Twisted Obsession (Editing)

54 - Cold Reality

Lorenzo Vincelli

I dial Gianna's number, letting the phone ring as I wait for her to pick up. She answers on the third ring, her voice light and casual, as if she doesn't have a care in the world. The dull hum of the city streets swirls around me, but it's a sound I barely notice anymore.

Her voice rings out almost immediately, light and playful, laced with a hint of annoyance. "What's up, my man?"

I narrow my eyes at the absurdity of it. "My man?"

There's a beat of silence, followed by the unmistakable sound of her rolling her eyes on the other end. "Ugh, Enzo, it's you?"

I can't help the smirk tugging at my lips. "You couldn't tell that from the caller ID?"

She lets out an exaggerated sigh, loud enough that I almost imagine her throwing her hands up in frustration. "Oh, I deleted your number from my phone."

I blink. "What?"

"Yeah, since you're too busy for your sister. I figured I'd erase you from my life completely. You've been erased, my man." Her words are casual, but the bite behind them stings.

I push off the car, pacing a few steps as the reality of her words sinks in. Damn, okay she tried her best to actually delete me? That's a new level of coldness. "What did I do now?" I ask, not really wanting the answer but knowing she'll give it anyway.

"Oh, I don't know," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe the fact that you never call, never visit. You don't even care, Enzo. I could be dead for all you know. Or worse... pregnant."

A chill runs down my spine at the mention of pregnancy. My thoughts freeze for a split second. "You're pregnant?" I can't help the shock that spills out.

"Yup. With triplets," she adds, so casually that it feels like a punch to the gut.

I stop walking, the words hitting harder than I expect. "Gianna, what the hell?" I can't believe what I'm hearing. "Who's the father?"

Her voice shifts again, teasing and almost smug. "Take a wild guess."

I can feel my pulse quicken, and the air between us seems to thicken with tension. "Gianna, you better not be fucking with me right now," I snap, my anger bubbling up. "Because if you are, I swear to God—"

She doesn't even flinch. "It's Federico," she says, the words hanging in the air like a death sentence.

The world spins for a moment. The room feels like it's closing in. Federico? My blood runs cold. "You're joking."

I hear the hint of playfulness in her tone as she spoke. "Nope. You should've seen how he looked at me last night—"

But she's not joking. She bursts out laughing, the sound sharp and unforgiving. "Oh my God, Enzo, You're so gullible."

I swallow down the sudden wave of nausea. The idea of Federico—that asshole—with Gianna is enough to make my stomach twist. But this is a sick joke. I force a laugh, masking the panic in my chest. "You think this is funny?"

"Hilarious." She gasps between giggles. Her laughter only grows louder. "Imagine if it were true. You'd have an aneurysm on the spot."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but her words still sting. It's always like this with Gianna—pushing buttons, testing limits. But I can't shake the feeling that there's more to this than just a sibling prank. She wouldn't joke about something like this unless it was rooted in something darker.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing," I mutter, fighting to keep my voice even.

"I really do," she says, the laughter finally dying down.