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"Leo!"

Leonardo continued to storm ahead of her, leading the way outside of the warehouse in front of her. Maria fought to catch up with him; her smaller legs were running behind, and her chest was uncomfortably tight, making it harder for her to breathe.

"Leo, wait!"

He couldn't think. He couldn't feel. All he could want was an answer, a clear and direct answer as to what the hell Jorge was talking about. It was clear that it wasn't a joke; it wasn't a way of jibing at him, but a truth. A truth he was not yet aware of. Maria was showing him signs of guilt; he had never seen it from her. He was an attentive enough person to recognise the changes in emotions on a person's face. Had Maria's face stayed the same after what Jorge had said, he would've assumed Jorge was spluttering lies.

But it was the change in her once bold face to a look of surprise, slight fear, and regret.

Leonardo didn't want to think the worst; he didn't want to snap and make assumptions. But he needed to get out of there for his own peace of mind and to ensure he didn't make any mistakes in a moment of confusion and anger.

"Just tell me!" Leonardo suddenly demanded too loudly. His face softened the moment he saw Maria flinch. He let out a breath and placed his hand on his forehead, realising that he was being taken over by his whirlwind of emotions. "Sorryโ€”I didn't mean to shout, tesoro." He sighed, looking into Maria's wide and clearly fretted eyes.

"What the hell was he talking about?" Leonardo more clearly asked, watching his tone. Maria's eyes looked away. She was breathing a lot more rapidly. She couldn't tell him, not just yet and not like that. It was never supposed to turn out this way, but Maria had been cornered, cornered enough that the secret was finally making its way out without her permission.

"Mi amore, please listen to me," Maria softly said with a serious tone, practically begging for him to remain calm. His eyes were warm and willing. "We will talk about it at home. This isn't the place for us to be talking like this." Leonardo looked at her and utterly disagreed.

"Don, I'm sorry to interrupt," a guard interjected, coming out from another room, just as Leonardo was about to say something to Maria. His eyes focused on the man, still looking frustrated. "There's a situation."

Leonardo sighed and hesitated, his eyes flickering between the man and Maria before he quickly answered, "Run it by Vincenzo." Her answer was his priority. Maria's face fell, and Leonardo started walking again. That would've been a perfect opportunity to divert even for a few moments. Her heart began racing again. She followed him once more, and once they were outside, she realised how much cloudier the sky had become. A rain was clearly imminent; she could feel the tiny drops begin to scatter.

The car ride was tense. Leonardo once again asked questions like, "Is it something big?" He knew the answer to that before she even spoke. Maria couldn't find the words to satisfy him enough for a while. She had her head against the window, biting her lip hard. Everything could go wrong if it wasn't worded correctly. Maria knew that night she'd have to tell him; there was no escaping. It was no longer under her control. She had slowly begun to accept the outcome.

"I promise I'll tell you when we get there," Maria answered, trying to maintain a steady tone. "Just trust me." The three words had slipped out, and she immediately felt bad for even saying them. Trust her? After what she'd done? There was no way. Maria closed her eyes and tried to block out her conflicting thoughts.

It was a few seconds later when Leonardo quietly responded with, "Maria, you're the first person I have ever trusted in my life.
I trust you. I always do." The pain her heart felt after hearing those words was gut-wrenching. She knew how much he did, but hearing him say that felt ten times worse.



Leonardo was conscious of the fact that Maria hadn't told him something. He knew by the marks on her neck one night that was the first time he had recognised that she was hiding something. Maria never hid anything from him; therefore, whatever it was, it had to be important. The second time he realised she still hadn't told him was when he had noticed the marks around her wrists not too long ago; they clearly weren't caused by ballet but by something or someone strong enough to leave handprints on her hours later.

The third time was the gala. The interaction between Jorge and Maria had told him enough to say that he was evidently part of whatever it is that she was keeping from him. It was clear he was the perpetrator of the marks. Maria never let anyone touch her or lay their hands on her. The fact that it had all gone this far meant that he had something on her. Leonardo had thought about all of that meticulously over time.

He never did think the worst. Leonardo genuinely would never think of anything bad to do with Maria. He was more concerned with why she felt as though she couldn't come to him. What was it that she had bottled it all up for so long? By now, Leonardo thought Maria would've told him. He had been patiently waiting for her to come to him first rather than assuming and asking questions she may not want to answer. But she hadn't, and that spoke volumes enough.

Never once did they keep anything from each other. If anything, Maria always overshared when it came to Leonardo; he used to wish she wouldn't tell him so much, but in that moment, he greatly wanted to know whatever the secret was. It revolved around Sienna, which could mean a range of different things. But Leonardo never condemned Maria or interrogated her. She would never do anything to hurt him. Would she?

They got home after a long journey without speaking. It was uncomfortable and excessively unbearable. The place was dark and cold once they entered, Maria's arms wrapped around her small body as they moved inwards with Leonardo switching on the lights in the lounge.

He loosened his tie and walked around, trying to piece together all the incoming thoughts running through his mind. Maria entered, downcast and silent. She breathed out and looked over at Leonardo; he needed to know, but she struggled to figure out how. Maria had ran through all the possible ways to break him the truth multiple times; there were so many scenarios she had memorised in her mind, and none had helped. Her mind had gone blank the moment she was facing the truth.

"I'd like to know," Leonardo composedly said to her, his eyes slowly meeting hers. "What is it that you still haven't told me? That I had to find out even existed through someone else."

Maria troubled, unable to easily reveal something that was kept behind closed doors for years. "I'm sorry you had to hear it that way. It was disrespectful...Don." She felt the emotions she had been managing to contain begin to seep out. Her eyebrows had lowered, her shoulders slumped, and her eyes were already beginning to sting. Nothing would be the same after she'd tell him.

Leonardo came closer to her and shook his head, his direct eye contact making her feel like she was breaking right before his eager gaze. "I'm not speaking to you as Don," Leonardo cordially reminded her, his tone low and gentle as he added, "but as me." Her heart sank at his words, her emotions beginning to seep through again.

His hand cupped her cheek, and he brought her close. Maria tensed up, unable to handle his affection as her eyes shook. "Leo, I..." Her voice cracked. Maria just couldn't. She just couldn't bring herself to tell him something she had kept hidden and protected for so long. A moment she hadn't expected to come so soon had made its way to them.

Leonardo caressed her cheek as he softly asked, "Are you being blackmailed?" Maria shook her head, a lump rising in her throat as she fought the tears rising to her eyes. Her chest felt heavy, and her heart was pounding; she was unable to keep calm. "No, Leo. I just...I just love you so, so much," she whispered sadly, her bottom lip beginning to quiver. Her teary eyes solemnly looked into his, "And I'm scared that I'm going to lose you."

Leonardo felt his chest tighten as he recognised the gravity of what she could say. He couldn't reassure her that it would all be fine, he couldn't predict what she would say. But all he could feel for her in that moment was love. His lips reached hers just as the tears spilled out, rolling down her cheeks. Leonardo's warm hands wiped them, softly kissing her and wrapping his arm around her waist so she was pressed against him, protected by his arms. It was tender and comforting, Maria's hands gently pressed onto his back as he deepened his loving kiss, one that Maria would never forget.

She feared he'd never be as loving as that towards her ever again.

It would be the last loving kiss they would share for a long time.

"Don't you know Ria?" Leonardo fondly questioned after pulling away, his benevolent eyes never leaving hers. "I can never stop loving you. I can't." She let out a shaky breath, finding it hard to believe that after all, she knew what could break him was still stuck inside her. "Nothing will ever stop my love for you. You have to tell me."

Maria wiped her eyes again, sniffling as they pulled away, letting out a deep breath as she began to grasp onto any strength she had left to talk to him. Leonardo's hands reached out and gently held onto her shoulders. "Please, Ria," He practically begged; his eyes were filled with desperation and distraught. His voice was ardent and willing. He was at his wits end with her. It concerned Sisi, he had to know. Anything that could either relieve his soul or provide answers to the questions he had been asking himself over and over every day. He needed the conclusionsโ€”he had to find out.

He let go of her shoulders, and he delicately asked once more, "I need to know, mia cara. What was it? What is it that you couldn't come to me?" He whispered the last part, his eyes shining with hope that she'd speak the truth. Maria felt her heart swell, unable to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks again as she silently cried. Leonardo planted another kiss on her lips, a short but sentimental expression of love.

Maria wiped her eyes and thought about the image of one person in her mind. She closed her eyes and slowly took her hands off Leonardo's arms, so they were only standing before each other with no contact. With a deep inhale, Maria had finally grown the courage to speak the truth. The truth that would forever change both their lives.

"I've been keeping this from you..." Maria started, her eyes slowly reaching his again as she managed to stop the tears. She was able to maintain a stronger voice. "Since the night that we separated." Leonardo's eyes expanded slightly as he looked at her in confusion. She took his hand and brought him towards the sofa, the two of them sitting down. A million thoughts ran through his mind, but he chose to keep quiet and listen to her. It was hard for her to even begin, he had to fully hear her out and wait to get a full picture.

Maria could hardly breathe, needing to pause before continuing to confess a terrible secret against him that she had vowed to keep for years. "Leo, that fire..." Maria stopped again, still in disbelief that she was even telling him. Her hands fiddled on her lap. She intertwined them, squeezing her hands as she tried to stop picking at them. Leonardo's eyes dropped to her lap and he sat up better, placing his hand on top of hers, his thumb gently rubbing.

"It's okay. I can handle it. Keep going, amore mia dolce {my sweet love}," Leonardo reassured her in a gentle voice, recognising her vulnerability. Maria nodded, swallowing down another sob. She closed her eyes, her eyebrows creasing before she composed herself, maintaining another strong look.

"It...wasn't caused by Cristiano," Maria revealed, her eyes making their way back to his. "Cris didn't do anything wrong. You have to know that," Maria earnestly revealed, her eyes serious as they stared into his ones filled with disbelief. She tightened her grip on his large hand. Leonardo couldn't believe her based on that. All those years he hadn't spoken to his estranged twin because of that night. The night that changed the lives of them all.

He looked away and swallowed, already feeling tense upon hearing Cristiano's name. Leonardo didn't speak on why she said that. His own heart was beginning to throb in his chest, slightly fearful and apprehensive of what else she'd say. His eyes met hers again, and he allowed her to continue, wanting a full explanation.

Maria licked her lips, knowing how much deeper the truth would get. "That night, after you left, I went back home and packed and packed. Then I went downstairs, and I heard my..." She hesitated, unable to comfortably say, "My dad talking with a bunch of people." She felt her strong heartbeat throbbing through her body. "I'm sure. I'm sure he...he's the cause of the fire."

Leonardo's eyebrows narrowed. He tried not to show his anger brewing inside. Looking down momentarily to remain level-headed, he nodded; it wasn't a surprise, and it wasn't the worst piece of news he had heard before, and actually, it made sense. He felt there was more to her story. "Okay," Leonardo lightly said, waiting for her to continue. He could've asked more, but he risked Maria returning back to her shell and being unable to speak anymore of the truth.

"I saw the fire. I could see the commotion," Maria carefully further went on, getting closer and closer to reveal the biggest truth of all. "He wouldn't let me go and see you. He was just so adamant that night and self-assured." She shook her head as she recounted that evening so many years ago, "He was relishing in what was happening next door and in such a rush to leave abroad sooner than expected."

"I snuck out and went round the back." Maria looked deeply into his warm eyes once more. They would turn cold the moment she would tell him the truth. Her tears had subsided, and she had managed to compose herself fully, bracing herself to unleash it all. She had to. She needed to.

"I looked up and saw someone dangling from their window."

Leonardo looked at her in confusion, unable to follow along. "Who? Who was it?"

A small, unhappy smile came onto her face. "Sienna," she disclosed shakily, her heart skipping a beat as she noticed the growing look of shock and perplexity on Leonardo's face. He didn't understand; he couldn't understand. Leonardo was speechless. He didn't know what to think and could only continue to listen to what seemed to be her truth.

Maria's eyes went back down to their hands, her smaller ones holding onto Leonardo's. Would he ever hold hers again?

"I saw Sienna escape the fire. She was so scared," Maria revealed, her voice so quiet and low. She sniffed again, remembering the look on Sienna's small, bruised face, her delicate body in an old, dirty dress. "So timid, so fragile, like a china doll. She had been locked in that room, left to die in that fire." Maria shook her head at the thought of it, her body shuddering at the idea.

"But Sisi was so brave," Maria thoughtfully went on, her remorseful eyes meeting Leonardo's again. She blinked a couple of times before adding, "She saved herself, and when she saw me, the first thing she did was beg me to take her back to my house." He frowned, trying to follow along with the story. "She didn't want anyone to know the truth, Leo." Her eyes sincerely gazed into his as she hoped he'd somewhat understand, though it would be extremely difficult.

"I'm very confused, Maria," Leonardo genuinely said, starting to lose his composure. He stared at her seriously, his hazel eyes intense and powerful. "The truth about what?"

"Sienna," Maria could see how her life could change in the blink of an eye already. She spontaneously decided to come out with it all. Determined and ready, Maria swallowed up her anxiety and forced herself to be free.

"She's alive. Your sister Sisi is alive, and after that fire, she lived with me all this time."


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~ Author's Note ~

Well...that was an unexpected secret!

Read on to see how Leonardo reacts to the news.

Intentionally, there isn't many signs of this secret throughout the story and that is on purpose.

The next few chapters will shed a lot more light onto that. This is quite a big turning point in the story so do continue to read to see how this impacts Maria and Leonardo.

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Thanks for reading!

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