CHAPTER 5

Antonio Dante's pov,

"Good. Damn good,” my mother smiled as she set down her glass. 

“Good riddance. I didn't like her at all.” she twisted her face in disgust. 

“I like the new girl ”

“Lisa,” I corrected staring at her indifferently. 

“Lisa Haven.”

“Oh,” she took her glass and swirled the liquid with no care in the world. 

“She's got pretty eyes,”

I nodded. Lisa was the prettiest woman I had ever seen. From childhood, she had been. I loved her. I did. 

         As I escorted my mother out of the house, she told me my father would be visiting soon. She had come mainly to express her satisfaction about my divorce. She never liked Stella and I didn't know why. I called Alfredo. 

He was my second.

“Sir”

“I'm coming to the office now, prepare him.”

“Yes sir”

I cut the call. 

“Lisa!”I called. Shortly after, I heard her light thumps on the floor. She was so delicate. So small. So pretty. 

“Baby”

“I'm going out”

“To where?”

“To my office. I'll see you when I get home. Tell Anna to make dinner before I get home.”I kissed her forehead before making my way out of the house with my guards following me. 

       When I got down, my guards led me underground to the ‘torture room'. It was a building underground where we tortured people. I held a dagger in my hand as the man's mask was taken off. His eyes sunk in horror.

“Hello, my man” I waved at him, smiling. 

I came closer to him, putting the tip of my dagger on the skin of his hand. 

“Who sent you?”

“Liam Warren” he yelled almost immediately. I laughed. 

“Of course, I know it's him. Who else would dare?” I pressed the dagger on his hand, generating an agonizing cry. It was music to my ears. The cry of the wicked oppressed. 

“Where did you keep the money?”

“Will you keep me alive if I tell you?”

“No,” I said bluntly.

“But I might keep your children..” I trailed off. His eyes widened. 

“Don't you dare touch them!”

“Your children are equal to my money at this point.”

He bowed his head. 

“It's at K and Rs”

             I gestured for my bodyguards to check the area immediately. This brought me news that the money was there. I laughed hysterically. This was almost too easy. Liam Warren should be on the lookout. 

His people aren't loyal. 

“Finish him and send his head to his boss. You know where to send the money.”I told Alfredo who nodded.

          I heard a knock on my door the next morning. The guard came in to tell me it was Stella Romilly and I went outside to see her, totally confused and shocked. She stood on the pouch, her brown hair glistening in the sun and a bright smile plastered on her face. Her amber eyes moved to me and her smile widened. 

“Hi Antonio”

            She was acting like nothing happened. I examined her. She had eyebags under her lips despite her attempts at makeup and her lips were pale and dry. Her face was flushed. I wondered why she came here. Did she come for some of the belongings she had left? Well, too late. I burnt them. 

“Can I speak to you for a moment?” She asked.

          I nodded in response letting her know she couldn't enter the house. I turned my head to the guards and gestured for them to give us privacy.

Her eyes wandered on the huge door before turning back to me.

“Ah, I spoke to our lawyer…” she started.

“Your lawyer” I emphasized. She gulped. 

“..my lawyer about the case,” she finished. I raised my eyebrows. 

“We are divorced “I spelt it out for her. When I saw she wasn't responding, I turned my back on her, ready to go into my house.

“I know” she lowered her head. 

“I just want you and I to go on a trip, have a counselor, spend time-”

“There is nothing like that Stella,” I stated. 

“We are divorced. Don't you understand?”

Her face reddened as if she was going to cry. 

And she did. She burst into tears in front of me. 

“Antonio, why? There must be a reason. What did I do wrong?” she could barely bring out her words. 

“You did nothing wrong Stella. I just fell out of love”

“You just fell out of love?” she yelled angrily.

“Who the hell falls out of love and leaves the marriage? Don't you think marriage counseling is there for things like these. Don't you think?”

“I don't know Stella! I'm just not in love with you anymore!”

“No, no you can't do this Antonio.” she shook her head.

“Stella” I began. 

“What were those four years for then?” her voice screeched. At this point, she might lose her voice. 

“Stella, you have to understand. I love Lisa.”

She nodded as if understanding.

“You know, we could be on a vacation right now,” she said calmly as tears streamed from her eyes.

“Or at the beach on our private island,” she paused. 

“Your private island”

“Stella”

“Or we could even be making deals for fun”

“Or wait..we could exchange places of duty for the day” Her body shook and hiccups started kicking in. 

“But because of her!” her voice raised suddenly, pointing at the window. 

My gaze hardened. 

“Stop now please Stella”

“Because of her.” she moved her finger to my chest, pointing at it accusingly.

“How are you so sure that you will continue to be with her after you ‘’fall out of love',” she whispered.

When I didn't answer her question, she grabbed her bag that had fallen on the floor and wiped her tears. My heart was clutched in guilt for a reason I didn't understand.

Was I going to fall out of love?