I noticed a lot of you asking questions as: who is Natalie? Who is Nathan or Louis? Did we meet them before?

Answer: they're all mentioned in Nikolas's book (Unraveling Him).
I am not saying you should read that book to understand this one, with more chapters here, things will get more clearer, but at some parts you might be confused because they're related to that book in a way.

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"You're playing my game now."

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Nikolas's POV

I came prepared.

I was prepared for almost everything.

The second Alex called me, telling me Max was attacked, that he was hurt and hanging between life and death. I knew that nothing will ever be the same again.

I knew I had to come out of my hiding. It's been long overdue. I knew that the perfect image of the family I had was about to be tarnished. I was coming back unwelcomed. I was prepared for their hate, for their blame, for any harsh word and any hurtful action.

Because they were right in their place. I wasn't about to deny that.

I didn't expect their respect nor their compassion. I didn't respect the man who once...hurt my mother, so why would they?

You see, I was ready for everything.

But as my eyes fell on Nathan, right there by the door, the hurt and the confusion bleeding from his eyes as they met mine. I knew I wasn't ready for this. I could never be ready for this.

My heart dropped down as I rushed to his side but he immediately took a step backward, building distance away from me, his gaze not even on mine as he asked, "Is it true?"

"Nathan, listen to me-"

"Is it true?" He grated out, the words scraping out of his throat, his hand on the side tightening into a fist.

My lips parted but words betrayed me, I couldn't lie but I couldn't tell him the truth either. Not this, I am not prepared for this. I am not ready for his blame, for his hurt, for him to see me for who I really am...or for who I once was. The reality of the situation squeezed my chest in its tight grip, the mere thought that I could...lose him over this, it ruined me.

At my lack of words, his eyes flickered up and met mine. God, they were so similar to his mother's, maybe a shade darker but they still held that same innocence and light...an innocence I just happened to steal.

No way anything will be the same again. How could it be when the father he saw as his hero all these years turned out to be the villain that once ripped his own blood apart?

The muscles of his jaw worked, the pain pushing and pulsing in his gaze, the tears gathering, painting the white with red but he kept them intact as he mumbled out, a mere whisper, "Is it true?"

The muscles of my jaw twitched, my fingers curling into the inside of my palm, there was no running away from it as I hesitantly nodded my head, giving the answer he was already expecting.

His lips parted, the shock stripping the words away from him and he just shook his head in pure disbelief before he whirled around, unable to face me and ready to run away. I edged forward to stop him but Max was closer as he clutched at his arm, guilt swirled in his tone as he said, "Nathan, hold on, I...I didn't mean-"

Nathan pulled his arm away, his eyes falling on Max for a brief second, "You don't need to pretend that you care anymore," He said before he turned around and walked away.

I was about to run after him when I saw Max thinking about doing the same. My hand reached for his arm, curling over it and stopping him. His wide eyes flickered to me, taken aback by my harsh grip and he immediately snatched his arm from my hold, "I know that you hate me," I spoke, "I get it, and you can hate me all you want," I added, my jaw tightening at this fucked up situation, "You don't need to worry, I will be out of your life, today before tomorrow, but-" The anger mixed with the fear as I grated out, "Just stay away from my kids," I didn't sugarcoat it this time, "Because I deserve this," I shook my head, "But he doesn't."

I didn't wait for his response and went after Nathan, rushing to our place when I saw him go up the stairs, brushing his mother's side on his way. Her eyebrows pulled closer, "Nathan," She called for him, turning around and a bit flustered at his state, but he listened to no one as he walked into his room and slammed the door shut behind him.

I followed up, my hand curled over the knob, opening the door but he had locked it from the inside. My eyes pressed shut, the fear ripping at my inside as I knocked, "Nathan, please, open the door," I requested, a plea, "Just let us talk."

Natalie came to my side, "What's wrong?" She asked, clueless at what just happened, confusion tightened her brows as she watched me knock again and again but with no response from his side.

I rushed a frustrated hand over my face and took a few steps away from his room, the gravity of what just happened pulling me further down. A groan rumbled from my throat and I walked away, pushing the door to our room, harsher than I should that it slammed up against the wall, the fear mixing with all the anger had me losing my nerves as I stepped inside looking for my fucking phone.

I was ready for any punishment there is but not this.

My job was to keep him away from all the fucked up shit in our lives. My job was to shield him from any pain, my only fucking job was to give it all to him, to give him a better life, a normal one. I thought I did. Seeing him grow up, right in front of my eyes, seeing him have the simplest of things that I couldn't get, it filled the gaps in me that I once thought can never be fulfilled.

I thought I could never go back and change my past, but I did, each good day he had was erasing a bad one I had.

A couple years of peace, just a couple fucking years and now we are back to the same shit again.

Checking my phone to see no improvements in my aimless search for someone who is supposed to be a fucking ghost, my anger only multiplied and I hurled the phone away, my hand moving and pushing everything over the counter to the ground. The rage blinded me, it pressed against my throat, suffocating me, and fuck, it's been so long that I was hanging by a thread, it's been long since I felt that dark need itching behind my skin, the one to spill blood, to fucking ruin and destroy.

Destroy him.

He brought the past back into our lives, he opened pages that were supposed to be torn apart and burned to ashes. The fucker succeeded in crawling under my skin, I give him that.

Natalie's hand wrapped over my arm, gently squeezing, her other hand coming to my cheek, urging me to face her and a stuttered breath left my lungs as my gaze fell on hers, "What happened?" She asked, her tone serious, understanding that something big must've happened or I would've not lost it.

My jaw clenched, trapping the pain inside as I said, "He knows," My chest tightened as I kept recalling that look of disbelief in his eyes, "Nathan, he...he heard Max and me talking and now, he knows."

The fear in my tone spilled into her eyes, etching lines over her forehead and twisting her expression into pure worry and terror. Her hand left my face and she brought it to her mouth as she whispered, "Oh my god," her throat bobbed heavily and when she looked at me again, "What are we gonna do?"

I shook my head, clueless, helpless, because I have no fucking idea how I am going to deal with this. I backed away, dropping down at the bed's edge, my elbows pressed over my knees and I placed my head in my hands, my fingers running up and gripping at my hair, beyond frustrated.

The mattress dipped beside me and I felt her arm come around my back, "We will, we will deal with this, Nikolas," She whispered to me, trying to sound confident but miserably failed, "I will talk with him, I..."

I lifted my gaze up, looking at her and shook my head, "I can't lose him, Natalie," I mumbled over a pained whisper, terrified at the thought because I don't think there is a possible way to fix this.

I know that I didn't have Max in the first place to lose him. Hate and anger were the only thing I ever expected from him. As much as that look of disgust in his eyes ruins me every time, I've spent years and years preparing for it, deep down knowing that my sinful past could never leave me be for too long.

But Nathan, he is my little kid, my fucking responsibility, the one I raised, far away from all of this, the one I watched grow, day by day, the one I never dwelled over the possibility that I could lose him. I didn't prepare myself for his hate or his blame, I just thought I was a better father than that. I expected myself to be a good father, who would keep this shit far away from him. Turns out, I am not.

"You won't lose him, okay?" Natalie assured me, her soft voice penetrating through my dark thoughts but for the first time not soothing the muscle heavily beating against my chest, "I will talk with him, just...just give him a bit of space now," She advised, "It's still fresh, he is gonna need time."

How much time before he is able to look me in the eye again?

She leaned into my arm, "We all know I didn't give the best reaction either," She mumbled, her voice so low and I tightened my arm around her, my inside a mess, just thinking that we came a long tiring way for things to be ruined now. It's not fair.

My eyes closed for a brief second, gathering myself in before I pressed a kiss to her head, "Tonight was supposed to be...special," I mumbled and she lifted her head up, giving a small smile, a one that was supposed to be reassuring but I knew that she was hurting for him too.

"I know," She mumbled before she leaned closer and pecked my lips, "It's okay," She added, "There are more important things for us to deal with now," She assured me, "It's enough for me that you thought about all of this and planned this vacation for us."

She brushed her hand over my cheek and I leaned into her touch, breathing some air, "You gave me everything, Natalie," I mumbled, "If I could give you the whole world, I would."

Her lips lifted into my smile, the real one, "You already did," She said, meaning it, "And right now, you better not be thinking what I know you are thinking about," She added, her eyebrow raising, asking me to drop the thought as she added, "You are a great father, and despite all, Nathan knows that too."

"I am scared that it might not be enough."

Before she could say more, the sound of very light footsteps grabbed both of our attention. Maria stood by the door, her eyes on the ground, where I threw everything off the counter in my blinded anger. Before she could move forward, I was already on my feet but Natalie was faster to go to her side, "Baby, don't step here," She said before she took her into her arms.

"I know, there is glass," Maria said casually before she licked the ice cream cone in her hand.

"Yeah and daddy is so gonna clean that up," Natalie said, shooting me a knowing look. I shot her a glare in return and walked closer to them. I lifted my hand to Maria's mouth, wiping the bit of ice cream from over the corner of her lips. She gave me a big cheesy smile in return and pushed the cone into my face, "Want some?"

Natalie chuckled and wiped the tip of my nose where her daughter accidentally smeared some of the ice cream on. Maria giggled and kept on eating her ice cream, "Where did you get that from?" Natalie asked.

"Chase got it for me," She said and I rolled my eyes. Natalie only smiled and pressed her cheek over the top of Maria's head, "Why can't they stay young forever?"

I sighed, "If only."

"Oh, uncle Ronald is here," Maria announced as if she just remembered why she came here for and I nodded, expecting him to arrive anytime now, "Good, I need to talk to him, and you-" I said to Natalie and she nodded, understanding the rest of my words before I said them, "And I will try and see if Nathan will talk to me."

My jaw tightened, trapping it inside and before I could go, she gave my hand a tight squeeze, asking me to act against my nature and think positively, "Give me a smooch," She said, forcing a smile on my face with her silly acronyms before I leaned in and pecked her lips.

Maria giggled, like it's too funny, "Me too," She said, pursing her lips forward making my heart relax the slightest and taking some of the tightness from my chest away as I gave her a kiss too.

She kept talking with her mother as I grabbed my phone from the ground, thankfully not broken enough before I made my way down the stairs, with one thing on my mind as I reached Ronald's side. He was sitting on the couch, comfortably leaning back and going through his phone, unaware I am going to flip his world upside down with my news.

His eyes lifted up from his phone and he rolled his eyes, "So, I am here, what do you want?" He asked, "You can't live without me, can you?"

I shot him a glare before I unlocked my phone, opening the picture I took from Lilly and placed the phone on the table in front of him. My eyes made a quick scan around us, making sure no one is around before I settled my gaze on him, nodding my head toward the phone and he edged forward, lines etching between his eyebrows, confused at the energy vibrating off me.

"This is..." My jaw ticked, "Louis," I said, venom dripping within my words, "Christian's friend."

Ronald seemed to sense the seriousness of the situation, "The one who hurt Max," He said in realization before he picked up the phone, his eyes finally falling on the screen and trying to make sense of the person standing there. He stared at it for a long moment, his eyebrows pulling even closer and the confusion radiated off his being in waves.

"Reminds you of someone?" I asked.

He lifted his gaze from the screen, "I...I don't understand."

He shook his head, his eyes falling back at the picture, the shock wrapped with the confusion, it pushed him up to his feet, "What the hell is this?" He shot out, his fingers tightening over the phone, almost crushing it as his wide eyes met mine.

I took a step closer, "Keep one thing in your mind," I warned him, "I am gonna kill him," I gave him a promise I tend to keep no matter what, even if this promise would make me lose the woman I'd literally die for, "And if you stand in my way this time, I will kill you with him, your brother or not, I don't give a flying fuck," I grated out but Ronald kept silent, still trying to recover from his shock, trying to understand the situation, "He came near them, he crossed a big line."

He started with Lilly, made his way to Max, and he is planning to do more now. He did all of that just to bring me out into the open. He made me vulnerable now that they know the truth, lost as to what to fix first, build a relationship with Lilly, or try and help Max understand this, and to add to that, I am slowly losing my grip now that my own son will see me as a monster.

He thinks he can outsmart me but I will put him back into his place.

I took a step forward, crowding him, hoping he can sense how determined I am to end this at all costs, "There is one Nathaniel Viarchi around here, and that's my son," I hissed out and Ronald's lost terrified gaze flickered to me, "I plan to keep it that way."

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Lilly's POV

"You're sure you're okay?"

I asked again, my heart in my throat still and mom rolled her eyes at the excessive questions, "Why is everyone so dramatic in this family?" She said, trying to lighten the mood and make us drop the topic already.

She tried to remove the blanket from over her and get up but dad's hand circled over her arm and effortlessly pulled her back, "Cara, don't test my patience," He warned, his tone too serious, "If you're not accepting to go to the hospital, you're staying in bed under my eyes till I make sure you're okay."

Mom facepalmed, "God, can't a person just simply get tired in this house?" She grumbled but dad's expression didn't waver, the worry etching lines over his forehead and his reaction toward this was getting me even more worried. Dad is rarely ever this serious.

"Stop trying to make this funny," Dad warned, "You practically fainted on the spot, and still you are refusing to go the hospital," He let out a tired sigh, "Just...just for a check up, nothing more, please," He added, his last words coming out as a plea.

A low sigh parted her lips, and she took his hand into hers, "Can you calm down first," She requested, "You're freaking Lilly out," She pointed out and that's when I noticed how heavily I was breathing, the worst possible scenarios cooking up in my head. When did I become this much pessimistic?

Dad's eyes flickered to me and he tried to keep his worry under control. She tightened her grip over his hand, "And tomorrow, we can go to the hospital," That had dad's shoulder relaxing a bit, "But I am sure there is nothing," She added, casually shrugging, "Probably I am just pregnant or something."

I chocked on my saliva and dad's eyes grew so wide as he snatched his hand from her grip and backed away as if she had a disease he doesn't want to catch. She chuckled, "I am kidding, I swear, come back here," She pulled at his arm, "Don't be fainting on us now, I am just kidding."

"Jesus Christ," Dad breathed out, "Don't joke with that!"

She chuckled again and rested her head against his arm, her soft gaze flickering to me and my heart ached so bad, she did look tired and that was scaring the hell out of me. She extended her arm forward, asking me to get closer. I immediately edged forward and she wrapped her arm around my shoulders, allowing me to rest my head over her chest. I pressed my eyes shut and breathed in and out, chanting in my head that she is okay. She is okay. Everything is okay.

She pressed a soft kiss over my head and my heart stuttered; how was I ever able to hurt her when she's always been the best mother, and the best role model in my life? How was anyone ever able to hurt her? The dark thoughts surging my head pushed stupid tears into my eyes and I swallowed them down, pressing my eyes harder and refusing to cry over the pessimistic pathetic voice in my head.

The light knock on the door forced me to snap myself back in. I sniffled, pushing away the negative energy and pulled myself a bit away from mom's embrace as Max walked inside and got closer to the bed, his worried gaze on mom and he asked over a tired whisper, "How are you feeling now?"

She smiled, "I am great," She ushered him to get closer, "Come here, I am sorry I scared you like that," She added and he immediately shook his head at the sorry word as he sat down on the bed's edge by dad's side. Mom reached for his hand, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze.

Dad looked at him, sensing something is off, "You okay, buddy?" he asked and I noticed it too; Max looked so down, his expression saying that and more.

Max turned to him and just nodded before he looked at mom, "I was just so worried."

She smiled, "Okay all three of you, stop this sob session, I am fine," She stressed out, pointing at us, "How can I not be when I have you all," She added, her hand running up and down my arm, somehow sensing my distress and I looked up at her, she gave me a knowing look, asking me to just breathe and I did.

Dad looked at us, a small smile pulled his lip as well before he pressed a kiss over her temple, mumbling, "We just love you so much," He said, explaining our immense worry and if possible, that tired look in her eyes just faded away and was replaced by comfort as she looked at him, leaning closer to peck his lips.

I grimaced, "Eww," I said, reminding them that we're here and dad placed his hand on my face, playfully pushing me away.

I chuckled and the whole mood seemed to shift to the better, expect for Max. He usually complains with me at their excessive affection but now when my eyes fell on him, he seemed to be physically here and mentally lost somewhere else entirely.

Dad sensed that as well because his arm went around Max, shaking him back, he said something I didn't hear and Max looked up at him and just mumbled, "Later."

Something must've happened after we got upstairs because he didn't follow us right away and was left alone with Nikolas. God, I should've stayed with him.

My eyes went to mom, "Okay, we'll leave you to rest and sleep," I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek before I turned to dad, "Keep an eye on her," I said, my eyebrow raising and he nodded, turning to her as he added, "With pleasure."

I smiled as I got up to my feet, looking at Max, "Come on, Max," I said and he nodded, looking at mom one more time, "Mom, if you need anything-" Before he could finish it, she nodded her head, "I am fine, just go and rest baby, don't worry about me."

She inched her upper body forward, closer to him as she kissed his cheek. Finally, a small smile lifted his lips and he gave her a nod before we both said goodnight to them and left the room. Without talking, Max headed to his room but me being me, I followed.

He walked inside and when he sensed I am right behind him, his eyebrow raised, giving me a questioning look. I just shrugged and walked past him, my shoulder brushing his as I strode toward the bed. He huffed out a loud breath, reflecting how I am not welcomed but I ignored him and casually sat down, placing my hands behind my head, and getting too comfortable.

"Why are you so annoying?" He asked.

I smiled, "It's what siblings are for," I answered.

He just shot me a glare, "I wanna lay down, leave," He grumbled and I shook my head, "Lay down, I am not holding you back."

He huffed out again, "You are so weird," He mumbled under his breath, before he pressed his hand over my arm, not-so-gently pushing me away so he can have space to sit down as well.

He settled down beside me and I started, "So, what's up?" I asked casually. He just ignored me, like I don't even exist and pulled a book from the night stand, pretending to read so I would just leave him be.

I didn't get that message because I am too stubborn and scooted closer, nudging him with my elbow and he groaned, "Leave me alone, Lilly," He said and I only nudged his arm again. He harshly shut the book and turned to me, "What do you want?"

The smile I was trying to pull faded away, easily noticing the amount of hurt in his eyes, the one he was desperately trying to hide. My throat bobbed and I just inched closer, my arms going around him but he tried to push me away, "Get away," I didn't let him and forced the hug on him, "Shut up and let me hug you," I mumbled, a lump in my throat as I tightened my hold, refusing to let go and...he finally let me.

"Can you stop pushing me away every time," I mumbled and felt his arm hesitantly wrap around my back, "I just want you to be okay."

I rested my hand over the back of his head and he pressed his forehead over my shoulder, finally allowing himself to lean into me as he whispered, "I am not."

"I know," I mumbled over a low whisper and the tears that decide to visit me everyday rushed up to my eyes, feeling the pain pulse off him in waves, "I know, but you can talk to me, you don't have to keep it piling up inside of you."

He backed away, his eyes falling on mine, the vulnerability evident in his tone as he said, "I didn't mean to," He shook his head, "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

I nodded, "I know that," I assured him and he shook his head again, "I just can't handle his presence, Lilly, I can't help it, I try to but...I just can't."

I nodded, "And you don't have to."

"When I see him, something inside me...fires up and," He shook his head, frustrated at himself and at how he is feeling, "And that anger ends up hurting the wrong people," He explained "Nathan heard us talking today," He shook his head, the guilt darkening the color of his eyes and mine grew a bit wider, understanding what happened, "He is just a kid, he shouldn't learn such a cruel thing at this age."

I wanted to tell him you are a kid too and you should've not learned such a cruel thing, not now, and not ever. But how could I say that when I am the one that forced that cruelness upon him?

"But you didn't mean to, Max," I said, trying to shake that guilt away, "It's not your fault."

Nothing seemed to get through him, his gaze flickered down, "I don't know what to do anymore," He shook his head, so lost, "I don't even know who I am anymore, I am just...I am just so lost, Lilly," He looked at me, the white of his eyes turning red with his pain, "I don't want any of this, I don't want to live with this fact all my life," He shook his head, "Every time I look at mom, every time I am just reminded of everything," The tears gathering in his eyes triggered mine and the first one fell off my eyes, "He hurt her, Lilly, he hurt her, I can't," He shook his head, "I can't get past that point, I just can't, I can't look at the present and see that he is a different person now, I can't be okay just because they all are okay with his presence, I just can't understand how anyone would ever forgive that!"

More tears fell from his eyes and more from mine. I sniffled, biting at the inside of my cheek as I let him let it out, "I can't understand how he got the chance to build a family because...because those who do what he did should never get a second chance, should never be happy, and I don't care about his past or whatever made him the way he is, it was his choice, his choice to go and hurt his own brother, to hurt my mom the sadistic way he did," He shook his head and my heart was breaking more with every word and tear because he was forcing me to face a fact I had decided to bury deep down and never look at again.

"I wish I didn't know," He said helplessly and his words were like a knife slicing right through my chest, "Because every time I look at her, it's all I see, she was alone, helpless and he took advantage of that, and if just the thought of it hurts this much," His voice lowered, "Then how much did it actually hurt her?"

I pressed my eyes shut, hoping it can't blind me from seeing that fact but it didn't, "And the fucked up part is...I came out of that," He said brokenly and I shook my head, "Half of me is...him."

I shook my head again, I've never seen him this much broken, "No, Max, no-"

He closed his eyes, trying to stop his tears but he failed, "I never hated anyone in my life, but I hate him, I hate him so much," His words were choked and I placed my arms around his neck, pulling him to me, his vulnerable state was ripping at my heart, "And I don't want to hate him this much, but I do."

I tightened my hold over him, allowing him to cry in my embrace, "I wish I didn't know," He repeated it again over a very pained whisper and I never hated myself more. I pressed my chin over his head and mumbled, "I am sorry, I am so sorry."

***************

After some time, the exhaustion of the small moment, of all the tears, it finally had Max drifting to sleep, I pushed his hair from over his forehead and wiped away the leftover tears from over his cheek before I pulled the blanket, covering him up.

I gazed at him for a long second and with the baggy sleeves of dad's hoodie that I was still wearing, I wiped at my runny nose, trying to get over this and miserably failing. My chest so heavy with all the emotions crowding it, and my heart begging me to stop adding more heartbreak into it each day.

Nothing is okay. I keep trying to think positively, to have some hope and think of the future, where all of this will be over, but it feels like it never will.

We all are just hanging by a thread. One small movement, one little push and everything will fall apart, even worse than before.

I sniffled again and backed away. I turned off the lights and left his room, walking downstairs, making sure no sounds were made, hoping not to bump into anyone. I didn't have the energy to talk, to open my mouth or I will just break down all over again.

I walked from the back, heading for the beach, just far away from people to take one normal breath and ignore the tightness over my chest, the one warning me of a storm brewing so close, a feeling I was so stupid to ignore.

The tears were still fresh in my eyes, blurring my vision and I sniffled again, walking forward, and hugging myself from the sudden coldness that took over the warm weather. I pulled the phone out of my pocket to check the time but through the blurriness I only saw the one missed call I had, and the one name I wished never entered my life. Christian.

My heart dropped down, my eyes focused on his name as I kept walking, my mind fuzzy with all the crying and I fought against the instinct to call him and shout at him for daring to reach out for me again. I ignored the call, I would do as I promised, I am not answering his calls, I am not letting him draw me back into one of his traps.

I gasped when I suddenly came crashing against someone's back, he turned around right away and the sight of his familiar blue eyes calmed down my erratic heartbeat for a flying second. His gaze studied my face for a brief moment and even with the darkness, he noticed my puffy eyes and wet cheeks because his eyebrows tightened, "What's wrong?" He immediately asked, his tone taking a panicked turn.

I shook my head and used the baggy sleeves to wipe at my tears. I am gonna have to wash this before giving it back to dad, "Nothing, don't worry," I mumbled, forcing on a big smile before I stepped a bit away from him and started to walk, knowing if I talked more, there won't be stopping for my pathetic tears.

He sensed my bullshit of an act, his hand going to my arm, pausing my steps so he could face me again, "Did something happen?" Chase asked, worry in his whispered tone and I shook my head, unable to speak more, "No, no, just please, I wanna..." My voice shook, wavering, "I just want to be alone."

"I can't leave you alone," He said, an immediate response, his eyebrows pulling closer, "Not when you look seconds away from breaking down."

I hiccuped a sob, pushing it back in and I shook my head again, I didn't want to drag him back into my drama; why is it that much hard to always push him away from me? I wiped at my runny nose, pressing my eyes shut, trapping the tears inside but Chase's hand hooked under my chin, urging me to look at him, forcing himself into my drama, "It's okay, just tell me," He whispered.

"Can you...can you tell me it's all gonna be okay soon," I mumbled, wanting the assurance, needing that stupid hope, "Because I can't keep doing this, I can't look and see my family hanging by a thread and I can do nothing to fix it," My heart hurt so bad, Max's breakdown affected me much more than I expected, "How can I... how can I make Max feel okay again, how can I erase this...all of this from his head, how...can I?"

I was a crying mess again and he instinctively wrapped his arms around me. Needing that bit of comfort, I pushed myself further into his embrace, pressing my head into his warm chest, "Lilly, I know how hard it is, but this doesn't fall just on you, alone you can't fix everything, it's not possible."

I shook my head, clutching into him, "It is...when I am the one who brought all of this into our lives, the responsibility falls on me only," I mumbled and he placed his hands over my arms, urging me to edge backward and look at him, the muscles of his jaw tightened as he said the next words, "They used you as a way to expose this, so even if it didn't happen through you, they would've still found a way to do it, so please, stop blaming every bad thing on you," He shook his head, "I am not used to this Lilly."

"The Lilly I know is strong, she is confident in everything about herself and she won't keep letting this bring her down, she would believe in herself, in her family...where is that Lilly?"

I shook my head, sniffling, "She is long gone."

"I don't believe that," He said, confident in his words, for some reason believing in me.

"How could I be strong when I can feel it, no one is okay, everyone is pretending to be, acting as if this vacation could fix all of our problems," I shook my head, "Call it a gut feeling but Louis, he...he will hurt someone, I feel like he is going to hurt everyone, so how could I-"

Before I could even finish my words, as if my sixth sense was right on point, my phone started ringing again. I pulled it out of my pocket and Christian's name had my stomach tightening into a hundred knot. With my shaking hand, I pushed the phone toward Chase, "Can you...can you answer him?" I mumbled, terrified of whatever he had to say.

Chase's gaze fell on the screen, the name alone had his expression shifting a hundred eighty degree. He snatched the phone from my hand and immediately pressed the answer button, "What the fuck do you want?" Chase grated out, his fingers torturing the phone in his grip.

There was a small pause from his side before he asked, "Is Lilly beside you?"

"What do you want?" Chase asked again, stressing at each word.

A low breath came from Christian's side, "You need to tell her that Louis is here in Italy," His words alone were able to knock all the breath from my lungs, my wide eyes flickering up to meet Chase's, "She needs to warn them," His tone was too serious and even...worried, I doubted he was lying, "He didn't tell me what he is going to do, but I am sure he is going to hurt someone."

"What do you mean?" I asked in panic.

"He is gonna go either after Nikolas's children, or Max, or maybe even you Lilly, you need to be careful," He stressed out, "Don't think big security is gonna stop him, don't take him lightly, he would do anything!"

**************

Nikolas's POV

"We have a problem," Emma bursted into the room, panting as if she ran all the way here, her eyes going from me to Alex and to Ronald, "Big big problem!"

The urgency in her tone pushed us all up to our feet, "What happened?"

She dropped some photos over the table, "He was spotted in the airport here," She said, pointing at some clear but bad quality pictures that seemed to be taken off a security camera, "They couldn't catch him...he, he somehow snuck out."

Before I could even react, I heard Lilly's voice as she marched into the room, Chase beside her, "Dad!" She said, so urgently before she noticed all of our presences, her eyes puffy with tears, "Louis is here," She announced, dropping the same news Emma just gave us, only proving the truth of this, "Christian...he called, he said to warn you all. He is here," She was panting, "He said we shouldn't take him easily."

Her eyes grew a bit wide, "I am gonna go check on Max!" She said in fear before she rushed upstairs and Alex followed her right away.

My instincts had me ignoring whatever Emma said after and I rushed out of this house and into ours. I barged inside unannounced, my eyes making a quick scan, my panic rose a higher level, "Nathan," I called for him and when I didn't find him around; I immediately rushed up the stairs.

"Nik," Natalie called from behind me, noticing my shaken-up state.

"Where is Nathan?"

The panic in my tone had her accelerating my steps and reaching my side immediately, "He is in his room," She said, "I...I was there with him not too long ago."

I rushed up and headed to his room, my fingers curled over the knob, twisting it and it was locked still. My heart lurched and I knocked, so harsh I felt I would break the door, "Nathan!" I called out, "Son, please, just open the door!"

When no response came, Natalie walked closer, knocking on the door as well, "Nathan, it's me, can you please open the door, we just want to see if you're okay," She said, convincing him but again, nothing, no words and I was past making sense. I pulled Natalie away, moving her out of the way as I pushed at it with all my power. A groan rumbled from my chest and with all the fear brimming the edges of me, I pushed at it again, kicking it open, the lock ripping apart from the holder and I stepped inside.

My eyes wide as I was met with an empty room. The panic crushed me in its tight grip, "Where is he?" I turned to Natalie, my voice harsher than it's supposed to be, the fear breaking down the last thread holding me together, "Where is he?!"

"I don't know," Natalie breathed out, her eyes wide as well and when I looked at her, another tragedy dawned on me, "Where is...where is Maria?" The words didn't even leave my mouth without shaking, my whole world seemed to be falling apart in a span of second, I was shaking, fucking shaking with rage and terror.

Natalie's eyes widened, "I left her in the kitchen, she was eating..."

**************

Louis's POV

I double checked the silencer over the gun before I moved forward, my back pressed against the wall, my gaze drifted right and left before I reached the edge, my eyes falling on the first guard. I smiled, it was almost way too easy.

I moved toward my target but he seemed to sense my presence, he whirled around, his hand immediately reaching for something, an alarm maybe but I was faster, my gun already aimed on his hand, I shot my first.

He whimpered, more like screamed in pain; music to my ears as I took my second shot right in the middle of his forehead making him drop down, eyes wide open.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I heard the other guard's footsteps coming from behind me, this ones screams grabbed some attention. He wasn't supposed to scream. I sighed; Anyways, I like me some challenge.

I could feel him inching closer, treading carefully, thinking I didn't notice his presence just at the fact I didn't turn around immediately. God, where do they even get these pathetic men? I crouched down, pretending to go through the dead guard's things, giving the one behind me a chance to get even closer.

Come on Tom, your jerry is waiting.

I moved the alarm thingy from the man's pocket, checking it, positioning it in the right angle, the stainless metal reflecting in a wavy partially clear image what laid behind me. His wavy presence had me smiling again, knowing exactly his position, where his aimed gun is. I shot my hand to the gun-wielding arm before I whirled around, immediately twisting his arm, hearing the bones crack before I pushed him down, he was about to open his mouth, probably scream for more help, but the thing is...he isn't supposed to scream either, my hand shot to his mouth, pushing as hard as possible, my nails digging into his flesh that I drew blood.

He tried to fight me back but couldn't when one arm was useless already, "You think I was trained all of my life to be brought down by one of you?" I whispered in pure mockery, my eyebrow raising before my other hand went behind his head, around his neck and in one swift motion, I moved both hands in opposite direction, snapping the life out of him with the most poetic sound.

His lifeless body dropped down and I stared at his face as I answered my own question, "I was raised to do better than that."

I left them there and stepped forward, going around till I reached the backdoor, the small window it had gave me a look into the kitchen, the first thing my eyes registered were her, Natalie, standing across the counter from her small little girl, Maria, who was sitting, her small legs dangling off the wood and swaying as she munched on the sandwich in her hands.

"You gonna finish this and immediately go to sleep, you get that young lady," Natalie said, pretending to be strict and the little girl giggled and said with a mouth full of food, "Okay."

Natalie's attention was stolen by something from the other room, her eyebrows pulled closer, "I will go check on daddy, stay here and finish your food, okay," She said, heading outside the kitchen and adding, "I will be back quickly."

My hand moved over the knob, twisting it as silently as possible, but before I could step inside, a wave of dizziness rocked through my body, the familiar feeling had me clinging into the wall, pressing my eyes shut and gathering my power as the pain pressed over my chest.

My jaw tightened. Not now.

I heaved out a stuttering breath before I carried on, moving inside. My eyes on the little girl as she accident dropped her water bottle over the ground. She gasped and jumped off the counter, trying to reach for it but the bottle rolled over the ground, moving and sliding till it reached right by my foot.

Maria's gaze drifted from her bottle and up to my face. A friendly smile pulled at my lips before I bent down and took it off the ground, waving it for her, "This is yours?" She nodded as she stepped forward to take it, "Yes."

I extended it forward for her reach and she stopped walking, her head tilting to the side, "Who are you?"

My smile only widened, "I am your uncle."

She giggled and shook her head as she took her bottle, "No, you are not," She said, as if the thought is too silly.

I nodded, crouching down to reach her level, "Yes, I am your mommy's brother," I said and her little eyebrows pulled closer, "But I haven't seen in her in sooo long," I pretended to whisper to her, "I am gonna make it a surprise for her."

She smiled, all innocent and pure, "Mommy loves surprises."

I nodded, "I know that," I said, "She will be so happy, right?"

She nodded her head multiple times, "Wanna see something?" I asked, filling my tone with excitement and she nodded, waiting for it. I moved my hand forward toward her ear and pretended to pull at it, as gentle as possible and when I retreated it back, I opened it to show her the coin laying in my palm.

She looked at it and gasped, before she placed her hand over her ear, "How?"

I smiled, "Magic."

I gave her the coin and she took it, still astonished, "Wanna help me in another trick?" I asked and she smiled widely, nodding her head.

Before I could say more, I took a second to look at her, I tapped the tip of her nose, "You are a cute little thing, aren't you?"

My head tilted and the longer I gazed at her, the more the urge intensified, "But something inside my head is asking me to rip your skin off your bones," I whispered, my words barely audible for her to understand as I brushed my fingers over her red cheek, "I am scared it might win."

I gave her a smile, ignoring the physical pain building at my chest, "But let's leave that for another time, okay?"

I pulled the small paper from my pocket, "Give this to daddy, like I gave you the coin," I said, "And tell him it's from uncle Nathan."

She took the paper and her eyebrows pulled closer, "Nathan is my brother."

I shook my head, "No, sweetie," I tapped her small cute nose, "There is only one Nathan around here."

The pain intensified and a cough raced up to my throat before I could even stop it, I placed a hand to my mouth, trying to suppress it but failed, I could feel it in my throat as the dry cough took it out, suffocating my lungs as another one followed.

I heard a loud banging sound coming from somewhere within the house, and I knew that was my cue to get out.

Maria gasped, inching closer to me, "There is blood," She said and I looked at the hand I used to cover my mouth to see the bit of blood there. I wiped at my mouth, removing it and shook my head, "This is your daddy's fault," I said, turning my pained expression into another smile, "But don't worry, I will make it okay again."

****************

Nikolas's POV

I've never moved this fast in my entire life.

I was running on adrenaline and in a flash of a minute, I landed in the kitchen, my eyes falling on Maria there, I felt like I am about to crash down as I pulled her up into my arm, hugging her so tight, "Oh, baby," I breathed out, crushing her little body in my tight embrace, but the relief wasn't enough...Nathan, where is he?

"Daddy, look," Maria said, facing me and placing her hand over my ear, "I can do magic," She said before she pulled at my ear and pulled her hand back, opening it up to show me a crumbled piece of paper laying in her palm, "Ta-da!" She said.

My eyebrows pulled closer at her action and she added before I could even think, "This is for you," She pushed it forward toward me, "It's from uncle Nathan."

Her last words had my eyes grow wider, I couldn't even comprehend what happened, how it happened but I knew that Natalie was right behind me and heard those exact words. I took the small piece of paper from her and opened it up as I placed Maria down, reading the few words scribbled there in ink.

"Hello brother-in-low slash brother, haha, I always found that way too hilarious, don't you?

First, say hi to my sister, and second, I promise you Nikolas, I am gonna rein hell over every single one of you.

You're playing my game now. Wait for instructions, because dear Tom, your jerry is impatiently waiting.

Till we meet again, hopefully soon *wink*
Louis aka the real Nathaniel Viarchi.

P.S. Should've named your son something else, you see, I don't really like to share."

************************************

Hey!

I know it's been long since I updated but I kind of took a mini break from wattpad. Sometimes, it's really needed.

Anyways, whatcha ya think?

We met our villain, excited? xD
Wanna see him rein hellfire on them? xD

What do you think will happen next?

Also, leaving this edit here for those who don't follow me on insta:

Love y'all!