Hold Me 'till the rain stops

chapter 34: I love you

Massimo:
Anxiety. That's what I've been feeling all day, for the past two days. Elliana and I haven't spoken in the past 2 days and my heartbeat is more like a ticking bomb, that will explode of it doesn't get answers as soon as possible.
When Elliana said that it's easy to love me, I don't know if she meant me. As in...for others in general? Or her in particular?
I know Elliana is trying to spend as much time as she can with her parents, before they get arrested tomorrow....and it's understandable that she can't text me... but I still hope.
I've got a mountain of files to go through, that just keeps growing minute to minute so thankfully, I'll be busy.
I got done with almost half of the work before lunchtime and was just scrolling through my gallary, full of pictures of me and Elliana. From our first date in the theme park, and our second and third dates to the restaurants and some from our routine walks in the park. I don't even realise that I'm smiling, untill I catch a glimpse of my reflection in my phone screen. I was just thinking about giving her a call, when I received one. It wasn't Elliana, though. It was Anastacia.
My heart immediately jumps. Is something wrong? Is she in labour or something?
I hit the accept button and before I can even talk, Anastacia screams at me.
"How could you not tell me?"

"Tell you what?" I ask startled.

"Oh! Don't act all coy. Jason told me about your mystery girlfriend. Apparently you've even met her parents? It's that serious, huh?"

I chuckle. "Sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted to, but I wanted you to meet her and surprise you."

"Well, who is she, secret Loverboy? Do I know her?"

"Well..."

"Oh my god, please don't tell me it's Monica Vilenuvela! She's such a number!"

"Monica Vilenuvela? Patrick's daughter? Of course it's not her."

"So?"

"I don't think you know her. Yes, she's the daughter of some of our business partners, but she's nothing like the others, who are only interested in the company."

"You know you're being very vague right now? I don't know if that's because you don't want tell me about her yet or something else but the next time we meet, I'm going to make you tell me all about her."

"Of course" I laughed "love you"

"Love you too"

Elliana:
I'm alone in in my house after a really long time and it feels weird. It feels unnatural. I swear, I've gotten so used to Massimo hanging around here, that I've started to take him for granted.
And that reminds me that I need to talk to him...not because of what I said the other day, but because I really miss him.
I suddenly hear a faint vibration sound coming from somewhere in my house, which I suspect is from my parent's bedroom. As I suspected, there's a phone lying on the bed. Did they forget their phone? They went out for some work in Queens and they left almost 3 hours ago. If they'd have forgotten it, they probably wold have contacted me with it.
I pick up the phone and closely inspect it. Wait...this isn't my mom's phone. Or my dad's. Maybe it's a work phone?
I try to open it, but it's password protected. I try my mom's date of birth and then my dad's, but they're both denied. All also try their date of aniversary but no luck. Finally, I enter my birthday and Bingo! It opens up. Even though the phone is from an expensive brand, there's nothing custom about it. The wallpaper, the apps and icons are all that if something you'd find in a brand new mobile phone.
The floating notification shows that there was a missed call from a person named  André Barton.
Barton? Who's that? And why does she share my family's last name?
I quickly save that number on my phone and start looking inside the phone for any sort of information.
There are a few pictures and files in the phone and they're all related to financial transactions. That too not of small amounts of money. The amount of money varies from 7-8 digits. I also recognise my mom and dad's signatures on the paper, which confirms what Massimo told me; the fact that my parents have been transferring a lot of money offshore.
I select as many of those documents as I can and e-mail them to myself, before deleting the mail history. I place the phone exactly where I picked it from and exit the room.
I think I just caught my parents in their act.
But who's André Barton? I have no relatives in that name. I don't have a big family, so I know almost everyone. Even if I don't know all about their business, I definitely know their names.
I immediately run into my room and close the door. I pick up my call and give Massimo a ring.