Chapter 3 Mafia LORD'S become obsessed

Chapter 3: The Mafia Lord Becomes Obsessed

I should have known that coming back to Rome would be like opening Pandora's box. Once it's opened, you can never close it again.

After that confrontation at the gala, akala ko matatahimik na ako sa penthouse ko. Akala ko I won that round. Pero I was so wrong.

Because Alessandro De Luca does not know how to lose.

It's been three days since the gala. Three days since I looked into his eyes again. And for three days, I haven't been able to sleep properly. Hindi dahil natatakot ako. Hindi dahil naiiyak pa ako.

It's because he is everywhere.

My phone keeps ringing. Unknown number. Private number. I know it's him. I know that number kahit natabunan na ng limang taon. It's still the same number he used when he used to call me to say he won't be home for dinner. And now he's calling to say... what? That he's sorry? Sorry is too late.

My assistant, Marco, reported that someone has been sending trucks of red roses to my building, pero pinapabalik ko lahat sa sender. Red roses were my favorite before. I used to love red roses. Naalala ko pa dati, nung first anniversary namin, I told him I love red roses. He remembered it after a week and gave me one stem. Isang piraso lang pero tuwang-tuwa na ako. How stupid I was. Now, he sends a hundred trucks. Now that I don't want it anymore.

And today, when Lorenzo and I were having lunch in the most private restaurant in Rome, the one that requires three months reservation, he appeared.

We were supposed to have a peaceful business lunch. Lorenzo was talking about our new casino in Monaco, pero hindi ako makapag-focus kasi I keep thinking about those gray eyes.

Then the manager of the restaurant came to our table, namumutla, pawis na pawis.

"Madam E, Mr. Castello, pasensya na po, pero si Mr. De Luca po... nasa labas po siya. Gusto niya po kayong makausap."

My whole body stiffened. Lorenzo looked at me, then smiled. That dangerous, amused smile of his. He loves chaos.

"Let him in," Lorenzo said.

"Don't," I said quickly. "Ayoko siyang makita."

But it was too late. The door opened.

And there he was.

Alessandro De Luca.

He was wearing his signature black suit, pero hindi na siya mukhang perfect. His hair was slightly messy, as if he kept running his hands through it. His gray eyes had dark circles under them, like he hasn't slept for three days too. His tie was loosened. He looked... human. He looked tired. He looked broken.

Pero what made my blood boil was that he was alone. Wala si Bianca.

"Madam E, what a surprise to see you here," he said, his voice cold, pero his eyes were only looking at me. His eyes were burning.

"Lorenzo," he nodded at Lorenzo, pero his eyes never left me. "Mind if I join my old friend?"

Lorenzo chuckled and leaned back on his chair, enjoying the show. "Of course not, Alessandro. Please. Elena was just telling me how much she missed Rome."

I shot Lorenzo a glare. Traitor talaga.

Alessandro sat down across from me, directly in front of me. The air suddenly became so heavy, so suffocating. His presence still does that to me. After five years, after everything he did, he still has this effect on me and I hate myself for it. I hate that my heart still beats faster when he's near.

"What do you want, Mr. De Luca?" I asked coldly, taking a sip of my wine, pretending to be calm kahit na nanginginig yung kamay ko sa ilalim ng mesa. "I'm having a private lunch with my boyfriend."

Boyfriend. I intentionally said it. Gusto ko makita kung masasaktan siya. Gusto ko maramdaman niya kahit konti lang yung sakit na pinaramdam niya sa akin for three years.

And I did see it. His jaw clenched so hard I thought his teeth would break. His hands formed into fists on the table, his knuckles turning white.

"Boyfriend?" He repeated, his voice low and dangerous. He looked at Lorenzo, then back at me, his gray eyes now dark, almost black with anger and... jealousy? "So it's true? Ikaw at si Lorenzo? You and him?"

"Does it matter to you?" I leaned forward, my eyes challenging him. "You lost the right to ask about my personal life five years ago, Alessandro. The night you left me to die on our anniversary. The night you chose her over me."

The word anniversary hit him like a bullet. I saw his face flinch, just for a second, pero bumalik agad sa pagiging cold.

"Elena, we need to talk," he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. Pleading? Alessandro De Luca never pleads. Kahit kanino. Pero now he's pleading to me. "Privately. Please."

"There's nothing to talk about," I said, standing up abruptly, my chair making a loud noise. "And my name is Elena Gracias. Not Elena De Luca. That woman is dead. You killed her, remember? On our dining room floor?"

I was about to walk away when he grabbed my wrist.

His touch. God, his touch. Mainit pa rin, same as before. Yung kamay na dati hinahawakan ako with so much love, or at least what I thought was love. Now, it was holding me with desperation. The same hands that once left me bleeding.

The moment his skin touched mine, kuryente. Parang bumalik lahat ng alaala. Yung first time niya akong hinalikan sa balcony ng mansion, yung first time na niyakap niya ako nung umiiyak ako dahil sa nightmares ko, yung gabi na feeling ko mahal niya ako kahit papano.

Pero kasabay nun, bumalik din yung sakit. Yung dugo sa sahig. Yung malamig na sahig. Yung pag-iwan niya.

I yanked my hand away as if his touch burned me.

"Don't touch me!" I hissed, my voice shaking, tears finally threatening to fall after five years of being strong. "Don't you ever touch me again! You don't have the right!"

Everyone in the restaurant was looking at us now. The whispers started.

Lorenzo stood up immediately and placed a protective arm around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"That's enough, Alessandro," Lorenzo warned, his voice cold and threatening. "She said don't touch her. If you touch her again, I will break your hand."

Alessandro looked at Lorenzo's arm around my waist, and I swear, I saw murder in his eyes. Pure, possessive, obsessive murder. He looked like he wanted to kill Lorenzo right there and then, in front of everyone.

"She's my wife," he growled, his voice so low and dangerous that even the waiters stepped back.

"WAS," I corrected him, my tears now falling freely, hindi ko na mapigilan. Five years of pain, five years of pretending to be strong, lahat lumabas sa isang iglap. "I WAS your wife, Alessandro! Pero iniwan mo ako! Iniwan mo ako nung kailangan kita! Namatay yung anak natin! Namatay siya kasi iniwan mo kami! You left us to die!"

The whole restaurant went silent. Even Lorenzo was shocked, kasi never ko kinwento sa kanya ang detalye about the baby. Only that I lost a baby. Hindi niya alam na doon mismo sa sahig, nawala yung anak namin.

Alessandro's face... God, his face. He turned as white as paper. His eyes widened in pure horror and shock. His lips parted, pero walang lumalabas na salita.

"B-Baby? What... what baby? Elena... anong sinasabi mo? Anong anak?" he whispered, his voice breaking.

Now it was my turn to laugh, pero puno ng sakit at pait at galit.

"What baby? You didn't know, did you? Of course you didn't know! Kasi you were too busy saving your precious Bianca! I was two weeks pregnant, Alessandro! Two weeks! I bought baby shoes! I was going to tell you that night! I prepared everything! Pero anong ginawa mo? You left me bleeding! You left our baby to die! Kasalanan mo kung bakit namatay yung anak natin!"

I was sobbing now, hindi na Queen, hindi na Madam E. I was just Elena again, the broken, abandoned wife who lost her child.

And for the first time in my life, I saw Alessandro De Luca break.

His cold mask shattered into a million pieces. His eyes turned red, tears forming. His lips were trembling. His tall, powerful body was shaking.

"Elena... I... I didn't know... I swear to God, I didn't know you were pregnant... If I knew... if I knew..." His voice was breaking, his hands trying to reach me but stopping mid-air. "I thought... I thought you just left me because you were tired... I was angry for five years... I hated you for leaving... pero... ako pala... ako ang pumatay sa anak natin..."

He fell to his knees. In front of everyone. The Mafia Lord, on his knees.

"I killed our child, Elena. And I will never forgive myself for that," he whispered, crying.