Prisioner In Your Arms

Bruno remained silent for a moment before starting to speak. At that moment, he had the impulse to run away from there.

“Do you remember the photographs that were published? The ones where we were on a bed.”

“How could I forget them?”

That day was when we first met.”

“Impossible! I’m not like that, or at least I don’t remember.”

“That day, someone spiked my drink with an aphrodisiac. I went up to a room, and you entered shortly after, deceived by Sondra. She locked the room, thinking it was Leandro’s room.”

“But why would she do that if Leandro is my brother?” She didn’t understand anything; she felt more and more confused.

“I’ll tell you that part later. For now, please listen calmly. I believed it was all your plan to get me to marry you. The next morning, Sondra came in with several reporters after those photos were published. Your father and mine forced us to get married.”

“Did anything happen between us that night?”

Bruno felt ashamed; he didn’t know how to answer.

“Yes, I was in a very bad state, and I also thought it was part of your plan.”

“So, you forced me to be with you? I can’t believe it.” At this point, she felt very upset imagining what had happened between them.

“Afterward, Sondra came to see me at the office. She told me that it was all a plan organized by you to get your hands on your father’s fortune and mine. She manipulated your father until he agreed to remove you from his will.”

“I can’t believe my sister was capable of everything you’re telling me.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I am not lying. I just wanted to make you pay. I dedicated myself to humiliate you, I locked you up in my house. Your father asked me to let you finish your studies, just a few months were left. I agreed. He asked me to give you a job in my company, and I agreed to that too. Your father didn’t know that the position I gave you was as an assistant to my secretary. Gradually, I fell in love with you, and I believe you felt the same. One day, we were together, but I regretted it. I thought it would allow you to carry out your plans. I spent a few months in Italy, and Sondra traveled with me, but believe me, nothing happened between us. We only had an agreement to make you pay.”

“I truly can’t believe what I’m hearing. What kind of people are you two?”

Bruno felt a tightness in his chest. Nicole was suffering again because of everything that had happened. He wished they didn’t have to talk anymore, but he decided to continue.

“When we returned from Italy, I brought Sondra to live with us. I asked for your things to be removed from our room. I tried to erase you from my heart, but I couldn’t. Then you fled to Australia, and you decided to hide from me that you were pregnant with Santi. Rina and Gío helped you do it.”

“Why did they help me? Where do I know them from?”

Nicole was already feeling very unwell from what she was hearing. Bruno knew that what she was about to hear would crush her soul.

“Rina and Gío are your real parents.”

“What? That can’t be true, you’re lying.”

“I think we should continue this conversation later. You need to calm down.”

“No way, I want to know everything now.” She took a deep breath. She needed to calm down if she truly wanted to find out the truth.

“Rina married Noah years ago. She was pregnant with you. Gío had been forced by his parents to marry another woman, and he didn’t know she was pregnant. He made Noah believe he was your father and that you were born prematurely.”

She felt that it was too much to bear, but Bruno continued telling her everything that had happened. He approached her to embrace her, and she couldn’t stop sobbing.

“So, Leandro kidnapped me to take me to his side?”

“That’s right. Then they had a relationship and lived together until Santi turned four, after which Rina found them and confessed that they are half-siblings.”

“Oh, my God! I can’t handle all of this. It’s too much to process.”

“I just want you to have no doubt that I love you.”

“After you humiliated me and treated me as if I had no worth, you want me to believe that you love me?”

“Nicole, we had already moved past all of that. We can’t go through this again, please.”

“Leave me alone, please. It’s very difficult for me. It feels like you’re telling me a movie where I’m the protagonist. I also have to come to terms with the fact that my brother’s father hates us and has tried to harm my son.”

Bruno left with a heavy heart. Dante, upon seeing him, called him into his office. Sophie entered the room to bring tea to Nicole.

“My friend, you have to calm down. It will harm the baby,” she said as she offered her the tea.

“I can’t believe everything I’ve heard.”

“Believe me, I used to hate Bruno for everything he did to you, but over time, he has earned your love. It’s true that everything between you was going well until the incident with Santi. You know that I love you and that I would never lie to you.”

“I don’t know what to think. I need time to process it all.” Nicole felt like her head was spinning with so much information.

“I understand, dear, and I know that Bruno will be willing to wait for you. He loves you, and you love him, even if you don’t remember.”

In Italy, Sergio was staying at the hotel under the name Ricardo Moronne. His men informed him that his properties had been seized.

“Fortunately, I have the account in the Cayman Islands. With that, I’ll be able to sustain myself until I recover what’s rightfully mine.”

He didn’t know that the authorities were also on the verge of seizing that account. All possibilities were closing in on him. They wanted to corner him until he agreed to surrender.

Shelsy and Sondra arrived in Pavía. Sondra tried to hide her discomfort when she saw the place they would be staying. She hated the countryside life, but for now, she had no other option. She had to endure whatever it took if she wanted a roof over her head.

Shelsy’s father welcomed them with joy. Her mother was bedridden, and they were given a room. The house was simple and picturesque, built with stone and wood, nestled in the middle of a vineyard.

“The place is beautiful despite its simplicity,” Sondra said as she looked out the window.

“You’ll stay in this room, and I’ll take turns with my father to take care of my mother.”

“Alright, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Thank you.”

Sergio’s lawyer informed him that the account in the Cayman Islands no longer existed. The enraged man tried to contain his anger. He wouldn’t allow them to ruin him in that way. He knew the Leones and the Williams had something to do with it. They would pay for it. He would find the little bastard and make them regret crossing him.

The girls from the bar were still with him. He could no longer afford to spend so much money. He only had enough to sustain himself for a few more days. He had to move to a cheaper place.

“I’m sorry, girls, but you have to leave immediately.”

“Why, handsome? We’re having fun.”

“You have to go now.”

“Alright, I guess you’ll give us a good tip for our services,” one of the girls said.

“Hahaha, you’ve taken as much as you could from me these past few days, and now you still want a tip? I’ll count to three, and when I do, I hope I don’t see you around here anymore, or you’ll face the consequences. Trust me, you won’t like what will happen to you,” Sergio replied with a sinister laugh.

“Hey, at least-”

“No ‘at least.’ One…”

The girls quickly gathered their things and ran out. Something in Sergio’s gaze made it clear that he wasn’t playing around. They didn’t stop until they were outside the hotel.

Shortly after, Sergio and his men left the hotel. They checked into a rundown place with several rooms in the same corridor. There was only one bathroom for the entire floor, and several working girls would bring their clients there. The creaking beds and moans were a constant sound. Sergio stayed in one room with two other men, while six others occupied the adjacent room. He had to let go of the remaining employees.

“Damn it! I’m ruined. I’ve never felt so humiliated. I swear they will pay dearly for this. I need you to find a way to locate Sondra. We’ll keep only two trucks, and we’ll have to sell the other four. That should provide us with enough money to cover expenses until we sort this out.”

Bruno had already been informed about Sergio’s situation. They hadn’t been able to locate him yet, but everything belonging to Nicole would be returned to her. Fortunately, Leandro had founded his own independent company, separate from his father’s, and he helped manage the corporate affairs. Knowing how unpredictable his father could be, Leandro had taken steps to secure his own future.

Shelsy informed Bruno that she was in Pavía, and he was in Milan, very close by. She regretted telling him, as her pregnancy was starting to show, and she still feared his reaction upon finding out. She longed to see him desperately, but she preferred to make excuses to prevent him from visiting. Besides, she knew he would be upset if he found out she was helping Sondra.

She knew that sooner or later, she would have to tell him about the pregnancy. She loved him and loved the little one growing in her womb. Leandro was the best man she had ever known, and it took her a while to realize that she had fallen in love with him.