After Marco left, Kara picked up her phone and lazily slumped back on the sofa.
She browsed through her messages and calls, hoping one of them came from Nico, but there was none. His silence was actually killing her.
Kara sighed as an inexplicable fear and ache filled her heart.
She stared at her phone for a long time, surprised when it vibrated in her hand.
Eagerly, she checked the caller, but her mood plummeted when she realized it was Evan.
“Kara, are you ready to go back to Castiliogne Villa?” It was Evan checking on her.
She remembered that
When Nico and Evan arrived at the Castiliogne Villa, they could hear Don Leo’s thundering voice.They could hear Don Leo asking for his whereabouts, but no one could say where he was. No one knew because he never told anyone except Evan where he was headed last night when he left Rebecca's hospital.“Where is Nico? He had the gall to leave at a time like this?”Even from outside the gates, they could feel the man’s rage. “I am here,” Nico announced in a voice full of authority when he got in.Upon seeing him, Don Leo marched up to him and exclaimed. “My daughter is lying in the hospital bed, and where were you?”Don Leo did not give Nico a chance to explain because the accusation came with a surprise attack.Nico reeled when Don Leo hit him with a metal knuckle. He thought he saw stars.Nico shook his head at the unexpectednes
“You said it has been three days, and you have not heard from him since?” Marmie asked, pacing the length of Kara’s living room floor.It was Marmie’s day off, and she surprised Kara by arriving at her doorstep unannounced.“Yeah. I can not even call him. His provider said his phone was disconnected.” She admitted, her tone laced with worry.Then, her eyes looked beseechingly at her friend.“Have you seen Nico at the hotel? Maybe you pass him a message for me?” Marmie shook her head.“I am afraid not. I have not seen the boss for a week. Bruno was the one running the hotel. I sometimes see Evan with him, but you know Evan. He was too stuck up for his own good.”Kara had to laugh. This love-and-hate relationship between Marmie and Evan had gone on too long.“I thought you liked him?&rdq
“For your peace of mind and everybody else, forget about Nico. He will never come back.” Bruno said with finality.Kara did not know how to pull herself together after hearing Bruno's shocking revelations. Her body swayed to the side.Her eyes watered fast.“Kara, are you alright?” Marmie asked when she noticed Kara faltered in her steps.Then, she noted Kara’s pallor, making her increasingly worried about her friend.In her blurry vision, Kara saw Marmie’s lips move but could not understand any word her friend said.Bruno’s words rang loud and clear. Nico is gone. He went to Sicily with Rebecca despite his promise to fix things so that they could be together as a family. He lied to her. Again.At this realization, Kara felt her whole body shake uncontrollably. The heat of the sun did not help. There we
Evan wanted to argue on behalf of Nico, but looking at Kara’s stoic face made him change his mind.It did not help that he knew nothing about birthing mothers. He was clueless as to what to say.An awkward silence enveloped them, punctuated by Marmie’s frosty glares.His phone rang, and he had to answer it away from curious ears. “I will just answer this outside.” He told Kara and went out hurriedly.“Hello?” He greeted his caller when he reached the corridor outside Kara’s room.The hallway was empty, and his voice echoed, prompting him to tone it down.“How is she?” Nico asked on the other line.“She is fine and recovering.” He told his boss, sounding clipped and sharp.“What about the baby? Have you seen her?” Nico asked excitedly. If he did notice his assistant's snarky attitude,
Marmie and Josh talked while they walked until they reached the entrance to the emergency room, but it looked like Marmie did not want to leave yet.“Would you like to come in? I may still have some time before the next patient arrives.”Marmie hesitated.“I might get in your way.”Josh smiled. “No, you won’t. You can leave when my first case arrives.”After the reassurance, Marmie agreed.Josh led her to a counter where he and another medical staff talked.
Marmie checked her wristwatch and wiped the sweat off her face using the back of her other hand.She is going to be late.Around them, she could hear the blaring of horns. There are other cars stuck in traffic with them."Sir, can you go a little faster?" She requested the cab driver."There has been a collision, miss. There is nothing much we can do at the moment." The driver also looked annoyed.To him, being stuck endlessly in traffic also meant a reduction in his daily income.Over time, nervousness showed on Marmie's face. She remembered Evan's threat, and knowing him, she was sure that he would make good on that promise given the opportunity.She blamed herself for this. If she is not so eager to return to her home to freshen up and change clothes, she would not end up in this situation.But she did not want Evan to see her bedraggled.When she confronts him, sh
Back at the hospital, the caretaker Evan contracted came, but Kara refused to take her in to the other woman's dismay. "I am sorry for the trouble. I really do not need a caretaker. Please, tell Evan that I can manage on my own." Kara said, refusing to be indebted to anyone. "Besides, I am here. I can take care of you." Marco told her. He met the caretaker when the latter was going out, and Marco was about to get inside Kara’s room, so she explained a little about it. Kara smiled to take the sting out of her words. "Sorry, but I mean it. I can manage by myself. You do not have to worry about me." "I know. But it would make me feel at ease if I helped you somehow." Kara did not speak, mulling over Marco's words. "C'mon, Kara, this is not such a big deal. I just want to help. We are friends, remember?" He pouted, looking like a little lost boy, leaving Kara smiling. In the end, she let him have his way and nodded her assent. Marco smiled that he was able to coax her. During
Sicily. “Nico, wake up!” Nico hissed when he felt a numbing pain on his back as cold water splashed on his head. His partially opened eyes took on the surroundings around him. He did not know how much time had passed. All he knew was that he had to endure somehow. “What time is it?" He asked his tormentor, ignoring the pain in every part of his body. “It’s time for your punishment.” His tormentor stated before hitting him with a whip. “Ugh!” He grunted.One hundred lashes every day. That is what he has endured since returning to Sicily, but he does not regret everything. He gritted his teeth as he felt another pain hit him. Not long after, Don Leo came in. “Is he still at it?” He asked Nico’s tormentor, who nodded in assent. “He still wanted to leave.” Don Leo looked at Nico’s back. It was full of welts. New wounds were forming from the old ones. “Will you leave us, please?” He told the whipper. When he heard the sound of the door closing, Don Leo walked to the front