Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Sarah

Although I rolled my eyes in boredom, I didn't let go of his hand because I valued our friendship a lot, which was surprising considering how I used to see him as a jerk and a cynic. My perspective had changed, but I still thought he was quite cynical.

Dinner was pleasant, and we took some photos with motorsport fans who recognized Enrico.

"It would be interesting if these photos reached Rachel and Graham," Enrico suddenly commented when we arrived in front of my room.

"I don't think we should dwell on them," I contested. "You yourself told me to forget about people who don't treat me well."

"You can forget because you don't know how to deal with them," he retorted. "But I don't intend to do the same. I'll do whatever I can to bother them."

"But why would you do that? I don't understand why you're so insistent on Rachel when she made it clear she's not interested."

“Because I get what I want, and I won't be satisfied until she's by my side," Enrico said, determined.

I shook my head in disapproval because I didn't have that same drive and attitude, something Enrico believed I urgently needed to change.

"If Rachel is as petty as you always make a point to repeat, why be with her? Doesn't it bother you to be with someone like that?" I was genuinely curious about the answer to that question.

"When I get Rachel to admit her feelings for me, I will teach her a very important lesson that will make her realize how wrong her actions are," Enrico replied confidently.

I admired all that self-assuredness, but I really didn't know what to think about the matter.

"I'm going to head in; I'm tired, and you need to be in good shape tomorrow to win the race," I said, smiling at the thought of the important competition.

"I intend to win this championship. I want to be at the top of the podium and be a standout in the category because there's nothing like wealth and success to get your sister to notice me," Enrico admitted, revealing that he planned to win Rachel over in a completely misguided way, as that didn't guarantee love.

"I thought you wanted Rachel's love," I pointed out, with irony.

"I want Rachel by my side, no matter the motivation. Then I'll turn the tables, and she will fall completely in love with me; you'll see."

**********

The next day, at least one of the things Enrico had said proved to be correct because he did indeed win the race and secured the top spot on the podium, putting himself ahead in the championship race for that year. Lorenzo did not perform well in that race, which increased Enrico's favorable point margin.

Before heading to the podium for the celebration, Enrico approached where I was, watching everything. The team was in high spirits with another victory at the season's racing circuit. He grabbed my arm and whispered, "Stay close. I'm going to kiss you during the celebration. I want to be in all the newspapers."

Although I could have been upset with the idea, I wasn't. Enrico stepped away and headed to his spot, receiving congratulations and well-wishes along the short path to the podium, as was customary for the race winner. I made an effort to stay as close as possible to him.

I had dressed up for the day, and even though I was there for work, I had chosen well-fitted moss green tailored pants that suited me very well, and a plain white blouse that, despite being basic, matched perfectly, along with a beautiful pair of high heels and a coat.

After the celebration with champagne, Enrico did exactly what he had warned he would do: he approached me and pulled me into a public kiss. I can't say it was repulsive, but it also wasn't pleasant in terms of attraction. It seemed obvious that there was no sexual chemistry between us, and we pulled away with big smiles on our faces.

"It's like I just kissed my sister," he joked in my ear. "Argh!"

"It was terrible!" I agreed, and we both burst into laughter.

Despite that, several photos and videos of that moment made waves in the media, just as Enrico had desired. We became news not only in the sports media but also in outlets that covered the lives of the rich and famous, exactly as he wished. The buzz was intense, especially on social media, something I had never paid much attention to before but now needed to keep a close eye on, given the number of posts that mentioned my name.

Kael

The revelation that my assistant, Ryan, was actually one of the babies my mother had stolen at the maternity ward left me extremely shaken and confused. I demanded many explanations from him, especially the reason why he had hidden the truth from the beginning. I thought that if he had been honest from the start, we could have avoided a lot of pain and saved a lot of time, considering he had been working for me for two years.

However, I decided to leave all the explanations for the next day, as Ryan had already made two trips to London in a short span of time and was visibly tired. But I didn't waste any time telling my mother about the discovery, and to my surprise, she was genuinely happy, trying to convince me not to be too hard on my new brother. I had been an only child until a few days ago, and now I had gained a pair of siblings, but I still wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Don't be too hard on Ryan, Kael," my mother pleaded. "He knows you very well and knows you have a complicated temperament. It's normal for him to have been afraid to tell the truth."

I knew my mother was right, of course. However, it didn't lessen the anger I felt at being deceived for so long by someone I trusted deeply.

"I also made a mistake by not telling you what Rachel told me and asking for your help to find my lost children," my mother lamented. "I chose to withdraw into myself and suffer in silence for what happened, instead of trying to change everything and find out where my children were."

The situation was complex and filled with intense emotions. I needed some time to process everything that had happened and decide how to proceed. As hurt as I was, I also knew that my love for my mother and my new siblings existed, even though it was shaken by the recent revelation.

My mother's sadness was something I couldn't bear, and I didn't want her to go through that again. Despite not agreeing with her and Ryan's actions, I comforted her, seeking to bring some comfort in the midst of the complicated situation.

"Some would say that the most important thing is that you now have both of them by your side," I commented.

"But you don't think that way," Mom pointed out.

"It's not important what I think. What matters is what's best for everyone."

"I don't want you to seek revenge or anything like that," she pleaded, reaching for my hand and holding it gently. "I know Rachel made a mistake, but I made mistakes too, just like Ryan did. But you mustn't let yourself be consumed by anger over what has already happened. Let's all move forward and try to make up for lost time."

I didn't argue with her words, and I sincerely hoped she would maintain this perspective because I didn't want her to slip back into a depressive state as she had before. However, despite listening to my mother, my mind was filled with thoughts of revenge against everyone involved in that sordid story, even those who weren't directly related but had collaborated in such wickedness.