Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
“W-what?”
Rhea faced her and said, “You successfully escaped Daniel so I could never be found by him, yes, that’s right. You sent me away to papa and disconnected all connections so Daniel could never find me, yes, but don’t be mistaken, it was also a way for you to live your life too. So don’t say it was all for me. And let’s be honest here, if it hadn’t been for Elijah, I’m sure you would have continued living your life without me as a burden! Moreover, you married Eric, was it for me too?”
Natalie was so dumbfounded by Rhea’s speech that all that left her mouth was, “You’re talking rubbish. “
“Also, don’t you think it’s hypocritical to conclude that Lukas is the same as Daniel when you have made no effort to get to know him first?! He’s even your best friend’s son. Penelope even gave up her life, her youth, her everything to help you escape Daniel and what did you do in return, you take it out on her only son? The only child she left behind that you could have taken care of to express her thanks for her help?”
Staring at her mother and realizing her shortcomings towards Lukas, her best friend’s son, made Rhea so bitter that tears slid down her cheeks and her lips trembled as she said,
“Lukas is so lonely that the only connection he has to his mother is you, do you know that?! He has no one by his side aside from me and you want to break that connection as well? What did Lukas do so wrong to you?”
“That’s enough….” Natalie’s voice wavered, unable to stop the tears that slid down her cheeks as well. There was a tightening feeling in her chest as the guilt began to gnaw at her.
Rhea never intended to manipulate her mother’s guilt, but things ended up that way. And perhaps, she needed to hear it after all. Holding her gaze, she told Natalie, “Penelope must be disappointed in you. I wonder how you would face her in the afterlife? After everything she did for you!”
“I said, that’s enough!” Natalie grabbed the glass from the small stool beside her and crashed it on the ground, hitting a small distance away from where Rhea stood.
“That’s enough, Rhea!” Eric shouted at her this time with an intensity that startled her. Rhea was taken aback as she saw her mother crumble to the ground in tears. Her mouth opened and closed helplessly, she didn’t mean to push it this far.
Rhea lifted her gaze to look at the other brothers, hoping that at least one of them would support her, but all that greeted her were their disappointed faces. So while her mother Eric was busy comforting her mother, Rhea slipped back into the comfort of her room.
While she had won this round, Rhea didn’t feel as fulfilled as she thought she would be. Not that her words were wrong, but seeing her mother in such distress didn’t sit well with her. Why couldn’t they just agree for once?
Rhea sighed deeply.
Punishment For His Sins
When did he even become this close to Adele? Lukas had no idea. But then, the instant she called him on the phone and started weeping, the next thing he did was drag her ass to wherever she was. Of course, Lukas didn’t come alone because Victor trailed after him, especially after seeing him run out of his office like a madman.
Lukas could not explain it, but at first, it had been simply admiration for Adele. Out of his family members, she was the only one he shared some sort of connection to. Both of them were outcasts – he was the son of the monster, Daniel who everyone dreaded while she was the bastard daughter.
Nonetheless, both of them didn’t let that weakness define them and rose above the criticism to get to the point where they are today. Although Lukas still held admiration for Adele, he now felt protective towards her. Ever since he found out that he was pregnant, Lukas felt responsible towards her like some sort of godfather or something.
So when Adele kept on crying on the phone, Lukas thought that she had done something stupid like going on with the abortion even after finally supporting her decision to keep the baby. What if she got rid of the child just to keep her position at his side? That one would be on him.
So when Lukas anxiously arrived at her mother’s place with the negative thought in his head, he was able to breathe when he found out that she was okay. And so was her baby.
“Where is she?” Lukas asked while coming into the house with Victor closing the door behind him.
Angelica gestured upstairs, “The room on your left. She’s locked herself in there since we returned from the hospital. I think she’s still traumatized by the news.”
“Traumatized with the news?” Victor asked her with suspicion.
Angelica opened her mouth to narrate the news to them only to change her mind in the end. She said to them,
…..
“I think it’s better if you hear it from the horse’s mouth.”
Thanks to that comment, Lukas and Victor shared worried looks. From the intense energy in the air, they could tell that this was serious.
Lukas was just about to take a step forward when he stopped and faced the woman. Angelica looked at him in confusion wondering what was up now.
“Thank you for being there in this critical time,” Lukas said.
“Huh? Oh.” She finally understood him, “It’s nothing. Adele is my daughter and it’s my responsibility to…” Angelica was still talking when Lukas and Victor left her without looking back.
Angelica was left dumbfounded. She thought they were interested in what she had to say. Children nowadays…. She breathed deeply.
Lukas found the door and knocked on it twice before it was swung open by Adele, who stood before him with red, swollen eyes. Just how much she had been crying.
“Hi…” Lukas lifted his hand awkwardly in the air. This was the first time he was making such a personal visit to Adele and he didn’t know how to go about it. Their relationship had always been kind of formal.
Before Lukas could say anything else, Adele threw herself into his arms, nearly bringing him down if not for his strong footing. Lukas stiffened up, his feet glued to the ground with his hands hanging awkwardly midway while Adele cried on his chest.
What was he supposed to do?
If Adele was Rhea, he would rub her back with his hand and run his hand through her hair soothingly. Well, Adele was family, but they were not that close. But then, when Adele cried harder, tightening her hands wrapped around his waist, Lukas had no choice but to comfort her.
Victor simply stood in the corner watching them with a hidden smile on his lips. The Lukas of the past wouldn’t do that, no, he wouldn’t even care, not to talk of coming to see her. Rhea finally made a man out of him. Perhaps, he should let go of the grudge of the past incident and finally forgive her. It was not like he could stay mad at her forever, not when Lukas was becoming adorable with the day gone by.
“What’s the problem?” Lukas asked minutes later after Adele was able to pull herself together.
Adele was seated on the far end of the bed and leaning against the wall, looking fragile and vulnerable in her current look.
She said, “I went for a CT scan today with my mother.”
“And?”
“I’m having more than one baby.”
Victor’s eyes shone with delight, “You are having twins?” Their family was not blessed with multiple births, hence he was happy to see how this one would turn out.
“No,” She said, confusing Victor and Lukas.
“Huh?” Both men shared looks once more wondering what they were missing out on.
“It’s quadruplets.”
“What?!” They stood up abruptly and shouted at the top of their voices, their eyes widening to the size of the moon.
“What do you mean quadruplets?!” Lukas shouted.
“Whose are they going to pop out from?!” Victor was “highly” concerned.
“That’s the least of our problems,” Adele told them, “I’m carrying a high-risk pregnancy, the doctor said Elijah needs to know.”
“Impossible!” Lukas refused right away, turning his back, “I told you never knowing about his kids would be his punishment. Elijah made that bed and would sleep on it.”