Chapter 192 One Hundred & Ninety Two

Chapter 192 One Hundred & Ninety Two
The car cut through the empty road, speed climbing as the city lights faded behind them.

No one spoke for a while.

The only sound was the engine… and Giovanni’s breathing, steady but heavy.

Gabriele finally broke the silence. “We don’t rush in blind.. Try as much as you can to control your anger.”

Giovanni’s eyes stayed on the road. “She has my son.”

“And she’s unstable,” Gabriele replied sharply. “That makes her dangerous. One wrong move and…”

“I know,” Giovanni snapped. Then quieter, “I know…”

His grip tightened on the wheel.

“We do this smartly.”

Gabriele nodded once. “We get close, you go in first. You keep her calm. I stay out of sight.”

Giovanni didn’t argue.

It was the only way.

Minutes later, the road grew darker, narrower. Trees lined both sides, the lake somewhere beyond them, hidden in the night.

Then…

The house came into view.

Old. Quiet. Lights faintly on inside.

Giovanni slowed the car, parking a distance away. The engine cut off.

Silence.

Both men sat still for a second.

“That’s it,” Gabriele said under his breath.

Giovanni nodded slowly.

His heart was pounding again.

“Remember,” Gabriele added, “talk first. Don't piss the crazy bitch off.”

Giovanni opened the door.

“I’ll bring him back,” he said quietly.

Then he stepped out.

The cold air hit him, but he didn’t feel it.

Every step toward the house felt heavier than the last.

Inside….

A faint sound.

Crying.

Ganni.

Giovanni’s chest tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm.

He reached the door.

Knocked once.

“…Elara, honey ” he called softly. “It’s me.”

A pause.

Then footsteps.

The door creaked open.

Elara stood there.

Hair messy. Eyes red. But smiling.

“You came…” she whispered.

Giovanni forced himself to soften, stepping slightly closer. “Of course I did.”

Her eyes searched his face. “Alone?”

“Yes,” he said calmly.

She studied him for a moment longer… then slowly stepped aside.

“Come in.”

Giovanni walked inside.

And there..

In the corner..

Ganni.

Curled up. Crying quietly.

“Daddy…” he whispered the moment he saw him.

Giovanni’s heart clenched painfully.

But he didn’t move toward him.

Not yet.

Because Elara was watching.

Watching to see his reactions.

“You see?” she said softly, closing the door behind him. “We can be a family now… no more lies… no more her…”

Giovanni turned to her slowly.

His face calm.

His voice steady.

“Yeah…”

But his eyes..

Cold.

Calculating.

Waiting for the right moment.

Because one wrong move…

And everything could go very, very wrong.

Elara stepped closer to him, her eyes searching his face like she was trying to read every thought in his head.

“You came back to me…” she whispered, almost in disbelief.

Giovanni gave a small nod, forcing his expression to stay soft. “I told you I would.”

Behind him, Ganni sniffled quietly. “Daddy…” he called out again

The sound nearly broke him.

But Giovanni didn’t turn.

Not yet.

Elara noticed. Her eyes flicked toward the child, then back to Giovanni. “See? He’s fine… I didn’t hurt him.”

Giovanni swallowed, keeping his voice calm. “I know… you wouldn’t hurt him.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly at that.

“I just… I needed you to see me,” she said, her voice trembling. “You were slipping away… choosing her again… I couldn’t let that happen.”

“You don’t do all that for me,” Giovanni said gently, stepping a little closer. “I’m here now.”

Her breathing slowed.

“You mean that?”

“Yes.”

Another step.

Closer.

Gabriele, hidden outside, watched through the side window, his body tense, ready to move at any second.

Inside…

Elara smiled faintly, tears in her eyes. “I knew it… I knew you’d come back to me.”

Giovanni reached out slowly, placing his hand lightly on her arm. “It’s over now… no more running… no more hurting anyone.”

Her lips parted slightly. “Then… it’s just us?”

He nodded.

“Just us.”

A beat.

Then…

Ganni let out another soft cry. “Daddy… Mummy …”

Giovanni’s jaw tightened for a split second.

Elara noticed again.

Her expression shifted…just a little.

“Why aren’t you going to him?” she asked quietly.

Giovanni forced a small breath. “I will… I just need to know you’re okay first.”

That seemed to ease her again.

“I am… now that you’re here.”

She stepped closer into him.

That was the moment.

Giovanni’s eyes flicked briefly toward Ganni…then toward the door… then back to her.

Everything slowed.

“Let me take him,” Giovanni said softly. “We’ll leave… together.”

Elara hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then her fingers tightened slightly around his shirt.

“No…” she whispered.

The word was soft.

But dangerous.

Her eyes darkened just a little.

“Not yet.”

Outside, Gabriele tensed.

The air shifted.

That fragile calm…

Started to crack.

Giovanni didn’t react right away.

He kept his face calm… his voice steady.

“Okay,” he said softly. “Anything you say my love.”

Elara watched him closely, like she was searching for any sign of a lie.

“You’re not going to take him and run back to her?” she asked, her voice low, dangerous.

Giovanni shook his head slowly. “I told you… I’m not going back.”

A long pause.

Then Elara exhaled, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.

“Good…” she whispered.

Behind them, Ganni let out another small sob. “Daddy… I’m scared…”

This time, Giovanni couldn’t ignore it.

He turned slowly, keeping his movements careful, and walked toward him.

Elara stiffened… but didn’t stop him.

Giovanni crouched down in front of his son, his heart breaking at the sight of his tear-streaked face.

“Hey… hey, buddy…” he said softly, brushing a hand over Ganni’s hair. “I’m here… it’s okay…”

Ganni threw his arms around him instantly. “Daddy…”

Giovanni held him tight, closing his eyes for a brief second.

“I’ve got you…” he whispered. “I’ve got you…”

Over Ganni’s shoulder…

His eyes lifted.

Locked onto Elara.

Still watching.

Still unstable.

Still dangerous.

Giovanni slowly stood, keeping Ganni in his arms.

“He’s scared,” he said gently. “Let me take him outside… just for some air.”

Elara’s expression changed again.

Suspicion.

Fear.

“No,” she said quickly, stepping forward. “You’re not leaving with him.”

“I’m not leaving,” Giovanni replied calmly. “I’m right here. You can come with us.”

She hesitated.

Her mind clearly racing.

Outside, Gabriele shifted position, watching through the window, waiting for the right second.

Elara shook her head, backing up slightly. “No… no… this is how it starts… you take him… and then you disappear…”

“That’s not happening,” Giovanni said, his voice still calm…but firmer now.

Her breathing picked up again.

“You think I’m stupid?” she snapped suddenly. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing?!”

Ganni flinched in Giovanni’s arms.

“It’s okay,” Giovanni murmured to him, holding him tighter.

“Elara,” he said again, locking eyes with her. “Look at me.”

She did.

“You don’t need to do this anymore,” he continued. “This isn’t love… this is hurting everyone… including yourself.”

“Don’t…!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “Don’t say that!”

Her hand shook as she reached into her pocket

And pulled out the knife.

Gabriele’s eyes widened outside.

Everything froze.

“Elara…” Giovanni’s voice dropped, careful, controlled. “Put that down.”

Tears streamed down her face, but her grip on the knife tightened.

“You said you loved me…” she whispered. “Don’t lie to me now…”

“I’m not lying,” Giovanni said, slowly shifting his stance to shield Ganni. “Just… put the knife down.”

She shook her head violently.

“No… no, you always leave… everyone leaves…”

Her voice broke into a sob.

“I won’t be left again…”

The knife trembled in her hand.

The air was thick.

Unstable.

One wrong move..

And everything could explode.