Code name: Athena [18+]

Code name: Acqua

•Apollo DiStefano•

"You have to believe me Arabella! I didn't know a thing!" I got down on my knees and hugged her thighs "if I knew, I would've told you because you're my best friend, the love of my life, my soulmate, princess..."

Arabella knelt in front of me "I believe you," she whispered and I felt an instant relief "but I want to talk to Valentina, she is not well."

"Of course she is not well, she is trying to create a bridge between us!" I exclaimed in anger  and then stood up "you," I gripped Mariano's shirt and pulled him up "why did you never tell me?" I pushed him "I was going to be a father years ago and you never told me!"

"Because she only told me two years ago!" Mariano yelled and I stopped pushing him "I would've made you be a responsible piece of shit if I knew my sister was pregnant with your child, I would've talked to your parents to see if the engagement with Arabella could be broken off or something!"

I sighed deeply looking up with my hands on my hips "I was going to have a baby and it died..."

"It was a girl," Mariano said "you were going to have a little girl."

"Shut up, that doesn't make it any better," I sniffled.

"I know and Valentina has lived with it for years...how do you think she feels?"

I gazed at him "She should've told me."

"Apollo, you could only be faithful to a woman for a week. Sometimes I wonder if you have been faithful to Arabella the–" I punched his face and he ended up in the pool "what the fuck?!"

"Don't you ever question the love and loyalty I feel towards my wife!" I said sternly "you might be like my brother but that doesn't give you the right to speak of me in such manner!"

"Enough!" Arabella approached me "Apollo go to our room and stay there until I go get you."

"But–"

"No," she interrupted "go, now."

"Fine but only because I don't want to be near that scumbag," I pointed at Mariano and then walked away.

•Arabella DiStefano•

"Here," I handed Mariano ice wrapped in a towel "he hit you really hard."

Mariano stared at the dining table in silence.

"How was their relationship?" I asked looking down at my wedding and engagement ring "were they happy? was he–"

"I didn't know until Valentina told me two years ago, I wouldn't have allowed them to be together like he did with me and Allegra the first time around," he hissed and hit the wooden table with his fist.

"That won't help it heal faster," I said annoyed.

Mariano looked at me and sighed deeply "She shouldn't have brought it up, she shouldn't have dared Apollo to do what he did...it's like she likes suffering."

"She needs help–"

"She's not crazy–"

"I'm not saying she's crazy." I interrupted "She's in pieces and most of the times we cannot glue ourselves back together alone; it takes time, courage, will and maybe a shrink. I'm not 100% all right Mariano, I suffer from many traumas but I deal with it! I don't go step on my father's grave and lose time blaming him because I know he caused them, but it would be my fault if I didn't heal because I wouldn't have tried!" tears slipped down my cheeks. "I lost my sister! The one person I've counted on since the beginning and hurting doesn't make me crazy! It makes me human!"