I couldn’t bring myself to talk to him because someone called on his cellphone. He quickly retrieved it and answered.
I bit my lip harshly, inflicting physical pain to try to replace the emotional anguish I felt due to everything Gio had said to me. He didn’t even greet the person calling; he just let them speak.
Gio stood up abruptly, and the expression in his eyes changed as soon as he heard what the person on the other line was saying. He furrowed his brow, and I saw the tension in his jaw.
“She hasn’t gone far. Search the area. She won’t get away. I already impaled her left foot. Mariana is moving slowly. I’ll be there in a second. If you find her, don’t hesitate to kill her. She’s no use to me after all.”
I was shocked when I heard Mariana’s name, but I wanted to hear from Gio what had really happened.
Gio quickly hung up his cellphone and rushed into the walk-in closet.
I followed him into the walk-in closet. I didn’t want to send him away while we were still in disagreement, but I also knew that whatever the call was about, he needed to be there.
“What happened to Mariana?” I asked. I felt ashamed because I didn’t immediately understand where he was coming from earlier. I wanted to apologize, but I thought I should give him some time to cool down first.
Gio looked at me for a moment. I couldn’t miss the tightening of his jaw before he turned away.
“Mariana escaped. I suspected it earlier, but I didn’t think my hunch was right.”
“I’ll go there. I’m sure she’s just in the area. She can’t walk properly, so she can’t get far,” he said as he passed me after changing. I gasped as he didn’t even look at me again.
“I’ll probably be home late. Go to sleep.”
I couldn’t bring myself to turn back to Gio before he closed the door. I looked up and couldn’t hold back the tears that I’d been feeling since earlier.
I am so selfish. Gio had already told me that he was jealous of Rory, but instead of listening to him, I told him that his jealousy was unjustified. I was wrong, and I realized that now. Why am I so naive? I didn’t mean to hurt Gio.
“Gio!”
I ran quickly outside. I wanted to apologize. I knew he was in a hurry, but before he left, I wanted to lighten the weight of his feelings.
The word “sorry” kept repeating in my mind because of the possible pain I had caused Gio. I didn’t intend to make him feel that way, but I knew I had.
I ran out of the house, but it was too late; they had already left.
~***~
After entering the house and finding myself in a sullen mood, I headed to the garage to get into a car. I opened the first car I saw and got inside. I quickly parked the car as someone opened the passenger’s seat and joined me. I looked over and saw Dario.
“Where are you headed, Ma’am?” he inquired, raising an eyebrow as if puzzled about my intentions.
I had completely forgotten that Dario might be here! I thought he would be going with Gio wherever he was going.
“I’m going to meet Gio. I’ll help in the search for Mariana!” I said before starting the car’s engine. My body trembled, and tears welled up. I didn’t have time to argue with Dario.
“Sir Gio won’t be pleased if you go there. It might only make the problem worse-”
He’s not pleased with me anyway.” I sighed and stared into the distance. “But I’ll see if I can be of help. You’re here too, right? Then protect me.” I wiped away the tears that threatened to fall.
Dario didn’t say anything. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him adjusting himself and fastening his seatbelt.
I glanced at Dario and caught him checking if his guns were loaded.
“Do you want me to drive, Ma’am?” he asked.
I smiled at his suggestion and shook my head. I quickly accelerated the car.
I asked Dario where we could find Mariana, and he suggested we go where Gio was right now, which I followed.
“I’ll get in trouble if Sir Gio sees us, Ma’am,” he said.
I looked at him, arching an eyebrow. “You were the one who said we should go there first.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I was just saying I might get reprimanded.”
I gave him a quick glare.
We reached the location Dario had indicated to me, and I saw a few of Gio’s men there, but Gio himself was not present.
I spotted Elliott, so I approached him. Although some of the people here were familiar to me, I didn’t often interact with them.
“Ma’am, what are you doing here?” I know Elliott looked at Dario, but my companion remained silent.
“Gio?” I asked, searching for my husband among the people present.
“He left earlier. They’re currently tracking Mariana. They left us here just in case Mariana returns-”
“Where?” I hurriedly asked him. Elliott looked at Dario again, and when I turned to Dario, I saw him nodding.
Elliott pointed out to me where Gio might be. I quickly returned to the car and headed there. Dario followed me promptly.
I drove fast. Dario and I couldn’t help but argue again. He suddenly withdrew his desire to find Mariana.
“Let’s leave Gio to handle it, Ma’am-”
“No, I’ll help.” If we expedite the search for Mariana, I can also talk to Gio soon. I want to resolve the argument we had earlier. I don’t want to prolong it.
As I drove on the dark highway, engaged in an argument with Dario, I abruptly stopped the car when I spotted a woman struggling to run in the distance.
“Dario!” I shouted and pointed to what I had seen. “Isn’t that Mariana?!”
Dario looked in the direction I was pointing but remained silent, just staring at me.
I quickly assessed what I should do. I couldn’t let her escape! Though Mariana was having a hard time running, she pushed through, even from a distance, I could see several wounds on her body. Perhaps the worst was a broken leg. I felt sorry for her. My initial plan to apprehend her slowly faded away.
I swallowed hard and gripped the steering wheel tightly. She betrayed Gio. She betrayed me. She didn’t consider me a friend as I had thought. Everything she showed me was part of her plan with Nicolas. She didn’t deserve any sympathy at this moment.