A few days have passed since my lunch with Ivan. I've debated telling Stefano about it, but given his tendency to act rashly when it comes to Ivan, I decided to hold off until I was certain about how to approach the situation.

Those thoughts fade to the background as the car comes to a halt. Tonight is my inauguration Gala as the new COO of Lopez Constructions. I still can't quite believe it. Dad had no choice but to accept me as Santiago's choice, given that I hadn't made a single misstep with any of the projects under my care. But his threat to remove me at the first sign of failure still echoes in my mind. I'm determined not to give him that chance. If anything, I'll make him see that Santiago's decision was the best one possible.

I step out of the car, smoothing down my gold tulle dress. The intricate embroidery and beads stream vertically down the fabric, catching the light with every movement. Fringy éclats adorn the waistline and sleeves, adding a touch of glamour and sophistication. I feel like a golden goddess, ready to take on the world.

As I walk into the Costanzo hotel, a wave of memories washes over me. Being here makes me think of Stefano, and a pang of longing hits me. I miss him terribly. I make a mental note to visit Sicily next week once I've settled into my new position.

I navigate through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with familiar faces while scanning for Santiago. I can't imagine he'd miss my inauguration, but as time slips away like sand through an hourglass and my search proves fruitless, doubt begins to gnaw at me. The possibility that he might not show up, once unthinkable, now looms larger with each passing moment. I also notice my secretary is nowhere to be seen. It's a far-fetched thought, but I can't help wondering if they're together.

Just as I'm about to call Emily and inquire about her tardiness to her own boss's inauguration, I hear Dad's voice over the speaker. My heart leaps - it's time. I quickly put my phone away and focus all my attention on him, staring as if he's the most important person in the world right now. In a way, he is. He's my father, and hearing him call me the new COO of our company is everything I've hoped for since the day I first disappointed him.

But as his words register, my world shatters. It's not my name that comes out of his mouth. No, it's someone else's. My heart clenches in my chest, a physical pain that takes my breath away. Our eyes lock as he pats this stranger on the back, this person he's given my position to - the one I worked so hard to prove I deserved.

His eyes are blank, devoid of any remorse for the way he's just broken my heart. Tears fill my eyes, blurring my vision. I see my mother approaching, her face etched with pity, and those tears finally escape. I spin around, heading for the exit, unable to bear the weight of everyone's stares and the inevitable questions.

As I move towards the exit, hot tears stream down my cheeks, blurring my vision. The emotional weight of the moment presses heavily on my chest, making each step feel like a monumental effort. Suddenly, my gaze falls upon Emily and Santiago, their figures standing out amidst the blur of my tears. The intensity radiating from their postures immediately catches my attention, and I find myself rooted to the spot, my curiosity overriding my initial desire to leave.

My brows furrow deeply as I strain to hear their conversation, the background noise of the room fading away as I focus on their words. The air around them seems charged with tension, their voices carrying a mix of hurt, anger, and unresolved feelings.

"Why didn't you tell me about your dad?" Santiago asks, his voice laced with concern.

"It was none of your business. We had broken up by the time he died," Emily fires back, her eyes flashing with a mixture of pain and anger.

"Even so, you know very well that I would have loved to be there for you. Your dad was your best friend. You guys were really close," Santiago says, his voice softening.

"Because you were the last person I wanted to see after I found out what you did," Emily says, her eyes filling with hurt at the memory.

What are they talking about? What did Emily find out? My mind races with possibilities, each more unsettling than the last.

"And I told you what I felt for you was real and still do." Santiago's words confirm my suspicions - he still loves her.

"I can't believe you, Santiago; for all I know, this might be another dare," she yells, her eyes brimming with tears.

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. A dare? Please, let it not be what I think it is. If it is, I swear I'll kill Santiago myself.

"Do I look like I am nineteen and have time to waste? No, I am a grown man, and I know what I want! You are what I want, Emily," Santiago says, walking closer to Emily and trying to take her hand, but she pulls away.

"Santiago, how do you expect me to believe you now? You were dared to take my virginity, and you did," Emily says, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"You did what!" The words burst out of me before I could stop them. They both turn to face me, shock written all over their faces.

"Andrea, what are you doing here? And have you been crying?" Santiago asks, concern and confusion warring in his eyes.

"What I'm doing here isn't important. What did she just say?" I demand, my voice shaking with barely contained fury.

"I can explain what you heard," Santiago starts, but I cut him off.

"But it's true," I say, my chest aching for the pain Emily must have felt when she found out. I feel so foolish for ever wanting them back together after he hurt her like that. My own brother so cruel and heartless. "How could you do that, Santiago?" I ask, my voice breaking as tears threaten to fall.

"I was young and foolish, Andrea. Please don't look at me like that," he pleads, taking a step toward me, but I pull away.

"Here I was, thinking you're a better man than our horrible father, and then I hear this. I wonder..." I trail off, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Don't you dare compare me with that man? I'm nothing like him," Santiago says, hurt by my words.

Maybe he's not exactly like our father, but he hurt Emily in a way that no man who respects women ever would. And isn't that just like our father? He doesn't respect me either, and it's all because I have a vagina.

"I don't want to be around you right now. Come on, Emily, I need someone to drink with me, and you're the perfect candidate," I say, grabbing Emily's hand and walking away from Santiago.

I was already on my way to a bar, and even though I knew drinking wasn't the healthiest way to deal with my feelings right now, I didn't care. I'll work through it later. Right now, I just want to get drunk enough to forget my father's and brother's exist.

Santiago calls after us, but I ignore him, walking to the front of the hotel and texting my driver to bring the car around.

"I am so sorry you found out," Emily says beside me. I turn to face her, taking in her red, puffy eyes from crying.

"Why are you sorry? You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm the one who should be sorry. I can't believe I even entertained the thought of begging you to take him back," I say, my heart heavy with guilt.

"You didn't know, so it's fine," she assures me.

"How did you find out about the dare?" I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

"The night we slept together, some of his friends came over to his apartment unannounced. They saw me in his shirt and started praising him. I thought maybe they were just happy he got laid after a dry spell, but then they started giving him money right in front of me. They didn't even care that I was there. They just paid him for winning the dare."

I remember Santiago moving out of the house for college, even though he didn't go to school in Miami. He'd stay in his apartment when he came home for the holidays, claiming he needed his space.

"Oh my God, I can't even imagine how you felt. I'm so sorry," I say, pulling her into a hug as I try to keep my own tears at bay.

"It's fine; you don't have to apologize. Stop crying. It was years ago; I'm totally over it," she says, but I can hear the lingering pain in her voice.

"If you're over it, why were you crying a minute ago?" I ask gently.

"Okay, maybe it still hurts a little, but I'm fine now," she admits.

"I'm sorry again," I say, squeezing her tighter.

"It's fine," she assures me as a car pulls up in front of us.

I grab Emily's hand. "Come on, let's go drink and forget about men like my brother and father," I say, deciding to change our destination to a club. I need a scene with more people trying to drown their life's problems in alcohol, just like me.

We climb into the back seat, and the driver takes us to the nearest club. As the city lights blur past the window, I lean my head against Emily's shoulder, grateful for her presence and understanding. Tonight, we'll forget about the men who've hurt us and focus on healing our broken hearts, even if it's just for a little while.

STEFANO

I adjust in my seat, securing my seatbelt as the plane prepares for takeoff. My heart flutters with anticipation at the thought of soon being reunited with Andrea. I was on my way to surprise her. I had missed her so deeply these past weeks, and I couldn't bear to spend another minute apart from her warm embrace.

Just as the engines begin to whir to life, I notice the flight attendant walking back towards me, her brow furrowed with concern. She should be strapped into her own seat by now for takeoff.

"What's wrong?" For us to be delayed, something out of the ordinary must be happening.

The attendant leans in close, keeping her voice low. "Uhmm... sir, your brother is blocking the terminal."

"What?" I exclaim, my eyes widening in utter confusion. My mind reels, trying to make sense of her words. Why the fuck would my brother be obstructing our plane's path?

As if on cue, a familiar deep voice reverberates through the cabin. "She's right."

I whip my head around to see my brother striding into the plane, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"What the fuck, Thomas?" I bark, undoing my seatbelt.

"Sorry, I had to get on the plane, and I didn't see any other way to stop it from taking off before it did," he says casually, walking and taking a seat like he didn't just almost get himself killed.

"And why the fuck would you need to do that?" I ask, knowing that as irrational as my brother can be, he still thinks before he acts.

"Because I've found her," he says, locking eyes with me. I see the rage in his eyes, even though his voice remains calm.

"You found her? As in, your ex-girlfriend who stole your money?" I ask to clarify.

"Yes, and that's why I need a ride to the US. I could use my jet, but I figured I'd come with you since yours was already ready.."

"I see. And what do you plan to do to her now that you've found her?"

"I plan to make her regret the day she was born. Make her wish she never even breathed the same air as me. Make her tremble at the mere mention of my name and wish for death by the time I'm done with her because it won't come—I'll make sure of it," he says with deadly calm, and I just smirk. My brother is a psycho.

"Sometimes I doubt you even loved her," I say, retaking my seat.

"Even I sometimes," he says more to himself than to me.

I take my seat again, give the que for us to take off, and lead back into my chair, my mind racing with thoughts of reuniting with Andrea. I imagine sweeping her into my arms, holding her close as I breathe in her familiar scent. I picture peppering her face with soft kisses, conveying without words how desperately I've missed her.

My heart swells with longing and affection, aching to feel her melt into my embrace once more. I crave the simple comfort of her head on my chest as we drift off to sleep, finally whole again.

I fidget restlessly in my seat, impatient for the plane to take off. Every fiber of my being yearns to be by Andrea's side, to make up for all the lost moments and cherish every second together. I can hardly wait to gaze into her eyes, to see her face light up when she realizes I've flown across the country just to be with her.

The anticipation builds inside me like a cresting wave, propelling me forward. I'm counting down the minutes until I can finally show her, with both words and tender actions, just how deeply I've missed her.