69 | Bestie Of The Year Goes To....
You got this, Vittoria. Just keep reading. You can never fall asleep to a Dan Brown. Try solving the mystery.
But you've read this three times already.
"Do I have the permission to enter, your highness?" Liam's voice followed by two knocks cut the silence.
"Come in, Liam." I forced a smile.
The door opened, he stepped into my room and did a courtesy. "Long live the queen of Esztar."
"Stop being a drama queen." I tossed a pillow at him for the reading nook where I was lazed around.
"I gotta admit this is ultra cozy." He made himself comfortable next to me. "What are you reading by the way?" He flipped the book. "Oh I see. The Da Vinci Code. Noice!"
"Why are you here, Liam." I asked bluntly. I'm not going to forgive them so easily. "Let me guess. To apologize?"
His smile faded and he averted his ocean eyes. "No Vittoria. Sorry would sound like a joke. I've lost the right to apologize."
"Then why are here in the middle of the night?"
"To make sure you're okay and shower you with ten kisses." He grinned cheekily.
I gave him what the fuck looks.
"Oh with that I meant these." He extracted five kisses from the left pocket of his sweatpants and five from the right.
"You think you can chocolate your way out of this?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
"But it's working, isn't it?" He made the puppy face.
Yes.
"Not at all."
"Uh uh careful! You're about to smile. Remember you're mad at me. No... No don't you dare smile..holy mackerel! What am I seeing."
"Shut up, Liam." I hid my face in my hands, giving in. "This is cheating." I complained.
"Just admit it. I'm too cute to be mad at." He smirked.
"You're a clown." I hit his arm playfully.
"A cute clown."
"Whatever."
"Why are you still up? It's 2 a.m. You're having difficulty sleeping?" He asked, concerned.
"No, it's just this disturbing noise." I lied, thanking the renovation work which was still going on. God knows what's taking so long. Are they erecting a personal Eiffel tower in this house?
"Ah about that." He scratched his head. "You might have to shift into your old room for a week or two."
"What! Why!" I grumbled.
"I don't exactly know but it's regarding some wiring which comes up here till your room. But don't worry I'll help you move your things tomorrow morning." He offered.
"Tomorrow evening." I corrected. "I'm joining back from tomorrow."
His head snapped at me. "Are you sure that's a good idea? You need to rest." His eyes trailed to my Gucci bags. I owned two of them right below my eyes.
"I need to divert my mind somewhere else."
He contemplated the idea for a while. "Whatever you like. Just don't stress yourself too much okay." He smiled.
"Okay mom!"
"That's my good kid." He ruffled my hair which pissed me off and he laughed at my angry face.
"Let me just shut this window. Hopefully the noise will decrease." He got up and closed the window. He was on his way back when he stopped suddenly. His eyes moved to the object laying on my messy bed, half hidden beneath the duvet.
I shifted in my seat, afraid to have been caught. I should've been careful.
"What the fuck is this, Vittoria?" He held up the strip in his hands, his whimsical look now replaced by a hint of disapproval and anger. I casted my eyes down, fidgeting with the book.
"You've been taking pills to stay awake? Are you crazy? This is dangerous, Vittoria." He scolded. "How long have you slept ever since you came back?"
Silence.
"Answer me, Vittoria."
"I haven't." I replied in a meek whisper.
"You..you haven't slept for three days straight? Not even a minute?" He threw the pills back on the bed.
I kept my gaze riveted to the floor.
"Alright get your ass on the bed, little miss." He snapped his fingers towards the bed.
"No." I shook my head violently, crawling back in my seat.
"Fine then. I'll get you there by force. If that's the only way then be it." Ignoring my protests, he slipped his hands under my knees, picked me up and carefully placed me on the bed.
"I'm scared Liam, please don't do this." My eyes burned like hell when tears formed in them. "The nightmares will be back. They feel so real." I hid my face in the crook of his neck like a coward.
"I'll be there with you okay? I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He whispered tenderly, running his fingers through my hair. "This is not the solution. You can't stay awake forever."
Suddenly I felt so grateful to have a friend like him. What they did was wrong. They shouldn't have lied but I can't ignore everything else that they've done for me. I have never doubted their intentions. I know they didn't want to hurt me.
My thoughts went to the truth about their parents. I was doing the same thing. They don't know their parents were executed by Rafael. I'm hiding the truth too. Guess now I understand the reason behind their actions.
"Oliver was really broken when he learned about your life. We know your life has been anything but easy and you've gone through a lot. But you had started to be genuinely happy and Oliver didn't want to take that away from you. He knew he couldn't hide the truth forever but he still risked trying to push it as much as he could." Liam explained.
"I understand." I nodded. "It's all in the past now. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to forget everything and it's all going back to normal."
"You don't have to pretend to be okay."
"I'm not going to pretend. I simply don't see any point in holding onto it and wailing about it. I might as well live happily before some other tragedy knocks on my door again." I rolled my eyes.
"No matter what, we'll always be there with you. That's a promise." He smiled.
"I've lost one person but I still have you idiots. What else do I want."
"You haven't lost him, Vittoria." He said after a brief pause. "Anyway, that's between you two." He dismissed.
I was dying to ask him a question but somehow I couldn't.
"No he isn't home yet." Liam said.
Wait what? Did he just read my mind? How?
"Your face said it all."
I huffed. "Don't know why he keeps disappearing. That's not the solution."
"He just needs a little alone time, a little space to breathe. Don't worry about him."
"I don't give two flying fucks about him." I said defensively.
"Sure." He smirked.
I don't. I really don't.
"Tell me something about Camila." I tried changing the topic. It worked.
I got to know so much about her. One thing that caught my attention was that Travis was her personal bodyguard for about five year. No doubt he hated me. That thing he said about people easily getting replaced was true. Loyalty runs thick in Esztar. It's clear he didn't like someone taking her place.
"Can I tell you something, Vittoria?" Liam asked, hesitant.
"Sure, what is it?" I passed him an encouraging smile, tugging on his arm.
"Promise me you won't judge me."
"Not even if you say you like pineapple on pizza." I giggled. His face remained tense.
"I.. I almost believed that she's dead. I never told them but I never really thought she'd come back. I love her, I really do. Please don't get me wrong." He gushed, ashamed.
"It's not wrong to think that way. Seven months is a lot."
"She wasn't in a very good condition. She's lost so much weight and she was all pale." He closed his eyes, trying to get the image out. "And yet I fought against the idea of using you as the bait. I just hope Oliver doesn't hate me. I was worried about you but that doesn't mean I didn't care about her. How do I even explain." He sighed.
"You don't have to. Oliver will definitely understand."
"I hope so."
I rested my head oh his shoulder, still extremely skeptical about sleeping. Never thought I'd see the day when I'd be running away from sleep.
"Liam?"
"Hmm."
"I acted stupid tonight, didn't I?"
"Hell no! I loved how you kicked his ass. You should do it more often." He laughed.
"But now, " He adjusted the pillows for me. "You need to sleep." He got up and starting heading to the door.
Panicked, I tugged his hand to stop him. "You said you'll stay."
"I am staying. I'll take the couch."
"Why are you torturing your back? This bed is big enough to fit both of us." He was staying here for me. I can't cause him any trouble.
"Uh..That won't be appropriate." He scratched his neck.
"I don't have any problem. Come on now."
"Okay. But I believe in consent. Promise me you won't take advantage of me?" He feigned horror.
"I can't promise you that." I smirked, playing along.
"Mom! Help me I'm scared." He pretended to wipe his tears.
"Shut up and sleep, Authier!" I turned off the lamp.
"Bonne nuit, ma chérie. See me in your dreams." He pinched my cheeks.
"Dictionary definition of a nightmare!" I turned away irritably.
I love them with all my heart.
•°•°•°•
Taking one last look in the mirror, I made sure every inch of my body is covered with clothes. The press conjuring a brand new story about me going through domestic violence is the last thing I need right now.
I sensed Travis walking behind me just as I reached the main door. I stopped and turned back to him with a straight face. "You're relived of your duties. You don't have to be my bodyguard anymore."
"But ma'am-"
I held up my hand signaling him to stop talking. "That's an order." Having said that, I continued walking away but his voice stopped me.
"I was quick to judge. I shouldn't have behaved that way. I sincerely apologize, ma'am." He bowed his head.
"It's not about an apology, Travis." I spun back, my voice a harsher than I intended. "It's about making me feel unwanted and guilty just because you thought I replaced her. It's not good to be disliked by someone for no reason. But of course I didn't know there actually was a reason otherwise I wouldn't have tried to get along in the first place."
He stayed silent but he didn't go either. Seriously, what the actual fuck.
"It's okay, Travis. She's coming with me." Liam ran down the stairs fixing his suit jacket.
Disaster averted.
"Late as always, Authier." I shouldered him teasingly.
His face twisted into a scowl. "Don't taunt me. I'm the reason you had you beloved peaceful sleep."
That's right. I surprisingly didn't have any nightmares. What I did have though was a foot over my face, jabbing into my eyes when I opened them. Oh and his head was hanging down from the side of the bed. I have no idea how a person can turn ninety degrees in their sleep without even knowing.
He's got some real talent!
He opened the door for me, I stepped out and I felt a sudden transition. The cold air slapped my skin, making me feel utterly exposed. My speed reduced and my body shivered.
It wasn't the cold.
There were no four walls to ensure my safety. Everybody can see me out there. What if someone is secretly watching me? What if they take me again? My confidence shuddered at the thought. Liam was there with me but I couldn't muster the courage to move out of the safety of this house.
I was afraid to step out.
"Vittoria?" He lightly shook my arm. I flinched, losing my balance on the stairs but he supported my body.
"I- I'm gonna go back Liam. You were right. I should rest." I hastened back inside, finally being able to breathe.
"Wait." He followed. "What happened, Vi?"
"N- Nothing. I just don't feel like working."
He started at my face quizzically but didn't push any further. "Awesome! We'll start moving things from your room." He took off his jacket, casually tossing it on the couch.
"No wait. I'm staying home. You, Mr Authier are going to work." I poked a finger in his chest.
"No no no." He shook his head like a stubborn child. "I'm getting a chance to bunk and I'm not letting it go."
"Such a lazy ass." I hit his chest.
"A proud lazy ass." He grinned.
I know you're staying back for me, you idiot.
•°•°•°•
"Oh!" I jumped up from the kitchen stool at the sudden realization.
"What happened?" Liam asked, quickly coming over to my side.
"I forgot something. I need to shift it to my old room."
"You scared me." He sighed. "And no you can't go to your room now. It will now open after the work is completed."
I huffed, dropping down back onto the stool. I caught a glimpse of Jake through the door and strode over to him. "We need to talk. Got a minute?"
He peered over my shoulder warily glancing at Liam who currently wasn't paying attention to us. "Uh, not now. Maybe some time later." He walked away before I responded.
"Wait! Jake? Jake!" My voice fell over deaf ears.
Liam heard that and came running towards me with a worried as well as curious look which instantly switched to terror once his eyes fell over something behind me.
"Oh my god!" He gasped but was too horrified to move.
Curious, I turned back and my eyes were met with a gut wrenching sight. The once pristine marble floor was now carrying a grim trace of red as Rafael limped into the house.
The metallic stench of blood perfuses through the air. He was bathed in blood. His face, his hands, his chest. Oh my god! His chest! There was a huge cut there and blood gushed out with great force.
"Rafael!" I ran to him, supporting his injured body. "Fuck! There's so much blood. Please help Liam." I called him out frantically, wiping my tears with the sleeve of my cardigan.
"I killed him, Vittoria." Rafael groaned, his voice shaky but eyes filled with determination and rage.
"What?" I whispered, shocked.
He nodded, placing his hand over my cheek. Straightening himself up, he looked at me with a burning intensity.
"I killed Alvaro Zanetti."
5 more to go!
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