Chapter 43

“Luca’s comment? What about it.” Christian chuckled.

“The comment about your dad and your uncle seemed to bother you.” I tried to clear up his mind.

He wefew seconds before he finally started talking.

“There’s not much to say— grandpa was supposed to give the entire empire to my uncle, his oldest son—gave it to my dad…it clearly hit a nerve with some of my cousins,” Christian explained. “How old were yohappened?”

Christian had a bothered look on his face as if he was trying to get out of this conversation. “I was six so remember much— but I remember how everyone had changed when my grandpa retired.”

“How come?” I asked.

“People started to treat us different, we moved into a bigger house— started living more isolated…

my dacold person,”

“And Luca?”

“Uncle Berto was supposed to take over my grandpa— and after that Johnny and Luca but when he retirminute he had changed his mind…uncle Berto was not really a family guy and my grandpa would do anyus,” Christian explained, and I couldn’t help but wonder. “Are you a family man?”

He chuckled and avoided my gaze. “I may not always show it, but unlike my brothers, I will walk throughfamily.”

“So that’s why Lucio chose you…the same way your grandpa chose him.” I concluded and thought aboutwas actually suppose to be in his position— but for some reason seemed to have fewer issues with it tha“You know, my cousins call me a fake, all of us. They say we don’t belong there—

and me especially becafollowed in grandpa’s footsteps, he chose his youngest son instead, even my own brothers dislike me.” Cas if it didn’t affect him, but it clearly did.

“Johnny seems like a loyal friend and cousin.” I smiled, thinking about how he always stood by his side acomplained or given him any backhanded comments, if anything he was there for Christian.

“He is, he’s been more like a brother to me than my own brothers have— while if anything…he should beholding a grudge against me.”

The way Christian praised Johnny had always amazed me. There was no doubt that despite everything hehis brothers, but the way he spoke about Johnny was different.

“And Vincenzo?” I tried to throw in the subject. I had to bring it up one way or another, and now would bAlthough they did not talk to each other anymore— I was extremely curious about Vincenzo saying his dwith the Lamberti’s was complicated.

“What about him?” Christian smiled. “We used to be best friends, ever since we were young. It had alwayVincenzo, and Isobel.”

I almost cringed upon hearing her name and even felt a bit jealous that she got to experience the youngknowing him better than I did had hit a nerve. “Did you and Vincenzo stop being friends because of me?“No…a lot has happened, we were about to break ties at one point and I just happened to do it earlier thbusiness is business but apart from that it’s better like this,” Christian spoke, not getting too much into tis his family? He had once told me that he was the oldest son.” I asked Christian, without spoiling the facrecently told me that.

“That’s funny.” Christian chuckled. “Why?”

“That’s a lie, he has an older brother but…his dad disowned him.” He spoke. My thought immediately weVincenzo’s face when he spoke about his dad and I figured that, that man must’ve fit the stereotype I reainternet— but as far as I was concerned, Vince and Luca were kindhearted.

“Listen, Serena, I don’t know if you guys were close or not and I don’t care— but trust me, it’s for the befrom that family so I’m glad the two of you cut ties.” He told me, unaware that we had been hanging outHis words were supposed to scare me, but they didn’t. I was sitting here at a table with Christian and cratwo of them were not that much different, as were their families.

“How about you? Tell me about yourself,” Christian suddenly asked. It was strange to see that he was actin my life— because he barely asked about me.

“As if you guys did not do a background check.” I chuckled, thinking about not only everything being onclub, but also all the stuff I had told Lucio.

“I could, but I didn’t— because I respect you.” He spoke in a serious tone. Even though we were fine nowbut wonder where all that respect had been at the beginning.

“There’s not much to say, I was raised as an orphan and my birth parents abandoned me, went from grogroup home— dropped out of college, and here I am,” I told him my uninteresting story.

“How did you get your last name?”

“There was this woman, she was like a mother to me and used to work at the place I was dropped off as with her for a while but she passed away.” I smiled, thinking about Melanie Reyes, a woman who had takhad truly treated me as her own. For that, I would always be grateful. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I shrugged my shoulders and tried to hide my feelings. “Speaking of women and grateful, whEmmanuella?” I asked, noticing I had not seen a glimpse of her.

“She took this opportunity to go on a…date.” Christian chuckled while I cringed at his words.

“Emmanue“So you were a little rebel in school?” Christian asked me. “Yes, way different than I am now…I used to beperson every week.”

Back in high school I was angry with the world and used to have quite a temper. After college, I had turnnotch and lost the confidence I once had. “I can’t imagine,” Christian spoke.

“I can still do it, it’s just that the pregnancy is holding me back,” I warned him while he looked at me in swould you beat up, my mom?”

I rolled my eyes at his dumb remark.

“What were you studying?” He had changed the subject to one I had been trying to avoid. He could ask the one thing which had hit me the most would be my failed career path.

“Dance.”

“Dance? So you wanted to be a dancer?” He continued asking, and there was no way out.

“Yes, a choreographer or a backup dancer, maybe even open my own dance studio…but things don’t alwexpected.” I sighed as he nodded his head and took in my words. “You’re right, I agree with that.”

“What did you want to be when you were younger?” I asked him. It seemed as if he was speaking from e

“I did not really have that much of a choice so I never really thought about it.” He spoke with a smile on course, he hadn’t, his future had been planned out for him for ages.

“What’s your connection to that necklace around your neck, how does it remind you of your childhood?referring to the butterfly necklace around my neck. The butterfly Emilio had given me.

“My parents left me a butterfly necklace as a baby but when I got older I lost it,” I explained. “Your familywas thoughtful. I would like to thank them personally.”

“Maybe one day, they’re busy people,” Christian told me. Of course, they were busy, they all were.

“Do yWho?”

“Your uh…birth parents,” Christian spoke, unsure of how to address the situation. No one had ever askedthem and that gave me enough time to convince myself that I didn’t need them, but I was a jealous persthe impact. “I don’t know them.”

“Right, I guess that makes it better.” He spoke in relief.

“No, it doesn’t. I have never admitted it but I miss them a lot.”

“I got used to growing up without parents, but it was difficult. I’ve never had the guts to look for them bmany questions.” I opened up for the first time. There was still so much I wanted to know.

“What kind of questions?” Christian wondered. “Just…I don’t know.”

“Why they left me if I was not good enough if they regretted their decision if they think about me the saabout them-“ I finally cracked at the last part, and tried to hide the tears which were threatening to spill f“Serena…” Christian sighed and stood up to pull me into a tight hug. “Come here.” He whispered and puwhile I cried in his arms. It was difficult to not fall for him when he made me feel safe.

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered and caressed my hair. “It isn’t your fault.” I wiped my tears. He had no reasoit was not like he could bring me to my parents.

“I’m so sorry.” He repeated. He held me close until I was finished crying and gave me enough time to causually don’t cry this easily,” I told him and avoided his gaze.

“Let’s go back.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. “So when will I see you c“Never.” He immediately spoke, barely letting me finish my sentence. “How about when the baby is bornhe once again shook his head.

“We’ll see about that,” I told him as he rolled his eyes at me.

“Wait.” He stopped me before I could walk in. My eyes went to Johnny and Luna who were in the middlesession.

“They don’t match at all.” I sighed, thinking about Luna’s strong and outspoken personality while Johnnygentleman who did not wear anything other than suits. “But I can’t blame him, she’s beautiful.”

“So are you.” Christian suddenly spoke. I turned around and looked at him in shock. “What?”

“You heard me. I said so are you, you’re beautiful.” He repeated himself and squeezed my cheeks beforeme as he left me with a blush on my face.

Don’t tell me not to fall for you when you do stuff like this.