Chapter 189

Kenzo wrapped his hand around Dario’s arm to ask him for help and desperately shook his head.

“N-no, n-no, of course “Let me see,” Christian spoke, exhausted as he paced back and forth. “What can you do to make it up to me?”

“We can let it go.” Dario spoke, irritated. He was not a big fan of Christian’s way of handling things and couldn’t understand how he could be so cruel. “Let it go?” Christian frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“How about you call Berto and tell him you’ve found the money,” Christian suggested as he made up a plan. “I need you to tell him that the warehouse will be completely empty tomorrow and that you’ll meet him there to show him the way to the money.”

“I-I can’t!” Kenzo spoke, shocked. His eyes moved to Dario. “Christian, you can’t do that-you don’t know who you’re dealing with.” Dario defended Kenzo. “He’ll kill him if he finds out.”

“He won’t do anything if we don’t give him the opportunity,” Christian spoke before he pushed his hand on top of Kenzo’s head. “Listen-

“Christian, calm down!” Dario interrupted him. Christian gave Dario a side-eye and focused his attention you will back on Kenzo. “Listen,” He spoke more calmly this time. “I’ll give you one day to practice and make the call tomorrow-okay?”

“Okay!” Kenzo nodded. He felt terrified by the calmness in his voice and didn’t want to test him any further. Christian saw this as an excellent opportunity to sneak him into the house without anyone noticing anything. Tomorrow was Carmen and Luke’s party. The house would be filled with teenagers, which would give them the perfect opportunity to make the call.

“Practice,” Christian demanded. He paced back and forth while he waited for Kenzo to start.

“What?” Kenzo asked, confused. “Come on, practice,” Christian repeated.

“But-”

“I said practice!” He spoke a bit more irritated this time. Kenzo looked at Dario, but all Dario could do was shrug his shoulders as he gave Christian full control. Kenzo took a deep breath.

“H-hi uncle B-b-Berto-”

“Without stuttering, please,” Christian rolled his eyes. Kenzo closed his eyes and tried to focus.”Uncle Berto, I found the money?”

“Yes.” Christian spoke sarcastically. “Tell him, just like that, and get yourself killed.”

He was starting to get annoyed, and the conversation was taking longer than expected, All he wanted was to find the key, so he could pick up Siena and go back home.

“But Berto said it wasn’t my time yet,” Kenzo commented. Christian clenched his fist at that familiar sentence and couldn’t shrug off how Berto had said the exact same thing to his grandpa. “That seems to be his favorite sentence.” Dario sighed.

“Am I done here?” Kenzo wondered and looked at Dario while Dario’s eyes moved to Christian.

“I need you to come to my house tomorrow at midnight,” Christian spoke. “We’ll make the call tomorrow at midnight.”

“And then?” Dario asked. He was a bit less impressed with Christian’s plan and had his doubts. “I’ll collect a few trustworthy men so we can deal with…the issue,” Christian spoke. “No family, of course, the less whot know, the better.”

Christian felt bad enough about letting Franco handling the money, so he felt like it was the least he could do. Catching his uncle Berto.

“You love the thrill, don’t you, Christian?” Dario spoke in disbelief. It was still beyond him how someone like Christian, who had something to live for, still had the urge to do something dangerous.

“I truly don’t think you know who you’re dealing with.” Dario tried to talk him out of it, but Christian had already made up his mind.

“No, Dario is right,” Kenzo muttered. “Y-you d-don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

Christian let out a sigh before he looked at the two. “I do.” He nodded. “I’m dealing with the uncle who has way too much freedom, and I’ll take it away before my Serena gets back.”

“And you think you’re doing her a favor?” Dario chuckled. “I personally think this plan of yours will backfire, but who am I?” He spoke while Christian shot him a glare.

“Let’s not worry about this plan of mine. We have bigger issues to worry about-such as the key.”

Christian suddenly realized. His grandpa’s instructions and the coordinates were even too difficult for him.

“I’m sorry?” Kenzo whispered and slowly raised his hand. “Did you lose your key?”

Christian was annoyed by his cousin and took an exhausted breath. “Yes, something like that.” He snarled. “What is it to you?”

“N-never mind-

“Speak up!” Christian demanded. “Hey!” Dario spoke, surprised. “Is this really the way you talk to your younger cousins?”

“No.” Christian snarled. “Only the ones who betray the family and somehow get away with it.”

He looked at Kenzo, who had lowered his head and waited for him to speak. “I can find your key.

Just please don’t tell my mom or grandpa about anything!

“Grandpa already knows,” Christian told him. “And this is not some random key. It’s way too important-

“Actually, I do think you can help us,” Dario suggested while he handed the papers to Kenzo. “What are you doing?” Christian hissed.

“These are coordinates and some other information. If you can find this key for us-we will pretend like you feel none of this ever happened.” Dario gently smiled. “An opportunity to redeem yourself.

How do about that.”

“Dario,” Christian spoke, confused. “We can’t do that.”

“Yes, we can,” Dario concluded. “You work better if you’re desperate, and at this moment, there’s nothing more desperate than this 17-year-old boy.”

Christian looked at Kenzo, who was shaking, and took in Dario’s words. He had a point.

“I’ll stay here with him and find the key. You should go home and take care of Siena.” Dario smiled.

“It’ll probably take us some hours, and you should be home when Serena calls you. She’ll want to talk to Siena. You know that.”

Christian was surprised by Dario’s kindness. He could see through Dario and could sense he had some kind of feelings for Serena, but at the same time he was extremely confused because he had also been very helpful.

“Fine, but once you find the key, you’ll text me and bring it to grandpa,” Christian told him. “In the meantime, I’ll put together a squad for tomorrow.”

“For your reckless and stupid plan.” Dario reminded him. “Yes,” Christian confirmed. “For my reckless and stupid plan.”

“And you!” He squeezed in Kenzo’s shoulder. “You will listen to him and work until you drop dead to find that key-

“There he goes again,” Dario laughed as he removed Christian’s arm from Kenzo’s shoulder. “I think people will like you a bit more if you wouldn’t be that rough all the time.”

“Your voice is so gentle and soft whenever you talk to Serena. How about you treat others the same way?”

Not everyone is Serena, Christian thought to himself. It might’ve happened a few times, but it took a lot him. a lot of courage to raise his voice at her. The biggest difference was that the thought of losing others had less impact than the thought of losing Serena.

Christian asked himself what Serena would’ve done and observed Kenzo. He was shaking in his chair, and Chieman began to realize that it was all because of him.

Serena would’ve been so disappointed, Christian thought to himself. He knew she would’ve never allowed this.

“Kenzo,” Christian spoke in a softer tone this time. He knelt to meet Kenzo’s eyes and gave him a pat on his cheek. “I’m not angry, just disappointed because you didn’t come and talk to me, but I’m not angry.” Christian made clear.

He held Kenzo’s shaking hand and thought about Dario’s words. Christian had learned to handle things differently and had always been taught that people deserved to get punished, regardless of age, but he was willing to learn from Dario and would try a different approach this time.

“You’re my cousin. I love you, and I will never abandon you, aunt Lena or any family…I want you to know that.” He cringed at his own words. Dario had a proud smile on his face and could hardly believe those words had left Christian’s mouth.

“I know now. I’m sorry.” Kenzo whispered. “I never wanted to give him information, but I was scared.”

“I bet you were.” Christian sighed as he looked at the hopeless boy in front of him. In a way, he reminded him of a younger version of himself, and Christian knew that he would’ve done the same.

“Anyway, don’t forget to drink enough water, stay hydrated.”

“You’re going to be here for a while.”