Defender's Heartbeat 2

Chapter 33

Manuel

Enzo still wasn't feeling completely well, so he couldn't do any sports or anything that might make him physically tired. We decided to take a walk around the huge garden to get some fresh air. As we strolled, we ran into Louis, who was heading to the gym. I had been waiting to thank Louis for saving my son's life. I didn't like Louis, but he had saved Enzo.

"Boss, thanks for saving my baby," I said to him. I hadn't meant to say "baby," but the word slipped out. "I mean, Enzo," I quickly corrected myself.

A few feet away, I noticed Enzo glancing at us suspiciously.

"You didn't tell him I shared his secret, did you?" Louis asked, ignoring the slip of the word "baby."

"Well, he figured it out pretty easily," I admitted.

"He didn't have to try to take his life," Louis said, his voice filled with concern. For the first time, a little emotion broke through his usual stoic expression.

"I know. He just needed to call me. Just one call. I still can't understand why he didn't reach out. Normally, he tells me everything when he's sad," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"I should've asked him why he was crying that day," Louis said, looking down.

Yes, Boss, you should have asked, I thought. But at the same time, none of them truly cared about Enzo's feelings. It wasn't surprising that Louis hadn't bothered to ask why he was crying. Enzo had been through so much mental trauma since he was a child. It was obvious why he was more emotional than a normal child his age. Yet, his family never took it seriously. They just saw him as a brat seeking attention.

Louis headed to the gym, and I rejoined Enzo.

"So, what are we going to do now?" I asked. He wasn't happy about missing school because he wasn't feeling well, but it was his own fault.

"I'm going to pluck all the flowers and throw them away," he said with a hint of frustration.

"That's cruel, Enzo. The flowers are so beautiful," I replied, surprised at his mood.

"What else am I supposed to do? Apparently, I can't even play anything until I'm completely okay," he complained.

"And whose fault is that?" I asked.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said, though I knew he was mostly sorry because Louis had saved him. What if Louis hadn't gone to his room at that moment? The thought haunted me, and I couldn't stop thinking about how close I came to losing him. I met Enzo when I was 20, and it felt like my life had truly started with him. How could I live without such a huge part of myself?

"Let's just sit under that tree for no reason, then," I suggested, and we made our way to the large tree.

The yard of the Perez mansion was massive, lined with trees along the border and covered with soft grass. It was like a beautiful park—peaceful, secluded, and perfect for someone allergic to humans.

"You look like you're still mad at me," Enzo said after a few minutes of silence.

"I am. I haven't been able to get over it yet," I admitted.

"I didn't mean to do it. It just... happened," he said quietly.

"I wish I'd never left you. I wish I didn't have to leave, so I could've stopped you from doing something so stupid," I said, feeling the weight of guilt in my chest.

"I don't know what to say. I'm sorry, Papa," he replied, looking out into the distance. I gazed at him for a few seconds, then gently stroked his hair. He turned to me and gave a small smile.