Chapter 133 - CHAPTER 130

"What do you mean?" Asked Elisio.

"It exactly means as I said. Rose signed the divorce papers, custody papers and signed off my property to me. But I didn't sign those papers. I just couldn't. She is still my wife." Said Ermanno looking at Rose with a hard expression.

"This outrageous. You agreed to divorce her." Said Elisio.

Ermanno looked at Elisio and said "no. I never wanted to divorce her. You forced me. You were so angry back then and so determined to make Rose suffer. You also threatened me that if I don't divorce her you will rot her in jail. So I agreed." Said Ermanno.

"But, I handed you the papers" said Elisio and thought for a second and continued "but never saw you sign it. You played me. No one dares to play me" screamed Elisio.

"I didn't play you. I just couldn't lose both of you. Since, I was born I have been taught to stay and stick by our family. And you dad, are one person I can't live without. Though we have our differences and fight. We both know that we love each other no matter what." Said Ermanno.

"It's not fair for Rose. She had all right to know she was still married to you. What if she was married to someone else now and then came to know she is still legally married to you?" Asked Zeke.

"She couldn't have got married without legally being divorced to me. And if she was really willing to marry someone else. I had promised myself I would let her go. The main reason I didn't go behind her and left her alone is because I know I have been suffocating her since she was 10 years old. She really needed to be away from me to figure out what she wanted for herself." said Ermanno and looked at Rose and continued "I would have let you go. I swear. I didn't want to possess you. All I ever want is your happiness. And Rose look at us. We are still standing in front of each other without another person in either of our lives. That only means we are destined to be together." 

Rose looked into Ermanno's eyes and could see that he was being sincere.

"Wait... That means she still has your property on her name?" Asked Arlo.

"As long as she is married to me she owns everything. The moment she divorces me she looses everything. Including all my children" said Ermanno and saw everyone confused so he continued "I knew Rose was signing off my property to her name and I didn't mind giving it all away to her. I just wanted her to accept me, love me and live with me for the rest our lives. And I knew the lawyer she was working with. There is no way anyone would mess with the Devontes. Especially, Elisio Devonte. The lawyer was from a small private firm and didn't want to risk getting shut down after dad knew what he did. He contacted me and told me all the clauses she had in those papers. All were quite standard except one condition I told him to add. 

She owns everything I have only till she is married to me. Everything including any children we have together." He then looked at Rose and said "you accept me and you have everything. You deny me, you lose everything"

"You are going to force me to stay with you?" Asked Rose.

Ermanno creased his eyebrows and asked "if I wanted I would have forced you a long time back. I gave you time to move on. I love you Mio Rosa and I have accepted that. don't you love me any more, Rose?"

"You didn't fight for us" said Rose with tears.

"You tried to kill us" said Ermanno and continued "Rose we have been played by Sofia. We both needed time. We took that time. I didn't divorce you cause I knew we were meant to be together. I am not letting you go now Rose. You will stay with me"

Rose looked around and Thomas approached her and said "what do you want more Rose? You will have both your children close to you. A man who loves you. You will have a family. What are you thinking?"

"I am scared. I screwed up last time." Said Rose.

"We will get through this. You were f.u.c.k.i.e.d up back then and I was messed up. Now we both are better and we need to better ourselves more for our children. We have motivation to do so as our children. Let's do this" said Ermanno.

Rose looked at Thomas and everyone else and then looked back at Ermanno and nodded.

Now it was time to tell the children.

"How do we do that?" Asked Rose.

"Emerald is too young to understand. She has been calling me daddy and thinks I am her father. It will only confuse her. But I think I can make her understand." said Ethan.

Ermanno looked at a very pissed off Elisio and said "dad can you talk to Xavi? He will listen to you"

Elisio had blood red eyes and was burning with fury.

"You are grown up. You don't need me. You are responsible enough. Talk to him yourself. Cause trust me you do not want me to talk to him." Said Elisio with grinding teeth and started to leave but stopped and looked at Rose and said "I hate you. Hurt my children this time. You will die and I promise you I will kill you myself. And I will be damned if I don't torture you to your death" and left the room.

"Wow. I think I shit my pants" said Kyle and held Ethan's arm.

"I can't believe he is the only one who sees how wrong this is" said Rose.

Ermanno was loosing patients and with a hard expression said "then what is the right way? Keep me away from my children. Or you staying away? Listen to me carefully Rose. You will stay with me. You will raise our children. No more discussion. Enough of games and enough of lies. You , me and our children, we will work this out. I love you Rose and I am done waiting for you to accept me. Now you either accept me or I'll make you accept me by hook or crook." Said Ermanno.

He then looked at Sabrina and she said "I'll talk to Xavier"

"Dad?" Asked Ermanno.

"You can't fix everything in one day" said Sabrina.

Zeke, Sabrina, Ermanno talked to Xavier.

Ethan, Kyle and Rose talked to Emerald in another room.

The kids were not pleased and were crying to not leave their families they lived with and move away to live with their parents.

But Emerald was very understanding.

"So I have two daddies?" Asked Emerald.

"He is your real daddy. I am not" said Ethan with tears in his eyes.

Emerald wiped his tears and said "you are real daddy. I love you" and hugged him.

Ethan hugged her back and said "I will always love you. And remember you have be a good girl and listen to your mummy and daddy, okay?"

"Okay, daddy" said Emerald with pouty lips which were wiggling as she was trying hard to not bust out crying.

Ethan kissed Emerald's forehead and said "you are my brave princess" and Emerald said "aanhann"

Xavier was another story.

He was screaming and shouting and resisting to go away from Sabrina and Elisio.

"I will be a good boy. I promise mama. Please don't send me away" cried Xavier.

Ermanno decided to stay in his apartment in the city for a while.

"A little distance will be good for all of us. When we four have gotten used to eachother, we will come back to the mansion. But right now, we all need some distance" said Ermanno and Zeke agreed.

"You need to child proof the apartment." Said Arlo and Ermanno nodded.

Xavier was hugging Sabrina's legs and crying uncontrollably to not send him away.

Sabrina covered her mouth and cried.

She bent down and held Xavier's face in her hands and said "you are my big brave boy. And big boys don't cry like this. Love, don't you want to be with your mummy and baby sister?" 

"I want to be with you and Papa" said Xavier and screamed for Elisio.

Elisio could hear Xavier calling for him. He was seated in his study holding a glass of scotch very tightly. Xavier's screams and cries were piercing through Elisio's heart. But he didn't move from his place. He held the glass so tight that glass broke in his hand. Elisio shed a tear from the pain which was not from the cut on his hand.

Ermanno picked Xavier and took him with him ignoring his screams and cries.

Ermanno left with Rose, Emerald and crying, Xavier.

Everyone else left too after Sabrina had cooled down a little and promised she was okay.

Sabrina stood in the entrance alone shedding tears looking at where Ermanno's car left.

She closed her eyes and cried more when Elisio hugged her from behind and hid his face in the crook of her neck and sobbed.