Chapter 65: Chapter 58

The air in the private lounge of Mellisa's mansion shifted the moment Emilio walked in. His dark presence was like a thundercloud, crackling with suppressed fury. Aiden sat sprawled on the leather sofa, lazily swirling the amber liquid in his glass. Jayden, who had Melissa on his lap and Luciano, perched nearby, straightened in their seats, sensing the danger before Aiden even looked up.

"I guess I will go downstairs first to check how the party is going," Melissa said as she excused herself.  Jayden nodded and kissed her cheeks before letting her go.

“Emilio,” Aiden greeted casually, but his smirk faltered when he noticed the look on Emilio’s face. Cold. Deadly. Expressionless.

Before Aiden could say another word, Emilio closed the distance between them in two swift strides. His fist came down hard, smashing Aiden’s drink to the floor as his knuckles connected with his jaw. The impact sent Aiden sprawling back against the couch, blood spraying from his split lip.

“Are you out of your damn mind?” Aiden spat, struggling to sit upright, but Emilio didn’t answer. He yanked Aiden up by his shirt, his grip unyielding, and slammed him against the wall so hard the entire room seemed to tremble.

“You set me up,” Emilio growled, his voice low but venomous. “You used Britney to tear me and my girl apart. Do you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Aiden’s cocky demeanor dissolved, replaced by the flicker of fear in his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, man,” he stammered. “It wasn’t—”

The next punch silenced him, landing squarely in his gut. Aiden gasped, doubling over, but Emilio didn’t let him fall. He shoved him back against the wall, his face inches from Aiden’s now-bloodied one.

“You think I’m stupid?” Emilio hissed. His voice was calm, terrifyingly so, but his dark eyes burned with an intensity that made Jayden and Luciano freeze where they sat. “You think you can betray me and walk away untouched?”

“Emilio, that’s enough,” Jayden ventured cautiously, starting to rise from his seat.

Luciano grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. “Don’t,” he murmured, his gaze never leaving Emilio. “He has his reasons.”

Jayden frowned. “You know what this is about?”

Luciano’s jaw tightened as he recalled the sight of Valentina crying a few hours ago. He had pieced it together, but now wasn’t the time to explain. “Just let him handle it.”

Meanwhile, Emilio continued his assault. Aiden tried to throw a punch of his own, but Emilio easily deflected it, twisting his arm behind his back and slamming him face-first into the wall. Aiden let out a choked cry, but Emilio didn’t relent. He drove his knee into Aiden’s ribs, eliciting another groan of pain.

“I trusted you,” Emilio said, his voice dangerously soft. “I treated you like family. And this is how you repay me?”

“I did it for her!” Aiden gasped, struggling against Emilio’s iron grip. “She deserves better than you—better than this life you’re dragging her into!”

Emilio froze for a moment, his grip loosening just slightly. Then, as if those words ignited something darker within him, he yanked Aiden away from the wall and threw him to the floor like a ragdoll.

“You think you know what’s best for Val?” Emilio snarled, towering over Aiden. “You don’t know a damn thing about her. About us.”

Aiden scrambled to his feet, but Emilio was on him again, his fists flying with unrestrained fury. Blood spattered the pristine white carpet as Emilio’s punches grew heavier, more brutal. Aiden’s cries became weaker, his attempts to defend himself futile.

Jayden flinched with every hit, his hands gripping the edge of the sofa so tightly his knuckles turned white. “He’s going to kill him,” he muttered under his breath.

Luciano shook his head. “He won’t. He’s just making a point.”

Jayden glanced at him incredulously. “A point? He’s turning Aiden into a human punching bag!”

Luciano’s gaze remained locked on Emilio. He understood his friend’s darkness, the depths of his rage when it came to Valentina. This wasn’t just about betrayal. It was about someone daring to hurt the person Emilio loved most in the world. Luciano knew better than to intervene.

Emilio finally stopped, his chest heaving, his knuckles bloodied and raw. Aiden lay crumpled on the floor, groaning weakly, his face swollen and unrecognizable. Emilio stood over him, his expression cold and emotionless once more.

“Listen here, prince boy,” Emilio said quietly, his voice sharp as a blade. “I'm not going to kill you because I consider you my friend, but if you ever try to play dirty again, I won’t stop next time.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. Jayden and Luciano remained frozen, the weight of what they had just witnessed sinking in.

As the door closed behind Emilio, Luciano finally let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “He’s scary when he’s calm.”

Jayden nodded silently, his gaze fixed on Aiden’s battered body. There were no words to describe what they had just witnessed. All they knew was that no one crossed Emilio—and lived to tell the tale unscathed.

They walked towards Aiden, whose face was barely recognizable.

"Man, what the hell did you do to anger him?" Jayden asked the pitiful Aiden.

" Tell your girl to bring a first aid over," Luciano told Jayden, who nodded and took out his phone to call Melissa.

------

On the other side inside Valentina’s dimly lit room, the muffled sounds of the night outside only made the silence inside feel heavier. Val hugged her knees tightly, trying to calm the storm raging within her, but the tears kept coming. Her mind played the scene over and over again—Britney’s lips on Emilio’s, his shocked expression, and the ache in her chest that made it hard to breathe.

Downstairs, Marco, Lorenzo's best friend, had seen Valentina rush past without her usual warm acknowledgment. The sight of her tear-streaked face instantly set off alarms in his mind. He was more than just Lorenzo's friend. He was like Valentina’s uncle; he had watched Valentina grow up, and her pain felt personal to him.

Marco hesitated for only a moment before heading upstairs. When he reached her room, he knocked softly on the door. "Piccola Val, are you okay?” he called gently.

There was no response. Marco frowned, his concern deepening. He knocked again, a little louder this time. “Val, it’s me, Uncle Marc. Please open the door.”

Still, there is no answer. He pressed his ear to the door and listened closely, hearing faint, broken sobs from inside. His heart sank.

“Val,” he tried again, his voice firmer but still kind. “Please, let me in. You don’t have to talk, but I just want to make sure you’re alright.”

Her sobs quieted for a moment, but she still didn’t respond. Marco sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stepped back from the door. He knew she wouldn’t let him in, but he couldn’t just leave her like this. There was only one person who might be able to reach her now.

Pulling out his phone, Marco quickly dialed Lorenzo, Valentina’s father. The phone rang twice before the deep, commanding voice of the billionaire answered.

“Marco, why are you calling me so late?” Lorenzo asked, his tone calm but authoritative.

“Enzo,” Marco began carefully, “I think you should know…" Something is wrong with Val. She came home crying, and now she’s locked herself in her room. She won’t open the door or speak to me.”

______________________________

Vote and comment ❤️