Christian POV:
I couldn't help but watch her, Lina, as she spoke quietly with Ashley. Her smile is like a fleeting melody, soft, almost like a whisper in the air, but it resonated deep within me. The way her eyes sparkled, bright yet guarded, left me wondering what secrets they held. It was as though she existed behind invisible walls, walls she never allowed anyone to climb.
Luca, ever the gracious host, suggested that we all have dinner together. It was a simple offer, yet the way he said it carried a certain warmth, an invitation I didn't want to refuse. Lina and her group agreed, and just as I thought the moment would pass, Luca turned to me, his gaze steady. "What about you, Christian?" he asked, his voice casual.
For a brief moment, hesitation gripped me. But as I looked at her, at the way she sat, quiet yet radiant, I knew my answer. "I'll stay," I replied.
It wasn't a decision I made lightly, but it was one I made for her. There was something about Lina. a mystery that beckoned me, pulling at the deepest parts of my soul. I wanted to understand her. I wanted to know her story, to uncover the layers of her guarded existence.
As preparations for dinner began, Luca motioned for me to follow him. He led me upstairs to his study, a room lined with shelves of books and files that spoke of his years in business. The scent of old paper and polished wood hung in the air, giving the room an air of importance. As soon as we entered, Luca locked the door behind us, his expression growing serious.
"How is it?" he asked, his voice low. "Did you make any progress? And what's with that expression?"
I stood there for a moment, measuring my words carefully. "I took her to my villa in Lavia de Mountain. Nothing more."
Luca let out a heavy sigh, one that seemed to carry the weight of years of concern. "She's very conscious about her actions, isn't she?"
His voice softened, a touch of sorrow creeping in. "I've known Lina for so long, but I've never seen her date anyone. When I first started dating Ashley, there was a time Lina rushed back to Thailand. She left in such a hurry... Ashley followed her, worried. Lina was twenty-one then, and when we found her, she wouldn't speak to anyone. She locked herself in a room for weeks. No one knew what happened."
I listened intently, my mind racing as the pieces of Lina's past slowly began to take shape. Her silence, the distance in her eyes, it was all starting to make a strange kind of sense.
Luca exhaled heavily, a man burdened by memories, "After that, she disappeared. Cut off contact with everyone. Her family and people around her… they were all left in the dark. When Lina's sister reached out to Ashley, we had no answers."
He paused, his gaze drifting somewhere far beyond the confines of the room, "Later, Lina left a note for Ashley, saying she was safe, that we shouldn't worry. But she didn't explain anything. That disappearance… it left a scar on all of us. Two years later, she came back… but she was different. Sarah, Miles, and Addison, they've been watching over her ever since. Each of them in their way. But Addison… he's different. Rarely around, but protective, just like the others."
I couldn't help but frown as I processed Luca's words. There was so much more to Lina than I had ever imagined. The emotions I'd witnessed in her, the guardedness, the withdrawal, it all began to weave a tapestry of pain, loss, and untold stories. It all made a kind of painful sense.
Luca sighed again, rubbing his forehead as though the weight of the past still haunted him. "The Lina you see now… she's not the same person I met 8 years ago. Ashley's always had doubts. About that person's death, about everything that happened around that time. But to this day, we have no answers. No one knows what happened."
I stood there, my thoughts swirling like a storm in my mind. The mystery of Lina had deepened into something far darker than I had ever imagined.
Luca's voice broke through my thoughts. "Don't get jealous over Addison. If you meet the other guy in Lina's life, you might lose your mind."
I blinked, my attention snapping back to him. "Other guy?"
Luca grunted, a humorless chuckle escaping him. "Yeah. He's a shadow in her life. Mysterious. Never around, but protective. The kind of guy you'd want to avoid."
I felt something dark stir inside me at his words, jealousy, possessiveness, fear of losing her. I tried to push it aside, but it lingered.
"Do you know why she's so against dating?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Luca shook his head slowly. "No one knows. But Eirene might. She's Lina's best friend. During that time when Lina disappeared, Eirene was the only one who rarely stayed in contact with. She used to reassure uncle and aunt that Lina was okay. If you're lucky, you might meet her. But only if Lina lets you in."
Eirene… the name echoed in my mind. It was another puzzle piece, but one I wasn't sure how to fit.
Luca's expression turned serious, his gaze locking onto mine.
"Christian, don't chase Lina because she's a mystery. Don't do it just for the intrigue."
"Don't think you can solve her like some mystery." I exhaled slowly, my heart heavy with something I couldn't name.
"I know what I'm doing," I replied quietly.
"When I'm near her… it feels like I've known her forever. There's something familiar, warm, even though we've only just met. It's not a mystery I want to solve. It's a connection I can't explain." I mumbled in my thoughts.
Luca studied me for a long moment before nodding. "Alright.. Just… be careful."
The conversation drifted back to business, but my mind remained tangled with thoughts of Lina. She was a puzzle. I couldn't piece together, I wanted to know her. Every shadow, every secret. No matter how long it took.
When we returned downstairs, the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and friendly bickering. Lina sat on the couch, Ray clambered into her lap, tiny fingers fumbling over the phone. Lina smiled softly, patient as she taught her. Guiding her small hands as she tried to figure out the game on her phone. Her fingers were gentle as they moved, a tenderness that spoke volumes.
I crossed the room, my steps silent but determined. I sat beside her, she didn't flinch, didn't pull away. She glanced at me, and for a moment, the veil lifted. I thought I glimpsed something raw and real beneath the surface, but then it was gone, replaced by practiced calm. she turned back to Ray, her focus unwavering.
I watched her, the warmth of the scene wrapping around me like a blanket, yet it did nothing to soften the questions burning in my mind.
At last, she turned to me, her gaze curious but guarded. "Anything, Mr. Romano?" she asked lightly.
I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a whisper that brushed against her skin. "I don't like how you address me. You can call me Christian."
Her eyes flickered, and I caught the shadow that passed over her face. I pressed on. "We're not strangers anymore. You know me now."
A pause. A breath. And then, softly, "Okay. Christian."
The sound of my name on her lips was a spark in the darkness, something warm and alive. I didn't expect it to feel like this. Didn't expect it to matter so much.
But it did...