Chapter 74 - Love And Choices

The photos of her sisters were taken in different places of Northbay City. There were photos of them in school, in the supermarket, and even outside Primrose.

"You don't know what I am capable of Mrs.Cross. I can do everything just to crush the Wilson Clan and all their friends." Paolo said in gritted teeth.

The Wilson and the Santelmo had been in a feud for decades. Their families were mortal enemies for generations. 

The Wilson Clan has been in power for ages. And their family's wealth was unimaginable. But before the Wilson rose to power, the Santelmo's, was the most powerful and influential clan in Northbay. Both clans' great grandfathers were friends until the Wilson clan betrayed the Santelmo's. That was what Paolo Santelmo lived to believe.

In truth, Alfonso Santelmo, Paolo's great great grandfather, the most influential man back in the 1970s did the betrayal. He was friends with Adrian Wilson, Luke's father's grandfather. Alfonso was imprisoned because of the rape and murder of Agatha Wilson, Adrian Wilson's sister. Alfonso died in 1980. He was beaten and stabbed to death.

After the imprisonment of Alfonso Santelmo, the clan became the center of scandal and laughter. Their businesses started to fail one by one, and eventually, the family was forced to declare bankruptcy. The Santelmo's couldn't accept the sudden fall of their clans and moved from Northbay to another country.

It was just recently that Luke and the others found out that they moved to Flousia and became one of the most powerful mafia clans there.

"You know I could just tell my husband or Luke about your scheme. Why would you expect that I would do anything you ask?" Nina asked.

Paolo laughed. "Indeed, you can. But I know you wouldn't. Your husband's mother is currently somewhere being tied and tortured. If you would agree with me, I can call my men right now to stop them from hurting her."

Then Paolo showed her a video of Andrew's mother being tortured. She was being electrocuted. Nina couldn't take her screams and cries. She was begging them to stop, but the men around her were just laughing like devils. She was also being touched everywhere by their filthy hands.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Nina shouted.

She was scared, but the rage was starting to fill her heart. How could these people possibly call themselves humans?

"So what would it be, Mrs. Cross? Would you like to join hands with me in exchange for your mother-in-law's life? Or would you tell everything to your husband and friends about this and just let me kill her? The decision is entirely yours. I will give you twenty-four hours to come up with a decision."

Nina turned to the man and faced him. She bit her lips and glared at him.

"If I agree with you, will you promise not to hurt her anymore? Will you also promise to let her go after I gave you everything you wanted?" Nina asked.

Paolo grinned. "Yes. But before I release her mother, you have to complete the mission. You will divorce your husband and marry my son after."

"W-What? Why do I need to do that? You won't get anything from me. I'm a poor girl. I don't have anything to offer." Nina reasoned.

Paolo laughed again.

"You really don't know anything about the world of wealthy people. You are now married to Andrew Cross. He was already transferring some of his properties under your name. Your husband loved you so much that he could even give you everything, including Cross Corporation."

Nina was once again shocked by what the man said. She understood what he wanted her to do.

"You want me to convince my husband to put everything under my name? Then divorce him after and marry your son so you could use the money against the Wilson's?"

"Bingo! You are a smart girl Mrs.Cross. I wasn't wrong to approach you. That was the reason I continued to sponsor you in Golden Oak."

Nina couldn't believe what she had just heard. Did he just say he was her sponsor? Nina shook her head.

"Yes, Mrs.Cross. I was the one who accepted your sponsorship in Golden Oak. I've been using a different name so no one would suspect that I was sponsoring students in that school. I didn't expect that one of you would be good friends with the wealthiest kids in the country. I was merely preparing some elite students to graduate from that school and eventually use them to work in my company. But you, Katharina Sommers, were beyond what I had expected. You even got married to Andrew Cross. That was really lucky of me."

Nina was terrified. From the beginning, she was being used by this man to take revenge on her friends. She didn't expect that her life would suddenly turn upside down.

"So you see, Mrs.Cross, you owe me a lot. Didn't you read what was written on the contract with your sponsorship? That after your graduation, you have to work for your sponsor until you pay your debt? Oh, and let's see how much you owe me."

Paolo handed her a document that contained all of the money he had spent on her studies. The sum was until her papers had been transferred under Cross Corporation. In Golden Oak, the new sponsor was not allowed to pay for the expenses spent by the previous sponsor.

The student was committed to the first sponsor until the debt had been paid. Nina had to pay Paolo Santelmo. And the terms of payment wouldn't be decided by her. It would be Paolo's.

"I may not be your sponsor now since you married Andrew Cross, but I was your first sponsor. So, I will be the one to decide how you could repay me. And all I'm asking is for you to help me with what I want. Your debt will be paid, and you will be able to save your mother-in-law. After that, divorce your husband and marry my son."

Nina couldn't answer anymore. She wanted to jump from the Eiffel tower and die. Maybe it was better for her to disappear, but if she does, Paolo will kill Andrew's mother.

"I will wait for your answer Mrs.Cross. Remember, the lives of the people you care about are in your hands.." Paolo said before leaving Nina.