Chosen Karalina >Book 3

Chapter 4

〰️Chad Pov〰️

I couldn't believe my ears when Lauren said those words. It was the damnest strangest thing. For a moment I thought I heard wrong, or I was waiting for her to start laughing and say "Gotcha." But she never did.

She sat up there like some holy art thou preppy bitch, looking at us, looking at me like she didn't even know me.

All this time I was worried and suspicious about Antonio when it was his brother involved with her? This makes no focking sense.

It would explain when she was being so obsessed with Antonio's brother, not that I knew much about what she kept blabbering on about him being a bad influence.

Still, Lauren would never want any part of a life this dangerous. She despised anything crime related. What changed her mind?

Sure, Leonardo is stupidly charming and has a way with words, but she's not a stupid woman to fall for his facade he so often puts up.

She has her head screwed on straight, I mean pretending to want space after telling her the truth about what I did should not have gone on this route. She promised to give us a chance. We were still very much in love. That damn lawyer of Leonardo blew it way out of proportion, made it seem like she didn't love me. But she did. Or didn't she?

When she walked into the court room she took my breath away like she always did, though she looks a bit different. Sexier even, but even after 3 years after seeing her, she still blew my mind how she handles herself in those heels. Her hips have gone curvier, that's no lies, I still can't get it out of my mind as it swayed side to side. She was graceful even, unlike the Lauren I knew who's mother had a hard time forcing her into a ball gown dress for an event. They always showed her off as the best daughter. Sometimes I think Lauren married me that one spontaneous day just to piss them off.

That really got their attention, but after everything we still had to arrange the perfect big white wedding for the public to see. Penny was afraid people might get ideas and insinuate horrible things, like a shot gun wedding. How is that even horrible?

Lauren hated the idea, but she did it anyway to please her parents. And of course I obliged. I would do anything to keep her happy. Our macaroni and cheese had nothing on the 8 course meal our fancy wedding had to offer. Her words, not mine.

She's definitely not the same person I married compared to the one I saw up there on that stand lying the way she did. I don't believe it, not one bit. Somethings off.

What did you get yourself into babe? Who are you trying to protect?

Liam was right, Lauren's brother is an asshole of a lawyer, but his right. The whole story makes no sense. Him and his mother stayed behind in New York to find her, I gave them an address. But apparently they want to dig a little bit more before they bring her home.

I just hope Liam controls his temper and doesn't end up grabbing her by the hair to get her home. He did it once, it was ugly.

The flight home took longer then usual, I couldn't even get in any sleep with all these thoughts on my mind. And her words keep ringing in my head. I fell madly in love with him.

"Daddy!" Zac yells in excitement bringing me out of my dark thoughts.

I grab him in time when he runs into my arms as I walk into the front of the house. "Hey big boy. I got you something." I say grabbing a new game for him from my bag.

"Yes!" He bumps his fist in the air with a huge smile causing me to laugh, but it soon falters when I remember his mother left this behind. And now she wants him back, nice plan she and Lina put together. Explains so much why Leonardo kept pushing and pushing. Getting me that great job, I sadly have to leave behind and start over. But not just yet.

Can't believe Lina lied about the whole marriage and having children, just so Lauren could see Zach. Apparently, after further research from the help of some detective we found out Lauren and Leonardo adopted a son together. They didn't give much detail which caused Liam to start fuming again.

Me on the other hand, I started breaking piece by piece with each new information coming to surface. She probably wanted to replace Zach, I thought... Start a new family. My thoughts were getting darker and darker. That's why I had to leave..

"Hey, are you hungry?" My mum asks while she stirs a pot near the stove.

"Yes." I say smiling. "Thanks." I inhale the smell, and don't regret coming back home, and leaving her.. for a while.

"Are you okay?" My mum asks with concern knowing exactly what went down.

I walk closer to her in the kitchen and hold the back of my neck to ease some of the tension somehow. "I don't know. I think I should talk to her. She seemed trapped. The whole-"

"Chad." My mum carefully warns me.

"She never deserved you." My sister Megan says coming from her room.

My eyes trail to Zac setting up his game. "Hey, don't bad mouth her. We don't know what happened. I don't believe it. She was lying for him. Maybe.. Maybe.." I scratch my head searching for the right words.

"Maybe nothing." Dean, Lauren's father says from the door.

"Hey. Come in." I say awkwardly looking over to my mother and sister who offers him a welcoming smile and I walk to the door to shake his hand. They were always the formal type, whereas Lauren was a hugger.

"Grandpa!" Zac yells running into Dean's welcoming embrace.

"I didn't know you came back home. I thought I could pick Zac up for a movie or something. But you just got home, so.." Dean trails off. I wonder why he left his precious princess to be kept in the den of the lion. Though his not much of a drama type of guy. He often leaves it to the lawyers.

"No, it's okay." I say closing the door behind us. "Have a seat, would you like a drink?" I ask politely hoping he wouldn't bring up his daughter.

"Yes please." He says taking a seat on the couch.

There's another knock on the door halting my steps to the fridge.

Meg walks over to the door and I continue my duty to the fridge. I don't hear Meg greeting anyone or saying anything as I try to grab two beers.

"Fock face Chad." Lenny's voice pauses my actions from behind me causing my heart to beat rapidly. I turn slowly noticing another five men from behind the kitchen counter, standing in a circle surrounding the couches in the middle of the living room where Meg sits nervously.

"What are you doing here?" I ask Lenny noticing Salvo walking in and grabbing a chair from the dining table to be placed between a space of the couches.

"Have a seat." Lenny says casually and moves the hem of his jacket discreetly away from his waist for me to see the gun on his side. "You too." He says to my mum and she rushes to turn off the stove and walks to the lounging area.

Dean must have grabbed Zac without me noticing because he has him on his lap looking nervously over at me.

"Daddy." Zach says warily.

"It's okay." I assure him as I get pushed gently down in a couch on the side of my son.

The door opens again and the devil himself walks through wearing an all black suit, black shirt and grey tie. Why does he always have to look like his walking on a freaken runway?