Chapter 227

“I need you to find a way to set up a meeting with Berto,” Christian spoke to my surprise. Marc seemed just as confused as I was and was probably waiting for Christian to tell him it was all a joke —but it wasn’t.

“Christian…” Marc began. “I know you want to spend some time with Vince, but we can’t just change our plan. Think about all the people we’ve approached.” He mentioned. “What will the others think of you—“

“Marc, I need you to forget about this plan for a second.” Christian shook his head. He paced back and forth. “You know, after seeing the state Vince is in?” He breathed. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt, so I will handle this matter with my uncle on my own.”

What?

Was he kidding?

“So what you’re saying is that you want your uncle to kill you, so Siena gets to grow up without a dad?” Marc scoffed. “Do you ever think?”

Thank you, Marc.

“I—“

“Think about Serena!” Marc called him out. “I don’t know whether you’ve noticed or not, but everyone’s trying to keep you safe—“

“I know,” Christian whispered. “And that’s why I need you all to take a step back.” He said. “The issue is between my uncle and me, so we will deal with it.”

It hurt me to stare at the paled expression on Christian’s face, and it hurt me even more that he didn’t want to bother anyone with his problems.

“Christian, you’re not immortal!” Marc placed his hands on Christian’s shoulders. “So shut up and let us protect you—”

“No, you need to shut up!” Christian grabbed Marc by his collar. Should I step in?

Christian looked at his friend with furrowed eyebrows. “I don’t need to explain myself to you, but I chose too.” He spoke. “All you need to do is nod and shut up—do you understand?”

Marc shot Christian a sharp look and sighed, not knowing what to do. “I understand.” He pushed him off. “By all means, go and get yourself killed. Who am I to stop you?”

“After all…I just work for you.”

Christian shook his head. “You know that’s not true.” He said. “I just need you to trust me for once.”

He released a deep breath. “Berto is going after the people I care about, and it’s not just about my life anymore.” He began. “I need to think about my family, my sisters, Vince….”

Hearing about Christian’s true feelings made me feel bad. He never shared his worries with me because he probably didn’t want to look weak in front of me—but overhearing his conversation did open my eyes about many things.

He was responsible for many lives and could not handle any more pain.

If only I could help him.

“Marc…my uncle left me a message, and in the past, he has left me many messages, but this one is where I draw the line.” Christian bawled his fist.

“He told me he would leave the family business alone if I would hand him Serena.” Christian shared.

“He said seeing me in pain means even more than the family business.”

“He can threaten me all he wants, but Serena? He took it too far this time.”

The sympathetic smile on my lips had quickly vanished as I looked down at my stomach and wrapped my arms around my body. I had the power to end all of this? I could protect my family.

I stared at the floor, trying to clear my thoughts. I was going crazy, and this wasn’t going anywhere.

Stop it, Serena. This doesn’t concern you.

“What are you guys talking about?” I finally revealed myself and stepped behind the wall. Christian and Marc looked like two little boys caught with their hands in a cookie jar, awaiting my reaction.

“What’s up with your faces?” I played along. Christian smiled. “Nothing.” He said. “I just thought you weren’t going to stick your nose into my business anymore.”

I mimicked Christian’s words and threw my hands over his shoulders. “Do you see what I have to deal with?” Christian looked at Marc. “It’s like I have to take care of two babies.”

Soon to be three.

Even though he said it in a joking matter, I couldn’t help but think there might’ve been some truth to it. I was a lot too handle and I was well aware of it.

“Marc.” I gave him a polite nod while he gave me one in return.

“Serena.” He grinned. “You look happy.”

“It’s because I am!”

“You seem to enjoy Vince’s presence a lot more than you do mine.” Christian joked. Whenever we had our discussions about Dario, he seemed to be jealous, but with Vince, that wasn’t the case. It was probably because he trusted his friend well enough to know that he wouldn’t purposely hurt him.

“I do, but I love you the most, you know that—right?” I pressed a kiss against his lips.

Marc cleared his throat. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”

“So what are you doing here—and not with Vince?” Christian asked as Marc left the hallway.

“We were waiting for you, and this voice inside my head just told me that I needed to come out and see you!”

“So you’re psychic now?”

I turned my head to hide my flushed cheeks and nodded. “Is there something else I should know?”

Christian grabbed my chin.

Looking at him, no one would’ve guessed that he had so much going on because he was good at hiding it. Any monster would’ve handed me over to their enemy if that meant saving their family. In a way, Christian had chosen me over his family, and I didn’t know how to deal with that.

I closed my eyes for a split second, and in that second, I knew exactly what I was going to do. If he wasn’t willing to sacrifice me, I would do it for him.

“Yes…you need to know that I love you.” I stroke my finger against his cheek. Christian smiled proudly.

“How is Vince with Siena?”

“Good, it’s like he didn’t even leave.”

“And how are you and Vince?”

“Other than the fact that he’s still hopelessly in love with me? Good.”

Christian laughed. “I can’t seem to understand what everyone sees in you.” He tapped his fingers against my forehead. “Also…you’re not that special.”

“Not that special?” I laughed along. I knew that was all a lie because I was special enough for him to protect me while he could end all of this by giving me away. I knew he loved me, and I knew I had to show him the same love in return.

“Serena, is something wrong?” Christian noticed my worried expression. “I was just kidding. You know that—right?”

“Yes, I know.”

Things would’ve been so much easier if they weren’t. That would mean that he wouldn’t be in so much pain after taking responsibility for my actions. I had the power to end all of this, and I was going to do it.

If I had to pick between giving up everything, which would one day be Siena’s, or surrendering myself to that old, disgusting man, I would’ve made the same decision over and over. Perhaps it was my destiny.

“I think Vince is waiting.” I turned to walk away. “Let’s go.”

Christian grabbed my shoulder. “Serena, wait!”

“Yes?”

“I-I love you.” He confessed. “I don’t know what Vince told you…but I love you more.”

I wish I had the energy to respond to his cute confession, but it only added to my guilt and made me think of one thing.

I needed to find a way to contact Berto, and I had to do it quickly.