Café Rouge

Chapter 24: Forecast of Dark Clouds and Storms

"We never even got to say goodbye, Carlos," she chokes out wiping the tears and relishing in the comfort he's providing.
The human contact certainly does help with the dark cloud that's starting to settle over Lola's heart.

"He loves you Lola. He only ever wanted your happiness," soothes Carlos.
She sobs softly, "I know. You know, I think he knew about us and he wasn't too pleased about it but...he always believed I should make my own mistakes."

"Oh God Lola. I am so sorry. I'm so sorry I had to do it."
"No, no it wasn't you. He and I-we-we did this to ourselves. I suppose it was inevitable. With the choices we made, one of us were going to-"

"Lola you don't understand. I-....I shot him."

She freezes, her body pulling out of his hold as her mind is frantically trying to piece it all together.
"You mean...accidentally?" she suggests.
Maybe there was some sort of shoot out and Carlos luckily managed to not get hit.

He slowly shakes his head, "no. I was ordered to shoot him. Your father and I we talked briefly before he accepted his fate.-"
" 'Accepted his fate'? That wasn't his fate, Carlos! You had no right to make that decision!" she cries leaping off the couch with fury.
How dare he do this to her?! How dare he believe he has the power to decide who lives and who dies! So what if his father gives him an order? Can he not make his own choices or is he just a pet monkey?

"Lola calm down. You don't understand, if I did not do what I did, you may be in great danger. It was a choice between keeping you safe or preserving his life for a measly few minutes. Had I not done it someone else would have, Lola and trust me when I say they would not have made it as quick."

She's not being rational about this. This isn't a fairytale. She must have known that something like this would happen sooner or later. In fact, the more he thinks about it, the more she should be grateful that her father died at his merciful hands rather than someone like Marco's. At least with him, Nathan was able to share his parting words to his daughter. Does she think Marco or anyone else would have extended her the same courtesy? No.

"Oh! Ohhh!" sarcastically calls Lola, "well, let me just bow down to you, my Lord. Thank you so fucking much for quickly killing my father after promising to help me. And for informing me of your callus plan."

He faces her with equal fury boiling in those molten steel orbs but she doesn't give a damn. He's the one in the wrong here not her! And she's not insane for feeling this way. She won't let him trick her into thinking she is by his steady stance and expressionless features.
He lied to her. He gave her hope and now he's ripped it away from her in one irreversible act. He's a liar and a murderer.
"It was not pre-mediated Lola, it just happened. There was little else I could do, I told you. It was you or him-"

"Then it should have been me!" she exclaims. 

"No! It was not your debt and you're delusional if you believe you could have prevented his death."
Were it not for him, her father would be slowly and painfully dying with her sold off to the highest bidder. 

The truth is slowly sinking in. As always she's powerless in this. Before the Castellano's she believed she influenced her life-that her decisions shaped her path but since meeting Carlos, nothing in her life seems to be her choice anymore. She simply has to endure through the crazy ride and truthfully with this latest hit, she's not sure how much more she really can endure.

But perhaps she's always known it. And that's why she put her trust in him. He made her trust him with his stupid feelings and slowly opening up to her. How idiotic could she have been? This isn't real. None of it was ever real. He's an even bigger con and villain than his father. He's simply been exploiting her emotionally so that he can destroy her now. Hope. He gave her hope only so he can now rip it away.
She'll never have a normal life again and now she has no one she truly loves. No family, no life, no future.