Chapter FORTY-TWO

Aurora has been looking for her brother for hours since she arrived in California. Once her brother told her the devastating news about her friend, she wasted no time and took the fastest flight out of Chicago to California. She expected to find her brother in the hospital but was not surprised when she arrived and didn't see him there. Aurora knew what happened last time, she knew her brother could not stand to bear it, again. Aurora knew her brother must be going through hell because of what happened to her dear friend. She felt a little guilty about what happened. This is not what she wished to happen when she suggested her brother date, Andrea. Aurora only wanted her brother to be happy again after so many years, it feels like she only scarred her brother more for life. After searching for him with no result, she finally found him in the one place she never thought to look for him. He was in a gym close to his apartment complex. She would have never thought to search for him there. He was wise in going there to hide. She walked in and found him punching the life out of the punching bag in front of him. His knuckles were bruised and covered in blood. She couldn't imagine how long he has been punching the bag. "Stefano," Aurora says, walking closer to her brother to get his attention. He does not answer her and continues to punch the life out of the punching bag. "You need to take a break," Aurora says, grabbing the punching bag before he throws another punch to it. He still ignores her and walks over to another punching bag to continue what he was doing. "Stefano, what happened is not your fault. Please come to the hospital and see her. It might be the last time you might ever see her," Aurora pleads with her brother. Stefano still does not reply to her. Aurora walks forward and grabs his hand in the air, as he is ready to punch the bag. She also stands in front of the bag. Stefano removes his hand from his sister's hold and finally speaks to her "Aurora, I suggest you move away," Stefano says with no emotion in his voice. All Stefano sees right now was Ivan's face as the punching bag, so he needed to punch it. He did not care that his hands were covered in blood and bruised. He had so much anger in him, and he needed to let it out. "Stefano, I am so sorry this happened, but you can't blame yourself like last time. What happened then and now is not your fault. Please, stop blaming yourself." Aurora knew more than anyone that Stefano refused to go to the hospital because of the guilt he felt, but he needed to see her because it might be his last time. "Aurora, you are telling me it's not my fault when Andrea is lying in the hospital, barely alive. You are standing here in front of me telling me, it is not my fault when the motherfucker that did that to her is Vladimir. You know it's my fault, you are just saying it isn't, so I won't kill myself for allowing it to happen, do not worry, I won't. I am only allowed to die when Vladimir is dead!" Stefano was filled with guilt about what happened to Andrea. He felt that if he did not allow himself to have feelings for Andrea and be with her, she would not be lying in the hospital, barely alive right now. Stefano believed he made a big mistake by allowing his heart to feel something for Andrea. He believed he could have spared her life if only he kept his heart closed off forever. Deep down, Stefano knows more than anyone it was hard not to fall for such an amazing woman like Andrea. Aurora didn't know what more to say to Stefano, everything he said was true. The person who put Andrea in the condition she is in right now is his enemy. She just wished her brother would stop blaming himself, but she knew right now that was almost impossible. Aurora came to convince her brother to visit the hospital and make him stop feeling guilty, but she did not succeed. She leaves after telling him one more time to visit Andrea. Stefano stood under the rain with Samuel holding the umbrella for him as he placed the flowers on her tombstone. The tombstone read Evelyn Joan Harper, a loving daughter. He made sure to get her favorite flowers, red roses. He could not remember the last time he was here. It felt like ages since he came here. He knows this is all because of Andrea. He expected to feel bad for not visiting Evelyn in months, but he did not feel that bad. He felt stupid that he didn't learn from what happened to Evelyn. "Wait for me in the car," Stefano says, collecting the umbrella from Samuel. "Ok, sir," Samuel says, walking back to the car. "Hello Evelyn," Stefano says with a sad smile on his face. He can't remember the last time his face had another expression other than anger in the last couple of days. "How are you doing? I know it has been a while since I came to visit, knowing you, I am sure you would be happy why I haven't come." Stefano says, talking to the tombstone in front of him. "I followed your words and allowed my heart to feel something for someone again, but I think it was a big mistake, Evelyn. I might never get to see her again because I allowed myself to be with her. I know if you were here, you would tell me the same thing Aurora is saying, but you, of all people, know I can't help myself, and feel guilty about it. I thought if I held onto you, I would never feel something for another woman, but I was wrong. I still remember the first night I truly noticed her beauty. I knew she was beautiful, but that night I truly realized she was the most beautiful woman on this earth. The way her beautiful long brown hair flowed down her back as her beautiful ocean blue eyes stared at me that night took my breath away. I knew from that moment that my plan had failed, and I was falling for her. I couldn't even believe I fell for her after loving you for so many years, but I did, I am sorry. I don't know what to do, Evelyn. My heart keeps telling me it is not my fault about what happened to her, but my brain keeps reminding me of you, what my heart wants is useless, again. I know you would tell me to follow my heart, but I can't this time. I will make him pay for what he did to Andrea, I owe it to you too, Evelyn. It was nice talking to you. Goodbye." Stefano walks back to his car and asks Samuel to drive him to the hospital. He might have told his sister he could not go to the hospital and see Andrea, but that was a lie. He didn't want anyone to know that he spends the night with Andrea every night as she fights for her life. He did not even try to avoid seeing her, he needed his sister to believe this because hopefully, when the time comes, Andrea also needs to believe the same thing. Stefano comes every night after visiting hours and stays with her till the following day before anyone arrives. He only stopped the one day he wanted to see her the most. The day she indeed fought death. Andrea I wake up feeling pain all over my body. I blink my eyes a few times to clear my vision. The first thing my eyes see are white ceiling tiles. Did I survive that beating? I can't believe I did. I try to sit up but fail as I try to use my hands as support. My hands are covered in bandages and hurt like hell when I try to use them to support myself. While I am taking in my appearance, a voice from the door grabs my attention. "Oh, my God, you are awake! Leonardo, she is awake!" My mom says as tears form in her eyes as she looks at me. She quickly walks over to me and pulls me into a hug. "My baby girl is alive!" she says as tears roll down her pale face. I know she must have been crying a lot and barely got any sleep. "Mom, I love you, but you are crushing me right now," I say, barely audible because of my parched throat, she hears me and releases me from the hug. "How are you feeling, Dear? Why am I even asking that? You must be in a lot of pain," My dad asks. He also looks stressed like mom. I am sure they must have been worried sick about me. "I am in a lot of pain, but what matters most is that I am alive." "Sorry Dear, don't worry. In time the pain will go away." "Yeah, I know, Dad." Santiago arrived a few minutes after I woke up looking the same as my parents. I could have sworn I saw tears in his eyes when he saw me. Everyone came to see me once they heard I woke up from my coma. Apparently, I was in a coma for a week, and I thought I was asleep for just a few hours. The doctor said I was fortunate to be alive, the beating should have been enough to kill me. I am thrilled my body survived the beating. The one person I wanted to see more than anyone had not come all day, I was starting to get worried that he didn't know I was awake yet. I am about to pick up my phone and try his number again when the door opens. He walks inside looking as handsome as I remember, but exhausted. He looks like he also has not slept for days. "Hello, Andrea," Stefano says with a straight face. Why doesn't he look happy? I thought he would be glad to see me awake. "Hi Stefano, I was worried you didn't know I was awake. I am happy you are finally here." I say, smiling. "How are you feeling?" He asks without any emotion in his voice. Why is he talking to me like this? Did something worse happen while I was in the coma? "I am in a lot of pain, the doctor says with time, I will get better, and the pain will go away." "That is good to hear, I need to tell you something important." "I am listening." "Andrea, we can't be together anymore." "What did you just say?" I ask, not sure I heard him properly. "I do not want to be with you anymore," Stefano says, and I feel my heart stabbed with a million knives. "Why are you saying this to me?" I ask, confused as to where this is all coming from. "While you were in the coma, I realized that I do not have feelings for you anymore," he says, with a blank expression on his face. "Stefano, I don't believe you. How can you stop having feelings for me while I was fighting for my life!" I say, feeling tears form in my eyes. I do not believe what Stefano is saying, but it still hurts to hear him say these words to me. He did not even wait till I got better to say them to me. Does that mean he doesn't really care about me anymore? "If I cared about you, would I tell you something like this when you just woke up from a coma? I do not have any feelings for you anymore. Goodbye, Andrea," Stefano says, walking out before I can utter another word. I do not believe this. How can Stefano stop having feelings for me? Everything was fine between us before they beat me up. I feel my chest closing in as I begin to hyperventilate, and tears streams down my face. I hear a piercing scream, realizing it escaped my lips as I feel my heart tighten up. I can't believe Stefano would break my heart like this. I can't believe the love of my life just left me. I did not even know I was in love with him until now. I can't imagine a life without Stefano in it. I was so happy I survived the beating and couldn't wait to see him and be in his arms again. Now I wish I never woke up so that I would have had only those beautiful memories of us together.