Chapter 135

Ares’ POV.

“Emilio? Daniela?” Giovana asked, clearly surprised.

“I hope we came on time,” Daniela smiled as she entered. “Lionel extended the invitation,” she explained.

“Come right in, what are you guys even doing here?” Angelo questioned, taken aback since they were supposed to be in L.A. Yes. What are they doing here?

“Well, we would’ve left, but then we heard it was your birthday, so we decided to delay our trip by a day,” Emilio explained, presenting a nicely wrapped gift. “Happy birthday, Mr. M,” he added, flashing a toothy grin.

“What a surprise,” Isabella chimed in cheerfully, squeezing my hand.

Soon enough, Isabella, Lionel, and Rosa joined the twins at the gathering, creating a lively atmosphere. I enjoyed the party, with Isabella and Slade at my side, Slade occasionally wandering off to his grandparents with sweet looks, undoubtedly for more dessert. Isabella too ended up going after Rosa and the twins. Amidst the festivities, I managed to slip away for a moment, heading to the drinks area and eventually sitting down next to Seyra.

“How come Lionel’s so close to them?” I asked, breaking the silence that lingered between us.

“I’m not too sure; Lionel just always liked those two a lot,” Seyra answered, surprising me with her candid response.

“I see…” I muttered, my gaze drawn to Isabella, her laughter ringing through the air as her head tipped back in joy.

“You’re jealous, aren’t you?” Seyra whispered, nudging me with a teasing look on her face.

“I have no reason to be; I trust Isabella, but…” I began, a heavy sigh escaping my lips. “I guess I do feel a bit weird deep down – especially with the way those two act around them,” I admitted truthfully, realizing that my attempt at secrecy wasn't as successful as I'd hoped. “I mean, up until now, Lionel still won’t even look at me for longer than five seconds,” I confessed more than I intended, feeling a wave of nervousness.

“Oh, Ares,” Seyra sighed.

“You know something, don’t you,” I stated, recognizing that look. It hinted at a deeper layer to the story.

“Well… You see, Isabella’s life was meant to turn out differently, and Lionel had hoped for that different outcome,” Seyra muttered, her gaze shifting down to her hands in her lap.

“One where she wasn’t a single mother?” I assumed, understanding that Lionel might share similar concerns.

“Far beyond that, Ares,” Seyra murmured. “Lionel, however, would never say this to Isabella’s face because he only wishes to support and love her, which he did do. He just– I think, deep down, still thinks about what her life should’ve been like,” Seyra explained carefully, choosing her words with precision.

“And what exactly is that?” I frowned, wanting to understand Lionel's perspective better.

“Do you know her past with Emilio and Daniela?” Seyra raised a brow at me. My cheeks heated up, knowing exactly how I acquired that information.

“Sort of, yes. Friends with Daniela since high school and met Emilio later. Dated in college?” I began vaguely, not wanting to reveal the source of my knowledge. “I heard the two looked more like friends though,” I added, hoping to steer the conversation away from my questionable information sources.

“Yeah, that’s right. Emilio and Isabella just clicked so well; their romance fizzled a little, but their friendship bond never wavered,” Seyra answered, and relief washed over me knowing they weren't romantically involved in the past.

“So what exactly was her life supposed to be?” I wondered, curious about the extent of the difference.

“Lionel and Isabella dreamed of going pro in soccer, Lionel more than Isabella. In college, however, he had an injury and lost everything. Luckily, his grades were still phenomenal, so he got into a nice business school and he is very happy with his job. But he did always wish to go pro,” Seyra began, unveiling a side of Lionel's past that Isabella had never disclosed to me.

“Emilio was what? 19, 20? When he got his contract and the moment he was in the football club. He showed passion and determination – he made a name for himself so quickly it was mind-blowing. All during his busy schedule, he was still keeping contact with Isabella and the family,” Seyra continued, and a pang of guilt surged through me. I had never maintained that level of connection.

“Lionel always said that when Isabella was with Emilio, it was clear that her heart was elsewhere. He never really went too deep into details, but I now realize that it’s you he spoke of,” Seyra revealed, and a heavy sense of guilt consumed me. The realization that I had unintentionally taken a part in altering the course of their lives weighed on me.

“I ruined their relationship?” I frowned, grappling with the weight of Seyra's revelation. In high school, I knew Isabella had a crush on me, but we were both young, and I didn't want to hurt her. Was it more than just a silly crush? I had never asked, assuming we were already great together when we reconnected.

“In my opinion, seeing you two together, I now realize that Emilio and Isabella were never even meant to be,” Seyra smiled, and a surge of pride filled me. The idea that Isabella and I were genuinely meant for each other filled me with a sense of fulfillment. “However, Emilio was great and comfortable in Spain. His sister got accepted into her dream school, and well… Emilio made plans and efforts for Isabella to move to Spain. She still played varsity soccer in college, and her performance was good enough for the team to offer her a contract,” Seyra revealed. I frowned, realizing how little I knew about Isabella's past. She had mentioned her varsity team, but she never delved into the details, often emphasizing her college classes instead.

“She was meant to leave?” The realization dawned on me.

“Isabella had the chance to take that contract, move abroad, and possibly become a pro athlete too, but she refused it,” Seyra informed me, our eyes focused on our partners. “Lionel was upset, but I think he was just trying to live through her. Ultimately, he ended up always being happy for her and supported her,” she sighed.

“Why didn’t she ever go?” I wondered aloud, the curiosity pushing me to understand more about Isabella's past decisions.

“She said she had a life here and that she just knew that something better was awaiting her here. I also think that pro soccer was not her dream. She loves her designing job more than any other task ever, and it’s clear… This is what her life is meant to be,” Seyra chuckled. Her words resonated with the truth; I had never seen anyone love their job as much as Isabella does, and I grew up with a model and an incredible businessman. “Sure, the pro athlete life would’ve been far different, but she would never be this happy,” Seyra shrugged.

“Thank you for telling me,” I expressed my gratitude sincerely.

“I only told you to ease your worries… Trust me, I understand, but you two are meant to be,” Seyra asserted.

“Speaking from experience,” I raised a brow at her, and she sighed, nodding in acknowledgment.

I then extended my offer, willing to lend an ear to Seyra's experiences. It seemed she had faced a similar issue. She and Lionel had barely been married and living in Italy when his high school sweetheart happened to move there too, residing less than an hour away. During that time, she and Lionel encountered marital issues, and he grew close to his former lover and her family because of the old connection. Seyra was just as worried as I was until she found no reason to be.

“Yeah, and then she came out to me; turns out she was no longer interested in men, so I had nothing to worry about,” Seyra laughed, sharing her story, and I couldn't help but join in.

“That’s– comforting,” I figured. Seyra and Lionel's journey offered a different perspective, and Seyra's laughter added a reassuring touch. “You and Lionel seem solid,” I remarked truthfully. The love and trust between them were evident in the way they looked at each other.

“We went through a lot together, and it was all worth it,” Seyra smiled, her eyes fixed on her husband.

I glanced over at Maksim, sitting alone with his drink and staring across the room at Daniela. His gaze had been unwavering for a while.

“Dear god, I will definitely win that bet,” I muttered under my breath.

“I’ve heard about it, I’m in. I’m placing my bets on two weeks,” Seyra surprised me, and a genuine smile spread across my face.

“I’ll make a group chat,” I grinned, already pulling out my phone. I created a group on my messaging app, including Seyra, Toni, and myself, where we entered our predictions.

After setting that up, I walked over to my brother. Winning the bet would be fun, but I also cared about his well-being. I nudged his arm, and he finally acknowledged my presence.

“You know, usually when someone wants the girls, they tend to talk to them instead of staring like a stalker,” I teased.

“I’m not staring,” Maksim broke his gaze to look at me.

“You were staring,” I pointed out. “Either you speak with her or you stop staring.”

“Shut up,” Maksim narrowed his eyes at me, and I couldn't help but smile a little.

I complied and resumed enjoying the party. Slade ran up to me and ended up sleeping on my chest until it was time to cut the cake. It was a good night, considering everything. I noticed Isabella spending most of her time with her parents and mine, while Emilio sat alone in a corner – where he belonged, in my opinion.