Chapter-49
Cherish's POV:
I looked at her furrowing, she walked closer to Riccardo she said, "Then you won't have missed me... Riccardo I will fix this.... trust me... that's why Her brother came to take her away...."
My eyes went wide, I looked at Riccardo stunned, Isaac said, "are you drunk!!!!"
Riccardo said, "If you don't want to get killed then get out of here.... and wake up from your dream.... I never had a bit of interest in you...."
She whispered in tears, "Lie...."
She said, "Then why you are sleeping with me.... ah?"
My eyes went bigger, I looked at her as if I couldn't breathe. Riccardo moved back from her as he said, "What?...."
Isaac rushed to me as he asked Riccardo, "You.. what!!!!"
Riccardo turned to me, I felt tears gathering in my eyes. I looked at Riley as if I lost words.
Riccardo grabbed my face as he said, "Don't... don't trust her... I didn't .... I can never...."
I looked at her again, she said, "what.... Riccardo... what are you saying... you came to be several nights back... Riccardo, it happened few more times... I can't live like this.... I need a name Riccardo... I want justice..."
Riccardo warned her, "Shut up!!!!!"
Riccardo said, "Cherish......"
Isaac stood in front of me, as if he didn't wanted Riccardo to touch me, I closed my eyes as the tears flooded them.
Isaac said, "Not until I know the truth..."
Isaac asked Riley, "You have any proof...."
She said in tear, "I knew... I knew you won't believe me... none of you.... so I gathered the proof...."
She threw bunch of pictures at us. I looked at the floor which was scattered with those pictures, it felt my life is scattered with them.
I bend down to get few of them, but closer look at them made it clear it was him with her, almost naked.
I felt my cheeks getting wetter, My words lost their courage. Isaac grabbed my arm as he said, "She is not staying here anymore second!!"
He turned to Riccardo as he said, "You will pay for it..."
Riccardo grabbed my hand as he said, "You will go dead if you try to take my wife from here...."
Riccardo's father said, "Riccardo... fix your mistake... Marry Riley... and this girl... You can keep her....."
My eyes were stuck on Riccardo, his eyes were red. His frustration was written over his face. Isaac pointed gun at Riccardo's father as he warned, "What you said!!!... Do you know who we are!!!... She is my sister... her pride is bigger than your life for me...."
I looked at Isaac as he said that. He said to me, "What are you looking at, let's go home...."
Riccardo grabbed my shoulders as he said, "Cherish.... listen to me... it looks this way... but I swear..."
Riley said placing hand on his shoulder, "Ricc... let her go.... Ricc... she..."
Riccardo turned to her grabbing her neck with his hand, almost killing her. Her eyes got bigger as they rolled back. Riccardo said, "How dare you!!!... You wh#re!!!"
Fred tried to free Riccardo's grip, but Riccardo was not ready to leave her, as if he wanted to kill that women. I never thought he would react this way too.
But what kind of pain I am feeling, that I didn't wanted to save the situation nor do I wanted to use my words.
I heard Fred say, "Cherish is here...."
Riccardo let's her go, when she fell down chocking heavily, her father helped her, getting her water and comforting her. But Riccardo's dad stood there with his heavy expression.
Riccardo said, "Cherish... love..."
Riley said trying to get up, "You.... You have... to marry me.... you cannot leave... me after... using me ..." She coughed a little.
Riccardo pointed a gun on her head, he said, "I will end your fantasies right now...."
I whispered, "That is not Riccardo..."
Riccardo turned to me, so did everyone in the hall. I felt more tears left my eyes, I wiped them.
I whispered, "The man in these pictures is not Riccardo... it's not him...."
Riley said, "It is him..."
I asked her, "then when he came to you.... for the first time...."
She said, "1 month ago..."She mentioned the date.
I whispered, "He was with me that night... and day.... he brought guest over, a baby...... we both took care of him...."
She said, "You weren't with him 24 hours, were you?"
I looked down, I whispered, "It's not Riccardo...."
Riley smirked, she said, "Wake up Cherish... he cannot deny his feelings for me.... these pictures are of us... he came back where he belonged..."
Riccardo warned, "I said get out!!!"
I said to her, "I will make it clear.... in these picture this man is not Riccardo, even though it is edited nicely..... no one knows him like do..."
He looked at me like he was wanted this trust. But I heard Riley almost barking in anger, "How can you lie on my face!!!.... You can try to deny it but Riccardo was with me!!!.... and my family can destroy everything Riccardo has for this betrayal...."
My eyes dropped tears as it was too much to handle. Riccardo warned, "I will erase your blood line right now... right here....."
I saw him pulling the gun at Riley again. Her father interfered, "Can you prove it was not you?... that my daughter not saying the truth!!!... You can't... I want my daughter to be on her place..."
The man looked at me hatefully as he said, "As Riccardo's wife...."
Isaac said, "This is it...... Cherish.... let's go..."
Isaac said, "I will make everyone of you pay for my sister's insult..... from Rizzo to You Riccardo Valentine....."
I said, "I can prove it...."
Riccardo looked at me stunned so it everyone. Riley smirked saying, "there is no use... Everyone knows, your lies cannot make this up..... so, better listen to your Brother Cherish...."
I looked at her for the final time, I picked the picture from the floor. I hated it, it sets my heart on fire. Him having a women in his arm, this scene hurts me more than anything.
I sighed as I knew I am right.
He cannot betray me....
He fought so hard to have me, he knows my value... this man can ever betray me.....
I said, "The man in this picture is not Riccardo.... as per you, if Riccardo is sleeping with you for 1 month... You are liar..."
I looked at him as I said, "Because.... Riccardo has a tattoo on his chest.... these pictures doesn't show it... or you didn't knew it exist because you have never seen him like that..."
Her eyes got bigger, I said, "I am his wife... I can confirm that his body has my name on it...."
She looked at everyone as if was caught, Riccardo's father looked at her glaring. She said, "She is not saying the truth!!!... She is a scheming bitch!!!"
Riccardo pulled his shirt off as he said, "My wife and her words are true.... so tell me how should I kill you all?"
She was visibly sweating, her father looked so tensed as if his brain will burst open. Everyone was looking at Riccardo's tattoo.
I walked closer to Riley as I said, "Don't tell me you don't know with whom you created these pictures with.... or you don't.... because there are many of them..."
She tried to slap me but Isaac pinned her on the wall holding her neck, he warned, "I have warned you once.... Touch my sister and I will show you hell...."
Riley's father tried to pull his daughter free, if he had his gun in then he could have shot him. But since, no outsider is allowed to bring a weapon in this property, he has no luck in it.
I said, "Isaac ..... let her go...."
Isaac did as I said, but it was like he was fighting himself to kill her. She sat on the floor, trying to grasp some air.
I said, "Riley funny to think I would believe you... that Riccardo will choose you over me.... You have nothing to get him..... and now... You don't even have a character....."
I turned to everyone specially Riccardo's father, "No one is as better as me to be Riccardo's wife... No one..."
Isaac warned from behind, "She is only sister of us.... You all won't like few dozens of guns aimed at you.... You better get out.... and you..."
He looked at Riley as he said, "I will deal with you personally...."
Riccardo said, "I am kicking you out of my protection... your entire clan.... whoever can claim your power can do so.... Rizzo's are free to be hunted and I will do it myself!!!!"
Hours later,
He was holding my hand, pressing his face in my lap, he was on his knees. He didn't spoke or anything like this silence is bothersome, but I will hate if he talks right now.
I don't know why I am crying, just everything hurts me right now. I know he didn't did anything wrong. But the photos made me cry.
I can't even deal with the fake scenario right now.
I sobbed a little to hide the cry, He got up looking at me. Riccardo whispered, "Love... .... please... please... I swear on every drop my blood, every breath I take..... I never touched her... I never did... I will shoot myself than touching someone else...."
His eyes were getting moist, He tried to touch my face, I subconsciously moved back, his eyes went wide, I was stunned too.
His eyes dropped a tear, He whispered sitting on his knees as I was on the bed, "You took my side, you proved my truth... I though you trust me, Wife..." as if he begged....
I pulled myself to embrace him, How I tell him I am so hurt right now, just by the thought of him choosing someone else?
I whispered, "I Trust you..."
His hand tightened around me, I whispered, "I can't lose you.... You cannot leave me... I hate those pictures... I hate her existence.... I hate she is trying to steal you from me... I am angry on her, not you..."
His hand reached to back of my head comforting me, I whispered, " I hate her existence..."
He answered by words, "She will not exist anymore...."
I looked at him as I requested, "Why she comes in between us?..."
He replied, "She won't anymore..."
I grabbed his face as I said, "I cannot lose you... You have to understand this... my heart hurts so much..."
Riccardo promised, "You will not..."
I whispered, "Don't leave me...."
He said, "Why will I leave you?... there is nothing for me in this world without you...."
His words made me sooth somehow. I whispered, "Don't change, Don't stop loving me....."
I cried little more, his finger wiped my tears as he made another promise, "I will...."
I whispered, "I love you...."
He looked at me as his cheeks got wet, He whispered, "If death comes to right now... I will tie it down to relive tonight again and again...."
He said caressing my cheeks, "It feels like it's been centuries I have craved to hear it.... and It is all worth it.... I will do the wait again and again in very life... every chance I get for you.... just for this moment...."
He pulled me into a kiss as if he stole my breath, I lost something in this moment. I lost my pain, I lost the hesitation and uneasiness...
I am so glad I did, Now... I feels so complete.
His hands kept pulling me closer as if I will vanish, I was on his laps as he pulled away, I was breathing so heavily, when he placed a small kiss on my jaw.
I whispered, "I love you, Riccardo..... I love you...."
He whispered with a smirk, "Love you more, Wife...."
Riccardo's POV:
I got on my knees helping the small figure in front of me to sit up. I whispered, "You should be careful...."
She whispered, "I was.... just this stone came in between...."
I smiled at her innocent words, I naturally went to dust her dress, as if I am so use to it.
I noticed the scratch on her arm, my heart ached, I felt distress on that minor injury.
I looked at her very similar eyes, as I said, "Valerie, Sweetheart..... you are getting careless...."I called her name as if I know her, call her every time like this.
I couldn't see her face, I am so familiar with her, I know how she looks but I couldn't see this little soul.
She smiled as she said, "I am big strong girl, Dad..." she ordered.
I couldn't help but chuckle on her words, she hugged me all of a sudden, it feel so nice that it almost hurts. I embraced her not knowing, why this child is calling me her father?
I didn't oppose, but it gave me so much happiness... like she is piece of me.
She parted as she said, "When Momma will be back?... wait... can I get Ice cream?... we won't tell Momma?"
I tried to have a clear look at her, but I couldn't. I whispered, "Valerie..." like I have took her name hundred times....
She responded, "Dad?....."
She ordered, "You are ignoring me dad!!!..."She ordered, I found it cute.
She turned behind her as she said, "Momma!!... You are back!!!"
She ran away from me in a second, I tried my best catch her in my arms, but she just ran through my hands. I saw her jumping in a women's arms.
I stood up see that women, I recognize her. Those eyes, that smile.
She looks at me as she said, "Riccardo... you are early today?"
The child said hugging Cherish, "Momma.... let's get ice cream...."
The child looked at me as she said, "Right, Dad?"
I woke sweating, I looked around me realizing I am in my room.
I... I was dreaming?
I internally whispered, 'Valerie?'
I sat up as I calculated the dream. That dream felt euphoric, almost like heavens to me.
Me, Cherish and our daughter Valerie.....
I shook my head realizing I am obsessing over a dream. It was just a meaningless dream.
I looked at Cherish sleeping beside me. She looked so happy in the dream, I loved her smile.
But what made my heart shake in warmth was that child calling me, 'Dad'
Valerie... it was her name.....
My eyes went to Cherish's stomach, could it be.... she is... pregnant?
I touched her stomach, out of instincts, I had unknown excitement and fear inside me. Like she is so fragile if my thoughts are ture.
I pulled my hand thinking I am acting like a fool. My dream is result of Morris's child presence in the palace, I got use to a child being around.
What kind of baseless thought I am carrying?
I fixed Cherish's comforter, I could just look at her face wishing the dream was true.