Chapter 154

Third Person POV.

Amber sat opposite Giovanni in the hospital cafeteria, her nerves on edge as she avoided meeting his intense gaze. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was about to blame her for Richard getting shot, just like Elena had, and her mind raced with worry, wondering what she would say if Giovanni accused her of being partly responsible as Marlene's sister.

But to her surprise, Giovanni remained silent, his expression unreadable as he studied her. Amber felt a knot form in her stomach as she waited for him to speak, her hands trembling slightly in her lap.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally broke the silence. He folded his arms across his chest, his gaze still fixed on her, as he asked a simple question.

"Are you doing okay, Miss?”

Amber blinked in surprise at the unexpected question. She stuttered a response, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I'm doing fine, I guess. Not great, but I'll survive."

He nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Good to know," he said simply. "I heard you were present at the time of the shooting, and I just wanted to make sure you weren't deeply affected by what happened at the restaurant."

Amber was taken aback by Giovanni's unexpected kindness. She hadn't expected him to ask about her well-being, let alone sound so genuinely concerned. According to Richard, Giovanni wasn't exactly known for being pleasant, so she was surprised to find him acting the exact opposite of what she had been led to believe.

She blurted out her surprise, unable to contain her shock and confusion. "I didn't expect you to want to speak with me privately just to check up on me," she admitted.

Giovanni shrugged. "I could have just asked earlier," he admitted. "But I wanted to make sure you were okay without anyone overreacting, and I also wanted to talk about something else. What did you think I was going to say to you?" he asked.

"I was expecting you to accuse me," Amber admitted, deciding to be direct. "I mean, at the end of the day, the person who shot Richard is my sister, and I did have a part to play in two things that ended up spiraling out of control. It'd be understandable if you all blamed me for what happened."

Giovanni frowned slightly at her words, his expression thoughtful. "Has anyone else from the family blamed you?" he asked.

Amber shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she replied quietly. "I'm just... I'm glad you didn't call me here to blame me. I really don't think I have the energy to deal with getting blamed right now. I'm a little tired from all the crying, and Richard is honestly the only person I can afford to worry about."

Giovanni's response was unexpected. He gave her a nonchalant look before speaking; his tone was matter-of-fact. "I wouldn't blame you, sister-in-law," he said simply. "As far as I'm concerned, you're not your crazy sister, and you shouldn't be blamed for her actions."

Amber's eyes widened in surprise at Giovanni's words. She hadn't expected him to defend her so kindly, especially given the current situation and Richard's condition. His reassurance was a welcomed relief, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unsettling about his demeanor.

Giovanni's next words only added to her unease. "Just like Richard wouldn't be blamed if I shot at you, you shouldn't be blamed for your sister shooting him," he added.

Amber's breath caught in her throat at the mention of Giovanni shooting at her. His words sent a chill down her spine, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of apprehension wash over her. The look on his face was stern and unreadable, to the point of being intimidating.

Unsure of how to respond, Amber searched for a way to gauge Giovanni's intentions. She wanted to believe that he was being genuine and that his concern for her well-being was sincere. But a nagging doubt lingered in the back of her mind, urging her to tread carefully.

"Can I... can I count on you worrying about me as a sign of acceptance? Does this mean I can speak casually now?" Amber asked tentatively, her voice hesitant.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Giovanni let out a dry, short laugh, his expression bordering on amusement. It was almost as though he was mocking her for her naive question, and Amber felt a pang of disappointment at his reaction.

"I don't mean to sound rude, Amber," Giovanni began, his tone matter-of-fact. "But the last thing I'd ever do is accept you as my sister-in-law."

Amber's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Giovanni's candid admission. She opened her mouth to respond, but Giovanni held up a hand to silence her, his expression serious.

"Let me be clearer," he continued. "The fact is, I don't know you well enough, so I have no personal reason to be concerned about you or accepting of you. Regardless of how I feel about you, I still think it's important to make sure you're okay."

"Why, then?" she asked. "Why do you care if I'm okay? Why bother asking?"

Giovanni shrugged, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "Because you're pregnant with Richard's child," he replied bluntly. "And even if I don't particularly care for you, I wouldn't want Richard to be upset with me when he wakes up just because I failed to make sure you were doing fine."

"Not that it matters, but I'm curious to understand why you don't like me. Care to share?" she pressed, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Giovanni sighed, his gaze flickering away for a moment before returning to meet hers. "It's not that I dislike you, Amber," he admitted. "Like I said, I don't know you well enough to form any kind of opinion about you. What I do dislike is the fact that you're married to my brother, but that's a different story, and I'd rather not talk about it with you."

"Okay," she replied quietly. "I understand. Now, may I know what you wanted to see me?"

He stared back at her with a steely gaze, his arms folded across his chest as he posed a question in response that sent a shiver down Amber's spine.

"How would you feel if you heard that Marlene died?" he asked.

Amber's eyes widened in shock at the sudden question, her mind racing with confusion and alarm. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Giovanni's expression remained impassive as he responded. "Even though I didn't call you here to ask for your permission," he clarified. "I thought I'd give you a heads-up regardless."

Her heart raced as she processed Giovanni's words. Why would he bring up Marlene dying out of nowhere? And what did he mean by giving her a heads-up?

Before she could voice her concerns, Giovanni pressed on, repeating his question. "How would you feel if Marlene died?"

Amber's skepticism grew as she regarded Giovanni with a wary gaze. "Are you planning to kill her?" she asked.

Giovanni let out a scoff at her, his frustration evident. "It's a simple yes-or-no question," he retorted. "Just answer it and stop asking so many questions."

"Well, if your plan is to get rid of Marlene," Amber began, her voice low and measured, "then consider my blessing granted. I don't care what you do to her. Kill her, burn her alive, or throw her to the sharks. Do whatever you want to do with her. You'd be doing me a favor anyway."