THIRD POV
"What kept you from opening the damn door?" Candela asked, pushing the door further and walked into Evelyn's room.
Evelyn raised her brows slightly, picking up a similar scent to the Don's on her. She waved it off as she closed down behind.
Candela stood in her "lady of the house" glory, looking around the room in an unpleasant way.
Evelyn fiddled with her fingers nervously as she stared at Candela.
"Were you busy hiding the skeleton you brought into my house?" Candela asked, still looking around.
Evelyn furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Skeleton?"
"Yes, dear. Skeleton," Candela said, her eyes still roaming, but they fell back on Evelyn.
"I don't...."
"You know what I mean," Candela retorted.
Evelyn stared at her.
"The real reason you came to my house. THAT skeleton," Candela pointed out.
"I don't know what you are talking about, ma'am." Evelyn said calmly.
Candela scoffed. "Of course. Play dumb,"
Evelyn lowered her gaze, feeling conscious about Candela's dislike towards her.
"Come on, you and I know you have an ulterior motive. You came here for a reason," Candela said.
Evelyn looked at her with furrowed brows.
Candela raised her brows. "Go on, tell me what it is."
"I don't have any motives."
Candela hummed and scanned Evelyn from head to toe.
"I can see that you are a hard nut to crack."
"What is she on about?" Evelyn asked internally.
"You see, I don't know what you did to my son for him to trust you so much but...."
"I didn't do anything to him." Evelyn chipped in.
Candela raised her finger and shook it slightly. "Don't interrupt me, sweetie. Don't do that."
Evelyn averted her eyes from her.
"Especially in my house. Don't do that," Candela warned.
Evelyn lowered her gaze.
"Now, as I was saying. I don't know what you did to my son, but I am here to make it clear to you that you are not going to get away with it."
Evelyn let out a sigh.
"You might be his type or very pretty, I mean, not actually that pretty though," Candela said, scanning Evelyn from head to toe again and unpleasantly.
Evelyn looked away.
"But that is not enough to make him act stupid like he did this morning," Candela completed.
Evelyn stared at the floor, void of what to say to her. She doesn't want to sound rude or disrespectful.
But she doesn't want to be disrespected either.
"I want you to leave my house right now," Candela said with all seriousness.
Evelyn looked at her.
Candela raised her brows.
Evelyn felt a sting in her heart, but she had no choice but to accept that. She was about to speak but....
"But you can't," Candela retorted, feeling her blood boiling after saying that.
Evelyn stared at her.
"Not when my son has stupidly taken full responsibility of you." Candela added, aware of the hatred Mario would feel towards her if she dares kick out his little pathetic friend.
Evelyn fiddled with her fingers.
"I do believe that your ears are working perfectly well because I want you to listen to me carefully."
Evelyn looked at her.
"If I find out that you are here for some negative reasons and to deceive my son, I will skin your pretty self alive," Candela said, narrowing her eyes on Evelyn.
Evelyn furrowed her brows slightly. The Don thinks she is a spy and now his wife thinks she is deceiving their son, just like the Don said as well.
Why do this couple think so negatively about me? Evelyn asked internally.
Candela raised her brows. "Got it?"
"With due respect, ma'am. I am not..."
"Save it," Candela retorted.
Evelyn stared at her, feeling tears approaching.
"I will repeat myself one last time. If I find out that you are here for some negative reasons and to deceive my son, I will skin your pretty self alive."
"I am not deceiving anyone," Evelyn said boldly.
"You better. Because I meant what I said. You don't know who I am."
Evelyn looked away.
"And, about your silly trip with my husband,"
Evelyn's heart skipped a beat as she flickered her eyes at Candela.
"How did it go?" Candela asked.
Evelyn furrowed her brows confusedly as her heart pounded.
"Wha...what?"
"How did your trip with my husband go?" Candela repeated.
"Good," Evelyn simply said, but nervously. It felt like she was being questioned about a crime she literally committed.
"I see," Candela said, scanning Evelyn from head to toe once again.
Candela shrugged, "Actually, that's not a bother. A tiny thing like you is nothing for me to be worried about."
"Why are you asking then?" Evelyn asked internally.
"Well, enjoy your time under my roof while it lasts. Because you look like someone who will leave this house very soon."
Evelyn looked at her.
"In a painful shame," Candela added.
Evelyn lowered her gaze.
Candela gave her one last stare before walking towards the door. She opened the door and headed out.
Evelyn let out a sigh as she closed the door after Candela walked out.
***********
ALONG THE HALLWAY
Candela's clicking heels on the spotless tiled floor corresponded with her annoyance and anger while she walked.
She is beyond pissed at the fact that she has to live with that stranger in her fucking house just because of her....
"Ahh!" A scared whimper escaped her lips the minute someone grabbed her arm at the corner and pinned her to the wall.
She looked at who it was.
It was Dante. He is dressed in a black shirt with the first three buttons left open and black trousers.
"Someone looks pissed today," Dante said, smirking as he towered her.
Candela pushed his chest, suppressing the tiny pressure within her thanks to his height hovering over hers.
"Don't you dare do that again, you hear me?!" Candela warned angrily, but in a low tone.
Dante raised his hands in surrender. "Geez, Candy. You are really pissed," he quipped.
Candela scoffed. "Oh please. Pissed is an understatement. I am furious." She said, folding her hands and looking away.
Dante hummed, his eyes roaming Candela's body lustfully.
"Let me guess," Dante began, licking his lips as he kept undressing her with his eyes. "Mario's girlfriend is the reason, huh?"
Candela scoffed in irritation. "Girlfriend? Mario doesn't date girls like that. That thing looks pathetic and filthy."
"Hmm," Dante hummed, smirking as he continued scanning Candela.
"He feels pity for her and has decided to make me look like a bad person. He literally called me, aunt. Can you believe that ungrateful brat?" Candela asked, looking at Dante.
"After all I have done for him. I freaking raised him,"
Dante shrugged. "Well, I mean uh, you are literally his aunt."
Candela threw him a glare.
"You didn't give birth to him. He is actually your late elder sister's son. Not yours."
Candela's heart clenched, but her blood boiled in absolute anger.
Dante's face twitched, noticing her anger.
"Are you serious right now?" Candela asked.
Dante reached to touch her face. "Baby....."
Candela slapped his hand away.
"I am not your baby, you jerk." Candela snarled.
"Candy..."
"I really don't know why I keep it calm with you anyway. You are a lunatic." Candela almost yelled, gesturing at his face.
Dante moved closer, but she raised a finger at him, making him freeze.
"Don't you ever pull me like that again," she warned.
Dante stared at her.
"Try it again, and I will let your cousin know about how you have been throwing advances at his wife." Candela said, turning to leave, but Dante grabbed her arm and brought her closer.
"Let go!" She ordered, struggling to get out of his hold, but he held her tighter.
"Don't talk to me like that," he snarled.
"What the fuck will you do?" She snapped.
He gritted his teeth angrily.
"That's right. Nothing. You can't do anything, Dante." Candela mouthed to his face.
Dante scowled at her.
"Just like you can't do anything when it comes to my darling, powerful and sophisticated husband, Don Adrian Di Morelli," Candela said, smirking.
Dante's blood boiled.
"I would rather eat grass than cheat on him with you. You are pathetic, Dante. No one in his right senses would pick you over someone like Adrian. You are not half a man that he is. Now get your filthy hands off me," she said, snatching her hand from his hold.
Dante glared at her as his fingers curled into a fist.
"Try this shit again and you will be sorry. Fucking idiot," She said, walking away angrily.
Dante stood there, staring at her as she walked away.
His phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket, picked up the call without taking his eyes off the direction Candela had just walked through.
He placed the phone to his ear.
"Talk to me," he said to the person at the other end of the line.
"We are ready, sir." The person said.
Dante nodded slightly. "Good. Burn down everything. Spare nothing."
"Yes, sir."
Dante hung up. "Can't do anything when it comes to your powerful and sophisticated husband, huh?" He asked, smirking.
"Well, we will see about that," he added.
********
AT THE DOOR FLOOR....
Dolores walked along the hallway with a tray and a glass of wine on it in her hands. She has a nervous but happy look on her face.
Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she approached a door. She stopped the minute she got to the door, inhaled and exhaled before knocking slightly on the door.
She waited a bit for an answer.
"Enter," Adrian's husky voice sent shivers down her spine.
It sounds divine! She squealed internally.
She comported herself and opened the door.
She sighted Adrian seated on his swivel chair in a relaxed posture, holding a big cigarette in his hand and a paper on the other which he was looking at behind his glasses.
Her heart raced.
God, he is gorgeous. She said internally.
"Adrian," she called, loving the way his name sounded in her lips.
He flickered his eyes at her.
"Dolores," he simply said, dropping his gaze back on his paper.
"Um....I don't mean to disturb but...."
"You are." He chipped in, adding to her nervousness.
She gulped slightly.
"What is it?" He asked without looking at her.
"Well, um...you have been in here working for hours, so I, uh....I thought you might be thirsty, so I brought you some wine." she stuttered nervously.
He looked at her blankly.
"It is your favorite," She said, smiling slightly.
He stared at the wine and then back at her.
She took it as a cue to walk closer and placed the tray on the desk but....
"I am not thirsty." He said calmly, looking at her.
Loads of regret washed her, but something pushed her to insist.
"You might. Soon. Perhaps I should leave it here in case you...."
"That won't be necessary," he chipped in calmly.
Her heart tightened.
"Please leave. I need to focus," he said, returning his gaze to his paper.
"Okay," she almost whispered, forcing a tiny smile as she picked up the tray. She glanced at him.
He is focused on whatever is on the paper.
Her heart tightened the more as she turned and walked out of the office. Gently closing the door behind her, she let out a sigh.
What are you doing, Dolores?
That's your brother-in-law. Your sister's husband. Stop trying to get close to him for pit's sake.
He is not even like that.
He clearly doesn't find you attractive.
Her heart clenched at her thoughts as she walked away from the door. She walked along the hallway and then headed towards the kitchen but almost bumped into Candela, making her heart skip a beat.
"What the.... Candela," she blurted.
Candela's eyes fell on the wine.
Dolores let out a scoff. "What is with you?"
Candela didn't respond but picked up the glass and gulped everything down.
Dolores stood there staring at her.
Candela put back the empty glass on the tray.
"That was refreshing. I needed that to calm my nerves." Candela said, letting out a breath.
"I am literally losing it here." She added, placing her hands on her hips.
"Well, it wasn't for you. You should have asked before taking it." Dolores said, looking away.
"Who was it for then?" Candela asked.
Dolores froze.
She moved her eyes to Candela.
Candela raised her brows.