Chapter 152

Johnny had a confused expression on his face and looked at all of us before he burst out laughing.

“This can’t be true. Please tell me this is some kind of April Fools’ prank.”

“It’s not,” Luca whispered. Johnny blinked his eyes a few times to process the news, while Christian was seconds away from having a breakdown. “Dad is alive?” Johnny gasped.

“Where is Enzo.” Christian breathed as he closed his eyes. “Where is my brother? Where is he!”

“What do you mean dad is still alive? How is he still alive?”

“Where is my brother!”

“How is Dario, our brother-”

“Stop!” I yelled out. “Both of you, stop it!” I spoke and turned to Johnny. “You and Luca can talk this out later. For now, you have to tell us what happened to Enzo.”

“I told you, I don’t know.” Luca sighed while Johnny let out several curse words and paced back and forth. The news hit him hard and I had never seen him this angry before.

I rested my hand on Christian’s shoulder and held him to calm him down. “Please think, tell us exactly what happened—come on.”

“I-I don’t know,” Luca repeated. “He told me to bring them to him, so I did.”

“Bringing over the girl was easy, but she cried so much, she kept asking if she was going to die-and there was nothing I could do because I can’t go against him.” He spoke. “He forced me to do it. I never wanted to do it.”

I couldn’t believe myself, but I even felt bad for Gina. She wasn’t crazy and knew exactly who she was working for, but I don’t think she expected something like this to happen. “And Enzo? Where are they?” Christian asked.

Luca not being able to give us a specific answer scared me, but I at least had some time to prepare myself for the news. “Enzo….we struggled for a bit-but after I told him that I had no choice and that you and Gio were next, he willingly came along-”

“Of course he did. He’s my brother.” Christian sighed, annoyed. “Now tell me, where did you take him. and where is Berto?”

“Serena said something about a vault in Dario’s office? Is that where he’s hiding them?”

“Yes,” Luca confirmed. “He has his own floor behind that vault, and he’s pulling strings from there.”

He informed us. “Dad did this?” Johnny asked, disgusted. I felt bad because he had so much questions, but there was more important stuff at the moment and it wasn’t his time to get answers.

“He’s not the same anymore, Johnny.” Luca gulped. “He wears this mask, and a huge part of his face is burned.”

“W-when was the last time you saw Enzo?” Christian asked. He was shaking while I felt sick to my stomach. If I had gathered some courage and opened the vault, I might’ve faced his uncle. Thank god.

“Yesterday.” Luca sighed. “Dad was trying to get information out of them so he can ruin the Lamberti’s— but he couldn’t get anything out of them, because those two are so loyal to you-”

“So he…killed them?” Johnny finished the sentence. “The girl was doing worse than Enzo, but they’re not dead…I think…I don’t know.” Luca sighed. “Good, that’s all I need to know,” Christian growled and turned away.

“Wait, what are you doing?” I asked, confused. Christian was used to making random decisions, and him going over there to demand his uncle to release his brother wouldn’t do any good, no matter how close to dead Enzo was. “I’m going to get my brother, Serena.” Christian stated.

“You can’t!” Luca spoke as he pulled his arm, but Christian pushed him off. “Don’t touch me!” He yelled. He was turning more aggressive by the second, and I was determined to do everything I could to stop it. This wouldn’t end well.

“Christian, you can’t lose control.” I reminded him. “Enzo was probably willing to give his life, so you would get to the bottom of this and put an end to this-don’t do this.”

“She’s right,” Luca spoke. “Your brother told us that he was willing to die for you—’

“Your cousin!” Christian growled Luca’s face and grabbed him by his neck. “It’s your cousin. What’s wrong with you?”

“That’s what I would like to know.” Johnny glared at Luca and took a step back. “This is worst than Enzo and Isobel screwing over Serena—“

“I tried to stop it.” Luca defended his actions. “I really did, but I was all on my own, and I couldn’t tell you or Christian.”

“Yes, you could!” Christian yelled. “It’s time for all of you to realize that I’m not some kind of monster and that you can talk to me, I would’ve helped you!”

“I know now.” Luca sighed. “My dad manipulated me and told me that you would get rid of me-

“His own cousin? Do you really think that?” Johnny spoke, disappointed. “Please think for once, when has Christian ever bailed on this family? He is supposed to beat the shit out of you right now, but he isn’t!”

“Tomorrow!” Luca spoke. “I-I’ll help you get him back tomorrow. Dad is usually out in the morning.”

“And Dario?” I asked. I knew he was trash, but Luca made it seem as if he also didn’t intend for things to go that far. Christian was out of control, and I did not want to see either one of them hurt.

“We can overthrow him. There’s one hour where there won’t be any security. We have one hour to save them!”

“Then we’ll do that.” Johnny sighed. He didn’t seem like himself at the moment and was in a bad state. He seemed confused, and it was a lot to take in that his dad was still alive. He probably had many questions and wondered why his dad never contacted him or why he never told him about Dario.

“You want me to wait another twenty-four hours to get to my brother? Are you sick!” Christian yelled out. “I’ll call grandpa, and we’ll get him right now-”

“No, please don’t.” Johnny requested. “You know what will happen to Luca if you do that, so please don’t. I’ll help you fix my brother’s mess, and I’ll take responsibility for his behavior-let’s just keep this between us and hold on until tomorrow, okay?”

Christian looked into Johnny’s eyes as his look softened. He probably knew how he felt because it was no different from the situation with Enzo. He protected him when he shouldn’t have and now Johnny was doing the same. “I agree with Johnny,” I told Christian. “You will regret this, just try to handle it quietly.”

“Okay.” Christian sighed. “If you say think that’s our best option, then I’ll trust you.”

Christian seemed furious and weak, but I appreciated his words and felt relieved as I could get through to him. “Serena, please take him home-my brother and I have a lot to discuss,” Johnny spoke as he glared at Luca, who was too afraid to meet anyone’s eyes.

“Yes, sure-come on,” I mumbled and grabbed Christian’s hand, but he wouldn’t move an inch.

“Come on. We won’t be able to do anything now-let’s go.”

Christian looked from Johnny to Luca and let out an annoyed growl as he turned around and stormed away. “Christian!” I called after him, but he was already gone.

“Give me the car keys. You can’t drive like this.” I told him as I covered the car door with my body so that he couldn’t get through. He was scaring me, and knowing Christian, he would probably not listen and perhaps even get his brother right away while we all told him not to.

“The keys!” I repeated myself. Christian flinched at my tone and finally gave in as he pushed them into my hands. “Now sit and get your head together. You can’t do this shit anymore!”

Christian followed my orders and sat down while I made my way to the driver’s seat. “We have Siena to worry about, so you can’t run around like a headless chicken-we will get your brother back, but we will do it the right way!”

“I-I’m sorry.” Christian apologized. “I didn’t think about Siena. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I spoke and drove off. “That’s why I’m here to remind you. I understand that you’re angry and I also want to get Enzo back, but I don’t want another situation like Fabio-so from now on, you’ll do as I say.”

“Serena,” Christian spoke, startled. “Who do you think you are to order me around like this?”

“Siena’s mother.”

“Before I’m yours or a Lamberti or an Alfonzo, I’m Siena’s mom, and you’re not putting her life in danger.” I told Christian. Johnny was right. Enzo was a strong person and could survive until tomorrow. As for Gina? I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. I did know one thing and that was that Siena would not suffer because of Christian’s mistakes.

“Enzo and Gina are so loyal to you, they were willing to die for you-so I won’t let you make any stupid mistakes. We’re keeping this between us, and we’re getting Enzo back tomorrow. Am I making myself clear?”

Christian sighed as he turned his head to look at me. “I understand.” He whispered. I felt terrible for having to pull the strings, but he wasn’t going to ruin it this time. I was the only one he was willing to listen to, and I was going to make great use of it.

Just imagine how much things could’ve been avoided if I told him this from the start?

“As for Dario.” I continued. “Your uncle and his past also influenced him, so please keep that in mind,” I spoke. “Don’t do anything stupid tomorrow, just take your brother and leave-but don’t do anything stupid.”

Christian was flustered and was probably not used to people ordering him around, but from now on, that was going to change. “I’m doing what’s best for Siena-and I don’t want your crazy uncle to come after her.”

“Fine.” Christian sighed. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll do that.” He spoke, defeated. Christian was desperate to make this relationship work and would probably agree to anything I asked. I felt terrible for having to use that power, but I had no other choice. “Christian, I love you-but whenever you lose control like this…it scares me.”

“You can’t lose control over every single thing, and not everything can always go your way. You need to wake up and focus!”

“I understand,” Christian replied. I was just as shocked as he was and did not know I had it in me, but it worked, and that was all that mattered. “Good.” I chuckled. “It’s a good thing I’m here-

otherwise, you would’ve made the issue way bigger than it has to be.”

“I know.” He whispered. “I didn’t know what I was thinking, I was being selfish and I wasn’t even thinking about Siena-I’m sorry.”

“Yes, I’m glad you know that.” I nodded. Cesca and Franco were wrong. I was not going to be Christian’s downfall. I was going to be his angel, and I was going to lead him down the right path.

Maybe it was a normal thing to them to put their children’s life in danger, but it wasn’t for me. I was going to get rid of that Lamberti mentality.

“Forget about whatever Franco or Lucio taught you. From now on, all you have to do is listen to me.

I’ll be your extra set of brains and make sure we’ll all get out of here alive.”