Chapter 139

“Testing him?” Isobel frowned. “Why would be testing him?”

That was the same thing I wanted to know. “Who knows.” I sighed. “Beau always does everything with a reason, so we’ll see.”

“Enough about me. How is the baby?”

“Annoying.” Isobel chuckled. “It’s annoying me, physically and mentally. I’m scared.”

Those were the exact words I once used to describe myself with. I reached out my hand so I could comfort her. “So you don’t want to be a mom?”

“That’s not it.” Isobel shook her head. “It’s just that my mom never took care of me, so I have no idea how to take care of babies.”

“Trust me. I get you.” I sighed. Isobel opening up so quickly made me think about Dario and how mysterious he was. He was so outspoken, and I didn’t know anything about him. No one did.

“So you and Christian seem to be getting along?” Isobel commented with a smug smile on her face.

Apparently she could see which I couldn’t, because if anything this situation was extremely awkward. “Well, we’re not arguing, so there’s that.”

“Look, there they are,” Isobel whispered as she pointed at Christian and Beau, who came walking down the stairs. “Is she clean again?” I asked and looked at Siena, who was in a cheerful mood.

Siena was the happiest around Christian.

Isobel’s thoughts couldn’t be any worse than mine. I knew stuff like that was to be expected, but Siena being so attached to Christian while I was the one who carried her worried me and made me scared of what was about to come. Would she even like me in the future?

“Yes, she is-but I don’t think Beau is ready to become a dad.” Christian chuckled. “Isobel, it seems like you’re on your own.”

“What do you mean not ready? She pooped on my hand!” Beau complained as Christian let out a laugh. It was clear the two of them bonded over diapers.

“Look at you. You seem to be getting along.” Isobel smiled, excited. It made me wonder about what kind of conversation they had. Just a few minutes ago, it seemed like the two were going to kill each other.

“What did you guys talk about?” I wondered as Christian sat down next to me. “You don’t have to know everything. You’re allowed to give your brains some rest sometimes. Christian spoke while I looked down. embarrassed. “But if you really want to know, we spoke about you.”

“About me? What about me?”

“Nothing, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Beau spoke. “Christian, you must be busy now that you don’t have a personal assistant anymore.”

Isobel covered her mouth with her hands and laughed while Christian rolled his eyes. “I thought we’d just discussed not to do this anymore.”

“Oh no, I have good intentions this time!” Beau reassured him. “I heard you don’t have a personal assistant anymore, so how about you let me work for you?”

“What?” I spoke, confused. “You just wanted to kill him a second ago, and now you want to work for him? Do you even know what you want?”

“Why would you want to work for me?” Christian asked. “You’re an Alfonzo. Letting you work as my personal assistant would be so downgrading. You’re supposed to carry on the Alfonzo name with you. brothers-”

“What brothers?” Beau asked as everyone around the table went quiet. Marcello, Emilio, and Luke were the sweetest souls in the world, but for some reason, they just didn’t have a bond with Beau. It wasn’t that difficult for me to get along with them, but Beau was clearly struggling. “I don’t care about my brothers, I care about Serena, and I don’t feel like following around Emilio-so I want to support you.”

“Random, but I think the job suits him.” Isobel shrugged. “It’s a good way to keep an eye on him, so he doesn’t do anything stupid, right Beau?” Isobel chuckled.

So that’s why Beau tested him. He was planning to distance himself from the family business and would probably encourage me to do the same. He would encourage me to stand behind Christian. “I appreciate your offer, but won’t this damage your family?”

“I don’t care.” Beau chuckled. “You plan on getting Serena back, and I plan on keeping an eye on you. Besides that, you clearly need the help.”

“I do.” Christian commented. “But I have another offer for you. You’re too good to be my assistant.

How about you be my advisor?”

“What?” Beau spoke. “Do you want both of our families to kill us?”

“Yes,” Christian confirmed. “I want both of our families to kill us-but I honestly think it won’t even be that big of a deal, and it could even keep them satisfied.”

“Could it?” I wondered. “Yes, the Alfonzo’s can keep an eye on the Lamberti’s and the Lamberti’s can keep an eye on the Alfonzo’s-that’s how they will see it.”

“I’ll think about it.” Beau smiled while Christian laughed at him. “Now you’re making it seem like I’m the one who asked you for help.”

“That was not the job I asked for,” Beau spoke. “I specifically asked for the other job to play it safe, but I’ll think about it.”

Christian turned his head to look at me and shrugged his shoulders. “He’s just as confusing as you, but for some reason, I don’t love him.”

My cheeks flushed red, and I avoided eye-contact. These type of comments weren’t working.

“Enough with the business talk. Beau and I have another surprise.” Isobel announced while Christian and I gave each other a look. “Are you having twins?” I asked. “What?”

“No, thank God, I’m not.” Isobel laughed. “I just wanted to say that Beau and I are making you a cake.”

“What?” Christian and I both spoke, confused. I bet he expected for it to be some kind of big announcement, just as I did.

“Fine, I’m having twins-but Serena!” Isobel called out as she glared at me. “Ruined the surprise!”

“Wait, what really?” I gasped, surprised. “Yes, we wanted to tell you first, isn’t that great?” Isobel smiled. I felt terrible for even thinking this way, but it made me feel jealous. I was happy for Beau but also a bit.

jealous because his life seemed to be working out.

“As if one child between the two of you wasn’t enough already.” Christian smiled and pulled Isobel into a hug. “Congrats Beau, I’m happy for you” I congratulated him, but I was still jealous. There was no right way to explain how I felt, but I knew it was wrong. Beau was not my competition. He was my twin brother.

“Are you okay?” Beau asked. “Yes, fine!” I lied as I stared at Christian. This was supposed to be us.

I told him I didn’t want any more children-but Christian did. Seeing a smile on Christian’s face made me smile, and all I could think of were his words.

You don’t want to see me with anyone else.

He was right. I didn’t. If the thought of my twin brother having twins made me jealous, I couldn’t survive a day if Christian would end up with someone else. Our eyes met, and he gave me a warm smile. I could still not understand how the same person with that warm smile could cheat on me.

I knew he loved me because he had shown it to me with not only his actions but also his words multiple times-but he still cheated on me. Men were ridiculous. “Serena, can we talk?” Christian asked and grabbed my hand..

“So Beau and 1-we’re just going to clean the dishes,” Isobel spoke while Beau gave her a disgusted look. “What, why?” He asked. “He invited us. Shouldn’t he do it?”

“You’re so annoying at times. Can’t you just read the room?” Isobel rolled her eyes as she pulled him away.

Christian and I stared at each other as I waited for him to say the first word. “So.” I mumbled.

“Do you want me to grab Siena so we can get some fresh air?” Christian suggested. “That’s a really good idea.” I agreed. “We have a lot to discuss.”

We made our way outside and it made me think of the past. The first time we did that was at the sleepover. We weren’t together back then, but we were really close friends. Best friends.

“She’s so energetic today.” I laughed at Siena, who was fighting for Christian’s attention. “It’s because we look like a family again.” Christian smiled and kissed her cheek.

It felt like each time I commented on something, I only dug my own grave even further. “So I thought about therapy.” Christian smiled.

“And to be honest, I feel like shit. You gave me a solution, and I ran away from it, and if I really want you back, I have no right to do that. So if therapy is what you want, I stand behind you a hundred percent.”

“Wait, what?” I laughed. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” Christian nodded his head. “I’m desperate, and I want you and Siena to come back home. I went. against my grandpa today.” Christian spoke. “I told him I don’t want the family business or the family if 1 can’t have you-”

“Christian, stop it.” I sighed. I didn’t want him to finish his sentence because I wasn’t able to go against my own family. I was not like him. “I love you, but it’s not just our families-you hurt me, and I still need some time to get over that-”

“You love me?” Christian asked. I hadn’t even noticed my words until he called me out for it. “Yes, I love you, and I want us to be together again-but we shouldn’t rush things this time. We can’t just jump into a relationship again.”

“I understand. I’ll wait.” Christian spoke, excited “Take all the time you need. I’m just happy to hear that you still love me.”

He was so happy to hear those words, but I had never stopped loving him. It teas the other way around.

“So what did you and Beau discuss?” I asked. I was going to get my answers, one way or another “He promised to kill me if I would ever hurt you again and said that I’m on ‘probation’ as he likes to call it” Christian chuckled. “But he also said that he will stand behind me as long as you stand behind me.”

“I don’t think he’s human, but it’s nice to know you have someone like that around you.”

“It is. I’ve never felt a stronger bond with anyone, and he’s the only one who has never disappointed me.” I sighed. The smile on Christian’s face had vanished, and he must’ve misunderstood my words.

The bond between Beau and I was different and it was to be expected, it was because he was my twin.

“So about Dario.” I changed the subject. “There’s a lot to unpack, but he’s insane.”

“That’s what I told you.” Christian shrugged. “But please tell me, what did you find out?”

“For starters, the code to his office is your birthdate.” I began while Christian had a confused look on his face. It was the same confused look I had when I found out about that.

“His wall looks as if he’s planning to execute someone, the pictures in his drawers are truly sick and full of mainly you, your grandpa, your dad and Luca and Johnny, papers about all of the Lamberti businesses— oh and he has this huge vault, but I couldn’t get to it-

“So he’s not as soft as he looks like,” Christian spoke. “I was able to get some information out of my grandpa, but not much. All I know is that he compared you to my uncle’s first wife. She was apparently his downfall.”

Downfall? Wasn’t that word a bit too harsh?

“You don’t think I’m your downfall, do you?” I asked, embarrassed. Christian shook his head and held Siena’s hand. “The two of you are my life. How could you be my downfall?”

“Exactly.” I nodded my head. “I’m sorry, but your grandpa doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“Anyway I was thinking. Maybe I can try and open that vault so we can find out more about his aunt-

“Thanks, Serena, that was all,” Christian stopped me from talking. “Just focus on your charity.”

I looked at him full of disbelief and could not understand how he had the nerve to ask me for help, only to tell me that he didn’t need it anymore. “Dario is insane, I get that-and I also get that you’re looking out for me, but don’t you want to unravel this mystery together?”

“Dario is twisted, and I don’t want you to get hurt, Serena.” Christian sighed, but those were not the words I was looking for. “But we have to find out what’s behind that vault, don’t you think?”

“You’re not getting involved, and that’s final!” Christian raised his voice. “And you’re not going there alone anymore, absolutely not!”

After hearing about Dario’s worrisome office layout, Christian had a change of mind and didn’t want me to do anything at all. He was so confident and told me Dario would never hurt me, but all of that confidence had vanished.

“Christum, I will be opening them vault wasn’t just about him anyt You can po with Man tomorrow. He found a lead-if yem pratio ant to play Sherlock. I’ll let you fortp him out, but you’re not ripening the #har mai hic tene with that mondt “Fine, but give me one good reason why I shouldn’t open that vault. Who knows what we’ll find in there “That’s the thing. A vaoli in an office? I’m not worried about what we’ll find in there, but more about who we’ll find in there”

“No baby today?” Marc pouted as I stepped into the car. Just as promised, I would be joining Marc to follow up on his lead on Dario.

“You don’t even like Siena.” I laughed as I couldn’t shake off the image of Marc’s unfortunate look every time he saw her. “It’s not that I don’t like her. I just get tired of her staring at me all the time.”

“She’s a baby?” I commented. “Anyway, I’m also happy I get to spend my day with you.”

“Yes, wow.” Marc sighed. “You’re not even supposed to be here, but yet you are. I don’t want you to get involved, and neither does Christian.”

There it was again. How could they expect me not to get involved when the issue did concern me? I was the one who was around him, so I wanted to find out more about hirn-even if it meant going as far as digging in his past. “You’re unfortunately going to have to live with it-now what are we doing again?”

“You’re unbelievable.” Marc rolled his eyes. “It took me a while, but I managed to find one of Dario’s old maids, she has been with Mauro for a very long time, and she lives in a nursing home.”

“Nursing home?” I questioned. I knew all too well how things like this used to go in horror movies.

“You’re going to ask an old woman about Dario? Are you insane?”

Maybe.” Marc shrugged. “But this is our best chance, I feel bad for saying this, but she’s easy to manipulate.”

“I guess.” I mumbled. I felt terrible for sticking my nose into Dario’s life, but I just couldn’t shake off the thought of his office and the weird obsession with the Lamberti’s. I always thought I was good at reading people and thought Dario had a good personality. I had to get to the bottom of this. “Did you hear about the office from Christian?”

“You mean that he’s so obsessed that he even uses him as his password and stuff like that? Yes.”

Marc chuckled. “It freaked him out.”

“What, it did?” I asked. Even though I could read the look on Christian’s face, he never told me, and it was probably because he didn’t like seeing me stressed. “Yes, of course, it did, he was so certain that Dario wouldn’t hurt you-only for you to tell him that this man has a wall full of weapons–

“That’s not so different from you guys-with the business you’re in.” I interrupted Marc. It almost seemed as if I was defendinf Dario, and I didn’t know why. There was no excuse for his weird obsession with the Lamberti’s, but I was still hoping for the best. There had to be an explanation.

“You know, you can really get annoying sometimes.” Marc laughed. “I used to like you better in the past.”

“So did Christian” I sighed. I bet he liked me the most when I could not stand up for myself, but I had changed a lot. The old Serena wouldn’t even run away from Christian after the betrayal. “How was your date? I heard your brother gave him a hard time.”

-“Yes,” I replied. “He gave him a hard time, and then he asked him for a job.”

“I heard,” Marc spoke. “How did he went from personal assistant to an advisor in just a few seconds? I feel a bit betrayed.” He chuckled.

“Well, don’t.” I sighed. “It’s not certain, and I honestly don’t know what to make out of it. I don’t want to make things worse between our families.”