Two years later
"Xavier..." Killian marched into his study room.
"Still no news?" Xavier asked in dejection to which Killian nodded in lament. A bitterness crept into his face.
In spite of the despondency, Xavier was still the boss of the Italian mafia. Together with Killian, they had taken over a few new territories, including the Chinese triads, the Hong Kong triads, and the Japanese Yakuza. The last two years, all Xavier ever did was drowning himself in work and more work. More blood was shed. Megan leaving had awakened the lethal creature inside him. Power became a dangerous thing for him. The more he had it, the more he craved it.
He and Killian had made many trips to Thailand to hunt his little bird in vain. He had lost control. Every time he flew back to Rome, he would infiltrate a new business and a new territory, expressing his indignation elsewhere.
He swore if he ever found her, he was going to lock her up and make her suffer. Like she did to him. He did not know what was it with her that made him so obsessed. All he knew was he wanted her in his life.
"Get the plane ready in an hour. I'm flying to Phuket this time. I have to attend an art exhibition for the kids charity. Chiara and Ginevra will be coming with us too."
Ever since Megan left him, he had taken an interest in her avocation. In hope to find her, he had formed smart partnership with the corporate sectors and organisations in Italy and Thailand to sponsor arts programmes such as exhibition, education, acquisition, restoration and publication. This time, he was invited to an art exhibition that was only held once every four years.
Xavier boarded the plane within an hour, together with Chiara, Ginevra, Rico and Antonio. Killian had stayed back to superintend his affairs. Chiara and Ginevra tied the knot after a year Megan left. He cajoled Adalberto that Chiara and Ginevra loved each other and if he truly wished to see Chiara happy, he would not separate them. Adalberto used to be a ruthless stony man but age mellowed him.
"Do you think you'll ever find her?" Chiara asked, her lower lip protruded in a sulky pout and Ginevra who was sitting next to her wrapped her arm around her waist.
Chiara disliked the woman who made her brother miserable, the woman who tormented him. Yet she felt for the woman too. Perhaps she was afraid of Xavier. After all he was a dangerous man and many wanted him dead.
"I don't know sorella." Xavier closed his eyes and sprawled on the chair with his head resting comfortably on the cushion. He was dog-tired. The casinos and nightclubs are nocturnal business and it had required a lot of his hands-on involvement which took a toll on him.
"Let him rest bella. He's had a rough day." Ginevra said and patted her head softly.
******
"Sofia I'm going out to get some things for Rosa. I need nappies and some other supplies. Do you need anything?"
Megan peeped into her bedroom and then hovered at the door. She tilted her head and a warm smile crept across her face when she observed her fifteen-month-old daughter, Rosa sitting on Sofia's lap. Sofia was holding a children's book in front of the toddler, pronouncing the word 'banana' several times. Rosa giggled and babbled the word after Sofia.
"I'm fine. I don't need anything."
When Rosa's eyes, the exact same colour as her father, landed on her mother, she smiled at her with small teeth flashing.
"Mama..."
Rosa was a smart, sharp and inquisitive girl. She was picking up more and more words every day now, generally repeating back any words said to her. Megan automatically went to reach for her and caressed her soft plump rosy cheeks.
"Mama will be gone for awhile. I'll come back soon sweetheart." She cooed and kissed her forehead.
"Shoo shoo. Leave me and my goddaughter alone." Sofia gestured her facetiously.
Megan raised her arms in a surrender manner and said, "Alright alright. I'll be back in twenty."
Megan jogged to the nearest corner store which took her approximately ten minutes. She had always felt ill at ease when leaving Rosa with Sofia because she knew Rosa will start wailing when the little toddler realised her mama was gone.
Ever since she'd found out she was pregnant, she knew she and Xavier Vellutini would be bound forever. A tiny part of her still missed him and craved his touch but Rosa was her life now. There was nothing more important than Rosa and her safety.
After she had picked up her supplies, she jogged back home but slowed down her pace when she noticed a gleaming black luxury vehicle with tinted windows lurking in the neighbourhood.
This place is a run-down neighbourhood and cars like that don't usually appear around this area. Something's not right. Megan thought gingerly as she chose a safe spot to wait as the vehicle took off in another direction, out of her sight. Her fists that she did not notice she was clenching a while ago had loosened. She sighed heavily and rubbed her temple.
Stop overreacting Megan. It's been two years. He won't find you. He's already happily married. Probably have kids of his own too.
A cold, uneasy feeling swept through her, a feeling she disregarded. She sauntered the rest of her trip back to her house.
"Sofia I'm home!" She hollered as she kicked off her shoes by the foyer and ambled to the kitchen counter, placing the bag of supplies on it.
The house became eerily quiet. She felt her hair standing on the back of her neck and prickling of the scalp. The uneasiness she felt from the luxury car in the neighbourhood was nothing compared to this.
"Tesoro..."
Her face turned ashen, leg muscle tightening as if the body was ready to run. Her heartbeat was racing, nearly exploding. With shakiness in her limbs, she swirled to meet the tall, darkly handsome man standing in her hallway between the bedrooms, hands in his pockets.
Tesoro. The way that one particular word tripped off his tongue like a caress paralysed her.
Where's Rosa and Sofia?
Her eyes darted to the bedroom beside him, searching for their presence.
"Rico took them away for the nonce so we could talk." His steely blue eyes watched her the way a tiger watched a bunny.
She gulped convulsively and said, "there's nothing to talk about. Where's Sofia and Rosa?"
"You know it took me great difficulty to find you Megan. I'll give you that." His eyes on her, intense and fevered. He was afraid that she would disappear again.
"How did you find me?" She said through gritted teeth.
"Your art gave it away. Did you really think I would never find you?"
In retrospect, Xavier recalled attending the exhibition with Chiara and Genevra last night. In fact, he had to thank Chiara for this. She stumbled upon a masterpiece and it reminded her so much of Xavier's own verdant garden back in Rome. The one he had shown Megan, where they shared their first kiss. The glorious full moon shine vividly on the lake, and the water smooth as glass. There were too much similarity not to notice.
"What do you want from me?" Her face was void of expression.
"You... my clever, deceitful tesoro, you have led me on a merry dance around Thailand. You have gone to incredible lengths to hide from me."
This was the last place he had thought she would be. Yet she was here, living with their daughter, hiding away from him. He would not let her slip through his fingers again.
"I would have thought you got my memo. I want nothing to do with you." Her contemptuous tone had surprised him. "I'm not going to ask you a second time. Where's Rosa and Sofia?" She glared at him and it made him wonder what the hell happened to this woman. She held so much hatred and resentment in her eyes and he pondered if he did something wrong.
He shook his head. "Not so fast. Why did you leave? I need answers." He said in a lowered, gravelly voice.
"I'm not telling you anything until you tell me where they are."
This stubborn woman...
Xavier's face darkened and he breathed out loud, his jaw clenched. He hauled out his phone from the pocket and placed it to his ear, waiting as his eyes were glued on Megan.
"Bring them back now." He ordered coolly and hung up.
"Now tell me."
"Because I don't like you." She retorted, averting her eyes.
Looking askance, he narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin up, as if daring her to continue.
She sighed heavily. "Look... I obviously don't belong in your world and I don't want to as well. Besides, you're happily married now so why can't you just let this go?"
He raised a fraction of his eyebrows. "Who told you I'm married?"
"I heard it! I was outside your study room that day when your fiancée was there. Do you really think I'll agree to be your mistress if I know you had a fiancée? What do you take me for?" She was breathing hard as her face was once again flushed, much to her chagrin.
"You're not a mistress. And you never will be."
His words stung her. Did he mean that she was never good enough to even be his mistress? "Well I don't care now. I just want to put everything behind us and live my life. So please, just go back to where you came from."
"I'm not going anywhere. Not when you have had my child." He said, his voice like ice.
"Who said she was yours?"
An animalistic snarl flittered across his handsome features but he remained still, the needle penetrating his flesh making any moment on his part risky.
"Do you think I would not recognise my own blood?
When he saw the woman who mentioned her name was Sofia carrying Rosa in her arms, he knew she was his. She has his exact blue eyes and the resemblance was there. She was beautiful, more beautiful than anything he could have imagined. She was bright and inquisitive. She had looked at him, her innocent eyes studying him and she smiled even though Xavier's face was expressionless.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but she's not yours." She shrugged, acting unconcerned.
Xavier cursed inwardly and groaned in exasperation.
"Dammit Megan!" He snapped. "Do you really want me to drag you and Rosa to get a paternity test right now because I will if I have to!"
Megan avoided his gaze and fixed hers on the couch, not giving in.
"That's it. I'm taking you home." Xavier gripped her arms.
She jerked away and shook her head strenuously. "That is not my home! I'm not leaving. You can't take me!"
"Watch me." He hoisted her over his shoulder and made his way to her bedroom, tossing her on the bed.
"Pack." He paused and then growled. "Now."
He was seriously going to take her back and lock her up. She saw it in his eyes and this time, she would never be free again. Her eyes grew wide at the comprehension, with white showing around the whole iris. She felt as if somebody was choking her. Her mind was already fixating on the worst case scenarios.
"Please Xavier..." she climbed out of her bed and grasped his hand this time. "Rosa and I don't belong in your world. It's too dangerous for her. She's only fifteen months old. Please..." she begged.
"That's not an excuse tesoro. I'll do whatever it takes to protect the both of you. You got nothing to worry about." He muttered, his face was stony.
"Please." She pleaded miserably. "What will your wife say to this? What will people say to a bastard child? Please... If there was even a little sympathy left in you, let us go. Her life will be ruined in your world."
She was not going to let Rosa live her life the way she had lived hers under Talos' control. It destroyed her. It took away every bit of childhood happiness from her. She had spent her life trying to get away, trying to find a sense of belonging in this cruel world. Rosa deserves so much better.
This time, Xavier gripped both her arms and held her in place, causing her to whimper. "Listen. I will not repeat myself again. I am not married and my child is not a bastard child. I have missed out on your pregnancy, her birth and fifteen months of her life! You brought this upon yourself."
She let out a sob. "Why are you doing this? You don't even love me. Us." She sniffled, not forgetting to include Rosa.
"I'm not playing your games anymore tesoro. You should have known this would happen when you left and decided to conceive my child. Pack only what you need. We're leaving tonight." He avoided her assertion and walked out of the room.
She dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands, murmuring. "No..."