"What?" Mila exclaimed in shock. "Chad, what are you doing? Anna hates Alfonso. She will never fall in love with him."
Ignoring Mila's protests, Chad directed his gaze back to Anna. "Well, Anna? Are you going to tell them what happened, or will I?" he demanded, his tone firm.
Without uttering a single word, Anna abruptly stood up and stormed out of the house. She moved with swift determination, her feet carrying her as fast as they could towards the beach. As soon as her steps sank into the soft sand, she gradually slowed down but didn't come to a halt. Meanwhile, Mila, still in a state of shock, jumped up from her seat and quickly followed her sister's path, running as fast as she could to catch up.
"Don't even try," Tristan intervened when he saw Chad's intention to chase after the girls. "You went too far this time, Chad, and you better hope we can save the situation. But that doesn't let you off the hook. I know about you and your little friends plan, and I know exactly why you're here. I know you're not the innocent photographer that you let everyone believe you are," Tristan warned sternly.
Chad looked at Tristan with a smug smirk. "Well, okay then, Tristan. If you claim to know so much about me, why did you let me into your little love triangle? And why did you allow me to passionately woo the love of your life?" Chad retorted sarcastically.
Tristan's last bit of patience shattered, and without a moment's hesitation, he leapt to his feet with commanding force. In a swift motion, he grabbed hold of Chad's collar, yanking him forcefully until he crashed against the wall. With an intense grip on Chad's throat, their faces were just inches apart.
"Because I'm not as dumb as you and your little friend made yourself believe I am," Tristan hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "I have done my homework properly, model, and I know your target isn't Mila or Anna. And lucky for you I know that you truly love her, and amidst all this chaos, you're protecting her in your own way. So, I know she will be safe, when not around. But make no mistake, Chad, I'm watching your every move. Mila is my life, and I would give my last breath for her. Just remember that" Tristan warned, his grip loosening as he released Chad's throat.
Chad let out the breath he had been holding, his eyes fixed on Tristan. "So, what now? What are we going to do?" He asks.
Tristan's expression hardened as he replied, "Once again, we'll need to salvage what we can. But first, we need to have a long overdue talk because you have information I need."
Chad nodded, his eyes flickering with a mix of determination and worry. "And what about the girls?" he asks, his voice filled with concern.
"Let them sort it out between them. The less we interfere with that subject, the better," Tristan remarked, a hint of concern in his voice. "I just know Alfonso has a lot of explaining to do when he wakes up, or rather if he's going to wake up. The way I know Mila, she's not going to take it lightly. Alfonso already broke her heart once and got away with it. I don't think this time he will, though."
Chad chuckled, shaking his head. "I think we're a bit mad," he admitted. "This is the strangest situation I've ever encountered in my life, but I enjoy it so much. I wouldn't want it any other way."
Tristan walked over to the kitchen island, retrieving two glasses and a bottle of whisky. "Same here, bro," he said, raising his glass and offering a fist bump to Chad. "We just need to keep those two girls alive, otherwise, we'll have one hell of an angry Ghost on our hands."
Meanwhile on the beach
"Anna... Anna... wait, just stop! We can talk about this!" Mila shouted after Anna, desperately trying to catch up to her.
Finally, Anna stopped, her hands resting on her knees as she gasped for breath. Facing the ground, tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, Mila," she managed to utter between sobs.
Mila came to a halt in front of Anna, also trying to catch her breath. Concern etched across her face, she reached out to comfort her sister. "I don't understand, Anna. What's going on? Please, tell me," Mila pleaded.
Anna dropped to the sand, sitting down heavily. She continued to try and calm her sobs, glancing at Mila. "Sit next to me. I will tell you everything," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
Hesitantly, Mila went and sat next to Anna, her eyes filled with desperation. "Please tell me it's not true, Anna," she pleaded, desperately hoping for a different answer.
Anna sighed and looked down, feeling the weight of her sister's pain. "I'm sorry, Mila, but what Chad said is true," she confessed, her voice filled with regret.
"Anna! How could you? Of all people, my own sister... I can't... I..." Mila's voice trailed off, her anger and disappointment leaving her momentarily speechless. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "When and how did it happen?" she finally asked, her voice trembling.
Anna lifted her head and gazed up at the stars, the silence stretching between them. "It happened when you disappeared to Singapore the first time," she confessed, her voice tinged with sorrow. "But it was only a one-time thing..."
"Anna!" Mila shouted again, a mix of emotions overwhelming her.
"Mila, would you give me a chance to explain, please?" Anna asked, her voice filled with a mix of concern and hope.
Mila stared at Anna with a cold expression but gave a slight nod. "Continue," she said tersely.
Anna took a deep breath before speaking. "It was the time when he came out of the hospital after Alex beat him up. He didn't want to stay in the guest room, so he ended up in yours. I was there, cleaning his wounds and helping him recover. But one thing led to another... I swear, Mila, I didn't mean for it to happen. And it never went any further, because I met Phoenix and fell head over heels for him and we decided to never talk about it again. Alfonso wasn't even a thought, again, I promise you, Mila" Anna explained, her words tinged with remorse.
Mila's eyes narrowed, searching for more answers. "So, when did it happen again?" she asked, her voice still cold and distant.
Anna hesitated for a moment before responding, knowing the weight of her words. "When you broke up the gang and we went back to Italy," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"And when did Phoenix find out about it?" Mila asks again.
Anna hesitates for a moment her brows furrowing, before she lets out a deep sigh. "A week after we arrived home. Phoenix wanted to surprise me and came to visit, and he came across...."
Mila interrupts abruptly, holding her hand. "Stop right there," she says firmly. "I can't hear anymore." She stands up, determined to gather her thoughts, but as she turns to walk away, she finds herself face to face with a woman whose features seem strangely familiar. Mila's curiosity piques, and she asks, "Who are you?"
"Hallo my darling, I'm so delighted to finally meet you. You can't even imagine how I've longed for this moment...