Chapter Fifty-Nine
“I know,” Reina replied, stepping forward. “But this is important. It’s about Evelyn.”
Antonio’s eyes narrowed. “What about her?”
Reina pulled out the picture of the list Evelyn had written, handing it to him with trembling hands. “She’s been documenting everything, Antonio. All your dealings. She’s planning to use it against you.”
Antonio’s expression darkened as he scanned the list. “And why should I believe you?”
“Because I care about you,” Reina said softly, stepping closer. “We were good together once. Let me help you. We can make sure Evelyn never gets the chance to betray you.”
Antonio looked at her, his anger palpable but also mixed with consideration. “And what do you want in return?” Antonio always returns favors especially when people save him.
Reina swallowed hard, knowing this was her moment. “I want us to be like we used to . I want to always give you the best sex that you deserve . Let me help you, and I promise you’ll never have to worry about that traitor again.”
Antonio leaned back in his chair, his gaze piercing. “Alright, let’s deal with this. But don’t think this means anything more than that. I can’t believe I’ve been fooled. I fucking loved her.” Antonio said as his face turned from a sad face to a very angry face. He knew that they might be planning to give the list to the police, he had been running his business for years without getting caught and know a girl wants to spoil it?
Seizing the opportunity, Reina decided to betray Charles on the spot. “There’s something else you should know,” she added quickly. “Evelyn and Charles, Evelyn’s so called ex planned this together. They want to take you down. Evelyn doesn’t love you, Antonio. It’s all part of their plan.”
Antonio’s eyes widened, the rage in his gaze growing more intense. “Charles too? Why should I believe anything you say? You hate Evelyn.
“I swear it’s the truth,” Reina insisted, her voice desperate. “They’ve been plotting this behind your back. I couldn’t stand the thought of them betraying you like this. Please, Antonio, you have to believe me.”
Antonio immediately took one of Evelyn’s book on the nightstand and he was shocked to see that the hand writing matched. He didn’t have no other choice than to believe, plus the involvement of Charles made it clear that they were trying to get back at him for making Charles lose his job.
Antonio stared at her for a long moment, weighing her words. Finally, he stood up, his decision made. “Alright, we’ll deal with Evelyn and Charles. They are all gonna pay for messing with me and my feelings”
Reina nodded, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. She had him where she wanted him, and soon, everything would fall into place. She used that opportunity to stay in his room while she waits for Evelyn and Charles to be dealt with. Today was indeed a good day.
_-_-_-_-
Evelyn’s P. O. V
I returned home exhausted after my final exams, excitement bubbling within me. With only graduation left, I could finally relax and focus on my future with Antonio. However, as I stepped into our bedroom, my joy evaporated. There, sitting smugly on our bed, was Reina.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger.
Before she could respond, Antonio appeared from behind me. I spun around, ready to scold him for allowing Reina back into our lives. “Antonio, why is she-” My words were cut off by the sharp sting of a slap across my face. The force of the blow sent me staggering.
“You dare betray me, Evelyn?” Antonio’s voice was cold, a chilling reminder of the hard mafia boss he once was. My heart pounded with fear and confusion.
“I didn’t betray you!” I protested, my cheek throbbing.
Antonio ignored me and turned to Reina. “Show her.”
With a triumphant smirk, Reina pulled out her phone and displayed a list on the screen. My blood ran cold as I recognized the incriminating evidence-Antonio’s illegal dealings that I had documented.
“How did you-” I gasped, my mind reeling.
Another slap from Antonio cut off my words. Tears stung my eyes, both from the pain and the betrayal. “Antonio, please, it’s not what you think-”
“Silence!” he roared. “You’ve crossed the line, Evelyn. I trusted you.”
Reina’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying my downfall. “She planned this with Charles,” she added. “They were going to take you down together.”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
Antonio’s eyes blazed with fury. “Get out, both of you!” he barked at his men, who had appeared at the doorway. “Tie her up in the room. I’ll deal with her later.”
The men grabbed me roughly, dragging me out of the room. “Antonio, please! You have to believe me!” I pleaded, but he turned away, his face hard and unforgiving.
For Antonio, a traitor would never go free especially when it comes to his business. The fact that it was Evelyn made him angrier.
As they tied me up in a dark, musty room, despair settled over me. How had everything gone so wrong?
Back in the bedroom, Reina handed Antonio a piece of paper. “Here’s Charles’ address.”
Antonio’s expression was murderous. “Get me Charles. Don’t waste time,” he ordered his men. “I need to deal with these two before they get to the police.”
I knew my life was about to change forever. Antonio was back to being the ruthless man I had feared, and there was no telling what he would do next. If only he’d believe that I truly loved him and backed out from Charles’ plan.
Back where Charles was, a sense of unease gnawed at him. He had noticed a group of dangerous-looking men following him for the past few blocks. Trying to shake off his paranoia, he took a sudden turn down an alley, only to find that the men altered their path to match his. His heart pounded faster as realization dawned on him-he was in trouble, and Reina had ratted him out.
Desperation fueled his steps as he quickened his pace, making erratic turns in a futile attempt to lose his pursuers. Each turn brought him closer to the edge of panic, knowing he had precious little time. Soon, he found himself on a lonely road, with no one in sight. His breath came in ragged gasps as he pulled out his phone and began typing frantically.
He composed a message detailing Antonio’s illegal activities and included Antonio’s address, sending it to the police’s verified account. Just as he hit send, a black van screeched to a halt in front of him, blocking his path. His heart leaped into his throat as men spilled out of the vehicle, their faces hard and unforgiving. Before he could react, they grabbed him, dragging him into the van. The two men who had been following him from behind joined them, closing the van doors with a thud.
One of the men, a burly figure with a scar running down his cheek, had seen Charles typing on his phone. “Give me the phone,” he demanded, his voice a low growl. Charles’s hands shook as he handed it over. The man shoved the phone into Charles’s face. “Unlock it.”
Charles’s fingers trembled as he did as told, his mind racing. Once unlocked, the man’s eyes narrowed as he read the screen. “He ratted us out to the police,” he hissed, his eyes blazing with anger. Immediately, he pulled out his own phone and made a call.
“We’ve got a problem, boss,” he said into the phone. “Charles sent a message to the police. What do you want us to do?”
Back at the mansion, Antonio listened intently, his jaw clenched. “Bring him to the house across the city. We’re leaving now. Make sure he can’t cause any more trouble.”
Antonio turned to Reina and she followed Antonio who rushed to the room where Evelyn was kept, who was still tied up and bruised. “We’re moving. Get ready. We leave immediately.”
The men hastened to obey, dragging a struggling Evelyn and a triumphant-looking Reina to the waiting cars. They drove in a convoy, speeding through the city to avoid detection. Antonio’s mind raced, fury bubbling just beneath the surface. He couldn’t believe the betrayal, and he was determined to make them all pay.
After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at the new mansion across the city. The property was secluded, surrounded by tall walls and thick trees, making it the perfect place to hide out. Antonio’s men pulled Charles out of the van roughly, dragging him inside.
Charles struggled, trying to break free, but the men’s grip was ironclad. They hauled him through the mansion’s grand entrance and down a long hallway, his feet barely touching the ground. Finally, they reached a room at the end of the corridor and threw open the door.