Manuel
"Manuel," Gerardo said, nodding for me to follow him outside. We stepped into the garden, and I felt the cool, smooth wind against my skin. But right now, I couldn't enjoy it; my mind was a battlefield, and my heart was burning.
Gerardo looked defeated and vulnerable, a shadow of his former self. He seemed older now, smoking a cigar with fingers that shook slightly. "I can't take this anymore," he said, avoiding my eyes, still holding onto his pride.
"I'm sorry to say this, boss, but it's your fault," I replied, fighting to keep my anger in check.
"I know," he finally murmured, so quietly it was almost a whisper. He sat down on a bench in the garden, covered his face with both hands, and began to sob softly. Just as quickly, though, he stopped, and—boom! Look who's back—the old, familiar Gerardo. His face shifted in an instant, masking the vulnerability, though his eyes still held a trace of sadness.
"Come back to work," he said. "And find him, somehow. I'll never try to come between you two again. I promise." But I wasn't sure how much his promises were worth. What really pissed me off was that every time they tried to keep me away from Enzo, he faced some kind of tragedy. Then, they'd pull me back in to find him. After a while, they'd forget the whole mess and repeat the same damn cycle.
"I'm not stopping until I find him, no matter what," I said firmly.
"I'll give you anything you want. Just find him," Gerardo replied.
I smirked, catching his eye. "What?" he asked.
"Are you sure?" I challenged.
"You want money? I can give you as much as you want," he offered.
"I don't want your money," I replied.
"Do you want a house? Cars? A yacht? Just tell me. I'll give you anything. Just find him," he insisted.
"I want one thing from you," I said, my tone steady.
His rough voice softened, puzzled. "What do you want?" Gerardo asked.
I looked him straight in the eyes. "If I find him, will you really give me anything I ask for?"
"Yes, I will," he said.
"I need to think about that; it's a really good offer. But I don't need your business, your house, or anything like that," I said.
Gerardo continued to look at me, confusion etched across his face.
"I'm going home," I said, standing up. "Call me if you get any information. And don't forget your promise," I added, before turning and walking away.
Louis
"Louis, can you stop constantly worrying about your brother? He's not your responsibility," Camille said the moment I walked through the door. She didn't seem to care that I'd been looking for Enzo all day.
"Enzo left because of me. Why don't you understand that?" I shot back, anger rising.
"He's not a baby. Doesn't he know how to act like an adult? He's 18 now," she replied. "You have so much time for your brother, but no time for your own children."
Her words hit a nerve. I clenched my fists. "So you're saying I do nothing for the kids? Nothing? And what exactly do you do? Everything is handled by the nannies."
"Isn't it enough that I gave birth to them?" Camille snarled.
"It is enough. That's why I hired three nannies, so you don't have to do shit," I growled. Still, she looked angry, and I couldn't understand what was wrong with her.
