Chapter 142 The trap I couldn't escape

Chapter 142 The trap I couldn't escape
Carlino's POV

"Carlino…" he began, unable to finish.

"You do not touch her, Aiden," I said slowly, my eyes locked onto his.

"Yeah, I know bro. My mistake."

"I told you not to call me bro, Aiden."

"Yeah, whatever."

"I'm serious, Aiden, you do not have the right to touch her, not even in my absence," I warned.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

I moved forward, leaving him behind, as I tried to control my rage. A few seconds later, I heard his footsteps jogging after me until he caught up. As usual, he began rambling about one thing or another, but none of it registered.

My thoughts were elsewhere. On Lina. I wondered what she was feeling right now. Had she believed the lie I fed her? Or had she simply chosen to ignore it because she couldn't bear my presence?

Another question suddenly surfaced in my mind.

"Why did you use Ace when you called out to me?"

"Have you forgotten that was the name you wanted to use when you first came to California?" he responded.

Oh. I had forgotten.

"Should we go back to the car now?" he asked.

"You go, I'll walk to the hotel."

"Carlino—"

"Aiden, don't." I stopped him before he could begin one of his childish arguments. To my surprise, he didn't protest. He simply left.

The silence that followed felt strangely comforting. It wrapped around me like an old companion, welcoming and familiar. Yet my thoughts continued circling around Lina. None of this had gone according to plan.

Maybe once, long ago, I had allowed myself to imagine a future where we found our way back to each other. But that fantasy had died the moment I realized something. Even if I left the syndicate behind, danger would never leave me. It would always be tied to my name.

The realization stung.

More than that, knowing she was probably suffering through her own emotional storm made it worse.

Should I call Victor?

No. That would accomplish nothing. At least, not with Lina. I knew her too well.

The walk back to the hotel felt endless. By the time I entered my suite, the first thing I reached for was a bottle from the minibar.

After a few pegs, a knock sounded at the door. I groaned. I had no intention of answering. Unfortunately, whoever stood outside was persistent. The knocking continued until I had no choice but to get up.

The moment I stood, I realized the alcohol had already started affecting me. Not enough to show. At least, not outwardly. I slipped back into the cold mask I wore so well and opened the door.

Aiden stood there, he looked frustrated, disappointed or perhaps angry. I couldn't quite place it. But he definitely wasn't himself.

"Carlino, the land owner, wouldn't be available anymore till after six days, he went on a business trip. And wouldn't be back till then," he confessed.

"Oh wow, what a beautiful day. He called us here, and since then hasn't been available?" I muttered.

Why did it feel as though God was collecting every debt I owed? Every wrong decision. Every life I had hurt. Every sin I had committed. Why did it feel as though He was punishing me for all of it?

A bitter laugh escaped me. "Of course he is, after all. God is God, the ultimate being."

"Carlino, calm down, we could go back to New York and get back when he's back," Aiden said, steadying me as I nearly lost my footing.

I smiled sheepishly. "I had totally forgotten about that."

Aiden walked me toward the bed and eased me onto it.

"It's weird getting drunk in the afternoon," I murmured as I stared at the ceiling.

People claimed alcohol helped them forget. For me, it did the opposite. Every memory became clearer. Every wound reopened.

"Aiden, is Lina fine?" I asked.

"Yes, she's fine. I had some men check up on her," he responded.

"Okay."

Maybe now I could finally rest.

\~~~

We didn't return to San Diego until six days later. It was late on the sixth evening when we landed in California. We had spent those days back in New York.

Strangely, every moment there left me feeling both suffocated and at ease. I buried myself in work, hoping it would drown the emotions I had tried so hard to suppress. It didn't, nothing worked.

The only thing I managed to accomplish was resisting the urge to ask Aiden about my girls every single day.

When we arrived in San Diego, we checked into a hotel for the night. The plan was simple. Close the deal tomorrow. Leave immediately afterward.

"Carlino, the land owner, said we should come to his restaurant instead of his office. He was in the restaurant to supervise some work," Aiden reported, carrying a stack of files.

"Why are you telling me? We should just go there." My response came out colder than intended. "It's almost 6:30pm," I added.

Who schedules business meetings at nearly seven in the evening? I hated how patient I had become. The old Carlino would never wait around for someone's approval. He wouldn't patiently follow schedules or tolerate delays. This version of me felt like a stranger.

Aiden sighed. "Let's go then."

The moment we arrived, I realized I had walked straight into another trap. One I couldn't escape. It was Lina's restaurant. The place she worked. The shock hit me so hard I nearly stopped walking.

"Aiden, you never told me the land owner was Lina's boss."

"I knew if I did you wouldn't have agreed to this."

"What the fuck were you thinking? Besides I told you I was going to go for the meeting. All you had to do was inform me that it was Lina's boss, I would have prepared myself," I hissed through clenched teeth.

If circumstances were different, I might have strangled him right there. Instead, I forced myself to remain calm, we were standing outside.

I inhaled deeply before pushing open the door. As I walked a few steps, she walked to my presence, standing directly in front of me.

My God.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. She looked different. Not like the Lina I remembered. She looked stunning in her office attire. Dark waves of hair framed her face and rested past her shoulders. Her glossy lips caught the light. Even the exhaustion etched into her features couldn't diminish her beauty.

I found myself studying every detail. Every angle. Every movement. Until she shattered the trance.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ace." Immediately, the mask returned, cold and unreadable. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you on my tail?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"I'm sorry… what?" The calmness in my voice completely contradicted the chaos raging inside my chest.

"Don't do that. Don't stand there, looking at me that way, acting like you don't know what I'm talking about."

Of course I knew, Tesoro. Every word she spoke cut deeper than she realized.

"I really don't," I replied calmly.

"Wow," she laughed humorlessly. "So this is what we're doing now?"

"Look," I said, "I came here for a meeting. I don't know who you think I am—"

"Enough." Her voice sliced through mine. It had already risen enough to attract attention. Several heads turned our way. "Get out," She finally said.

Neither of us spoke. Silence settled between us like an unwelcome guest.

"You don't get to walk in here like this. Where I work. Where I'm building something, and act like it's nothing." Her voice trembled. Tears glistened in her eyes. Tears she was desperately trying to hold back.

"I think you're mistaken—"

"I'm not mistaken!" The words exploded from her. Immediately, she dragged a hand across her face.

"Just…" she exhaled slowly. "Please leave."

I stood there, staring at her. The only thing I could do now was finish what I came for and leave. I couldn't keep hurting her. Without another word, I walked deeper into the building.

"Lina," a voice called. "You good?"

We were directed toward a table inside the restaurant.

"I'm coming," Aiden said before leaving my side.

For a moment, I had forgotten he was even here. Throughout the entire exchange, he hadn't spoken once. I took my seat. Then a voice echoed from the entrance.

"What's going on here?" My eyes immediately found Lina. She stood with Nicolas and Mark. Her boss.

"I… uh…"

"Why are you holding your bag, Lina?" Mark interrupted. "And don't stammer."

"I'm sick. I was just asking Nico to inform you."

"You've taken two breaks in less than two—"

"Hey handsome." A female voice interrupted my attention, I looked over. A woman had taken the seat beside me. I didn't recognize her.

"How can I help you?" I asked coldly.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I gave out the wrong impression. I'm not here to hit on you, I just wanted us to have a conversation. I've never seen you around this place."

"Yes, I came here for something important," My tone remained detached.

"I can see you're not interested in the conversation. What actually brought me to your table was that, I wanted to tell you, you look handsome, and you smell really nice and expensive." She smiled.

"Thank you," I said. "The same goes for you. You smell nice." Her smile widened. At that moment, Aiden returned.

"He'll be here shortly," he said. "Do you know her?" He gestured toward the woman.

"No, I don't."

Almost immediately, my attention somehow drifted elsewhere. Lina was leaving. I watched as she stepped outside. She remained there for several minutes before crossing the street. Toward a bar.

The lawyers had already arrived. The woman eventually left. And once Mark joined us, the meeting began.

\~~~

Despite being present, my attention never fully settled on the meeting. What had Lina done to me?

Aiden was right. Whenever Lina was involved, my ability to think clearly disappeared.

The meeting finally ended. Somehow, we convinced Mark to sell us the land in exchange for ten percent of the profits each month.

By the time everything concluded, it was already past nine. Lina was still inside that bar. The paperwork would be prepared tomorrow. After that, both parties would sign. I was also expected to inspect the property before finalizing the agreement.

Once the lawyers and Mark left, only Aiden and I remained.

"I noticed your attention was going over to that bar. What's there?" he asked.

"Lina. She has been in there for over an hour." The answer slipped out absentmindedly.

"Should we go pick her up? She might already be too drunk by now."

"No. You go back to the hotel. I'll meet you there."

I stood and headed toward the bar. I entered quietly, careful not to draw attention. The dimmest corner became my hiding place.

From there, I watched her. Glass after glass. Hour after hour. Time slipped away unnoticed. I simply sat there, staring at the masterpiece God Himself had created.

When I finally checked my watch, it was midnight. Lina rose from her stool and grabbed her bag.

"I'm leaving," she told the bartender.

"Miss, you haven't paid yet."

"I did," she frowned.

"No, you didn't."

"Yes, I—" Her words slurred. "I remember."

"You really didn't."

I immediately stood. She was struggling to maintain her balance. One wrong step and she'd hit the floor.

"Fine, how much?" she asked, rubbing her forehead.

That was when she stumbled. Before she could fall, I caught her. "Careful," I told her. "I'll pay for her."

I used my card to settle the bill. When I looked back at her, she was staring at me. Bewildered. She slowly pulled herself from my arms.

"No," she whispered. Her fingers curled into my shirt. "You… you're… are you Carlino or Ace?" she questioned.