14

It's been four weeks since the night Domenico and I met for the second time. We decided to give it a try. As good as it gets of course. My bad conscience towards my family is still there, it will probably never go away, but it's slowly diminishing and it doesn't bother me as much as it did at the beginning. I also have to admit that I fell head over heels in love with Domenico. My head knew it was wrong, but it happened anyway. Domenico had my heart, and he's had it since the damn beginning.

i am happy with him He makes me laugh. You can have a good chat with him. And meanwhile we also have a lot of nice moments together. We even went to dinner one evening. At a restaurant on the outskirts. To be on the safe side, Domenico had reserved the restaurant for us alone, because of my family or his. One of the advantages of being awash with money. I will never forget that evening either. He was just too beautiful for that. We wrote to each other every day now. At least one good morning or good night message.

I was just getting ready. We're having dinner with Adriana's family tonight. I opted for a light blue, tight-fitting dress, which I also put on white sneakers. I put a mascara on my eyelashes and left my hair loose. After spraying myself some more perfume, I grabbed my small purse, put my phone in there, and ran downstairs. This time I was on time. Even overtime. When I got downstairs, Ramón and Alejandro were already there.

When Ramón saw me, he looked mock surprised, pulled up his shirt sleeve slightly to reveal his watch and looked at it. "Am I hallucinating, or is Tana on time?" He asked Alejandro, who couldn't help but laugh. "Miracles happen," Ale replied, laughing. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head and joined them. "Where are the others?" I asked, they just shrugged. As I opened my bag to get my phone out, I noticed Ale tapping his foot on the floor over and over again. He usually only does that when he's nervous and that's very, very, very rare with Alejandro. Easter and Christmas should fall on the same day. (Do any of you guys know that phrase? Haha)" Are you nervous?" I asked with a bit of concern. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and cocked his head slightly. "Me? Why?" he wanted to know. "Your foot, you only do that when you're nervous," I pointed out. Briefly, his gaze shifted to his foot. "No, why should I be nervous? We're just going to the López's for dinner. And besides, I wonder how long it will take the others. Being patient isn't one of my strengths Tana, you know that." I nodded before hearing my sister's voice talking to Sebastián as they walked towards us. you only do that when you're nervous," I pointed out to him. Briefly, his gaze shifted to his foot. "Well, why should I be nervous? We're just going to the López's for dinner. And besides, I wonder how long it will take the others. Being patient isn't one of my strengths Tana, you know that." I nodded before hearing my sister's voice talking to Sebastián as they walked towards us. you only do that when you're nervous," I pointed out to him. Briefly, his gaze shifted to his foot. "Well, why should I be nervous? We're just going to the López's for dinner. And besides, I wonder how long it will take the others. Being patient isn't one of my strengths Tana, you know that." I nodded before hearing my sister's voice talking to Sebastián as they walked towards us.

-

When the gate opened and we drove through, I unbuckled myself. While Ale parked the car, I took my cell phone out of my pocket and texted Adri that we're there. The car came to a stop and we got out, as did Papá and the rest of the other car. Together we all ran to the front door of the large property, which was then opened for us by a security guard. Seconds later I heard running footsteps, before Adriana suddenly appeared in my field of vision and the next moment wrapped her arms tightly around me. I smiled and hugged her back, trying to keep us on our feet as best as possible as she nearly knocked us over. "Mierda, I'll never understand something like that," laughed Ramón, looking at us. "It's not my fault that you don't have friends, hermano", I smiled sweetly while Adriana and I broke apart again. Adri and I laughed because he suddenly looked so taken aback. He hadn't expected my answer. "I have friends!" he defended himself. "Yeah," said Adriana and I laughing and walked on.

When we got to the dining room, we sat down at the huge table and waited for the others. Adriana looked around briefly, probably to make sure no one was there. Suddenly she came closer to me. "Can we talk later?" she whispered. She seemed nervous. "Of course what is it about?" I whispered back. That scared me a bit, to be honest. Is she nervous or am I just imagining it? I saw that she was about to say something, but at the same moment I heard some come into the room. "As always, you storm in here first," I heard Juan laugh and turned around only to meet Ángel's face as well. He smiled kindly. I returned his smile. "We have to secure the best places, hermano," explained Adriana. I had to laugh. "And besides, you're already old, you can't keep up with us anymore," I laughed and stuck out my tongue provocatively. They looked at us indignantly. "What have I done now?" Ángel wanted to know. "Nothing, you're just there," I grinned sweetly. He just shook his head, laughing. The two headed towards the table.

Ángel sat next to me and Juan next to him. "Cayetana?" someone suddenly whispered in my ear. I almost winced because it was so unexpected. I turned my head to Ángel. "Sí?" I whispered back. Why does everyone have to whisper? "Maybe we can talk later?" he asked, in exactly the same tone. "Sure, what is it about?" I replied. Why the hell was everything so weird today. First Alejandro seems nervous, which isn't usually the case, then two want to talk to me, what's next? The De Santis become the talk of the meal? "Later," was all he said and turned to Juan. One by one everyone came into the room and at some point the maids served the food.

-

I put my cutlery on the plate and pushed it further away from me. I leaned back a bit and watched my brothers. What did Valenín look like? Has a cow licked his head? That looks awful. I had to hold back a loud laugh. I slowly leaned towards Adriana, who was also already finished. "Adri?" I giggled in a whisper. "Valentín looks like a cow licked his head. Don't you agree?" I laughed softly. Adriana's eyes wandered to Valentín before she laughed out loud, which carried me away. I had to laugh so loud that I even had to hold my stomach while Adriana banged the table with laughter the whole time. "What's the matter with them?" Juan asked confused. "I have no idea, hermano",

When we recovered we looked at Valentín with a grin. "Did a cow lick your head or why does your hair look so horribly gelled back?" I asked, struggling to keep from laughing out loud again. But Adriana didn't succeed, she had to laugh out loud again. He looked at me puzzled. "Que?" he asked, which made me laugh. Adriana and I literally screamed for a bet. This wasn't the first time we had to laugh like that at a meal.

I even saw my parents laugh. "Where she's right, she's right," my papá agreed. That made Álvaro and Lucía laugh as well, as did the rest of the table. "Suficiente!" said Valentin. Okay, now I feel a little sorry for him. I immediately tried to stop my laughter, which I managed as well as I could. The others stopped laughing too.

I love these moments. Moments we spend with the López family that feel like we're all one big family. I had to smile at that thought.

"Have you already told them about the gala, Diego?" Adriana's father suddenly asked. A gala? I looked at my dad in confusion, as did my brothers. "No, but that's what I wanted today anyway," my father replied. "What kind of gala?" I wanted to know. "We're going to a charity gala next week," my dad explained. We? "Me too?" I asked, grinning. "Sí, all of us at this table."

I suddenly looked at Adriana. "We're going to a gala!" I said euphorically and full of excitement. "I heard it, Tana," she laughed and seemed pleased as well. I've never been to a gala and neither has Adriana, so that's why it was so exciting for us.

"Is Eliano actually coming with his family?" Álvaro asked in a derogatory tone. I swallowed and it felt like all facial expressions left my face. What an irony. Earlier I was joking about it in my head and now the De Santis are really the issue. I continued to listen silently. "Yes, Carlos told me," my father spoke disparagingly. "How did the burglary actually go?" Ángel wanted to know. I swallowed hard. I don't want to know all that. I had to deal with my bad conscience towards my family, so I don't want another one towards Domenico. "We didn't find anything useful. I guess Eliano should have guessed that we were planning something," explained my father. Domenico also said, that it was obvious that it was us. It was somehow. Why else should you invite your enemy to dinner? "But we're already planning something new," Alejandro intervened. you do what Okay, I want to get out of here, but then again, I want to know what. "We finally want to see the De Santis dead. And that's why we're already on it," interjected my dad. "But isn't that stupid?" Shit slipped out of my mouth. All eyes landed on me. Fucking shit. We finally want to see the De Santis dead. And that's why we're already on the verge of it," my dad interjected. "But isn't that stupid?" Shit slipped over my lips. All eyes landed on me. Fucking shit. We finally want to see the De Santis dead. And that's why we're already on the verge of it," my dad interjected. "But isn't that stupid?" Shit slipped over my lips. All eyes landed on me. Fucking shit.

"Que?" my father wanted to know. Crap. I curse my quick mouth. I never think. Alright Cayetana, you can do it! I gulped before I started my sentence. "Well, wouldn't it be unwise if you killed her?" I asked, having to think of something quickly. "Why should it be unwise?" Juan wanted to know. Dios, why do I always have to put myself in such awkward situations? "Well, the De Santis must have people who support them or something. And I wouldn't think it wise to try to kill them. Then the people are after us. Or not?" I tried as confidently as possible to give me Under the table, Adriana grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly. She noticed how nervous I was. "OK, Cayetana is right somehow. We don't need another war with others. We should do it so it doesn't look like it was us," Ale said. What? No! Damn.