Chapter 97 Loosing My Temper
Serena's POV
I slowly turned and stared out at Dante and Nico who looked engrossed in whatever conversation they were having.
I turned back to Valentina, then back outside.
Valentina then placed a hand on my shoulder warmly. “I think you already know that there's a limit to a man's patience, especially a man like Dante,” she said softly.
I already got the message. Run, before you get run over.
I nodded gently. “How was he murdered?” I asked innocently.
But Valentina shook her head and closed her eyes like the thought itself was too heavy.
“It's not something I would like to talk about,” she replied, then brought out her phone from her pocket. “Here, have a look at yourself,” she added, handing over the phone to me.
I took it slowly with my hand slightly shaking. Then played the video, shrinking as it went on.
It was vile, gruesome, and totally unforgiving.
I watched from the torture, all the way to him being set ablaze.
I threw a hand over my mouth the moment the fire sparked to life. I would never have seen a thing like this happening from Luca's hands.
I would never have suspected him to be so… heartless.
Back then, he barely said a word and only acted behind Marco's shadow.
Now watching him set a man ablaze on tape sent chills running down my spine.
And it wasn't just any man, it was the elder of his family. I couldn't help but imagine what he would do to me if he finally gets me since he can do this to someone he was to bow to.
And as I watched down to his warning at the ending scene, two thoughts flashed through my mind.
Two separate fears, fear of what would become to me in the hands of Luca, and fear of what would become of everyone I love at the mercy of Luca's hunt for me.
I slowly pointed the phone back at Valentina when the video came to an end.
I had no will power to watch it again and frankly, I had already lost any ounce of stability after that.
“You've seen things for yourself now, haven't you?” Valentina said as she took the phone carefully from me.
“I don't know what has gotten into him, this isn't the Luca we knew. Yeah, he bombed the warehouse and attacked a couple of times, but this? This is on a whole new level,” she exclaimed.
I probably looked scared as shit cause she put a hand over my shoulder.
“I'm going to be honest with you, Serena. I fear for you. I'm afraid of what would happen. I can't tell you with confidence that I'm sure we'll make it through this,” she said softly.
And I nodded. “I understand,” I simply replied.
She nodded back, and stepped away from me.
I stared down at my feet, worried from everything I had seen. I knew I had to act, and I had to act now.
Dante's POV
I walked into the house again to find Serena standing in the living room with her back to me.
Opposite her was Valentina and they looked to be having a conversation amongst themselves.
Serena's head hung pretty low while Valentina's eyes looked overwhelmingly soft.
I approached them slowly and Valentina backed away as I came, like she always did every time I walked in on them having a conversation.
Serena still had her head bowed low, even when I was just a step away from her.
“Serena,” I called out and she jerked a bit, but didn't turn to me, neither did she raise her head well.
“Are you alright?” I asked as she looked dismal.
“I've seen it,” she said softly and I immediately put together what she was talking about.
“Oh,” I exclaimed softly. “You don't have to be hard on yourself,” I said softly, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.
She flinched as I touched her, stepping away from me immediately.
I retraced my hand and placed them both in my pocket.
“He would have still been alive if I hadn't taken my problem to him for a solution, he wouldn't have been humiliated in that manner if he didn't accept to help me. This is all my fault,” she explained quietly.
“If so, then it's much my fault as it is yours,” I muttered.
Then she looked up at me, finally facing me and that's when I saw the tears slowly streaming down her cheeks.
“No, you can't say so. You aren't the one Nico is after, you are not the one that has to live with the thought that everyone who comes close to you is automatically in danger,” she replied.
“I know how you feel,” I tried to comfort her.
“No, you don't. Just let me go, let's end this bloody war,” she charged back.
“Not happening,” I said firmly.
“Why?” She asked as she turned to me now. “I'm sick and tired of having to look over my shoulders all the time. I'm sick and tired of putting everyone I contact in danger,” she continued.
“Giving up isn't the solution,” I replied.
“So what is?” She shot back. “Letting Luca kill everyone and destroy everything to get to me?” She continued.
“We'll put an end to this our way,” I replied firmly.
“Your way? That's good when it's your life. But this is my life,” she shot back. “My aunty nearly died cause of me, my mom lost her house and got shot in the leg cause of me, you lost your warehouse cause of me, now the elder got burnt and humiliated cause of me. How many more can we take?” She complained.
“As much as it would take to put an end to Luca's madness once and for all,” I replied firmly.
“This isn't about me again, is it?” She asked while stepping back. “This is about your pride fully, this is about you having to concede defeat to Luca,” she muttered.
I locked my jaw, looking away as just about sounded like the truth. I couldn't let Luca win.
Then she let out a dry laugh. “You don't care how I feel, do you?”
I grimaced, not exactly in the mood to discuss this.
“This isn't the right time for this, Serena,” I deadpanned.
“Yeah, it isn't. You know what, I'm done. I'm going in search of Luca.”