Chapter 186 One Hundred & Eighty Six

Chapter 186 One Hundred & Eighty Six
Giovanni sat forward on the bench, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor like it might give him answers.

His phone buzzed.

He didn’t check it at first.

Then it buzzed again.

And again.

Gabriele glanced at him. “Pick it up.”

Giovanni exhaled and pulled it out.

Raven.

His chest tightened slightly.

He answered immediately. “Rae.”

Her voice came through fast, worried. “Gio… what’s happening? I tried calling you several times then I called Matteo, and he told me he’s still in surgery. Is he okay?”

Giovanni rubbed his face, exhaustion creeping into his voice. “He made it out. Surgery went fine… they relieved the pressure in his brain.”

There was a pause.

Then a shaky breath from her side. “So… he’s alive?”

“Yeah,” Giovanni said quietly. “He’s stable… but it’s not over yet. He’s still in critical condition.”

Another pause.

Relief… mixed with fear.

“I was scared,” Raven admitted softly. “Everything just keeps getting worse…”

Giovanni leaned back slightly against the wall, closing his eyes for a second. “I know.”

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He let out a small, tired breath. “I’ll be fine.”

That silence again.

The kind that carried too many things unsaid.

Then…

“Is she there?” Raven asked, her tone changing slightly.

Giovanni’s eyes opened.

He didn’t need to ask who she meant.

“…Yeah,” he said.

Raven went quiet for a second.

“I don’t trust her, Gio,” she said firmly. “Not after everything. Not after this. I don’t think keeping her close is wise.”

Giovanni’s jaw tightened as his gaze flicked briefly toward Elara, who stood a few feet away, watching him anxiously.

“I know,” he said.

“And you need to be careful,” Raven continued. “If she really had something to do with this… ”

“She won’t get near him again,” Giovanni cut in, his voice low and controlled. “I won’t let her.”

That seemed to settle something in her.

“Okay…” Raven said quietly.

A small voice came through in the background.

“Mommy! Is Daddy there?!”

Giovanni’s expression softened instantly.

“I’m here, buddy,” he said, his tone changing completely.

“Did you fix it?” Ganni asked.

Giovanni blinked slightly. “Fix what?”

“The problem! Mummy said you went to fix a problem.. did you fix it” Ganni said confidently.

Giovanni let out a quiet breath.

“Not yet,” he said. “But I will.”

“Okay,” Ganni replied, satisfied. “I’ll wait.”

Raven came back on the line.

“We’re here,” she said softly. “Be careful… and call me if anything changes.”

“I will,” Giovanni replied.

He hesitated for half a second… then added quietly—

“Thank you again … for staying. Having you here right now.. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Raven didn’t answer right away.

But when she did, her voice was softer.

“I didn’t stay for you,” she said.

A pause.

“I stayed for him. He's the only thing that matters to me.”

The line went quiet.

Then the call ended.

Giovanni lowered the phone slowly, staring at the screen for a second before locking it.

Gabriele watched him.

“Raven?” he asked.

Giovanni nodded once.

Then his eyes shifted back to Elara.

And just like that…

The softness was gone.

Replaced with coldness.

Anger.

“I can’t wait for him to wake up,” Giovanni said quietly, standing up, “and we deal with this shit once and for all.”

Giovanni was still staring at his phone when it buzzed again.

Unknown number.

He frowned slightly, then answered. “Giovanni Monti speaking.”

A calm, official voice came through. “Good evening, Mr. Monti. This is theComisaría Central de Madrid police department. We need you to come down to the station.”

Giovanni’s expression hardened. “Police? For what?”

A brief pause.

“When you get here, you’ll know, sir.”

The line went dead.

Giovanni slowly lowered the phone, his jaw tightening.

Gabriele immediately stepped closer. “What is it?”

Giovanni looked at him. “Police. They want me at the station.”

Gabriele frowned. “Why?”

Giovanni shook his head. “I have no idea.”

That alone was enough to raise alarms.

Gabriele’s expression darkened. “Yeah… I don’t like that.”

Giovanni glanced once toward the ICU doors… then toward Elara.

Everything felt like it was stacking up too fast.

Getting worse.

“Then we go together,” Gabriele said firmly.

Giovanni nodded once. “Yeah.”

Gabriele turned to Matteo, his voice sharp and controlled. “You stay here.”

Matteo straightened immediately. “Yes, sir.”

Gabriele’s eyes flicked toward Elara. “Watch her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”

Matteo followed his gaze, understanding instantly. “Understood Boss.”

“And don’t let her go anywhere near Adrian’s room,” Gabriele added.

Elara stiffened. “Are you serious right now? Do you really think I could kill him?”

No one answered her.

Giovanni grabbed his jacket, his movements quick and precise.

He paused for half a second… then looked at Matteo again.

“If anything happens,” he said, voice low, “you call me immediately.”

“Yes, boss.”

Gabriele was already heading toward the exit.

Giovanni followed.

As they walked past her, Elara stepped forward slightly. “Gio.. ”

He didn’t even look at her.

Didn’t slow down.

Didn’t respond.

He just walked past her like she wasn’t even there.

That hurt more than anything he had said to her.

The sound of their footsteps faded down the hallway.

Leaving Elara standing there…

With Matteo watching her.

Closely.

Silently.

And slowly.. she realized she wasn’t just being ignored.

She was being watched.

Like a suspect.

Whatever thing she thought she had with Giovanni was now… Dead…