Chapter 116

Christian Gio, who drove behind Christian, jumped out of his car and ran towards the pair.

“Christian, stop it!” He yelled as he held him back. This situation seemed strangely familiar, Gio thought as his mind went to the viral video.

“No, let him hit me. Someone has to take the blame for him being a cheater!” Dario snickered and wiped the blood from his face. “I don’t think the Alfonzo’s will like you any more than they do now when they found out what you did to the person who exposed you.”

“Christian, let’s go!” Gio spoke as he desperately pulled his arm.

“I don’t know what kind of sick game you’re playing, but stay away from my daughter and stay away from Serena and I promise you if you’ll ever hurt her—”

“Hurt her?” Dario laughed out loud and held his stomach. “Have you ever thought of becoming a comedian? My lungs!” He cackled. “I think you have other stuff to worry about, like the Alfonzo’s not letting you see your Siena, for example. Let’s call Matteo Alfonzo and ask him who deserves to bleed. You or me?”

“I swear to god I will kill you and every single one of those dirty Alfonzo’s. Siena is mine, and she’s a Lamberti!” Christian expressed his anger. Those words weren’t supposed to leave his mouth, but he was not himself at the moment.

“I want you to go home, and I want you to take a nice warm bad, close your eyes, and think to yourself. Did I hurt Serena, or did you hurt her?”

Dario turned around and walked away as he held up his hand. “You and your brother can show yourselves out.” He spoke before he burst out laughing. “You and your crazy accusations.”

“I can’t stand him.” Christian breathed and closed his eyes. “I know, let’s go.” Gio sighed and slammed his arm around his shoulder. “Threatening the Alfonzo’s, are you crazy?”

Dario’s reaction made Christian realize that perhaps his grandfather was right. Dario lived for drama and was waiting for him to react. He wanted him to hit him, and he did not hit him back. It was almost as he was trying to prove a point.

Gio followed Christian all the way home, just to make sure he wouldn’t do anything crazy. “I’m not a baby,” Christian told him.

“But you’re still my baby brother, and I’m worried about you. Dana showed me the video.” Gio explained. The video spread like wildfire, and everyone was after more details as everyone knew this might be the end of the alliance between the Alfonzo’s and the Lamberti’s.

“This is all my fault.” Christian sighed. “I can’t say you’re wrong.” Gio chuckled. “All you had to do was keep it in your pants, then none of this would’ve happened.”

“The Orlando’s were going to ruin us either way, so I don’t know about that.” Christian rolled his eyes. It was just that he had given Dario a perfect opportunity to start something.

“Do you know what grandpa told me?” Christian sighed before he told Gio about the conversation.

He expected Gio to disagree with him, but Gio kept quiet. “Gio, say something!” Christian begged his brother.

“I don’t know if you want to hear my opinion.” Gio lowered his head. “But grandpa is right. If the Alfonzo’s use Siena as a puppet to keep control over us, you have no choice but to take her.”

“If!” Christian repeated his brother. “We’re talking about if that happens, and it won’t-because Serena isn’t like that. Her family might be, but she isn’t-you know that. I can’t do that to her.”

“You’re right if that happens,” Gio sighed.

“I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I don’t think I’ll have to explain to you what will happen to dad if this family breaks apart.” Gio yawned and patted him on his head. Christian knew it all too well, just as he knew why his dad’s phone was taken away. The news of it being Gina had broken him.

“Look, who’s here?” Gio smiled. Christian raised his head and stared right at Isobel, who had a nervous smile on her face. “Did you came here to cheer up my brother?”

“Yes, I heard about what happened and…I can come back later.” Isobel spoke, too afraid to meet Gio’s eyes. She was still known as a snake.

“Don’t bother. I was just leaving.” Gio chuckled and ruffled her hair as he walked past her. “What’s wrong with him? He’s supposed to hate me.” Isobel wondered.

“He’s expecting his first son, at least one of us can smile. Come in.” Christian sighed and stepped aside. “I assume you saw the video?”

“You mean Serena beating up your assistant because you cheated? Yeah, I came here right away.”

Isobel snickered. “Good old saint Christian cheating on Serena, who he claimed to love so so so much. I thought I was a mess, but you?”

“Makes me feel a bit better about myself.” Isobel smiled as she walked to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of liquor. “Still not drinking?” She asked Christian.

Christian looked at the liquor and shook his head as he turned around. “If you’re here to provoke me or to make fun of me, you can go.”

“Don’t be so boring. I’m just kidding.” Isobel giggled as she took a sip from her glass. “I don’t need any explanation. Beau told me everything-I just came here to cheer you up. You know I lied to him, and he doesn’t even know I’m here. That’s how much I care about you.” Isobel spoke as she walked over to give him a back hug and leaned her head against his back. “But don’t worry, overall I don’t like the majority of the Alfonzo’s, and I learned from all my mistakes, so I’m extremely neutral.”

“Beau?” Christian chuckled. He was still confused by the weird combination and unsure of what was going on between the two, but those were the least of his worries. He had much worse stuff to worry about, as his grandpa pushing him to take Siena away from her mother.

That was not what he wanted.

“If you’re neutral, it means I can talk to you and ask you for your advice, right?” Christian turned his head. “Sure.” Isobel smiled.

The two went to the theater room where Christian told Isobel everything as he was desperate for her advice. “This Dario guy is worse than me, my god.” Isobel gasped. “This seems to be something personal. Are you sure you’ve never seen him before?”

Christian thought about Isobel’s words and felt stupid for not realizing it before. The attack towards the Alfonzo’s indeed seemed something personal. Only a mad person was willing to put so much energy into ruining someone’s life. “I’m trying to think, but my heads not in the right place. “Christian sighed.

“I know this might sound weird coming from my mouth, but I’m sorry about Serena and Siena.

Isobel pouted. “I know the two of them are your life-but you can’t lose focus, and I don’t want to get involved, but your grandpa might be right.”

“So what? I should just steal Siena to make sure the Alfonzo’s don’t use her to get to me?” Christian asked. “Because that’s not happening, Serena isn’t like that-you know that.”

“Never underestimate the power of an angry mother.” Isobel shrugged her shoulders. “Anyway, Beau hates you-so I should stay out of this, but your my best friend, and you asked me for my advice, so.”

“Beau? What’s the deal with you and Beau. I thought the two of you hated each other.” Christian rolled his eyes. He had already prepared himself for Beau to come over and lose control, but he never did. No, he didn’t even show his face, and that’s why Christian trusted Serena. If she was able to hold back Beau, then who were the others?

“He’s alright for an Alfonzo, so I decided to make him my person.” Isobel shrugged. “Or it was the other way around, but you get the point.”

“He won’t even hold my hand in public. It’s a sad situation.” Isobel sighed. “If there is a way to fight against the Alfonzo’s without touching Serena, Siena, and my Beau, you should definitely do it. I told you I’m neutral, but I don’t like them any more than you do-you know they’re the biggest reason why my dad disowned me. I know they shouldn’t forgive me but-”

“I can’t.” Christian spoke. “I feel like everyone is talking about what should and shouldn’t happen, but not one is thinking about Siena. My daughter is a human being, not some kind of pawn!”

“I know, I know-I’m sorry!” Isobel apologized and touched his shoulder. “Siena is definitely not a toy, you’re right, but she is to the Alfonzo’s, and they’ll use her to control you.” Isobel gave her opinion.

“But let’s stop talking about me, let’s talk about that assistant of yours!”

“No, absolutely not.” Christian frowned his eyebrows. “I don’t want to talk about her.”

“Not even about how Serena beat her ass? As expected, she’s not from here.” Isobel giggled. “I mean, I know I’m not a saint-but sleeping with an engaged man who has a pregnant fiancée at home? Even I wouldn’t do that.” Isobel laughed out loud before she noticed the embarrassed look on Christian’s face.

“My poor baby Christian, I’m so sorry, but you’re not in the position to be upset-you’re lucky I’m not Serena because I would kill you and limit your visitation rights.” Isobel cooed as she pinched his cheek.

“So you would use Siena to control me?” Christian asked as that was the only sentence which had grabbed his attention. “Serena is a good person. That’s all I have to say.” Isobel smiled.

Even when Serena had seen her hand in hand with her brother, she did not say a word and had the same kind smile on her face. “I admire her for being so nice. It couldn’t be me.”

“She’s a good person. The day we all watched a movie was the first day I realized my feelings for her.” Christian smiled. “All of you fell asleep, and she was scared, so she followed me to the kitchen. We had a good talk, and I remember just looking at her and thinking she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Beautiful, kind, perfect-and it scared me-”

“Yeah, you’re going through it.” Isobel stopped him from talking. “They’re asking me to choose between Serena and the family business. I can’t do that.”

“The decision has already been made,” Isobel told him. “She doesn’t even want you anymore, as she -should-so the decision has already been made.”

“You’re like a chameleon. Do you think I should fight for Siena or fight against my family? I don’t get you?” Christian asked, annoyed. For Isobel, the answer was there all along, but she had no right to say it.

“I think you should fight against Dario and the Alfonzo’s and fight for Serena and Siena. You still love her.” Isobel spoke. “As long as you don’t touch my Beau bear, you can do anything.”

“Beau bear?” Christian gagged. “He’s a grown man. I hope you know that.”

“He gets so pissed when I call him that. Don’t you think it’s cute?” Isobel squealed.

Christian looked at her eyes full of sparkles before realizing this relationship might be a good thing.

Beau was apparently willing to share every little detail with Isobel, which was not exactly bad. “Can you do something for me? Every little plan the Alfonzo’s discuss, please tell me? Christian requested. “Tell me, so I know how to take care of the situation. As long as they don’t come between Siena and me, I’m not going to do anything. My issue is with the Orlando’s and not with the Alfonzo’s.”

“What?” Isobel chuckled. “Christian, if Beau tells me something crazy, like them not allowing you to see Siena anymore because they want to break you and I break his trust-they’ll kill me!” Isobel spoke.

She was willing to do a lot for Christian but risking her relationship with Beau was something she couldn’t do. “I can’t do it. I’ve finally gained his trust.”

“Isobel, you owe me this.” Christian sighed. “All I’m asking you is to relay every little sentence Beau tells you, please for me-

“Fine, I will!” Isobel finally gave in. She could not bear the thought of Christian being sad, and she could not lose him like she lost Vince. She could not lose another best friend.

“Listen, Serena is coming back home tomorrow evening to pick up her stuff. Your cousin Luca is joining her and didn’t tell you about it because you’re usually not home around that time.” Isobel informed him.

She felt guilty for giving him the information Beau told her in trust and did not want to be in the middle of all of this. “Serena doesn’t want to see you, but she’ll work something out for you and Siena-but she still hates you.”

“Isobel,” Christian spoke as he took a deep breath and grabbed both of her hands. “I knew I could count on you, thank you so much.”

Serena coming back to get her stuff gave Christian hope, he had one more chance. One more opportunity to beg for her forgiveness so the two of them could be a family again. Luca going behind his back made him pissed, and he could not understand why his cousin wouldn’t tell him something like this-but at the same time, it made him happy to know there were more Lamberti’s on Serena’s side because Christian believed Serena was innocent. Serena did not do anything wrong.

“What part of, she doesn’t want anything to do with you, do you not understand?” Isobel commented. “Maybe it’s a good idea. Maybe you shouldn’t be here tomorrow.”

“I will be here tomorrow,” Christian spoke. He was determined to make it work and would not give up that easily.

“We have to work things out for Siena. There’s no other way. We have to.”