Chapter 30

Chapter 30
|| VALERIA's POV ||

BACK IN NEW YORK,
I had to rush from the airport as soon as I landed. I got a call from the hospital that my mother was fighting with death. She was good in these years. I wondered what had gone wrong all of a sudden.

I didn't bother telling Gideon what happened exactly. I didn't think that he cared about my business after what he said to me in Italy. I arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes after I landed at the airport. The doctor was already waiting for me outside. He looked pale when I saw him. My voice broke down when I asked about my mother,
" Doctor! Mama? Is she..."

The doctor released a heavy sigh. He turned me around to show her to me through the glass door of the ICU. He explained the situation, sounding helpless,
" Valeria, I have been trying to contact you for the past two days but you were unreachable. Just because you are our old patient, I tried to keep her in the ICU for free as much as possible. But last time the check you had given us, the bank said that it had been locked. We can't keep her in the ICU unless it has been paid."

My world broke down when I heard him. The last check that I got from my father said that it had five million. It wasn't supposed to be finished so soon. Why did he do that?

I plead to the doctor, my heart shattering to see my mother suffering from oxygen,
" Please, doctor! Just once! I will arrange it by tomorrow. Do me this favor!"

The doctor looked hesitant but in the end, he agreed, patting my shoulders. He had been treating my mother for seven years. I believed that he would be kind to help me out.

A relieved sigh expelled my lips. At least I had some time to think about the matter. At first, I took a turn to find my father in prison. He had to explain why he was doing this to me.

______

" Dearest daughter! I thought you were never going to see me again."
My father smirked after watching me. I wondered how he stood without remorse on his face. From his expression, it could be said that he had understood everything.

I burst out, grabbing the iron shell,
" Why did you do that? Why are you confiscating the money? YOU PROMISED!!"

My father looked slightly better than other days. I wondered if he was using his connections again. He looked up at me blankly, playing too hard to get,
" What happened, daughter? I don't understand..."

I cut him off with a roar, my body trembling in anger,
" YOU FUCKING KNOW!! You know everything. You are hurting your mother again when she can't even move."

He shot back with a sneer, banging on the table in front of him,
" IT'S YOUR FAULT! I told you to go somewhere else to meet my friend. Did you listen to me? Why should I pay for your mother's bill then?"

Tears streamed down from my eyes. How did I fail to recognize this monster?

He was my hero all through my life. I never thought of him as evil even though the whole world was pointing their finger at him. I tried to convince him one last time, my voice cracking up,
" Please, Father! She..is hurting..She can't live outside the ICU. I need to pay...the bill..."

My father rebuked, twitching his lips in disgust,
" Why don't you go to your billionaire husband then? Oh..He treats you like trash, doesn't it? You must have fed his needs and now he isn't into you anymore."

Disgust crept on my skin after hearing those words from my father. But he was somehow right. I wouldn't bend my knees down in front of Gideon Silvestri anymore. In the end, I had no choice but to agree, looking down at my feet,
" I will go... just...save her..I promise.. I will meet the man."

A big grin formed on his lips upon my reply. He passed me a page before replying emotionlessly,
" See, that's like a good daughter. You make things difficult unnecessarily, daughter."

I clutched the paper before running out of the prison. He had signed a new check and I prayed that he wouldn't make things difficult for me.

_______

" 37, legastan Road."
I read the content of his letter. My father wanted me to meet his old friend. I wondered what he wanted more when most of his charges were dropped. He needed to serve another five years. The thought didn't give me a good feeling. Apart from being the Mafia, he was stubborn and egoistic.

He still didn't like Gideon even though he had become a billionaire. I kept the note hidden in my pocket. For the whole day, I had given a thought to Lex's proposal. I couldn't go and beg my father every day. As for Gideon,I didn't wish to beg him either. Besides that, he hated my family.

Thankfully, I saved Lex's number. I dropped him a message on WhatsApp. I was certain that I wanted to do modeling. At least it would pay off my mother's bill since Gideon wouldn't let me work in other companies.

I received Lex's reply an hour later. He was thrilled to sign me under him. He informed me that they had a Charity campaign in New York. It would be better to attend with his company staff. I needed to know more about the modeling world.

A lightning stroke from the sky snapped me out of my thoughts. I never cared for Gideon's presence in the house but today it felt too empty. I turned to glance at the clock. It stopped at 12:40 but Gideon wasn't home yet. Surprisingly I didn't see Lina's busy ass either.

Jealously shot through my veins. I grabbed the phone and then stopped abruptly before making a call.

Am I acting jealous? Is it weird for me to be concerned?

Nothing made my heart at ease. I hated my thoughts but the assumption was driving me crazy. I dialed Gideon's number after a moment of hesitation. He didn't pick up the phone twice. When I dialed for the third time, it was answered by a woman. I asked through my gritted teeth,
" Where is he?"

Lina's malicious laughter shot through the speaker. I could imagine her pouting her painted lips. She replied in a seductive voice,
" We are having some fun. Don't bother us, Valeria. Play with yourself. Haha.."

Tears brimmed from the corner of my eyes. I couldn't understand my anger. Why did I feel hurt when it was already predicted?

I was about to slam my phone down when I heard a whining voice from the other end of the phone. It belonged to Gideon who was muttering something incoherently,
" Where...are...we..Li...na...you..."

I felt a sense of loss. I asked Lina in a serious voice, clutching the phone tight,
" LINA! What happened to Gideon? Let me talk to him then you can do whatever the fuck you want."

Lina seemed hesitant to me. She didn't answer either and cut the call on my face. She left me with questions and rage. I wanted to sleep but Gideon's drunk voice was making me worried.

What if Lina was using him? What if Gideon didn't want to be there with Lina?

So many questions ran through my mind that I couldn't sleep until I called Max who happened to be in the house. Max had the same reaction when he heard that Gideon was with Lina.

I debated whether to go or not since they were already together before me. Was it worth trusting Gideon Silvestri once again?