Chapter 106

“Sissy!” Carmen yelled out and ran into my arms. “Wait, why did you bring a suitcase?” She pointed at Vernon, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Siena and I are staying here for a while. Please don’t ask.” I replied as I pushed the suitcase in her hand and made my way over to grab Siena’s car seat. “Is she sleeping?” Carmen pouted.

“Wake her up.” She smiled and clasped her hands together. It was amazing to me how people always volunteered to wake up a screaming baby. “Maybe later, she just fell asleep.”

“Okay.” Carmen pouted. “I’ll tell mom that you’re here-she’ll be so happy!” Carmen squealed before she pushed the suitcase into the mansion. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but are you really okay?” Vernon asked.

Was IP No, I was angry, confused-disappointed, and so much more, but my feelings were all over the place.

“I’m fine.”

“Good” Vernon eyed me suspiciously. “If you need anything, call me.” He smiled before he took off. I really hadn’t thought this through, but I needed space.

Lita ran outside waved at me from a distance. She had a big smile on her face. Of course, she did.

She had been pushing me to stay over for the longest-the only bad thing were the circumstances.

“Hi, mom!” 1 greeted her and pulled her into a hug with my free hand.

She loved it whenever I called her mom, and the look on her face was to die for. “This is so unexpected, but I’m so happy to have you here. You and Siena are always welcome!” She spoke and grabbed the car seat from my hands. “I’ll take her inside. Come on.”

I followed Lita to the living room and looked at my little brother, Luke-who stared at me with frowned eyebrows. “Did you dump Christian?” He boldly asked while my mom and Carmen gave him a look.

“I’m sorry.” He apologized and held his hands in the air.

stupid. I “I’m thrilled to have you’re here.” Luke smiled and pulled me into a hug. Of course, they and was barely came to visit, and all sudden, I was here unannounced. My mom would probably not.

just happy to have us here, but Carmen and Luke were curious sixteen-year-olds who were out to get answers.

“Where’s dad, Beau, and Luis?” I wondered after noticing the house was a bit more quiet than usual. “Dad is ‘mentoring Beau again, and Luis is at school,” Carmen spoke.

My mom did not want to let Beau out of her sight and pressured him and Luis to move here against his will, while my dad took every chance he could get to overwork Beau so he could turn him into his own perfect idea of an Alfonzo. The only good thing was Luis going to a private school instead of homeschooling. Luis was having a hard time and needed to spend more time with kids his age.

“Your dad will be so happy to have you here. You can stay for as long as you want-you can stay here forever.” Lita smiled.

“I don’t think she’s ever going to leave you again.” Luke chuckled and slammed his arm around Carmen. “And I don’t know what Christian has done, but we won’t let you leave either.” Luke brought up that name again.

“Come on. I prepared a room for you and Siena. Luke, make yourself useful and carry her suitcase.”

Lita attempted to end the awkward conversation and led us upstairs. I always felt bad for her because she prepared Siena’s room and my room in the hopes of us staying over, but in the end, I only used her.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about diapers.” I smiled at the stacks of baby supplies and gave her a grateful look. “Do you remember what I told you?” Lita asked. “Yes, you told me you prepared this room for Beau and me a long time ago.”

“You didn’t forget?” Lita laughed and grabbed Siena. “Grandma made this room for you.” She cooed as she pulled down her dress. “You should’ve dressed her a little warmer. It’s just as cold inside of a car as out.”

I took in her words and stared at poor Siena, who was slowly beginning to wake up. Lita was right. I was selfish and only thought about myself and how fast I could leave that house-without thinking about. Siena. If my mom did not have the baby’s room, toys, clothes, and all other essentials, I would not know what to do.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’re a good morn.” Lita spoke and played with Siena, who let out her usual giggles. “Look at her. She had a good nap!”

“You never asked.” I commented and ignored her comments about Siena. “About you and Christian?” Lita” chuckled.

“You guys can’t be in the honeymoon phase forever. Whenever I used to argue with your dad, I also ran back home-it’s not a big deal.” She spoke, but what she didn’t know was that it was a bit different. We didn’t argue about something stupid like me not cleaning after myself-he cheated on me, and I broke up with him.

“I don’t have my ring around my finger. You can see that.” I continued while Lita shrugged it off. “If I would tell you how many times I’ve removed this ring from my finger, you won’t even believe me.”

She laughed out loud. “I’ve threatened your dad to file divorce papers at least two times a year. You guys will be fine!”

Fine?

We couldn’t be, we could never be.

I did not know why I didn’t tell the truth, but maybe it was because I was hopeful and not ready to let go of him.

“Well, whatever it was, it must be bothering you-because you haven’t looked at her even once,” Lita spoke as she held Siena up in the air.

“Is mommy getting sick of you already?” Lita asked Siena. No, of course not!” I smiled and grabbed her from her arms. She opened her mouth to babble while she held my nose, but all I could see were her eyes.

She had his eyes.

“You look exhausted. Do you want me to take her for a bit while you go and take a nap?” Lita offered. I shrugged my shoulders and felt tears threatening to escape from my eyes. My own daughter was begging me for attention, and I couldn’t give it to her because I was dealing with my own issues.

“You’re not giving her up for adoption. She’s just staying with grandma until you get some sleep.”

Lita sighed. “I feel sorry for you, but don’t feel bad-1 also felt like that when I had Emilio.”

It was nice to know that she was trying to reassure me, but I did not want to be a burden. It was barely an hour without Christian, and I felt lost. Whenever he would notice how exhausted I was, he’d do the same so that I could rest-but whenever he did it, it felt different. It was his duty.

“I’m really sorry.” I apologized to Lita as she grabbed Siena back from my arms. “Don’t be.

Something is obviously bothering you-relax and take a nap,”

I followed Lita’s advice, but it didn’t go anywhere and I could not take a nap. All I could think about was Christian and how he even had the nerve to touch me, right after touching someone else.

Even then, I slowly realized that I took the wrong approach and shouldn’t have reacted that way.

Yes, I was pissed, angry, and I felt betrayed-and there was nothing that could fix this, and even though it didn’t make up for what he’d done, Christian had changed a lot.

I felt bad for how things went and my reaction was a bit poor, but my mindset was still the same.

Co- parenting was as far as I would go, but in terms of getting back together, I was done giving second chances.

“Serena!” I heard three knocks on the door before it opened. “Beau!” I smiled and sat up straight so I could hug him. “What are you doing here? I heard you’re not wearing your ring. Do you want me to kill Christian?” He spoke casually while he held me in his embrace.

If I needed a reason to not tell anyone about Christian’s mistake, Beau just handed me one. His calm way of threatening Christian scared me, and the Lamberti’s and the Alfonzo’s had a great relationship. Christian being a cheater was on him, but I did not feel like ending a long-term family alliance over my issues.

“It’s not his fault. We’re just on a break-don’t worry.” I lied. Even until now, I was willing to protect Christian, so why would he betray me? Was I not good enough for him?

“Anyway, I’m glad you’re here.” Beau smiled. “I can’t stand Matteo.” He spoke, refusing to call him dad.

“I’m so sorry.” I pouted. The situation was understandable. Matteo had a different way of treating us and was not ashamed to show it. He treated Beau as a product and told him to prove himself, while he just let me do whatever. He often called him ‘Garcia poison’ and tried to change him.

The Beau I knew would’ve walked away a long time ago, but all he wanted was to satisfy me-even if that meant being with the Alfonzo’s who he despised. “Lita wants to know if it’s time for Siena to eat.”

I gasped and reached for my phone to look at the time. “It is I forgot!” I freaked out and raised myself from the bed while Beau stopped me with his hands. “You just have to say yes or no and tell me where it is -Lita told me she’ll take care of her.”

“It’s in one of my bags in my suitcase,” I told him as he followed my instructions. “I didn’t even notice,” I whispered to myself. I felt hopeless and worthless-and wondered if I was even fit enough to be a mother. Which mom forgot to feed her baby?

Christian’s loud alarm clock was not enough anymore and I had to do it on my own.

“Serena, it can happen-don’t stress yourself out too much and relax.” Beau smiled and tucked me in. “Lita’s right. I don’t know what happened-but you look like you’ve been through a lot. Just rest for the day.” He spoke and brushed my hair to the side.

I often felt horrible because we were the same age, but I always had to rely on him. It was never the other way around, and till this day he was still the one taking care of me. “Please, sleep.” He whispered before he left to go downstairs.

After Beau’s words, I finally managed to close my eyes and took a long nap. I declined dinner. I hadn’t drunk anything the entire day-I didn’t even come downstairs to greet Luis or my dad, and it was all because I felt embarrassed.

I felt embarrassed and trapped because I knew I needed Christian. He betrayed me, and I still could not live without him.

No matter what, I could not stop loving him.