SEBASTIAN
The revelation was too much for Sienna, who gasped audibly, as if this was the last straw. In an eruption of emotion, Gio’s anguish manifested into a roar, and he flung the phone against the wall, shattering it. The Christmas tree met a similar fate, crashing onto the floor in response to his furious hands. Reacting swiftly, I grabbed Harper’s arm and hurried her toward the exit. “Leave! Get to the car and wait for me,” I urged, a sense of urgency in my voice.
Though Sienna, under Dario’s guidance, made her way outside, Harper resisted, not yielding to my push as she vehemently expressed her loyalty to her brother. “Gio, stop being irrational. Millie would never betray you, you fool!” she shouted, her voice laced with frustration and concern.
Meanwhile, Gio’s turmoil escalated further; he clutched a knife, his eyes fixed on the blade, his body convulsing with emotions. It was a sight that left me unsettled, for I had never witnessed him in such a state, not even when our father subjected us to his cruel torments involving knives, fire, and needles.
Ignoring Harper’s protests, I guided her barefoot to my Porsche, uncaring of her lack of shoes. She tried to shake me off, her voice rising in desperation. “Sebastian, you’ve got it all wrong!” she cried out, her words a plea that fell on deaf ears. My focus was set on ensuring her safety and then returning to Gio, preventing him from descending into a darkness that seemed reminiscent of a chilling serial killer.
Once Harper was securely inside the car, I locked the doors as she pounded against the windows, her frustration evident. Sienna, on the other hand, was confined to Dario’s Jeep, and he met my gaze with concern. “Millie wouldn’t betray Gio,” he asserted.
My response was laden with skepticism, an uncertainty that hung heavily in the air. “Are you absolutely certain?”
“Before he does something irreversible, you need to calm him down,” Dario advised, his words laden with urgency.
I nodded, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. “Go. I’ll handle this.”
“I’ll find a nearby hotel. Call me if you need help.”
Amid Harper’s incessant honking, a maddening symphony of anxiety, I resisted the urge to release her from the car. I couldn’t risk her proximity to Gio when his temperament was this volatile.
With a deep breath, I returned to the mansion, where Gio still clutched the knife, juxtaposed with an iPad that showcased the tormenting images in a larger format. His expression remained etched with agony, his soul seemingly torn apart.
Tentatively, I approached him, my voice laced with caution. “Gio?” I ventured, seeking to break through his turmoil. Yet, he remained unresponsive, lost in the visual narrative on the iPad, as though hoping the enlarged images would somehow negate their reality.
“Given the turmoil you’re facing, it might be wise to find some composure before acting in anger,” I advised, a note of reason underpinning my words.
Gio set down the iPad on the living room table and headed to the liquor cabinet. With a mix of concern and apprehension, I watched as he retrieved a bottle of whiskey and uncorked it with his teeth, his actions reflecting the turmoil within. Though alcohol was unlikely to quell his dangerous emotions, I understood his need for an outlet.
“Leave,” he rasped, his voice a reflection of his internal storm.
“Gio, your feelings for Millie-”
Gio staggered toward me, a seething storm of emotions barely contained. The temptation to draw my own weapon was a palpable undercurrent, but I resisted, knowing the futility of engaging in conflict with him. “Feelings!” he spat, his voice dripping with venom. “You might be fine with Harper’s betrayals, but the mere thought of Millie…” His voice cracked, and anger warped his features. While Harper had not betrayed him, arguing with Gio was an exercise in futility, one that I was determined to avoid in order to stave off my own tempestuous emotions.
“Leave!” he bellowed, his plea charged with urgency. “Go to your wife and let me contend with this on my own!”
I acquiesced, retreating a step, my gaze fixed on him. “Gio, certain actions can’t be undone,” I reiterated, echoing Dario’s advice.
With his back turned to me, Gio’s shoulders trembled, a manifestation of anger and a pain deeper than the former. He could confront the anger, but the heartbreak was a territory he hadn’t traversed before.
But I couldn’t intervene, not without risking a confrontation with Gio that might end in tragedy. I stepped back further, my chest constricting with unease. I couldn’t be certain whether I would encounter the same Gio again, the one I knew. If he harmed Millie, the aftermath would be irrevocable. Yet, even without that, I wasn’t sure if he could recover from this torment.
As I slipped behind the wheel, Harper’s fingers clenched my shirt, her desperation evident. Her voice was laced with urgency and anger as she spoke, her words a mix of plea and demand. “Sebastian, you bastard, let me go to Gio!”
I shot a sharp look at her, my tone low and intense. The day had taken a turn for the worst, and Gio’s demeanor was darker than I’d ever witnessed before. I had been a constant presence during his lowest moments, and this one seemed to surpass them all.
The gravity of the situation became clearer as Harper pressed on, her voice shaking. She implored me to allow her to call Millie, her words painted with fear. The accusation was dire: Gio’s jealousy and possessiveness had reached a tipping point, and Millie’s life was in danger due to an alleged betrayal. Harper labeled Gio as a “possessive asshole,” but the truth was far more complex.
It wasn’t just about Gio’s possessiveness. Millie had shattered the walls he had painstakingly built around his heart. She had earned his love, his trust, and had managed to breach the barriers that kept him distant from others. And now, it seemed she had betrayed him in the most painful way possible-by cheating. The emotions were raw, and I understood the turmoil that had consumed my brother.
I turned the key, starting the engine, but Harper’s desperation was palpable as she shoved my arm, her grip insistent. Her voice carried a mix of frustration and despair. “Sebastian, damn it!”
I met her gaze, my resolve firm. “They need to face this themselves.”
“Face this? You don’t understand, Sebastian. Gio won’t just talk. He’s capable of using his knife,” she declared with a mix of fear and determination. Her words were charged with a sense of finality. “If you let your brother harm Millie, it’s over between us.”
Harper’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and while it pained me, I couldn’t intercede. I couldn’t undermine the dynamics at play here. I explained my perspective, my words a blend of sympathy and firmness. “To stop Gio, I’d have to overpower him, maybe even eliminate him. That’s not a request you can make, Harper. Millie’s actions led to this point. She understands Gio better than anyone.”
Harper’s head shook with desperation, her voice a mere whisper of hope. “She didn’t betray him, Sebastian. She couldn’t have. Her love for Gio is real. He’s on the verge of ruining everything.”
My own frustration surged as I snapped back, my tone a growl. “No, Harper. Millie shattered what they had. She shattered his trust. Gio’s love and trust for her were unprecedented. She should’ve known better. This isn’t just about trust-it’s about the bond they shared. She shouldn’t have gone behind his back.”
Harper’s head shook vehemently, her tears falling freely. Her sobs were a painful melody that tugged at my heart. She wasn’t one to cry easily, and this was a testament to the depth of her emotions. “She didn’t betray him. He has to see that,” she pleaded.
With conviction, I affirmed, “Gio loves Millie more than his own life. He’d sooner forfeit his own existence than harm her.”
While such words might be hollow from most, they held weight when it came to Gio. His love for Millie ran deep, beyond reason and bounds. She had the power to hurt him in ways no one else could, yet emerge untouched herself.