Amethyst's Scandal

CHAPTER 28

Amethyst St. Clair's POV

"Are you sure about this?" I kept asking Franco that same question since we left his home to visit Chiara Rizzo at the hospital.

Franco who stayed silent throughout the drive glanced briefly in my direction before focusing his gaze back on the road. "Yes."

I sighed deeply, looking at our intertwined hands. I still don't think that this was the best idea. What if this thing blew up out of proportion when Chiara saw me arrive with Franco?

"Stop worrying, will you?" He reminded me gently while his gaze was still focused on the road. "Everything will be fine."

"I am not so sure about that," I muttered under my breath trying to remove my hand from his hold but he just merely tightened his grip on my hand. "She just wants to see you, Franco. I am sure she will not appreciate the sight of me in her hospital room."

He looked at me with a hard set of his jaw. "I don't want to leave you home. I want this thing to be clear for all of us for one last time."

"But—"

"Relax," he said to me with a slight smile on his handsome face. "I will not let anything happen to you. I am always here to protect you, my love."

I just stared at him silently watching him raise our hands together and kiss my knuckle affectionately. Somehow with his words and gestures, the uneasiness in my heart lessened a bit.

But there was still part of me thinking that once we got to the hospital. Her family would somehow blame me for Chiara's depression. If I didn't show up again in Franco's life then she would probably have a chance with him.

I looked at him silently as he drove to the hospital where Chiara was admitted. There was something in his expression that I couldn't fully comprehend. What was he thinking right now? I thought silently.

"What is it?" He prompted me when silence filled inside his car.

I schooled my features to remain blank while my heart skipped a beat. "I don't know what you mean."

He smiled briefly in my direction but I could see that there was still a troubled expression in his eyes. "You keep on staring at me for quite some time now. Tell me, you are not planning to run away again now, are you?"

I gasped at his words. How could he...

"Let me tell you, Amy." He added before I could formulate any reply to him. "If you are thinking that this is somehow our fault because of an unfortunate thing that happened to her—then don't. You don't have to feel guilty because we're both innocent of this. Chiara doesn't know how to handle rejection well."

"I know that," I replied, my throat suddenly feeling dry. "I think she just loves you so much that's why she did this thing."

He looked down at me with annoyance on his face. "She doesn't love me, my love. I think the more appropriate word to describe what she feels about me is obsession."

"That's kinda harsh, Franco."

He smiled cruelly in my direction. "That's the truth, darling. If she truly loves me she will accept the fact that we can't be together and that I am in love with someone else."

I gasped at his words while my eyes widened in his direction. I don't think I heard him right. Did...he just say...

The maddening man tilted his eyebrow at me. As if he was enjoying the shock on my face. "What's wrong, my love?"

"D-Did..." I started and then I cleared my throat because no words wanted to come out. I tried again one more time. "You are in love with somebody else?"