Alle Kapitel von Healing The Devil I Once Loved: Kapitel 231 – Kapitel 240

Zaria I sat by Rai’s hospital bed with the beeps of the monitors ticking like a clock…One more week in this sterile room… and every hour felt longer than it should. I took a deep breath. Jesus. Rai's recovery was taking too long. During our afternoon nap, someone had brought fresh white lilies mixed with red roses, and placed them on the table, right in our sight. I stared at it and it stared right back at me. Deep down, I knew Renzo had them delivered again this morning. A card was tucked in: For you and our boy. I’m not going anywhere. I hadn’t touched them.“Mom,” Rai said softly. His small voice pulled me out of my thoughts. He looked paler today, even after the surgery, and his eyes were fixed on the bouquet. “Why don’t you like the flowers? They’re pretty. He brought them himself yesterday, but you made him leave again.”I sighed, squeezing his hand gently. “Rai, it’s not that simple. Mr. Renzo… he’s complicated. I appreciate what he did, but we don’t need him here every d

Zaria “Stop it,” I snapped. “You’re not fooling anyone. You’re standing here after admitting you leaked everything, and all you can do is ask about my son’s age in ten different ways? Go plan your imaginary wedding and leave us alone.”But it was as if what I said fell on her ears like dust. She peeked again, rising on her tiptoes. “He has such striking features for his age. What is he… seven and a half? Eight? I met a boy his age at a charity event last month. Remarkable how some children look older or younger depending on their genes. Renzo has strong genes, doesn’t he? Or maybe it’s someone else’s. You’d tell me the truth, right? For old times’ sake.”I was about to slam the door harder this time, but she wedged her designer shoe in the gap. “Elix, I swear to God—”“Come on, Zaria. Don’t be like that. I’m just making conversation. A boy that age must be in school already. Second grade? Third? They change so much between seven and nine. I could calculate it if you just gave me the

Elix A smile crossed my face.I looked at the boy again.He laughed at something Renzo said and the laugh was short, bright, and unmistakably familiar.Hello, aren't you useful?___________Hawk may look like the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he wasn't. He was exactly the kind of man I had spent years learning how to handle.He stood at the warehouse entrance with his arms crossed and his jaw set. I chuckled slowly when I caught his eyes doing what men's eyes always did when I walked toward them in a dress cut the way this one was cut. I stopped a few feet from him and tilted my head."You're the one who fought for me the other day," I said softly. I already knew his name, his rank, how long he had worked for Renzo, and the name of the woman he was trying to get back together with in Palermo. "I've been here," he said. One thing with Hawk was never underestimate his softness. His eyes were hard but his voice was equally soft. "For fifteen years," I smiled as this impressed m

ELIX"It's like I am worth nothing," I said, exhaling. Surprisingly, I didn't cry.Renzo turned from the window. He looked at me with dark and tired eyes, "Why are you being annoying?"I laughed. What a fucking ridiculous question. If it were eight years ago, the tears would build at the back of my throat because I had this belief that showing the wound would make Renzo feel sorry for me.It had worked for a time, but then Renzo spiraled into a unique type of depression because of Zaria. That was when I grew out of that. Not just that, it got boring after Renzo ignored my outbursts several times.The only time he genuinely showed interest was when my father died. Even then, I couldn't read his facial emotions. Was he happy or sad?It was really hard to say. Now, look at him act like the gentle perfect man to Zaria. "Annoying," I repeated."You finally got me, Elix." He moved to the chair across from the couch and sat, spreading his hands like he was explaining something to someone s

ELIX My next play card was the boy.By the time I got home, the tears had dried up on their own. Good. I didn't even have time for them. I dropped my bag on the couch and pulled out my phone. There were three missed calls from my father's second, which I ignored, and one from my lawyer, which I will return tomorrow.Who knew what that fool had in mind for me? My father's property would never be shared with anyone no matter what he had for me.Clearing my throat, I scrolled down to a number I had not dialed in six months.Silas picked up on the second ring."Miss Elix.""I need a meeting," I said. "Let's make it tonight at the usual place."There was silence at the other end for about three seconds. Then a gruff voice replied. "All three of us?"If I had known, I would have used Silas and his men to infiltrate Renzo's home. Those documents would be in my hands by now.Shit. May and her people were complete disgraces. "All three," I said then snapped the phone shut. _____________The