Kimberly POV
I paced the hallway, my mind racing. Was Leonardo serious? Would he actually hurt Lan? I'd been calling him for hours, but he wasn't picking up. At one point, his phone had been switched off, and my heart leapt into my throat. "Please, Lan, answer me.'
Seeing Mario near the entrance, I hurried over. He seemed friendlier than the others, and maybe he'd tell me something I could believe.
"Mario," I called out, my voice laced with nervous energy.
He turned and offered a casual smile, as though nothing were wrong. For a second, I was stunned. "Didn't he just witness a murder? How do they all do it?" "Hey, Kimberly, what's up?" he asked, seemingly oblivious to my distress.
"Kimberly? You okay?" he said again, his brows knitting together.
"No, Mario. I need to talk to my brother." My voice wavered. "Leonardo threatened him earlier, and now I can't reach Lan."
Mario smiled slightly, but I saw something flicker in his gaze, just for a second. "Leonardo wouldn't hurt Lan," he replied, his voice steady.
"But he said he would," I argued, my heart pounding.
Mario shook his head slightly, keeping his tone measured. "Leonardo keeps to his words, Kimberly. He's not some loose cannon."
I wanted to believe him, but a gnawing doubt lingered. "Why wouldn't he just say, "Leonardo won't hurt Lan if you behave"?" That would've been clearer. But instead, I nodded, forcing myself to look reassured.
"Are you sure?" I pressed, hating the desperation in my voice.
"Yes, Kimberly. I've got to go now," he said, glancing at his watch before moving toward the door.
"Fine," I thought, watching him disappear. But Lan's silence gnawed at me. I needed to hear it from Leonardo himself.
Earlier, I'd seen a maid bringing tea to his room, so I took that as my cue. Without hesitation, I barged into his room, barely thinking about what I'd do if he were undressed.
"What did you do to my brother?" I demanded, crossing my arms. "Maybe I looked bold, but my heart was racing."
Leonardo looked up from the file he was reading, his brow barely lifting. "How is your inability to reach your brother my concern?" he asked, voice cool.
"Oh, that's the difference between a real marriage and a fake one, right?" I scoffed, fighting to keep my voice steady. "I'm just asking because you threatened him, and now I can't reach him."
He met my eyes for a moment before looking away, his fingers trailing over the paper in his hand as if I weren't even there.
I stood in silence, the seconds stretching painfully as I waited, gripping my hands to stop them from shaking. "Does he even care that I'm here?"
"Please, Leonardo," I finally said, letting my pride drop. "I just need to know if he's okay."
He looked up, and for a moment, I thought I saw something in his expression—an emotion I couldn't place—but it vanished as quickly as it came.
"Your brother is fine, Kimberly. It could be the weather affecting his network." He spoke casually, but his words had an oddly final ring to them.
"The weather." I remembered Lan mentioning it just days ago. Reluctantly, I felt my doubt ebb away. "Alright," I murmured, shoulders dropping. "Thank you."
Leonardo didn't acknowledge my gratitude, so I turned to leave, only for him to speak again.
"Elena and Lucy would like you to visit this afternoon."
My heart lifted at the thought of escaping this house, even if only for a few hours. "Okay," I said, struggling to hide my relief.
I returned to my room, put on a cargo jacket and crop top, added a touch of lip gloss, and went to find Enzo. As soon as I spotted him, my frustration flared. "Leech."
"I want you to take me to Elena's," I ordered, mirroring his clipped tone. Without waiting for his reply, I turned away, relishing the small act of defiance. Behind me, I heard him chuckle, and I gritted my teeth.
---
The car stopped in front of a cosy condo, not another mansion, thankfully.
"Hey, it's Aunt Kimberly!" Luciana squealed as she ran up to me, her small arms outstretched. I picked her up, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"I missed you!" she said, pouting slightly.
I laughed. "I missed you too, Lucy."
"Hey, at least let her in first, Lucy!" Elena chided, ushering us inside.
I smiled as I put Luciana down and we entered.
"I'm so glad you honoured my invitation today!" Emily said, pulling me for a hug.
I chuckled. "Yeah, I was happy you even thought of me. I've been losing my mind lately in that house," I said truthfully.
Emily smiled at my words.
"You're welcome here, anytime, truly," she offered. And I was glad.
"I didn't know you would come today. I would have made something special. But it's not too late right? Or are you in a hurry?" Emily asked, giving me a baby face.
I laughed. "No, not at all, let's go." I urged.
She motioned me into the kitchen, and in no time, I felt more relaxed
than I had in weeks, helping her with the cooking as Luciana buzzed around us.