Chapter 135

“Look at you, so that you can pay attention!” Dario commented after his explanation. I was at the Orlando estate, and we met up again.

It wasn’t really that I was paying attention, but I prepared myself for what I was about to do. Should I really look through his office? Was Christian crazy? But then again, I’m the one who offered my help.

“This might be a heavy subject for you, but I thought we could maybe visit…the home you grew up in-

“What?” I laughed at his hilarious words. “I’m not ashamed of where I come from. I really don’t mind going there.”

Even if it wasn’t intended to be like that, his words hurt me, which was the last thing I needed at the moment. Not from him. He already hurt me more than enough.

Going against Beau’s happiness meant going against my happiness, and the worst thing was probably that he pretended to be all smiley after he learned the news. He was probably fuming inside.

There were no words to describe how much I was hoping for all of this to be one big misunderstanding. but I knew it wasn’t. The little boy in the pictures was undeniably Dario. There was no doubt about that.

Christian said he wasn’t a threat to me, but who would even go this far to help me? “Dario, do you like me?” I asked. His eyes went big, and he cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry?” He frowned. The question was loud and clear. It was something he should’ve been able to answer with yes or no. “Of course I like you. I’m helping you despite my busy schedule so-”

“And what’s this busy schedule of yours?” I pushed him. It was something I had been wondering for a while now. Busy schedule? All he did was ruin Christian and stalk the Lamberti’s as if his life depended on it.

Dario leaned forward and gave me a smirk as I looked away. Why did he have to be that handsome? Why couldn’t he just be ugly? It would’ve made things a whole lot easier.

I ignored the feeling of my beating heart and took a deep breath. Whatever crazy crush I had, it had to end. All of it was a lie, his help, his kindness-all of it. “You’re very curious, aren’t you?” Dario teased as 1 lowered my head.

“I was just wondering. I’m sorry if I asked you something I shouldn’t-”

“That’s okay.” Dario sighed as he leaned back. “I don’t have any secrets from you. I’m not Christian.” He chuckled. The cheating situation was nothing to joke about, so I couldn’t get through my head why he had the nerve to bring it up. “I’m trying to be a better person nowadays. That’s my busy schedule.”

Better person? It took me so much not to punch him in the face, or no, it took me so much not to laugh in his face. This was ridiculous. If being obsessed with ruining Christian was part of being this ‘better person.” he seriously needed help.

“Serena, you’re here?” Mauro greeted me as he walked through the door. I put a smile on my face, but my head was spinning. How was I ever going to break into his office?

I knew from the last time I was here that the maids were not present around this time. If I was going to do it, I had to do it now.

“I am. How are you?” I asked politely. “Good, thanks for asking.” Mauro smiled. The same man who seemed so kind and sweet was supposedly no different from Dario. If what Christian said was true, it meant that this man was not Dario’s dad and was probably all part of the plan. Dario thought ahead and didn’t want anyone to suspect him, but what he didn’t know was that Christian wasn’t a match for him.

I looked at the tray of food and drinks in the middle of the table and made up a plan in my head. All I needed was a reason to excuse myself. If I had one, I could go upstairs and head straight to his office.

While Dario was having a deep conversation with Mauro, I grabbed the glass of juice from the tray and dropped it over my dress. “Shit.” I gasped as both Mauro and Dario turned their heads to look at me. “Are you okay?” Dario asked, worried. It was just juice.

“I’m so clumsy.” I played along with a pout on my face. Dario chuckled and grabbed a napkin from the table, but I stood up and took a step back. “I’ll clean this myself if you don’t mind.” I sighed. “It’s see- through, so…”

“Oh, yes, sure-no problem,” Dario muttered and took a step back. “I can bring you to one of the bathrooms-

“No, please don’t!” I immediately spoke while the two gave me a confused look. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of your busy schedule. You two go ahead and continue your talk.” I smiled.

“I’ll find my own way.”

“Sure.” Dario shrugged. He was so stupid. There was a possibility of him being a Lamberti, but that was as far it went. He definitely did not share the same brains as the Lamberti’s because if he did, he wouldn’t let a stranger walk through his home. That was what I was a stranger.

The thought of the CCTV scared me, but Dario made it very clear that he didn’t actually look at the footage. Gaining his trust was so easy that it worried me because I could genuinely not understand how he could only see good in me. I made my way upstairs while the two continued their talk and walked past many doors.

Which one would be his office?

My attention moved to the door at the end of the hallway. Got it.

I wasted no time and walked to the end, but all of my hope disappeared when I found out that the door was locked. That was most likely the reason why he didn’t care about what I was doing. The door was locked. I let out a frustrated breath and leaned my head against the door. I needed a code for the lock-which meant this party ended.

Think Serena. I told myself as I went through every bit of information in my head. The big-screen read ‘three attempts, which made me worry even more. One screw up, and the alarm would probably go off.

The best option would be to turn around to relay this to Christian somehow and find a better solution, but that was out of the question. Christian probably expected my help, and I would not let him down.

I calmed myself down and took a deep breath before I focused on the lock. All I needed was a code.

Dario’s birth date?

I typed in the numbers and closed my eyes as I waited for good luck, but nothing happened. Of course, it wasn’t his birthday. He wasn’t that stupid-he couldn’t be.

There were two attempts left. I had two more chances, and I could not screw this up.

The day we met?

It seemed strange, but he appeared to have this unhealthy obsession with me, so I was willing to give it a try. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach, but I typed in the code as I was waiting for a miracle to happen, but that miracle never came.

It was wrong.

I felt relieved knowing his obsession with me didn’t reach as far, but I also felt bothered because I had one last chance. I was taking a big risk, but it was definitely worth it. The sooner we could expose Dario, the sooner my family would finally wake up and see that Christian wasn’t the real enemy.

Christian? Wait…it couldn’t be?

My eyes went big as I typed in Christian’s birth date. Dario wasn’t obsessed with me. He never was-

his real obsession was with Christian.

I prayed to God that this would work out. It was my last chance, so I had to make it work. I closed my eyes. and pushed the button, but when I heard a click, my world felt as if it stopped.

It was correct.

I didn’t know whether to be impressed or disgusted because I didn’t know how far his obsession with Christian went. From stalking him to involving him in his passcode. Dario ‘Orlando’ had some real issues.

“What a twisted soul.” I chuckled as I opened the door to the office.

I was finally going to find out the truth about Dario.

The real truth.