Chapter 178

Christian held my hand as we made our way out of the room. He almost squeezed the blood out of my me, but I couldn’t blame him. Luca was scary and dangerous and good at playing mind games.

Johnny held Luca’s hand like a dad guiding his little boy and held him tightly. “Christian, Serena!”

Luca suddenly greeted us with a smile on his face. Christian looked back at Johnny, who shook his head as a way of telling us not to trust him.

“Luca,” Christian smiled. He let go of my hand and pulled Luca away from Johnny so he could pull him in a hug. I had no idea what he had with hugs nowadays, but a hug wasn’t going to change Luca’s behavior. The difference between Enzo and Luca was that Enzo just went down the wrong path, but Luca was brainwashed, and it would take a lot to fix it.

“Judging by your…behavior, I assume you forgive me?” Luca spoke. My eyes were on Johnny, who had a sad look on his face, and it wasn’t that difficult to guess why that was. Johnny and Luca were like two peas in a pod, but it clearly wasn’t the same anymore.

“Where’s the baby?” Luca asked. “Home, with my sister. I immediately replied. If he thought he was going to see the baby ever again, then he it was time for him to take another guess.

“Hmm,” Luca hummed. “You must really love your sister, the two of you seem close nowadays.”

Was that a threat?

I bawled my fist, but Christian held it down in response and tried to calm me down. Luca had a lot of nerve. I’d give him that. “Of course I do. She’s my everything.” I made clear. I did not want to kill Luca, but that was what would happen if he ever decided to mess with the ones I loved. Christian’s cousin or not, I would kill him.

“Uncle Lucio!” Luca called out dramatically while he pointed out Lucio from afar. “I haven’t seen him in ages if you’ll all excuse me!”

Not seeing your dying uncle was not something to brag about.

I gave him a disgusted look as he walked off as if he owned the place. If there was one thing that annoyed me, it had to be the fact that the Lamberti’s never had to face the consequences for their mistakes. Everything got buried, just like this situation.

“He’s brainwashed,” Johnny spoke. “He’s pretending to be on our side, but he clearly isn’t.” He explained. “I’m keeping him close to me, so Berto can’t contact him.”

Hearing Johnny calls his dad by his first name was heartbreaking because, as far as I was concerned, he always used to call him dad. “I saw him, you know,” Christian told him. “So did grandpa…he’s not the same anymore.”

“He’s always been like this.” Johnny shared. “Dangerous, manipulating, mentally abusive…that’s him.” He clarified. “He’s always been like this towards me, but everyone always ignored it.”

“I’m sorry.” Christian apologized. Johnny chuckled and gave him a shrug. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just focus on stopping him.”

“What about Dario?” Johnny asked as he stared at him. Dario seemed to be having a good time.

“I trust him.” Christian smiled. “You know, if you’d take the time to get to know him, you’d see that your brother isn’t that bad.”

“Get to know him?” Johnny sighed. “I’ve lost Luca, and I have no brothers left. I don’t want to get my hopes up and get disappointed again. No, thank you.”

“Don’t be like that.” Christian chuckled. “You’re like my brother. You know that.”

“I can also be your brother!” Beau suggested as he made his way towards us while Isobel and Marc joined him. Johnny released an annoyed breath and glared at Christian. “First, he replaces me, and then he wants. to be my brother?” He snarled and stormed off.

“Johnny, come on!” Christian called out. “It’s not like that.”

“What’s he bitching about?” Beau asked, confused while everyone glared at him. Johnny was sensitive, and the brother comment was made at the wrong time. “Did I say something wrong?”

Beau wondered.

“No, of course not.” Isobel shrugged. “Everyone was always gushing over Johnny, but to be honest, I never really liked him.”

“It’s not as if he’s that fond of you either, so it’s okay.” Christian chuckled. He pulled Isobel into a hug before he looked down at her belly. “Yes, I know.” Isobel pouted.

She rolled her eyes before he could say anything. “I look terrible.”

“What?” Christian frowned. “I wasn’t going to say anything. I was just trying to see if there was something there-but there isn’t. You’re still flat.”

“Flat?” Isobel almost cried out. Was I also that annoying when I was pregnant?

“What do you mean flat?”

“He was talking about your stomach, stop overreacting. You look beautiful.” Beau smiled at her.

“You always do.”

The words left his mouth so quickly. Even Beau was capable of complimenting a woman, while I had to fight for Christian’s attention. “Then who’s prettier, your sister or me?”

Isobel surprised me with her question, but it wasn’t a bad one. I had always wondered who Beau would choose.

Beau looked from me to Isobel with a worried look on his face and scratched his head. “So what are we doing here again, Christian?” He changed the subject. “You’re a quick thinker.” Marc laughed at him.

“Ah, Marc is like family, and he was a bit annoying back in the days, so he owes Dario an apology.”

Christian began before he looked at Isobel. “You…”

“M-me? What about me?” Isobel frowned. “And why does Marky-Marc has to apologize to your…

cousin?”

“Yes, you.” Christian nodded. “Remember my uncle Berto’s last birthday party?” Christian reminded her. “Yes, of course, I do.” Isobel spoke.

“Do you remember the kid you bullied?” He continued while the look on Isobel’s face slowly changed. “No,” She spoke with big eyes.

“Yes,” Christian nodded. “That’s the kid you bullied, humiliated, downgraded. He got beat up and got food thrown all over him because of you-”

“I’m sorry,” Isobel apologized, still in shock. “I do remember, and I always felt bad afterward, but…

wow, I “Yes,” Christian and Marc spoke at the same time. “Beau, cover your ears-I don’t want you to hear about. this,” Isobel said, embarrassed but Beau remained unbothered.

“You tried to kill my sister and my niece. I’m actually not that surprised.” He shrugged. “Just go up to him. and apologize.” Beau encouraged her. “You were also able to apologize to me, so you should also apologize to him.”

“A-apologize?” Isobel stuttered. “N-now?”

“Serena, you say something. You’ve been mute ever since we got here!”

My eyes could only see Dario. He had a perfect smile on his face and seeing him happy made him even more handsome. He was so charming and-

“Serena!”

“Huh, what?” I asked, startled as multiple eyes were staring at me. “Do you think I should apologize to Dario, yes or no?” Isobel repeated. “Where were you with your head.”

Isobel looked from me to Christian, who also tried his hardest to figure me out. “Why am I getting involved?” I whispered.

“Hello, I can hear you!” Isobel placed her hands on her hips. Why couldn’t my brothers find nice girlfriends? First Maddie, now Isobel.

“Yes, right. I’ll go with you,” I smiled at Isobel and grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s go,”

I pulled her along with me and led her towards Dario who was having a conversation with his cousins.

“Dario?”

“Serena,” Dario smiled. His cousins walked off to leave us alone, and Dario’s eyes moved to Isobel, who was hiding behind my back. “This is Isobel,” I introduced her. “And she has something to say to you.”

Isobel cleared her throat and took a step forward. “Years ago, the food incident.” She spoke. “I might’ve encouraged it?”

“I know.” Dario chuckled. “I can’t forget a face like yours.”

“Y-you know?”

“Anyway, I just want to tell you that I’m sorry,” Isobel spoke. Dario grabbed her hand and squeezed it while he tilted his head to look at her. “Don’t be, I forgive you-I can’t stay mad at someone so beautiful for so long.”

I almost choked in my own spit and looked at Beau, who glared from Dario to Isobel’s hand. What would’ve happened if he had actually heard him? Dario was a flirt, but Beau was crazy, so he was definitely messing with the wrong person this time. Beau was no Christian and did not have to stay on his good side.

Dario gave me a teasing smile and was probably testing my reaction to see whether I would get jealous, but why would I? He was just a friend.

“So, you’re enjoying your day, I suppose?” I smiled. Dario released Isobel’s hand to heid mine instead. “I am, and it’s all because of you.” He winked. I suppose he was right because I was the one who told him to He stared into my eyes and waited for me to open my mouth, but I was too startled to say anything.

“S-so, you and Christian are cousins now!” I told him as I released my hand from his grip.

I said it with a reason. I knew I wasn’t special because Dario flirted with everyone, but it had to stop.

“We are.” Dario spoke and politely stepped back. It seemed like he finally got the message. “I’m sorry for that.” He apologized with a mocking smirk on his face.

“Dario, come here!” Lucio called out from afar. “There’s someone else I want you to meet!”

“So, I’ll see you later?” Dario smiled at us. “Yes, sure!” Isobel spoke. Dario noticed he wasn’t getting a reaction out of me and gave me a wink before he made his way towards Lucio.

“Jesus, I feel like dumping your brother right away.” Isobel gasped. I gave her a slight smack against her shoulder at her rude words. “Don’t worry, it’s just a joke-I’ll never dump him. Do you see how cute my poopy is?”

“I beg to differ, but if that’s what you want to think.” I chuckled while I stared at Beau. He had changed from the mysterious, calm, quiet, and cold twin to an annoying, outspoken twin brother.

Beau was anything but cute.

“But Dario…I can finally understand why you’ve been staring at him like that.” Isobel giggled.

Staring? Was I staring?

“I’m sorry, what?” I shrugged her off. “I wasn’t staring. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I have eyes, you know, anyone can see that you’re into him.”

“I am not!” I denied her accusation. I was not into him. That was a lie. He was just a good friend, but he was not close to being Christian.

“Don’t worry. I won’t tell Christian. He’s good at observing people, so he probably already knows.”

Isobel yawned. “It’s okay to have a crush. It’s not a crime.”

“Isobel, stop.”

“I mean, the man looks like a walking snack, and unlike Christian, he’s a bit nicer-”

“But I like Christian better,” I told her. It wasn’t only what I was trying to convince myself, but it was also the truth. My love for Christian was too big.

I stared at Christian, who smiled at Beau, and desperately waited for a familiar feeling in my stomach, but it never came. What was happening?

“It used to be Johnny, Chris and Marc. I can understand why Johnny is jealous.” Isobel commented.

I ignored her words and kept staring at Christian, but nothing happened, and the thought of that made me worry.

“No, no, no!” I whispered to myself while Isobel gave me a questioning look.

“What are you doing? Are you okay?” Isobel asked.

I turned around to look at Dario, and everything changed the moment his eyes met mine. All I could hear was the sound of my beating heart, and all I could feel were butterflies. He gave me a wave, but I freaked out and turned around, so I didn’t have to face him.

I can’t fall for him. He’s Christian’s cousin.

I love Christian. I’m in love with Christian.

“Let’s try it again,” I whispered to myself and raised my head to look at Christian. This time he noticed me and gave me a nod, but there was still nothing.

Christian gave me a confused frown before he showed me his perfect smile, and there it was again.

The butterflies.

I laughed back at him and felt a relieved feeling throughout my body.

That’s right, I love Christian.