Chapter 47

Christian

“It was Isobel Sala and your brother Enzo,” Carlo spoke.

“They told me to spread the rumor and threatened me that I should never speak of the truth if I want my family to be safe— they threatened my wife, followed my son to school.” He cried.

“Your brother told me to destroy you in every way possible, a-a-and Isobel told me this should end with Fabio putting a bullet through Serena’s head.”

Christian was confused by the names he had spoken, and looked at the man to find a small hint of a lie, but couldn’t find anything. Johnny and Luca were just as flustered as he was by those two names. From all people it had to be their own cousin and the one, they trusted the most.

“Fabio must already know by now, I’m so sorry.” Carlo cried.

“See, that was not that hard.” Christian got up from the floor and was frozen by the news he had gotten. “Please don’t let them hurt me, please,” Carlo asked and grabbed his leg, but Christian’s mind was numb with total shock and disbelief.

He slowly turned back around and grabbed the gun from the floor— while he tried to eliminate the sound of Carlo’s cries. He did not know how the two found out, but his own brother and his best friend betrayed him— and still then, he was willing to protect Enzo.

He did not even want to think about what Lucio would do if he found out that his own son betrayed the family.

Luca who stood behind the man saw what Christian was planning and nodded his head, while Johnny shook his head at his cousin— and wanted him to keep his promise.

“I’m sorry,” Christian whispered and cocked the gun as he pointed it towards Carlo’s head. “No, you promised— I’ll do everything, please!” The man cried out.

“Christian do it!” Luca yelled at him. “Christian don’t, you made him a promise!” He heard Johnny tell him in the other ear, but all that got through was the man begging for his life.

“Christian, when people find out you’ve decided to show a rat mercy or that your own brother betrayed you, the family will grow weak. Get rid of this man!” Luca tried to convince him, while Johnny disagreed. “Christian, you made him a promise— and now you have to keep it, even if you kill him now Lucio will still want you to give him a name!”

“Christian, this man can be easily replaced, Enzo is your brother— get rid of this man and protect both Enzo and Isobel’s name. The last thing we need right now is a feud with the Sala’s on top of everything.” Luca wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“All of you, shut up!” Christian yelled out and smacked the gun against the man’s temple.

“Get up!” He yelled at the man, who obeyed his wishes and didn’t dare to look up. He understood Johnny’s point— he would have to give Lucio a name one way or another and he had made this man a promise, but he also understood Luca’s point— letting a rat live and risking him not keeping his mouth shut about his brother who he wanted to protect would make them a laughing stock.

“Isobel did this on her own, Enzo had nothing to do with this,” Christian spoke with the gun still pointed at Carlo’s head.

“B-b-but...” Carlo started but stopped when he saw the look on Christian’s face. “Enzo had nothing to do with this, it was Isobel on her own— and you will take this to the grave,” Christian repeated himself. “Do I make myself clear?”

The man repeatedly nodded his head while Johnny and Luca were confused by Christian’s decision, but for Christian, it was not something he had to think about. He knew from the start that he would protect his brother, one way or another.

“I will make sure Lucio spares your life— just as you told me Isobel left you no choice, you are not a rat but just a pawn in her little game, do you hear me?” He continued. Carlo nodded his head. “I-I understand.”

“Repeat,” Christian ordered him. With stuttering words, Carlo repeated the sentence over and over again until Christian was satisfied.

“You go home, and you will stay home until one of Lucio’s men contacts you— and you will give them this exact same information. Isobel will try to threaten you into speaking my brother’s name, but don’t even think about it.” Christian warned him one last time.

The ride back to the hotel was a quiet one. Christian felt betrayed by the two he loved the most and did not know how he would ever move past it. It was not that hard for him to figure that this was all Isobel and Enzo on their own, without Aldo Sala’s help who had been loyal to the Lamberti’s for years.

Isobel had not only put them but also her father in an awkward position, but Christian knew that Lucio would be able to spare Isobel. Lucio had called her his daughter and the Sala’s were one of his closest friends, so throwing her under the bus was not something he worried about— the only thing bothering him was the betrayal.

“I just got off the phone with Marc, Serena and the baby are safe and he has tightened the security around the house,” Johnny told him, and for the first time in minutes, he could finally breathe.

“Are you sure it’s smart not to inform Serena? Her going outside right now would only bring her in more danger.” Johnny wondered, but Christian disagreed.

“I don’t ever want her to worry about this kind of stuff and absolutely not while carrying a baby...Serena liked Enzo she...she doesn’t have to know.” Christian thought about Serena who would always ask him how Enzo was doing.

“Are you ok?” Luca asked. It had been a long time since he had seen a hurt expression on Christian’s face. He could easily admit that he was not too happy about him taking over Lucio and that he had no desire to interfere with Christian or Serena— but lately, a lot had changed.

“No, I’m not. I’m trying to think of the reasons for them to betray me but...”

He knew that for Isobel it probably had to be jealousy, but he could not find a reason behind Enzo— the only one besides Johnny and Marc who had rooted for him and stood by his side when no one else was. The one who taught him how to ride a bike, how to hold a gun, how to hit on girls— comforted him through his first heartbreak, promised him to never leave his side. Out of everyone it had to be him.

“On a good note, people always said it would either be me, Johnny or even Gio be the one to stab you in the back but turns out they’re wrong.” Luca awkwardly laughed while Johnny gave his younger brother a smack against his head. “Not the time Luca.”

“Christian, I know you’re confused right now, as are we— Enzo and Isobel mean just as much to us, but you need to keep your head together and give us your instructions. ”Right, I’m sorry.” Christian apologized.

“I will personally inform my dad when we get back.”

“Isobel is right here, and you’re letting her go?” Luca asked in disbelief as Johnny tried to shut him up. “I’m not, I will hand her over to my dad— but not before I know for sure that Serena’s safe.”

“So what will you do now?” Johnny wondered. “I will get the answers I’m looking for.” Christian sighed.

When they had arrived back at the hotel, Christian wasted no time and had immediately rushed over to Isobel’s room. Isobel and Aldo would leave for Miami, but before that Christian wanted to give her the chance to explain herself.

He repeatedly knocked on the door and when he heard Isobel’s voice, asking him to wait— he could almost fly through the door to attack her.

“Back already? I was just about to leave, but I’m happy to see you.” Isobel spoke and let him in, while Christian tried to avoid her gaze. He did not want to look her in the eye and could still not believe that the person he trusted, the person he shared everything with— was the person who would put his child in danger. “What were you doing again?”

“Dealing with a rat, and I got the answers I was looking for,” Christian spoke. He tried to see if Isobel could sense anything, but she was just as cheerful as she had always been. She must’ve trusted Carlo to not open his mouth under any circumstances.

“Why?” Christian asked, nearing the end of his patience. Isobel turned around and tried to read his expression. “What?”

“Don’t play this game with me. Why did you betray me...why?” Christian paced back and forth. Isobel who had finally realized what was happening needed some time to process that he had managed to crack Carlo, the man who she had thought to have under her grip.

“Does your jealousy for Serena goes that far that you had to put my baby’s life in danger?” Christian asked, still waiting for an answer— but Isobel kept her mouth shut. He kicked her suitcase to the side, letting it fall while Isobel flinched.

“I’m asking you a question, why!” He yelled out and walked closer until Isobel was glued to the wall and he had her cornered. “Did I hurt you in any way, were you forced to do this? Just tell me why.” Christian asked her.

Isobel chuckled with an evil grin on her face and shrugged her shoulders. “So now you can talk? After years of using me, misleading me, now you want to talk?”

“And just to be clear, it wasn’t just me— it was me and Enzo, but I think you’ve already heard that. If I’m going down, I will bring Enzo down with me.” Isobel spat in his face.

“You won’t, you will keep Enzo’s name out of your mouth and you will leave Carlo Saccone and his family alone— because believe it or not, despite everything I don’t ever want to see you hurt, I’ve always considered you my friend— so I will ask my dad to show you mercy,” Christian told her. He knew that Lucio would not touch her, no matter the mistake she made.

“Oh I know, because if you wanted to, you would’ve done it a long time ago.” She smiled. “All of this because you’re jealous of Serena? Have you realize what you have done?” Christian asked.

“You told me you would give us a second thought, you told me you were willing to try with me— and everything had changed when she had moved in.”

“All of this because your heart got broken? You are actually risking my baby’s life, no— you are risking everyone’s life, including your own family’s to let Fabio Garcia start a war because I broke your heart? Do you hear yourself?” Christian spoke in disbelief.

Rather than it being thought through, he knew Isobel’s decision was spontaneous as there had been no thought about the Sala’s fighting alongside the Lamberti’s and the Alfonzo’s in case a war would break out.

“You’re going so far for a stripper’s baby, but she isn’t even loyal! Because while you’re fighting for her she’s screwing Vincenzo!” Isobel spoke.

“She has already jumped into the enemy arms since a long time ago— and you let her, so trust me or not— I’m not the bad guy here!”

“Stop the lies,” Christian spoke. He trusted Serena and expected her to tell him if that was the case. Other than these past days he had instructed Vernon to stop following her around because he trusted her.

“It’s not a lie, you can call him and ask him, or better yet— you can call her!” Isobel laughed. Christian thought of all the times he had asked her about her plans for the day and she had shrugged it off.

Even if it was the truth he knew he had no right to get angry with her because she did not know the nature of the Garcia’s, but he felt like he did have to right to be angry because he told her not to hang out with him.

“Don’t you worry about that, the only thing you have to worry about is my dad showing your family mercy.” Christian made clear.

He had no time for any of this and only one thing was going through his mind, he had to get home to Serena as soon as possible.