Chapter 7: Chapter Seven

It's been a whole two months since Alessandro proposed and since Henrietta began living with us. She most definitely isn't happy that I and 'her husband' was getting married and I could have sworn that she had a seizure when she first saw my ring. She recognized it as Al's mother's ring and it was from her I realized that the ring has been in the family for generations, all the way back to the era of Queen Lizzy the first of England. I felt honored to wear the ring, but it came with its side effects, one of which is that Henrietta has been trying to kill me.

The other day, her fingers accidentally slipped, and she 'accidentally' threw a knife at me. Thank goodness Al was there and he had fast reflexes else my funeral arrangements would have already been made. I've also noticed some subtle attacks aimed at Antonio as well. Someone had sabotaged his swimming gear and he almost drowned in the kiddie’s pool, there was also the issue of the oil I had used to fry some fish, I left it on the stove to cool as I went about doing other stuff. I came back to find Henrietta trying to pour that oil on my kid!!!

That woman is crazy, let's just say I gave her the trouble she was looking for and she just got back from the hospital about a day ago.

The alarm clock told me in a very disrespectful way to wake up. I didn't like that, but I needed to get up, I wanted to spend the whole day with my children, I haven't had much time to do that. I went about my morning business and went down to the dining. Clarissa is quite apt at her job; she usually has the kids up and dressed by this time. I was right that the kids would be out of bed already, but my son wasn't there. Clarissa walked in with a box of cereal and milk alongside a plate.

"Clarissa, where is Antonio?"

"Oh, Henrietta went out with him. She said you asked her to help take him to the doctor, that he wasn't feeling well."

I could feel the color drain from my face, my son wasn't going to be okay.

I could feel it. That crazy woman has finally done her worst.

She's kidnapped, my son!!!

I ran back up the stairs screaming Alessandro's name like a banshee, I threw open the door and saw Al in front of the mirror brushing his hair. Panic must be written all over my face because he immediately dropped his brush and ran to me.

"What is the problem? Are you hurt?"

"Henrietta...she took Antonio...she's kidnapped him!!!"

It took a couple of seconds for my words to gain ground in his brain because when it did, his demeanor changed and that on its own made me panic even more because I could tell he is thinking what I am thinking.

He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Let me call her, I'm sure this is just some sick joke on her part."

After a few calls, it was safe to say that Antonio had been kidnapped by Ana's mother. She wasn't picking up any of Al's calls, they all went to voicemail.

Alessandro called some friends of his to try tracking Henrietta's phone, they tracked it down to some water fountain. Getting there, we met Henrietta's phone on a bench with a note tied to it.

"If you want to see little Antonio again, go back home and wait for my instructions. DON'T DO ANYTHING FUNNY!!!"

I couldn't explain how I felt when I saw that note. At first, I wanted to rip Henrietta's head off, and then I just wanted to roll myself up and cry like a baby and then I just wanted to sit still and just...sit.

Alessandro, on the other hand, was pissed off, I have never seen Al so angry before in my life. Some of that Italian Alpha temper coming through. He was making calls and pacing the floor of our room, speaking rapid-fire Italian. In the space of an hour, our house...well, Al's house was looking like a secret underground operation room. There were guns and computers and so many dangerous guys with scary tattoos all over the living room and in our basement.

I knew I had to call Vincenzo, after all, Antonio was his kid. We haven't spoken much since God knows when, since he hit me I've kept my distance and he seemed to respect that because Clarissa took Antonio to him and brought him back. I picked up my phone and fired a quick text to him then switched my phone off. I knew he was going to try to call me but what I didn't expect was for him to show up at my doorstep with a team of his own.

I was still up in our room when he came, it was the shouting and cursing that brought me down.

"You have no right to be here!!!"

"He is my son, you dipshit!!!"

They were so deep in their 'conversation' they didn't realize when I entered the room.

"Vincenzo?"

He turned to look at me and his features softened, he walked to me and drew me into his arms. At first, it was quite awkward for me because, well...but then I began to get some comfort from the hug. There was nothing sexual about it, it was a heartfelt hug between two parents who are dealing with the kidnapping of their kid.

"I'm so sorry my love, don't worry we'll find him. Okay?"

I slightly nodded my head and was about to say something but was stopped by a clearing of someone's throat. I looked towards Alessandro and he was looking back at me or better yet, where Vincenzo's hands were still around my waist. It took me a millisecond to see things how he saw them, and I separated myself from Vincenzo.

I looked at Al and began walking towards him, but he just turned around and left the room. I turned to follow him, but I got pulled back by Vincenzo.

"Come, let me introduce you to the team."

I looked back in the direction that Al went and decided that just maybe he needed a little bit of space.

"Okay."

The rest of the day went by in introductions and watching both teams work and fight with each other, Alessandro came down regularly to check up on work progress. He seemed off; I couldn't place my finger on what exactly I was feeling but I know for a fact I wasn't going to like it. He was giving me the silent treatment, and this went on for days.

Several times I had tried talking to him, he keeps brushing me off with those 'I'm busy' and 'It's been a long day' line. He has also been sleeping in another room.

I woke up alone again in our room and made a firm resolve that I was going to speak to Alessandro no matter what. I quickly showered and exited the room; I plan to meet him early before he leaves his new living quarters.

I looked myself in the mirror one last time before walking out of my room. As I opened the door, standing at my doorstep with his hand frozen mid-air was Vincenzo. We've become sort of friends these past few days, there isn't any hope of us getting back together and I pray he knows that. Lord knows I've had enough drama to last me a lifetime.

"Good morning, Vincenzo."

"Morning, can I speak with you for a second?"

"Sure, why not?"

I stepped out of my room and shut the door behind me.

"You look nice."

I looked down at myself, I had quickly thrown on a pair of baggy jeans and an oversize shirt. I didn't exactly care what I was wearing but one thing I know for sure is that there wasn't anything nice about my appearance.

I looked like a hot mess!!!

"Thanks..."

We just stood there looking at each other for what seemed like hours to me. One, I am a girl on a mission to find her fiancè and talk some sense into him and this Italian was in my way. Two, I would rather not be in a conversation with my ex-husband.

"Could we maybe speed this up, I have somewhere I need to be?"

"Like with Alessandro?"

"Yes, he is the one I was going to find."

He scoffed. I didn't miss the animosity and hostility when he said Al's name, but he needed to understand and accept that I was with him now and there was no way I would be coming back to him. Not after everything.

"He doesn't deserve you."

"And you do?"

"Yes...Elena, I know I made a mistake, just one mistake..."

"You made a mistake Vincenzo, lots of them."

"Okay...fine, I made mistakes, but everyone deserves a second chance right?"

I decided to stay silent. I wanted this convo to end so I could get the fuck out of here but no, Vincenzo has other plans. He took my silence for consent and before I could say my name, he was kissing me.

In the millisecond that our lips touched, I realized that I didn't feel anything for Vincenzo. No sparks, no light, no emotion. It was just bland, lifeless. I decided not to kiss him back but he wasn't getting the message so I pushed him back with all the strength a 5'7 emotionally drained and tired woman could muster. He seemed to get the message and pull away. I turned my head to my right and all the cells in my body froze. Standing there in all his glory, fuming like an angry lion was Alessandro.

"Al..."

His name was like a whisper on my lips. I didn't know what to say, what exactly does one say in these kinds of situations?

Alessandro must have been thinking the same thing and then decided that words were not needed because, in a couple of seconds, Al had gone from being an angry statue standing across the hallway to be Tyson Fury. Before Vincenzo could blink, he was on the floor getting life pummelled out of him.

After much screaming, crying, and begging, the fighting finally stopped through no help of mine. There 'teams' must have heard the commotion from downstairs because they came up and had to physically separate their bosses. Al stood up and gave me this look, I can't explain it, but I do know that I never want him looking at me like that again. He just gave me that look and left. Everyone returned to their stations leaving me and Vincenzo, again.

"It's okay love..."

"I'm not your love"

"What?"

"I'm not your anything!!! Why can't you just take a hint?!!"

"But I thought...the kiss..."

"You forced that kiss on me!!!"

I held up my hand to shush him as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Let me be clear with you, Vincenzo. I no longer love you; I no longer care for you. The only reason I'm been nice to you is that we're both missing a child, our son. If you can't respect my wishes and stay away, then I think it's best you leave and don't return."

I didn't wait to see if he got the message or not, I turned and followed Alessandro. I found him in his office, he had done a real number on the room. The painting was torn, the table was toppled over with his computer and files all over the room. The files could be salvaged but the computer...hell no. He was sitting on his chair, the only thing still standing in the room and he had his head buried in his hands which rested on his knees.

"Al, it's not what you're thinking..."

He barked out a laugh, snorted, cast me a side look, and then went on ignoring me.

"Al, please say something."

I crept slowly closer until I was standing right in front of him, he continued ignoring me. I slowly went down on my knees and pulled his hands away from his face, at least I tried to. The second my skin touched his, he moved away from me.

"Don't you fucking touch me."

His voice had taken on an icy and scary tone, the kind of tone he uses when trying to frighten people. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but I hated it nonetheless, he had tears in his eyes.

"It's not what you're thinking Alessandro."

"And what exactly am I thinking?"

"That I was cheating, that I still have feelings for Vincenzo..."

"Do you?"

"No. No, I don't. It's just you Al."

He shook his head and turned away from me.

"You know, that's the same thing Henrietta said. She said there was no one else, she said it was just me."

I didn't have anything to say to that, I forgot that he has been betrayed before and even though he'd much sooner kill himself than admit it, his heart was fragile.

"I'm not Henrietta."

"No, you're worse. At least Henrietta didn't invite her fuck buddy to her fiancè's house while he was around."

"What do you mean invite? I didn't invite anybody anywhere."

"So you didn't tell Vincenzo to come over here?"

"No, I might have told him that Antonio was kidnapped but I didn't tell him to come here!"

"Why would you do that?"

"Because at the end of everything, he will always remain Antonio's father..."

"What am I then?"

"...and he has a right to know what is happening with him!"

Alessandro stood from his chair and walked to the other side of the room, I got up as well and began to walk towards him, but his next words stopped me in my tracks.

"You should leave. Drop the ring with Claudia on your way out, you could also take your boyfriend with you."

The words were like poison, they were slowly killing me but I knew that trying to reason with him now won't do any of any good so I did as he said, dropped the ring with Claudia and after successfully evading her questions, I headed up to my room and packed my bags. I thought about dropping in to say goodbye to Ana, but I didn't want to answer any questions, I had come to love that girl like she was mine and it was with a heavy heart that I packed my bags into my car and drove off.