CHAPTER 98: – EMILIO –

"Why should I...be?" Vivaian asked. "I mean, it was frightening at first, but that was because my head was everywhere. Now that I’ve taken a deep breath, it doesn’t...really bother me. And it’s not because I don’t want it to. It should absolutely bother me. It just doesn’t. And maybe that’s because deep down, I know he wouldn’t...hurt me. Besides, he’s just not human, and that’s about it."

Sabrina squinted her eyes at her and rapidly nodded. "Okay, okay." She chuckled like none of this made sense to her. "Let me get this straight. My best friend’s husband is not human. He’s a vampire which is still insane. And more so that my best friend is not freaked out. Is this what love does?"

"What does this have to do with love?" Viviana questioned.

Sabrina cocked a brow. "But you are in love with him."

"Sabrina—"

"You look like a mess," Sabrina cut off. "Your eyes are puffed. You’ve been crying. You clearly didn’t sleep as well, I mean, you have dark circles under your eyes for the first time since I’ve known you. You look completely miserable and you’re going to deny you’re in love with him?"

"So what if I am?"

Viviana brushed her hair out of her face.

"What does it even matter anyway?"

Sabrina furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

"I left."

"You...left?"

"Yes, I left him. Alright. There’s nothing between him and I anymore and the divorce papers are being processed."

Sabrina blinked at her. "Vi, are you sure about this?"

"Meaning?" Viviana balled her fists. "He lied to me, Sabrina. And you know that’s the one thing I hate. It frightens me, being kept in the dark. And I wonder if he did this time, he could do it again, right? And I’d end up being a fool. He said he loved me, it-it could be a lie. I-I-I don’t want to gamble my heart. Don’t you see my mother? What happened to her because she believed a man who didn’t love her loved her? I’m scared. And I’d rather leave than..."

She swallowed a sob, wiping at her eyes to stop herself from crying all over again.

"Oh..." Sabrina’s voice trembled in pity at seeing her like this. She pulled her into a soft hug, caressing her hair. "I’m so sorry. I know how uncontrollable it is in your head. You’ve been afraid for so long and the one time you finally decided to love a man again, to trust again, it ended this way. I’m so sorry."

Viviana sobbed into her shoulder. "I love him, Sabrina."

"I know you do."

"But I’m afraid."

"I know you. And it’s okay. Listen, we’re going to fix this, alright? W-we’ll fix this. Okay?"

Viviana nodded.

Sabrina caressed her as soothingly as she could, a deep sigh fleeing from her.

She didn’t know how they could fix this. Everything had gone wrong...

Emilio paced the restaurant he’d booked. Since the last issue with Viviana, he’d been trying to figure out how to make things work out for him.

Her husband was like a mad man. He seemed possessive of her, and that wasn’t right. From the research he’d done on him, nothing gave him the right to be possessive of a woman like Viviana.

He wasn;t good enough for her. He wasn’t worthy of her. Viviana was out of his league, he shouldn’t even be married to her in the first place.

She was the lady Di-grassi and he...he was just a nobody. It felt insulting that nothing like him could be so close to her, even touch her. It just shouldn’t be, and he knew just how to fix it.

After finding out where they’d lived, he’d had one of his men invite him to this restaurant, so that they could talk.

He wanted to have a firm word with him. To set things straight.

The glass door pushed open just in time and none other than Nikolas waltzed through. Black shirt with a knee length coat thrown above it. He had on a well nice slacks to go with it, hands covered by the black gloves he had on.

There was no tinge of amusement on his face and as his eyes crossed over to Emilio, they grew colder, darker than they already seemed.

He approached him. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes." Emilio tried to smile. "We didn’t start off well last time and I—" "

"Get to the point," Nikolas demanded.

Emilio felt a chill rush down his spine, but he ignored it. "Fine, I’ll get to the point," he said. "Viviana, I don’t think you’re good enough for her."

Nikolas lifted a brow.

Emilio continued, "She’s a woman that is out of your league. A woman that shouldn’t be stuck with you. I don’t know what she saw in you or why she actually married you. You have nothing to offer her, you can’t take care of her. This is Viviana Di-grassi we’re talking about. Doesn’t it bother you that she’s stuck with a man like you?"

He was waiting for an answer from him. "Is that what you think?"

"It’s the reality, Mr. Nikolas."

"Is that so?"

"I’m not trying to insult or belittle you. But let’s be honest with yourself here," Emilio said.

Nikolas curiously tipped his head to the side. "What exactly are you trying to get at?" The man was a bit shorter than him, thus making Emilio lift his eyes to meet his gaze.

Emilio dragged a deep breath. "Since you’ve forced me to say it, I will." He stepped closer into Nikolas’s space. "Viviana Di-grassi loves me."

Nikolas narrowed his eyes. "She does?"

"Yes," Emilio’s gaze hardened. "You may not know this, but we were childhood sweethearts. I was her first love and I am still the man she loves. It’s just sad that I fucked up in the past and caused this rift between us. But I know her feelings for me haven’t died. Otherwise she wouldn’t have come to see me that night. She’s mad at me but it’s only a matter of time before I can fix this tension between us."

Nikolas, for the first time since this conversation began had his interest piqued. He asked, "I want to understand what you’re trying to say."

Emlio smiled.

"Alright then." He pocketed his hands. "I want Viviana back is what I’m saying. I want the woman that is mine back."

"And?" Nikolas lifted a brow.