Giovanni's phone buzzed again. It was a message from Don Emilio.
"You've made a grave mistake. Meet me at the estate. Now."
The words hit like a punch to the gut. Giovanni stood frozen in the hallway of the hospital, the phone clenched tightly in his hand. He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door to Sophia's room. His heart was torn, he couldn't leave her now, not when she was still recovering. But the DeLucas wouldn't wait. Don Emilio's fury was a force of nature, and Giovanni knew that ignoring it would only make things worse.
He pressed the phone to his ear and dialed his father.
"Giovanni," Don Vincente's voice was cold, as usual, but Giovanni could hear the edge in it. "What's happened?"
"The DeLucas want to meet," Giovanni replied, his voice tight with the strain of it all. "They're furious."
Don Vincente's voice remained steady. "You're on your own, Giovanni. I warned you. But now, you'll have to deal with the DeLucas. I won't back you."
Giovanni clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of his father's words. "I know. But I'm going to handle it."
"You'd better," Don Vincente said with finality before hanging up.
Giovanni stood there for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew this moment had been coming, but the reality of it still hit hard. He had gone too far, made too many choices that couldn't be undone. The DeLucas would use Sophia against him. They'd use her against everything he held dear.
With a heavy heart, Giovanni walked to the elevator and headed down to the lobby. He didn't look back. His father's betrayal, Marco's warnings, none of it mattered now. He was facing the DeLucas, and he knew they would never back down. But neither would he.
The DeLuca estate was as imposing as ever cold, towering, and full of menace. Giovanni stepped out of the car and made his way toward the entrance, the tension in his shoulders making every step feel heavier. The guards at the door didn't stop him. He was expected, and they knew better than to question him now.
Don Emilio was waiting in the grand, darkened study, his face a mask of rage. The room was dimly lit, shadows stretching over the walls, a reflection of the storm brewing inside him.
"You've made a choice, Giovanni," Don Emilio's voice was low but full of fury. "And now you'll face the consequences."
Giovanni met his gaze without flinching, his anger rising. "I didn't make this decision for you, Don Emilio. I did it for her. For Sophia."
Don Emilio's eyes flashed with contempt. "For her? Or for yourself? You think you're the hero in this story? You've given her everything your future, your loyalty and for what? So she can be your savior?"
Giovanni stepped forward, his voice low and controlled. "I'm saving her, Don Emilio. Not you. Not anyone else. Me."
A bitter laugh escaped Don Emilio. "You don't get it, Giovanni. You've already lost everything. The DeLucas will never forgive you. You've made us look weak. And now, you want a truce, a fragile peace with us? Do you really think we'll just let this slide?"
"I don't care what the DeLucas think," Giovanni shot back, his fists clenched. "I'm not here to play your games. I'm here for Sophia. And I won't let you use her as leverage. You'll get nothing from me."
"Is that so?" Don Emilio's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, his fury barely contained. "You think you're in control now? You think you can control me? You've tied yourself to her, Giovanni. You've tied your fate to a Vincente. And you will regret it."
Giovanni's eyes narrowed, but he stood his ground. "You don't scare me, Don Emilio. If you want to fight, we'll fight. But I'm not backing down."
Don Emilio slowly stood, his massive frame filling the space between them. "You're too naive, Giovanni. You don't see the bigger picture. You're a DeLuca, and you've thrown away your legacy. Now, you'll face the price."
The tension in the room was suffocating, each word spoken like a threat, each look exchanged filled with unspoken consequences. Giovanni had made his decision, and he wasn't turning back. But Don Emilio wasn't done yet.
The door to the study slammed open. Marco stood there, his face twisted in rage. "You're both fools. Giovanni, you've sacrificed everything for a woman who will never belong to you. And Don Emilio, you've let your pride get in the way of what could have been an opportunity for the family."
Giovanni turned to face Marco, his anger flaring. "You don't get to lecture me, Marco. You're not in charge anymore."
Marco stepped forward, his voice laced with venom. "You think you can just walk in here and make demands? You've destroyed everything, Giovanni. You've destroyed us."
Don Emilio's hand slammed down on the desk. "Enough!" he barked. "This ends now. Giovanni, you've made your bed. But remember, you're not alone in this. The DeLucas never forget, and they never forgive."
The words hung heavy in the air, the finality of it suffocating Giovanni. He was trapped, caught in a web of his own making. But he wasn't going to back down. Not now. Not when Sophia's life was on the line.
"We're not done here, Giovanni," Don Emilio said, his tone dangerously calm. "You may have played your hand, but I'll make sure you regret it."
Giovanni's heart pounded in his chest. The tension between them was thick enough to cut, and he knew this was just the beginning. The DeLucas would never accept a truce. They would never let him have what he wanted.
Sophia had been his reason for everything, but now, he would have to fight harder than ever to protect her, and to protect himself from the storm that was coming.
As Giovanni turned to leave, Don Emilio's final words echoed in his mind.
"You've already lost everything, Giovanni. And you haven't even begun to pay the price."
The door slammed shut behind him, and Giovanni's blood ran cold. The DeLucas were coming for him. And nothing would be the same.