already solved everything that needed your attention in Brazil, so I guess you can come back.
Dario
I can't go back, I promised I would stay with my son for a week's vacation so I'm not going back. I should point out that this shit is your fault, since you promised Mariana's hand in marriage to that bastard Tolentino, you know very well that if we are going through this chaos it is because the bastards are using this commitment to win our main suppliers. Saulo managed to put out the fire that was caused, but for how long?
Giovani Albertini
If I was here this wouldn't be happening, Dario! Go back home as soon as possible.
Dario
I AM NOT COMING BACK!
I ended up losing patience with my father and his lack of ability to assume his mistakes instead he wants to make me solve situations caused by his shit.
Giovani Albertini
Is that any way to talk to me? Who do you think you are?
Dario
I am the one who had to take the shit created by you! Thanks to this damned agreement I will have to hand Mariana over to those bastards, have you ever stopped to think about the hell you have put your youngest daughter through? Francesco sent a soldier to warn that the engagement must take place as soon as possible. And who has to solve this problem? I do! So I will take care of my son and my life, and then I will solve the problems that have arisen because of his bad decisions.
I ended the call, stressed by having to put up with my father and his demands, when I saw Cecilia leaning against the door looking at me. I know that she realized that the situation of a few minutes ago was not good.
- I know I asked you not to involve me in the Mafia business and that we are on vacation, but I can see that you need to talk. Do you want to get this off your chest? The kids are already asleep!
She came over and sat down next to me, holding my hands lovingly. That welcoming look that always greeted me with joy when I arrived at my mansion was present as I missed it. I couldn't believe that Cecilia is slowly returning to being the girl that enchanted me but that I was too stupid to lose.
- I really need to talk, are you willing to listen?
- Of course I did!
I began to talk to her telling her everything that had happened, at every moment Cecilia was attentive to everything I was saying without even getting in the way.
- Mariana was promised to Vinicius, but my father is delaying this marriage much longer than he should. What happened is a result of his bad decisions and I know that I can no longer avoid this marriage, I feel that I am complying with this even though I don't want to but I have no other option!
- Can't you just undo this agreement? For God's sake, your sister's life is at stake, now I understand why she is so sad. The Tolentinos will destroy her life just to reach you, there must be some way to free your sister from this terrible fate.
I had already thought of many ways to try to prevent this marriage from happening but there was no way out.
- Alas, no! Entering a war now is not an option, I remember well when we entered the first time and I say that it was not good for either side. We lost a lot of people so the deal was made even though sometimes we have problems with the gang, these are situations that we can solve, but it is very different from a war. My father is the main responsible for everything that is happening and what will happen, besides if we undo the agreement we will lose the trust in the middle, which can generate many more problems. Without allies, a war like the one that happened years ago could be the end of our family.
- I understand your point of view and I feel for your sister because I know very well how it is to have no choice in life!
Cecilia continued holding my hand while she said she knew what my sister was going through I took advantage that we were already talking to question something that since our meeting at the mansion Bernardino not left my head, needed to know because this doubt consumed me.
Cecilia
- I came into your life because you had no choice, but do you regret falling in love with me and being part of your life?
I didn't imagine that he would ask me this question after all these years but maybe this is a result of the beginning of his change.
- I don't regret it, you know that we can't go back in time and change what has been done but if I could I would live the beautiful moments that I had with you. I could focus on the bad things like the abandonment and selfishness on your part in not freeing me from your yoke but it would be to no avail to keep remembering that, it hurt a lot to be abandoned by the man I loved but if it wasn't for that I wouldn't have met Tomas and I wouldn't have such a good and loving husband, I had the opportunity to have my daughter in a calm home full of affection and care. I believe that you were in my life for a very important reason, so I have no regrets.
I continued to hold his hand as I opened my heart to him, no matter how cruel he had been to me, I couldn't stay attached to what happened in the past, I needed to continue living.
- Do you still love Thomas?
- Of course I do, you were my first love but you were also my first disappointment. At that time I was too young to understand what I felt, I was jealous of you and your fiancée even though I tried to disguise it, my heart couldn't understand why I wasn't enough for you. It was at this moment that I learned the hardest lesson, love doesn't always win! I know that you married Nina because of her position in the Mafia and not because you loved her, but even so, I couldn't stand knowing that you had chosen her and not me, and after finding out out out out of curiosity what you had done to Florencia, I reflected that if not even the woman you loved was spared, imagine me, who was nothing more than a toy for your personal amusement. With Tomás I was able to learn what real love is and with Melina this love only grew in my heart, I remember when I confessed that I loved you very clearly, he said that he didn't love me but without wanting to, he ended up loving me because Melina was the fruit of this feeling that he had denied so much during his life.
He listened attentively without even taking his eyes off me, I realized that we needed to have this conversation, that I couldn't wait any longer.
- Did you manage to follow my advice, and try to love your wife?
- No, I never liked to follow advice, but I think you noticed that Nina committed suicide some time after we had our son, there wasn't a single day that I didn't think about what my life would be like if I had followed my heart and stayed with you, after I asked Tomas to take her to the whorehouse, I resisted for a long time not to go see her, but I missed her. After I left you I killed prostitutes much more often than before even so the emptiness that existed inside me continued, suddenly I realized that nothing would bring what I had with you. I went looking for you but found out that you had died of a botched abortion, from the moment I knew I couldn't in any second of my life not think that I was the main responsible for your death so early, now imagine my surprise and joy to see that you were alive.
It was impossible not to think that Dario was happy to meet me again after all this time. This means that he missed me and also that he unintentionally had strong feelings for me.
- If you are saying this it is because you have unintentionally suffered for my loss and that you have unintentionally felt some feelings for me!
- You did, no, I still do! I don't know about love because as you have noticed during the time that we have been together I have always run away from this feeling that once destroyed my life but with you and Valentine I am getting to know this feeling in a true way.
Dario approached me crouching between my knees looking at my face with attention and affection soon his hands were slowly going up my dress caressing my thighs as he had never done before causing an effect in me that I thought I could no longer feel with him.
- I don't know if what I am feeling is love because I have never felt it, I just know that I want you in my life as you are already in my heart. I need to understand what love really is but I want you to help me so I would like to know if you are willing to do that. Now you have a choice, do you want to be mine body and soul as I am yours?
That statement took me totally by surprise, my God, what should I do?