CHAPTER 67: WITNESS

Long after the tears stopped, Valentina still continued to bury her face in the bed.

Now that the storm was over, she couldn’t bring herself to look up.

Her embarrassment was complete.

She couldn’t bear to see the look of victory in her enemy’s face after just watching her go through that kind of unbearable pain.

Luciano had seen all her weaknesses. And after what she discovered he did to Tyler, she fully expected him to exploit them all going forward.

"Val?" Sonia called as she walked over to the bed.

Luciano spared one more glance at her to ensure she was totally fine, before reducing the volume on the player.

Careful not to make any sound that would halt her progress, he silently walked to the door, and stepped out of the room.

His thoughts scrambled as he walked along the quiet halls of Neravalle.

It was yet another night, and Neravalle was still silent.

The place he called home was quickly losing its charm, and it was all because of the battles he was fighting within.

Tonight had shown him a different side of Valentina. Even more different than when he first saw her pain.

In that tiny body of hers, she carried trauma that manifested itself in the most gruesome way to witness.

"What can I possibly do to hurt her that hasn’t been done already?" He questioned aloud.

"Hurt who, babe?"

He paused and lifted his head on hearing Daniela’s voice.

Daniela’s chest quaked when she saw the look of despair in Luciano’s eyes.

"Babe?" She moved closer to him. "What happened? "What is it?" Why haven’t you showered yet? Why are you walking around looking like that?"

Luciano swiftly forced a smile. Daniela was the last person that needed to know anything about what had just happened.

"Nothing, Amore. It was a personal decision not to go into lastanzadei sussurri anymore. The water problem should be fixed already, right? I’ll just bathe in my room," he said, and began walking ahead.

"Wait up, Luciano!" Daniela followed him.

"Don’t you want to rest, or something? You must have had a tired day," he said, as she fell in place beside him.

He did everything to wade her off, but Daniela simply refused to get the message.

"No, I want to be with you. Let’s shower together babe. We’ve never done that," she drawled.

Her words made him think of Valentina in the shower. And that thought made him think of Valentina after the shower.

The pain he had just watched her go through.

It wasn’t Daniela’s fault that he instantly felt repulsed by her presence. But he couldn’t help it.

"What do you say, babe? Shall we?" Her eyes twinkled.

He stopped walking abruptly, and turned to her.

His hands went to her shoulders, but he softened otherwise what was to be a firm hold on them.

Daniela jerked in surprise, and fear gripped her. Fear because she thought he was going to be harsh on her, even though he had never been that way towards her.

"Daniela, baby," he added to sweeten the deal. "I’m exhausted. I’ve had a pretty stressful day. All I want is some time to myself—"

Her face scrunched immediately.

"No, no, no. Don’t get that way. It’s not as if I don’t want you around, but not at the moment. I just need to be alone. Give me a few hours, and I’ll come to you. I promise."

She breathed out, and a smile broke out of her face.

Luciano always fulfilled his promises.

"You promise?"

"I promise," he said.

"Okay. I’ll let you leave. Don’t break your promise to me!" she screamed at the top of her voice as she walked away.

Luciano exhaled, feeling the heavy weight of her presence that had been like a leash around his neck, choking him, disappearing.

Immediately, he began walking to his room. One button came undone with every step he took.

All he wanted was silence and water. Two things that were certain to clear his heavy mind.

But as the glass doors of his room slid open for him, and he walked in, he knew silence was something he could only wish for.

"I can explain, Luciano," Vittorio said immediately.

"Yes we can," Salvatore backed him up.

Luciano stood at the door and just stared at the closest people to him, without saying a word.

"No, this is my fault, Salva. You don’t have to take the fall for my orders. It was me. I asked Sergio and Sonia to release Valentina. She agreed to cooperate with us, so I thought that she would be even more agreeable if she wasn’t in lanotte anymore. I did it. I went against you. I gladly accepted whatever punishment you deem fit," he said humbly.

Luciano finished unbuttoning his shirt, and took it off.

He moved away from the door, and walked towards his closet area where the space for dirty clothes was.

Not a single word left his lips, as he placed the shirt amongst the pile of dirt clothes.

"Luciano—luce, I’m truly sorry. I don’t regret bringing her out. I probably would have done it again. But I’m sorry that I had to go against your words," he continued apologizing, even though Luciano hadn’t said a word yet.

Salvatore’s heart hammered. It was usually worse this way.

Silence was always worse than speaking up. It was how he knew they were truly in trouble.

Luciano began walking towards the bathroom. But stopped just by the door.

"I believe water is running now?"

"Sicarpo!" Both men answered at the same time.

He nodded, and walked into the bathroom.

"Oh he is pissed!" Salvatore said immediately the doors closed.

"Is he? He looked more zoomed off to me," Vittorio replied.

"Are you sure about that? Because he hasn’t even responded to anything yet."

"I think something happened. I’m not sure yet, but something happened at la stanza dei sussurri."

"Between him and Valentina?!" Salvatore’s mouth hung open as his eyes widened too.

"Could Daniela have found out too? Maybe she saw them together in the room?" Vittorio questioned as they played with different theories.

"Neravalle would have turned upside down already. I don’t think that’s what happened. And we can’t ask him now. We should even be grateful he has not ordered that we grab a gun.

Vittorio’s heart skipped a beat. "Anything but that please."

No one fired better than Luciano. The game would be over before it even began.

"Why did I let you rope me into being an accomplice again?"

Vittorio stopped pacing, and eyed him. "Because deep down you know it was for the best?"

"Right, right," he bobbed his head. "Next time, if we escape Luce’s wrath, remind me not to validate your actions, okay?"

Vittorio was at the verge of smiling when the door opened, and Elio burst into the room.

"It’s Natalia. She is dying!"