Chosen by Karalina >Book 2

Chapter 2

〰️Antonio Pov〰️

Its been three hours and they still haven't said anything resourceful. Eventually they stopped updating Leonardo noticing how angry he becomes each time. He is so impossible sometimes, expecting results immediately. Not everyone and everything can be as precise as he is or wants it to be, for fock sakes, sue them. So far they sent out three different doctors, each one more afraid then the other. I think they drawing straws back there before they send someone out to give feedback.

Still, the sight kills me to see my brother not have the control he always needs to have of a situation. There are times he overreacts if things don't go according to plan, he could make it work, but this. This is completely out of his control. He left the waiting area when the small flat screen in the waiting area displayed a picture of him and Karalina taken moments ago on the stairs of the church.

'Just in, Mafia leader, Leonardo Demarco's bride was shot a few hours ago at their wedding reception where hundreds of people were present. The female named Karalina Lopez, who we learnt is in fact the daughter of illegal launder, Pedro Lopez connected to the cartel. Quite the scandal.'

Oh fock.

"Put that shit off!!" Leonardo's voice boomed through the room. He looked like a crazy unstable man in his blood stained shirt, eyes to match and unkept hair. His been gone for a while now.

"Where did Leonardo disappear to?" Annabelle fishes from beside me.

"Chappell" I say lowly.

She snaps her head as fast as lighting to look at me. I could feel it as I sat on her left side. "Alone?" I know what she's thinking. He never asked for her this time round.

"Alone." It's a given. Everybody knows why he went alone.

"Antonio, that would put us, this family in a predicament, Juan will not be happy." She sighs and places her hand over her forehead, definitely gaining herself a headache. Leonardo does this to her, all too often. "Do you think he'll do it? Just leave it all behind?"

"His definitely making a deal in there, mamma. I'm just not sure with whom" I look over to her tired eyes searching mine to help her, like I always do. "I'll take care of it." Relief falls over her face with a soft smile.

The Chappell seats are empty when I enter the quiet room. However, the carpet has Leonardo sitting on his knees right infront of a makeshift alter looking up to the heavens.

"Leo?" I call his name softly before sitting in a bench next to the carpet he occupies.

"Any news?" His voice just as soft.

"No."

He looks down to his locked hands "I should've listened to you."

"That will be the day." I scoff

"Did you hear what they said about her shooting? My pregnant wife? .. A scandal. That's what they portrayed her to be. I should have their heads." He gritts out.

"I don't think they were referring to her.. It's just the.."

"None of this.." He cuts me off to continue speaking his thoughts." "None of this hurt and everything I've been doing and going through, because of one person. One girl I couldn't resist. I just had to have her, didn't I? She doesn't even know the amount of funerals I attended in her honor, it was all to protect her. My weakness."

Trotting carefully beside him I build up the courage. "You need to make a decision, Leo. The doctors.."

"Ssshh.. They have it under control." He says it as if this is a open and shut business deal. There is no fifty fifty proposition his willing to offer or bargain with on the deal though. He wants all the profit.

My regrets feel ten times worse. If it weren't for me, none of all this bullshit would've happened to her. It's gotten way out of line.

"Mamma is worried about you. She brought you a fresh shirt for you to change in." He nods his head and stands up facing me.

"I don't regret a moment I ever spent with her.. That's just the selfish part of me I can't let go of. I need her to stay with me, but I also want her to be happy and not regret the life I have chosen for us. She belongs with me, it was fate." The look of needing me to side with him is clear as day as he narrows his eyes at me. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" I nod and we stroll out the Chappell.

Its as if he has been reading my mind the entire time.. I haven't been happy with the two of them together at all. But I would do anything to protect my sister. I panicked.. Even if it meant me lying and convincing her this is what her friend had planned all along. And then after it was done, I nearly changed my mind. But it was too late. Her face was already on the news in South Africa. A search party so big, the culprit I was? helped search, it made me sick to see her family going through the most. But I knew she was safe. Her story went viral. But not far enough for someone to recognize her at Roulettes.

Meeting Lauren the very first time, in South Africa, where she lived, with Karalina and her boyfriend at the time, Chad, was as if I was looking at Selena. The resemblance so cunning. They say you have a twin out there somewhere, I believed it the day I met Lauren. I sometimes look at her now and remember the fun times we had together and how I briefly saw my life with someone like her, but I pushed it out of my mind when she made it clear we are only friends and mistakes can't happen again. We would text each other almost everyday, so I could be updated about my sister, we became close. She was a good friend, made sure my sister was taking her meds and keeping her on track. Depression is a serious thing Karalina, my sister has and my mother suffered from. But Lauren would bring out so much joy in her, Karalina would say she reminds her of Selena, but that was just on the outside. Lauren was so much more on the inside, Selena didn't have her patience with Karalina, like Lauren did.

She truelly loved her husband, which is why I question why she did what she did a month before they got married. Still, I've never seen a love so strong, they married young one spontaneous day. Until I saw her consumed in the same desire Leonardo showed for her. They were deeply in love. How can two different type of men love one woman the same? It would forever be on my conscience what I did, and the secrets I keep in between.

Three weeks ago, Chad called.. Informed me about a funeral and would like myself and Lina, who is known as Karalina my sister, to attend. He told me Lauren's burnt body was found, an autopsy had confirmed it was her. No doubt the Demarco family had something to do with it. I had to make up an excuse about Karalina being away helping kids in some village. I felt so bad for him. The truth is Karalina lived in China, continuing her dream she once shared with Lauren. Getting her to South Africa before Leonardo was a mission. I was getting so focking tired and stressed of hiding this. My father doesn't even realize the amount of shit I've been putting myself through, because of him. Leonardo was always one step ahead. Just when I thought he would let it go.

Leonardo still asks me questions about things we did. What bars we went to? How much times I partied with Chad? What we spoke about? What's he like? Is he better then Him? Was she happy? Who would she choose? How the fock should I know about that one. It would feel like his testing me. His been doing that alot lately. And now seeing that he had Miguel come to take vengeance, instead of his own brothers proves to me. He no longer trusts any of us.

Even looking at Miguel now. Karalina would've been safe with him, he was a softy. But it was his sadistic family I didn't trust. He wouldn't be able to protect her if they got a whiff of her weakness.

A young looking woman in a white coat comes out the door all nervous and scared. Yip, definitely pulling straws.

"D-Demarco." This is not going to end well for her. Poor thing.

"Yes" Leonardo saunters towards her with a deep scowl.

"Mr Demarco. I'm. Sorry, we did everything we could.."