Chapter 239 - Choose Someone Else

"Welcome back, Mr Vitello," Lara said as soon as she opened the door. 

Santiago nodded and entered the hall. It was late in the evening and everyone went to sleep. 

"Where would you like to have dinner? In the dining room or your bedroom?" Lara questioned him. 

"I had dinner with the guys," Santiago replied. "Did Percy have dinner? And Eleanora is still asleep yet or not?" 

Lara smiled at his concern. "Eleanora is asleep and Percy didn't have dinner. She had been throwing up since the evening." Seeing Santiago's worried face, she quickly added, "It's not that serious. But since she recently had a delivery, she needs to take extra care of herself. She spent the day outside in the mall, walking and standing. And Lord knows what kind of fast food she consumed today." 

It was clear from Lara's words that she didn't encourage the stupid step Persephone took today even if it meant good for Valencia. She should have paid attention to her health first. 

Santiago took a deep breath. Of course, he was informed when she left the home today. She just said that she would be going out today with Valencia for the change of environment. She didn't say anything about the little outing that she had planned for herself. In short, it was his fault for not taking care of her properly. 

"Did you ask Valencia why she had been throwing up?" Santiago questioned. 

"Consequences of junk food," Lara informed him. 

"Ask Valencia to create a menu for Percy," Santiago said. "No matter how much she complains, no one is allowed to give her food without consulting Valencia." 

Lara nodded her head. 

Santiago left the hall to check up on her but as he entered the room, he saw Persephone lying on the bed watching TV at a lower volume. Eleanor was asleep in her crib beside the bed. His baby sleeps sixteen hours out of twenty-four. He didn't know what to consider it, a blessing or a curse. A blessing that she didn't trouble her parents at all and curse that she had very little time to play with them. 

Without disturbing both of them, he entered the bathroom to have a quick shower and changed into a pair of comfortable clothes. He dropped a kiss on Eleanora's forehead and then got into the bed to pull Persephone closer to him. Inhaling her natural scent to calm himself, he murmured, "You are watching the stupid show again?"

"Angela finally realised how stupid she was to marry Guiseppe," Persephone murmured back, her gaze still fixed on the TV. "Poor Marco!"

"He doesn't need a woman who left him for someone else," Santiago found himself saying. 

"Ah, I didn't notice our cold war period is over, " Persephone said, turning her head to narrow her eyes at him. 

In the dimly lit room, his blue orb met her green ones. He noticed something unusual about her today. The green of her eyes was popping out with her new sleek and straight hair. What a disappointment he couldn't wrap his fingers around her wild curls anymore. But he had to admit she looked cute now. With the little weight, she put on and now her short hair was making her appear adorable. He didn't know who was more adorable -- baby or mama. 

"You look different," Santiago murmured as he snaked his arm around her waist and she winced at his touch. "What happened?" 

"My stomach hurts," She muttered, looking anywhere but at him. 

"Let's go to the hospital," Santiago immediately said and Persephone turned to look at the TV. 

She couldn't deal with this man… 

"Let's go," Santiago said once again. 

"I'm fine, Santiago," Persephone said in exasperation. "My body will recover with time. Doctors ain't God. They can't cure me in just a few seconds. Valencia gave me medicine." 

"Then, maybe you shouldn't have gone out," Santiago immediately said. "Why did you even have to contact Captain Gabriel? If you just wanted to help Nash and Valencia, you could have taken any other way." 

"Santiago, did you just come here to scold me?" Persephone said, unable to handle her sudden outburst of anger. "Fine, you don't like Valencia with Nash. The guys agreed with your wish. Excellent. But Valencia is my best friend. She might be your sister but she is my best friend first. The woman who pulled me out of depression. She made me see that there aren't just bad people in the world. There are some selfless and generous people like her too."

Taking a pause, she added, "I did what as a friend I was supposed to do. And Santiago, you have no right to control her love life. She loved Nash and he loved her. It's as simple as that. I get it you are worried that he might end up hurting her. But what if he ends up giving her the happiest life she had never dreamed of? That guy is ready to move countries for her. I don't know why you can't see his endless devotion to her." 

Santiago was staring at her unblinking. She could see everyone's love but his. No, she could see his feelings for her too. It was just that she didn't want to acknowledge it. 

"Get some rest," Santiago said and stood up to leave. 

Persephone caught her wrist as he moved to leave the room and asked, "Where are you going?" 

"I don't know," He gave her the answer. 

Persephone smiled at him and stood up to turn off the TV. She grabbed a thin blanket and walked out of the room, leaving Eleanora with Santiago. Why must he leave the room every time they had a fight? 

When she reached the living room, she hugged the blanket and sighed. Suddenly, she was feeling lonely in such a huge house. Since she couldn't sleep, she recalled that Junior had borrowed her laptop. She slowly opened his room and found him fast asleep. Quietly, she took her laptop and came out. 

Lying on the couch, she found that she got two emails from the contact she talked to several days ago. 

'I would like you to send a few more chapters. Lisa is impressed with your story and wanted to ask if you would like to sign the contract.'

When she arrived at the Maisean empire, she was heavily pregnant. There was nothing she could do in that condition. She was an art major with a minor in literature. The peaceful environment here inspired her to write a romance story. 

Persephone was the kind of person who always had a story in her head. Oftentimes, she would be alone and doing nothing but weaving different stories in her head. One day, a story stuck with her. And she decided to write it down in words. 

She ended up writing a few thousand words. Lord knew what came over to her but she sent the manuscript to her friend who was a New York bestseller romance writer. 

Right now, she was thrilled to know that the editor wished to sign her. Of course, she would like to sign. She was filthy rich but she had no career of her own. And now that she finally had a chance, she would like to take this very chance. She wanted to be someone people know not because she was Alessandro Marino's daughter or Santiago Vitello's wife. 

She accepted the offer and immediately emailed her author friend. Hugging the laptop, she once again smiled sadly. She had no one to share the happy news with. If only she could jump in happiness and tell everyone that she made something of her. 

But she was alone in the huge world. 

Inside the bedroom, Santiago was pacing back and forth, not knowing what to do. He was mad at himself. This was her house yet she was forced to leave the room. In the big room, how was he supposed to sleep by himself? Even the bed felt cold. Bolting out of the door, he found her curled up in the living room. He walked to her and leaned down to scoop her in his arms. 

Her eyes opened immediately and as she asked, "What do you think you are doing?"

"You are awake," Santiago softly said. 

"Santiago, are you tsundere or what?!" Persephone glared at him. "I can't deal with your constant mood swings. Sometimes, you are bitter or sometimes sweet. Can you not decide what you want? Either be mad at me or talk sweetly!" 

Santiago pursed his lips. It was his problem that he loved her and she didn't. It wasn't her fault that he needed more from her. He wasn't supposed to fall for her the way he did. But hell, he did and there was no saving him. 

"I'm sorry," Santiago apologized. "I shouldn't have ignored you. It was juvenile of me." 

"Good that you know what an ass you have been to me, "Persephone sneered at him. She couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Why was he so paranoid? Why did he appear so scared suddenly? 

"Persephone, if you were ever to choose someone except me, please don't choose Gabriel, "Santiago's words shocked Persephone to the core.