Chapter 24
Ivan has been spending more time at work lately.
- ty. I guess he’s trying to sort through his father’s affairs, I don’t miss having him here, obviously. Whenbar’s not around I get a little of my freedom back.
Today, Valentina invited me to walk in the garden with him. I told him that fan wouldn’t approve but he proudly responded that when fan wasn’t around, he was the chief. I find it really cute actually but I know that he wouldn’t be so smug if his older brother was literally standing in front of him.
Tintertwine my arm with his as we walk down a stony path. I see Hector watching us from afar. He doesn’t seem too pleased with this.
“I haven’t been outside in awhile.” I wortmur, more to myself.
I disappear again. Those few seconds of warmth
The weather isn’t so great right now. It’s cold and cloudy but sometimes, the sun will shine for a few seconds and d are still very agreeable to me and so is the feeling of cold wind blowing on my face. Valentino offers me a sad smile.
“I will tell bento allow you a little more liberty.” He says. “It’s not fair that you have to live like an animal inrage”
“No, don’t say anything to him, please. He won’t take it well ”
Valentine remains quiet for a while but 1 think he agrees with me. II‘ better to not be ois İvan’s bad side, especially now that he’s so edgy
“I’m just grateful that I get to breathe some fresh air today.” I say, leaning over him. “And it’s all thanks to you. ”
I realize that it’s my first time visiting the Whitlock’s garden, actually. I’ve never walked this far before. It’s age, with all sorts of tropical trees and bushes Because the weather is cold though, most trees have lost the leaves, glading the overall atmosphere an eerie vibe, pet, Dean still tell that there must be a gardener here, even it I never met him. Everything is very well groomed and kept.
Valentino picks a yellow flower from a nearby bush and places it behind my ear, IĮ
“Lovely”
“You look beautiful.” He comments.
I nudge his shoulder a bit, feeling shy Valentino is so weet. He doesn’t deserve to be part of this family. I take his hand and intertwine our fingers. A second later, we hear footsteps coming in our direction. 1lum mund, expecting to find one of the guards but instead, there’s van let out a frightened gasp.
Isn’t he supposed to be at work? It’s only two in the attemoon. I let go of Valentino’s hands, hoping that van didn’t see me holding it. Yet, the grim look on his face is quite revealing
“What the fuck are you doing out here?” He asks.
“Hey, it’s not her fault.” Valentins jumps in. “I asked her to walk with me.”
Ivan squints his eyes at his little brother. What if he hits him pain? Valentino stares back with his head held high
you do that?”
“And why the fuckwould you
Catalina has been locked inside the mansion for ages. I thought it would do her good to see the garden a little bit.
Iven takes one–step closer, invading Valentino’s personal space. His gaze is so intense that the younger has no choice but to lower his eyes.
“I’m the master of this home, Valentinu. You might be my brother but you have to follow any rules just like everyone here, do you understand? When I say that Catalina is not allowed to walk in the garden, you don’t take her there. What, you think you’re more generous than me? You think you’re a good Samaritan?”
rally hope that this is the last time you pull this shit, man. Now, I want you to go and get ready. I’m taking you to the company for a meeting. You need to start learning a little about work.”
Valentino brushes past his older brother and walks away without looking back at me. I also attempt to leave right after hins but Ivan stops me, holding my an a
at the pain and close my eyes. His breathing is fanning over my hair and my heart is beating uncontrollably.
Slowly, tvan parks out the Bower in my hair and crushers it under his foot. I’m just glad that it’s not the that he’s crushing right now. He grabs my face and my eyes fly open. I state lido his unforgiving ones with tight
“Don’t put me against my brother.” He says
You better decline the
next time someone asks you to do something I don’t approve of, Catalina. Du you understand?”
Just wanted a little bit of fresh air *
beur last words so loud that theyı
TWhy are you always so angry, Tel? What does it
but entertainisent after you look reenthing else froma
Ivan’s jawrenches. The unpraks not again i
ei il I went into your garden? it’s hand enough to be stuck within this mansion, can’t you allow me this little
rad the cloud. He raises his thumb and wipes my tears away. I wold looking dectly into his eyes. His sudden changes in amitude ale reducing in par and I don’t like how peceptive Lamp in the slightest act of affection he grantsine.
“Stop I say, pushing his hand away.
I start walking back to the mansion with him following close behind He fravesa wile later with Valentine and I’m on my own again without a single person to talk to. Nico is taking a nap upstairs and mope of the guards will risk talking to me i get impell a big bowl at chips and sat in deont of the TV. There’s a new reality TV
A
show that I’ve been dying to watch so maybe now is a good time.
Thinge watch one episode after the other until I give myself a headache from staring at the TV screen constantly. When Nico wakes up from his nap, I help him do his homework and we play a little game on my phone.
He ist feel just as lonely as me, the poor child. I try to ask him if he has any friends at school but his response is only a little shrug.
Is Ivan going to be our papa now?” He mumbles after a while
“Papa pomish us when we do something naught
I don’t know what to say. Nico blinks at me with his innocent eyes. I ruffle his hair a bit but it doesn’t stop his disappointment at not receiving an answer to his question. The thing is I’m just as clueless as he is. I don’t loow what will happen to us in the future or what kind of treatment van reserves for us.
Later that night, I tad him a story in bed until he falls asleep and return to watching TV. Ivan and Valentins haven’t returned yet and now, I till my mouth with popcom to cope with the eerie vibe in the mansion. It’s so quiet….A cold shiver nun down my spine.
Suddenly, there is a lock at the front door and 1 jolt in rear. Who the hell is that? I know for a fact that ivan and Valentino don’t need to knock to get in and I would have heard their car if they were back.
Thear the lock again and decide to go check who that is. I quickly wonder if I should alert Hector but when I look through the Judas, a gasp escape from my mouth and 1 quickly unlock the doo
Ricardo stands in front of me, loolding a little different since he’s not wearing his guard unit anymore. He offers me a little smile and I quickly jump to his arms for a quick hug
“I can’t believe it! You’rYou’re here!”
Ricardo laughs a little. Then, he quickly gets inside the house and closes the door behind him…
“I don’t have much time.” He says, holding my face. “No one knows I’m here.”
“H–how did you get in?”
“I have my little tactics. But that’s not the point. I came to take you away.
“What?
“Yeah I know he’s holding you captive here. You deserve better, Catalina. Come with me and I’ll be able to protect you. Thave found a new job, a better one. I also moved to a new town where Ivan will never think of searching. You and I can live together and-…”
“Wait a second. Ricardo.
He frown, probably wondering why I’m not jumping to the roof right now.
“I can’t leave Ulor that,” I say to him.
What do you mean?”
“You know it better than I do. Ivan is really dangerous. Do you low that he shot a man to death last week? He did it here, in his own bedroom. I heard it all and his guards got rid of the body. It was cold blooded murder and the worst part is that he’s not afraid of being punished for his crimes.”
“I know that, Catalina ”
“If I leave with you, he’ll track us down and all you, just like he did with that man. I cannot stand the idea…”
“He can do nothing to me. I’m prepared this time, Catalina. All I ask is for you to trust me.”
I shake my head. It’s not just that I’m afraid of his wellbeing It’s also that I don’t understand what kind of expectation Ricardo has in all of this
“Why would you risk you life for me? I’m not worth it,”
“Because I fucking love you!”
My heart flops to the bottom of my stomach. This is what I feared. Ricardo is looking at me with hope in his eyes. I don’t want to hurt him but…I don’t feel the same
*M sorry, Rizado but 1.I don’t….”
His fere drops all of a sudden. I take a step back, not recognizing him anymore.
“You don’t, what?” he asks in a mild voice.
“I don’t want you to have the wrong idea about this”
. Ricardo seems very upset and not in a good way.
“You’re saying that you’d rather stay here and be that murderer’s batch instead of giving me a chance?”
wine at his hoice of word, taking another step back What the hell is wrong with lalin?
