Dusk

Chapter 23 - Purgatory

Vanessa's POV

"Your bastard is lucky," Jack commented mockingly, gesturing to my stomach. I looked at him, puzzled. "Your father called me today and asked me to visit him. When I went there, Vincent told me he would give me the hotel which he opened two months ago as well as the forty percentage shares of his company after your bastard's birth," he informed dryly.

"What..." I mumbled, surprised.

"So I will let you give birth to this bastard, but I promise I will turn your his or her life to hell," he stated, giving me a devilish look, and stormed out without letting me say anything, slamming the door behind him.

I grinned happily and caressed my flat stomach tenderly. It was a miracle which I needed. Now my baby was in safe. I wouldn't lose him or her too.

"Don't worry, my love. You are safe now. And don't afraid of anything, as soon as you will be born, we will run away together. No one will find us. I won't let Jack to ruin your life too. Just don't leave me, please. Mommy needs you. You will be my strength, my little one," I whispered softly, stroking my belly.

Rick's POV

I breathed deeply, taking off my black sunglasses as I walked towards my brother's grave in slow steps. It always made me feel bad visiting here. Despite the fact, my father informed me that even if I didn't went that damned place, Domenico would go to meet that rotten bastard, I couldn't still stop myself from feeling guilty.

"Nico... I am here. I couldn't keep my promise... I am back to my darkness. However, this time it is worse than before," I commented gloomily and shook my head. "Your little brother couldn't change. I am the same hot-headed bastard. But I promise you I won't let anyone hurt my loved ones again," I promised, determined and paused, smirking sadly. "Probably you don't believe me anymore... Maybe you are right. I am hopeless, huh?... You know it still hurts.  I can't forget her... nor her betrayal. She was the only woman who I truly loved, but she..." I clenched my fist in irritation. "She didn't care about me; she chose to marry that scumbag despite the fact she knew what he did to me. I was a fool; I even thought Jack saw my messages on her phone by chance. I am an idiot. A real idiot! However, after all of these things, when I heard that she married him, and they have a happy family, I finally admitted it; she never loved me, and she didn't care what Jack tried to do to me. But I won't let them be happy after what they have done to me. I will make them pay for it. I swear, Nico. I swear!"

I heaved a loud sigh, closing my eyes, and shook my head.

"You probably think that it is karma. I am sorry for betraying you. I won't stop regretting what happened between Angela and me till I die." I sighed sadly, running my hand through my hair. "You probably know about her. She is so cute and beautiful. She has our eyes. Angela told me that she looks our father when she is annoyed." I chuckled in amusement. "When we talked on the phone yesterday, she told me she missed me. These days she is my only happiness. I promise I will protect Angela and that little innocent angel, and keep them away from our darkness. Dad doesn't still know about her existence. You know if he finds out about her, he would drag her into our darkness. Angela is right; it is the best for her to stay away from us. I don't want them to suffer more. I..."

I sighed, annoyed as my phone rang, interrupted me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and picked up the phone. It was one of my henchmen.

"The police arrested him. He will stay there for a few days, but it will still make a fuss," my henchman, Arturo informed me after greeting me politely.

"Great! Keep me informed." I smirked self-satisfied and hung up the phone. I sighed and looked at my brother's grave. "I know you wouldn't approve of it, but it is me. I am Antonio Castelli's son. I am as ruthless as him. You were only one who acted compassionately among Castellis." I shook my head gloomily and heaved a loud sigh. "And you know if I let my father take revenge, it would be more destructive and bloody. Despite the fact I can't forget what Nessa did to me, I won't leave her in my father's hands. I had to take the reins," I stated, determined. "I wish you were here. I need you so much." I breathed depply, pausing. "Forgive me for everything, Nico. I love you, Domenico."

I breathed deeply and put on my sunglasses back and walked towards my car.

***

As soon as I arrived in the mansion, Mario greeted me. I gestured to him to follow me to my study room and walked towards there without waiting for him.

"Did you hear anything from Luke?" I asked firmly while pouring some whiskey into my glass for myself as soon as Mario walked into my study room and closed the door behind him.

"Not yet. Jack sent him to Mexico for two weeks. He will be back tomorrow," he replied.

I gritted my teeth, annoyed. "I put him there to give me information about Jack and his family, not for spending his time out of town," I stated angrily.

"He couldn't refuse; it would make Jack suspicious," Mario commented.

I heaved a loud sigh, shaking my head. "Contact him and make him take care of the CCTV cameras in the house," I ordered firmly.

"I will... But are you sure?" Mario asked, looking hesitate about my plan.

"Yes, it is time to get back what he stole from me," I commented confidently and smirked devilishly. He nodded, sighing, and left my study room, closing the door behind him.

Vanessa's POV

I caressed my baby bump tenderly while looking at myself in the mirror. Despite the fact I was five months pregnant, I didn't show so much when I wore loose clothes.

Firstly, I was worried for my baby because my bump was little; my morning sickness didn't totally pass, and I didn't often have appetite. I was afraid of my baby's health, but the doctor assured me that my little one was healthy, and it was normal to have a smaller bump as well because every woman body was different from each other.

Suddenly, I heard the noises coming from the garden. I rushed towards the window to see what was going on. My heart started beating faster as I saw masked men with guns in the garden. Meanwhile, a few of Jack's men were lying on the ground, wounded.

I rushed towards the door in panic and tried to open it, but it was locked as always.

Damn it!

I ruffled my hair nervously, thinking about what I should do while resting my hand on my belly protectively. As the noises were getting closer, I rushed towards the bathroom to hide there.

As soon as I walked in, I closed the door behind me and locked it. Then I leaned against the tiled wall, breathing heavily while my heart was pounding. I rested my hand on my belly protectively as I heard loud noises coming from my bedroom; probably, they broke the door down.

Tears ran down my cheeks uncontrollably and I was shaking in fear while they were trying to open the bathroom door. In a second, they broke the door down, and two armed men walked into the bathroom.

"No, let go of me," I begged, crying when they grabbed my arms. "No!" I shouted, trying to pull back when one of them tried to put the cloth on my mouth while the other man held me tightly. "No..." I mumbled before everything darkened.

***

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the bed in the room. I rested my hand on my belly in panic and breathed deeply in relief as I felt my baby's movements. Fortunately, nothing happened to my little one. I got up carefully and went towards the door in slow steps.

"Damn it," I groaned, annoyed as I understood that it was locked.

I looked around, trying to find a way to escape, but there were a bed and a little window, nothing more. I approached the window and stood on my tiptoes to look around to find out where I was.

I frowned as I didn't understand where I was; there were just trees around the building when I looked through the window.

As I heard noises coming behind the door, I walked towards the door quietly, trying to hear what they were talking about. There were two different male voices coming from the hallway.

I frowned as I couldn't understand them because they weren't talking in English. It looked like Italian.

Oh my goodness! Probably, they are Antonio Castelli's henchmen.