"Don't even think of about touching them, Anna" Mila warned leaning against the door frame with folded arms. "Chad and Tristan did what needed to be done, Alfonso got what he deserved."
Anna's threat to Chad still lingered in the air, she looked torn between her loyalty to Alfonso and the bond with Mila. "Mila please, we can't resort to violence. We're better than this."
Mila's eyes flashed with anger. "Anna this is about more than just us. There are forces at play that we don't fully understand. Our lives are in so much danger and you, and Alfonso decide that it's a good time to have a secret affair!!" Mila raised her voice, getting angrier with every word. "But understand this Anna, I will not let anyone jeopardize this mission."
Chad and Tristan went and stand beside Mila to support her. " I agree with Mila." Chad intervenes. Tristan's gazes remain sharp.
Alfonso groaned as he regained his consciousness. When he fully came to his senses and realize what's going on he tried to explain. "Listen Mila, I...
"Save it Alfonso, I'm not interested in anything you have to say. As soon as you have enough strength, you and Anna will leave and go back to Italy."
"WHATT!! Mila noooo, you need us and I'm part of this prophecy as well, you can't just do with this what you want." Anna said angrily.
Meanwhile Alfonso saw the glimmer of the golden puzzle piece in Milla's hand. "Isn't that the puzzle piece Chad had when I was shot?"
Mila tightens her grip on the golden puzzle piece, her eyes narrowing at Alfonso's observation. "That's none of your concern anymore Alfonso, just focus on what you're going to tell my father."
Anna caught between the tension in the room, attempted to mediate. "Mila, we need to find out what that woman wanted and what the puzzle pieces...."
"What woman?" Tristan interjects, his concern immediate and protective.
"We had a little incident on the beach" Mila utter, deliberately withholding the rest of the information, sensing somethings off.
"What incident Mila? Tristan demanded, his irritation boiling over into arrogance. "Spit it out, and don't you dare hold it back. I want every damn detail, and I want it now! "His words cut through the air with an authoritative edge, his stance exuding power and impatience.
Mila shot Tristan a puzzled frown. "What's gotten into you Tristan?", she challenged, her tone laced with annoyance. "Ever since you laid eyes on your father yesterday, you've been acting like you're holding all the cards, it's as if you know something we don't. So, before I say anything else, you better start talking, otherwise you can leave with Anna and Alfonso." Mila warned with an ultimatum.
Tristan's face suddenly turned to anger, and he lunged forward, pushing Mila forcefully against the wall. "You don't get to tell me what to do," he seethed. "I love you, babe, but this is going to cost you." Tristan warned, his actions fueled by raw emotion.
Looking up into Tristan's eyes, Mila recognized the familiar expression. One she saw once before. "Tristan, you're chocking me..."
"Tristan!! what the hell man!!" Chad shout as he surged forward, forcefully pushing Tristan away from Mila. "Are you okay Mila?" he asks while scanning her body for any signs of harm.
Tristan stood with his head in his hands, letting out a pained groan. "Aaahhh, my head hurts" he muttered, his voice strained. As looked up and caught sight of Mila, shock registered on his face. Without a word, he turned abruptly and bolted out of the house.
"Where are you going, Tristan!!" Chad shouted after and tried to chase him. Mila's hand shout out, gripping his arm to stop him in his tracks.
"Don't," she urged, her grip firm. "Let him go. There's something going on here." Her eyes flicked between Chad and the doorway where Tristan had disappeared, concern etched on her face.
Alfonso and Anna stood frozen, their shock palpable from what they had just witnessed. "Mila are you alright?" Anna's voice trembled with concern as she moved towards her sister.
"I'm okay, but I could definitely use a strong cup of coffee, "Mila replied, her voice steadier now. "Let's go make some, because I have a feeling this is going to be one long night." She gave Anna a faint smile and walk towards the kitchen.
Both the girls stood side by side in the kitchen, brewing coffee as Chad guided Alfonso to the kitchen table helping him to sit down. The twins each handed them a steaming cup of coffee. "Mmm...this smells so good," Alfonso utter.
Joining the boys at the table the twins settle in "So, please, explain to me what just happened because everything is just getting stranger by the minute." Chad spoke first.
"I agree" Anna replied. "It's like everyone has a split personality.
"No not a split personality but rather, someone is controlling our minds." Mila interjected.
"What do you mean by that, Mila? Anna asks.
"Tell me Alfonso, what happened that night at the warehouse, that night you wanted to kill me?" Mila asks.
Alfonso looked down, his expression weighed down by guilt and confusion. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Mila. "Honestly, cupcake, I don't know," he began, his voice heavy. " All I know is that I wasn't myself. After the gunshot from Anna, I blacked out. The next thing I remember, I woke up days later in an open field, with no clue how I got there or what day it was."
"Wait...let me just get this straight." Chad said, completely taken aback by Alfonso's revelation. "You mean to actually tell me that it's true that you tried to kill Mila?"
"Chad, please I wasn't myself" Alfonso replied, his voice tinged with desperation as he tried to explain. "Alex already beat me up bad and I didn't fight back because I knew I was guilty. And I don't know why you brought it up Mila? "
"Boys listen, let's forget about that and focus on what we have here," Mila interjected. "I'm trying to piece together all the events because someone is making things happen. Listen to this. Tristan had the very same expression in his eyes that Alfonso had that night at the warehouse. And when you pushed Tristan away, Chad, he regained his senses much quicker than Alfonso because Tristan has a much stronger resistance in his body than Alfonso. But what could trigger them to change like this?"
"Come Alfonso, you went through this. Explain how you felt and what was it that triggered you?" Chad asks.
"I'm sorry Chad," Alfonso began, his voice tinged with shame as he recounted the events of that fateful night. " I can't remember much of that night, but all I know it that I had this uncontrollable urge to kill Milla. I couldn't stop myself. I knew I was wrong. It was like fighting with myself inside." As he spoke Alfonso's expression darken.
"But what are we going to do about Tristan? Is he coming back? Do we wait, or must we go and search for him? Chad asks, his brows furrowed with concern.
"I think we need to go and search for him. Alfonso replied. "Who knows where he might end up? I ended up miles away from where I was, and I'm talking about another state."
"I agree, but where do we start? Mila chimed in. Tristan could have gone any direction, and if you know him like I do, you'll know he can disappear in an instant without a trace of even existing. It would be trekking 1700m + away from the public eye, so I don't think it will be a good idea."
"So, what do we do now then?" Anna asks.
Chad suddenly spoke up. "Let's put the puzzle pieces together, maybe we can get a clue on something from that."
1 HOUR LATER
"I don't know, this is useless, we've tried every possible way, and it doesn't fit together, there must be something else where these puzzle pieces fit." Anna exclaimed.
"Maybe we must get some rest its already past midnight," Alfonso suggested. "Perhaps we'll make more sense of this when we can think more clearly again."
"That sounds like a plan," Chad replied. "Mila you'll sleep in my room tonight, and Anna you go with Alfonso. We need to stick together we can't afford another mysterious encounter." he declared.
"Chad and Mila just please keep it down," Anna remarked with a lifted eyebrow. "Your 'encounters' in bed are usually very noisy."
Chad grinned with a hint of mischief and draped his arm around Mila's shoulders "Come on princess lets go and make some noise..."