Tristan was in his car on his way to meet his father. When he went around a bend that lead to the private drive thru of Riordan Rossi, the car came to a halt. He looked outside and saw what was happening. He could recognise a face. Arturo. He was standing in front of his car leaning to the car boot as he was waiting. He was staring right at his car. He saw himself surrounded by his men as his own men came out.
Tristan quickly came out and signalled to his men to back off. He didn't know why Arturo hadn't gone to the rendezvous. He asked "Greetings Mr Agostini. We are meeting at the Rossi villa." His voice was reflecting in the deserted area. The place was full of empty villas reserved for summer. There was no one there past a point unless they had permission from the Rossi family as it was a private road.
Arturo stood passively as he looked at his watch. "Come closer kid. You and I need to have a talk.
Tristan's bodyguards didn't like that. As Tristan took every step, his bodyguards moved with him.
Arturo turned to his own guards and made a gesture making him spread out behind him giving them more space. That brought Tristan's body guards out of restlessness. They mirrored the posture of Arturo's guards.
Tristan walked closer to Arturo until he was a few steps away. " Let us skip the formalities. Shall we? I am only here for 15 minutes while my men are being stationed around the building where my wife is. I don't want greetings or sympathy. I am here on business. I would like to ask questions and I want answers. If you waste my breaths, I will not be kind. My wife is taken. I don't play with her life."
He then raised his finger "Where is my son? I thought he is at your father's home. I talked to Amethyst. But Andreas was not where he was supposed to be."
Tristan said "He is with Ambrogio."
Arturo stated " The O'Neil bloodline is scoring high today in negligence. Your people lost my wife. Now they lost my son too. That's a record. All in one day."
Tristan said "I trust Ambrogio with your son."
Arturo said " I do too. But that's Andreas I don't trust because he has just heard his mother has disappeared. I don't trust my son with Ambrogio. My son doesn't take orders from him. So I would like to declare my son missing."
Tristan said "The matters will be resolved if you come to the meeting point right now. We all will help to put an end to the situation... You will get what you want which is justice and revenge."
Arturo said " I want your uncle caught. He is responsible. But ... this is happening in your territory. Do you think I should hold you responsible too?"
Tristan nodded "I take full responsibility."
Arturo gave a bitter chuckle "I asked your father that. He said Tristan has responsibility for what happens under his watch but he asked me to hold him responsible instead. Well. He is responsible for your existence..."
Tristan said "I know my failure to prevent this disaster cant be ignored.. I wish to fix this... That's why I wish to ask you to go with my plan. The plan can work..."
Arturo said "Plan? You have a plan to execute when exactly? After my son is captured too or killed? Or after Jackson flees? You rule your people or do they rule you? Anything that happens in my city I know of it. There is not anything I don't know when I am in Milan. So let me get this straight, you didn't know your uncle was planning this? Not even a small ray of suspicion? You have a lot to learn yet... What have you got to say about this?"
Tristan said "I am truly sorry. I can't express my sadness and regret enough. I am hoping I can mend the relationship between our families."
Arturo gave him a hard look and then relaxed as he put both his hands on Tristan's shoulders making Tristan's body guards raise their guns. He spoke as he looked into his eyes "I am just messing with you kid. You are only 17. I dont hold minors responsible... You have honour. I give you that. But your uncle has no honour. None. Francesco trusts you with my god daughter. So I dont doubt you or question you... You have made mistakes but this is not one of them. You can't be held responsible for the crimes of another man. But either way Jackson is not my priority. I want him dead. But my wife and children's safety come first. I want my wife back and my son. If anything happens to them, this city will pay... Now it's time for action. There is no time to waste. I wish to go search for my wife and son..."
Tristan said "Come to the meeting sir ..."
Arturo said "I will meet you at the building."
Just then, suddenly a car pulled up. They started delivering news.
************************
Andreas was looking down from the helicopter. His mother was sitting next to him.
Andreas said "If I had a gun I would have killed him. Now that you are safe mother he can finally die." He then turned to Ambrogio who was riding the helicopter. "Where are you taking us? Not too far away I hope."
Ambrogio said "I am taking you to your uncle Francesco's tower to touch down. It is not too far away. I have sent word to your father about you..."
Andreas sighed "You could drop us off on the building opposite. On your building. I want to help my father."
Ambrogio said "I can't risk it. Your mother may sabotage the war."
Andreas objected "What do you mean?"
Anna said "Don't talk about what you don't understand."
Ambrogio said "Don't pretend Anna. Why did you not run away when you could? You knew he wouldn't spill the blood of anyone connected with a Rosario. The blood of Rosarios are precious. Your father and Antonio would have guaranteed his safety as hostages. Why didn't you leave when you could with the helicopter? Antonio told me everything once I brought him to safety..."
Andreas said "Uncle Ambrogio. You are upsetting my mother. Stop it. Right now."
Ambrogio said "Come On Anna. Explain why. Your son is old enough to understand."
Anna looked away.
Andreas said "That's enough uncle Ambrogio. My mother had given up. It's hard for you to imagine. You werent threatened. My mother was. You have never been abducted by a man twice your size and one hundred times your strength... My mother couldn't defend herself. It was a losing battle."
Ambrogio said "Your Mother has fought losing battles before. She never gave up. Ask your mother why she didn't fight hard enough."
Andreas turned to his mother "Ignore him mother."
Anna closed her eyes as she held her face in her hands.
Ambrogio said "It's guilt. Your mother loves him. Your mother loves Jackson."
Andreas turned sharply "Enough. My mother doesn't love him. There was no love in how my mother was looking at him. There was just fear. My mother loves my father..."
Ambrogio said "That's right. She loves your father. But she loves Jackson too. You have to know this kid. So you will understand if your father punishes your mother for not getting away knowing full well she could."
Andreas wanted to punch Ambrogio. But sadly he was behind the helicopter control seat and he was his saviour from the roof top. He said "Uncle Ambrogio. I don't believe you. I choose not to." He then looked at his mother "Please don't listen to him."
Anna took down her hands "It's true."
Andreas gasped "What? What's true?"
Anna said "I love your father. But I loved Jackson too. It is past tense. Jackson hurt me. But your father didn't. I married your father because I loved him."
Ambrogio said "But what about now? Do you have feelings for Jackson? I am pretty certain you do. It's best if your son hears it from you."
Anna looked away. She covered her mouth right her hands.
Andreas shook his head "You still love him. Don't you mother? Did you want him to win? Did you want him to kill father?" Andreas held his breath. He felt sick as he asked the questions.
Anna turned sharply as her hands came down "No. Never. Your father has given you and Amethyst to me. He is my husband. The father of my children..."
Andreas felt relieved but then asked the dreaded question "Before ... you know... you had me and amethyst ... would you answer this question in the same way? If Amerhyst and I didn't exist. If father and Jackson proposed to you at the same time... who would you have said yes to? I know uncle Francesco pushed for you to get married when you did."
Anna said "I was free. Your uncle Francesco made sure I was happy with my choice. He never wanted me to be in a forced marriage. I chose your father because I loved him... Jackson was not an option."
Andreas said "So if uncle Francesco gave you two choices. Jackson or father. Who would you have chosen?"
Ambrogio lowered down the helicopter onto the roof of the tallest building Francesco owned. "Hold tight."
Andreas said "Mother. I won't judge you. I need to know the truth."
Anna looked into her sons eyes "I would have chosen your father. I had a choice. Your uncle Francesco told me to declare if I didn't want to marry your father. I chose him."
Andreas turned to Ambrogio "My Mother is innocent. Stop accusing her of what she is not guilty of."
Ambrogio landed the helicopter and said "Your mother loved two men. Two powerful men. She may have loved your father. But she loved Jackson too."
Andreas got off the helicopter. "I don't have to listen to this. I don't need to. I trust my mother." He then walked away looking around the landing location trying to shake off a lot of things he wished he hadn't heard. He just couldn't imagine his mother having eyes for another man. What scared him was, his father's reaction to this. He had seen his father's response when his mother had played with Amethyst's life against his wishes. Now his mother had endangered herself and Andreas. He had to save his mother from his father's wrath that he knew was coming. There was no way his father was going to let his mother get away with this. She had to answer to him. If his mother taught, Ambrogio's questioning was tough, she had a shock coming.
Anna looked outside at his son while shaking her head at Ambrogio "What are you trying to do? Traumatise my son?"
Ambrogio unclipped his seat belt "He needs to know. I spoke to Arturo personally. I sent word to him while you were in there. He knows everything. You are going to pay Anna. You will atone for what happened. When he is satisfied then you can appreciate your husband you always underestimated. Let's be honest with yourself. Jackson is abusive. Always was. I am not proud of who I am. I am a husband from hell who goes home late. I am a nightmare of an uncle skinning Scorpious alive pushing him harder than I should be. But I have never been abusive. Jackson is. He was. You saw him as stronger than Antonio. You always thought he could beat Arturo: Why don't you tell the truth to your son? Be honest and tell them. You have no faith in Arturo. The man who treated you like a queen. You thought if Jackson took him on, he will die. Your husband has deflected a few attempts on his life in the past few hours all for you. Jackson cowardly tried to kill him but it didn't work. I only have one advice for you. When you see Arturo admit your feelings to him. He will forgive you if you are straight with him. It's best you admit to him that you still have feelings for Jackson. After what he has done, you still love him. Admit it Anna. But I know you love Arturo more. Prove it to him. But don't deny you have some feelings for Jackson. It would aggravate Arturo. He will make you regret it. He won't forgive you if you lie to him. Even if you begged on your knees he won't be satisfied."
*********************
Arturo stood across the street from the building where his wife was held just earlier on. She was safe now. He closed his eyes as flames engulfed the building. He closed his eyes as the building came down.
Now he had to mend his marriage while he looked for Jackson's body in the building remains. A marriage he wasn't sure could ever be the same. His wife had put his son in danger shortly after endangering their daughter. Their love life was in turmoil as the old flame had come back trying to steal her away. When he had married her he knew what kind of girl she was. A wild one. A wild one who needed to be free. He gave her freedom but she crossed the boundaries. She had to be punished. She had to answer to him. She had actually thought Jackson's futile attempts could kill him. She had actually thought he would die so she wanted to accept Jackson as her only alternative to keep their children safe. Too bad. She had thought wrong. He was pretty much alive.
***************
Anna was waiting in a room in Francesco's building alongside her son. She watched the door open and Arturo come in. Her heart jumped as thought her heart had been dead. Seeing him brought her dead heart back to life.
Andreas stood frozen swallowing hard waiting for his father's next move.
Arturo ignored Anna in the room and walked to Andreas. He embraced him "Did he hurt you?"
Andreas said "No."
Arturo said "Go outside. For defying me and not waiting, I will need to have a talk with you. Go outside and wait for me." He pulled away "Now."
Andreas knew better than to defy his father. He knew he would have been avoiding the inevitable. Right now being in uncle Francesco's building gave him assurance. There was no way his uncle would have let Arturo go near his mother if he thought she was going to be hurt. So he didn't stay behind. No matter how angry his father was he didn't feel he couldn't leave him alone with his mother. He went outside and prayed for his mother. He prayed for her to restore her faith in his father. He didn't care what others thought of his mother. He knew she loved his father. He had seen it in her eyes back there. The terror, the fear, the tears. She just had lost faith and hope. She had thought giving in was the only way. Even the strongest could break. He hoped his patents' marriage didn't break.
Inside the room Arturo just stood watching his wife as she was shaking visibly under his stare. Only he had that effect on her. When he looked at her deeply, she shook. She trembled. He walked to the window while not taking his eyes off her. He looked at her top to bottom. He could see her knees trembling.
She decided to start confessing. She only had this on her mind. She wanted to confess "I am so sorry. I am sorry for abandoning the safety created for me. I am sorry for running away from my body guards to go to a meeting. I am sorry for failing to run away from Jackson when I could and causing our son to get captured for me because I made a sacrifice as I lost faith in you saving me. I know you can not forgive me with an apology...."
Arturo Just stared her down silently making her shake more violently. He kept his distance as he looked at the woman he loved.
She pleaded "I will atone. I will atone for every sin. Every single one. In any way you want."
Arturo stated in a low tone "No punishment will ever be enough to teach you a true lesson that you need. If only Jackson took you away for a lifetime, you would truly be punished. That would have been a true and fitting punishment for you. I have to punish you for dragging our son into it. No one can be spared when they endanger our children including us. You must pay Anna."
Anna said "I will pay. I will atone."
Arturo stated firmly with no emotion "I will punish you Anna. Prepare yourself for penitence. You will be brought to your knees like how a penitence should."
Anna's bones shook at his chilling and promising voice.