[1] A War of Blood and Hearts | ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CRYSTAL

"I do not think I can do this anymore Zaire, I do not want to live like this anymore." Crystal confides in her younger brother even though he is unconscious. Zaire has not woken up, he fell into the coma.
At first, Crystal thought that she would be able to handle Lucas' glares and harsh words towards her because she thought that Zaire would wake up within a few days and he would stand by her and comfort her when she feels broken or lonely. Alas, she was wrong.
"I know Lucas feel betrayed by my secrets, and I understand that; that is how I felt for years before I learned about you and dad. But..." she cries.
For the past couple of months that is all she has done; she meets Lucas ad Camilla's words with a cold face and then she would go to Zaire's room and cry as if her life depends on it.
Milo has tried to help, but he could not erase the stabbing words Crystal's supposed beast friend has been telling her. Still, with everything that has been going on especially with the chaos of trying to locate both Alonso and Nicholas, Crystal feels grateful that she got to spend this tough period with her father.
At some point, the Brazilian woman decided that when this mess is resolved and the Russian mafia, along with Dante is vanquished, she is going to stay with her father and her younger brother. She has lost a piece of herself, she no longer makes jokes and she no longer pulls pranks on anyone. Crystal is starting to lose herself, and she is determined to find these pieces and be who she has become adapted to being.
Crystal loves Nicholas and Lucas and she will always feel grateful for everything they have done for her. However, the idea of staying in Romania feels right. Thus, that is what she is going to do. Besides, Crystal does not know if Lucas will ever forgive her, and she is almost certain she will never be able to forgive any of the words he directed at her. Also, she is pretty sure that Nicholas will not take it well when he learns what the others learned two months ago.
"You have to wake Z, I need you. I know that it sounds selfish but I really need you. I could use hearing an advice from you." Crystal wipes her tears away as she lies down on the bed next to Zaire.
"A part of me is scared of the moment when we do find them. I think that is why I never helped with the search for them. Now, do not get me wrong, I do want them to be safe and I am extremely worried about them. It is just... I do not think I would handle their reactions to everything. Lucas' actions and words have done enough to me." Crystal wraps her arms around her brother as she rests her head on his chest. She makes sure to not get near his wound even though it had completely healed about a month ago.
"I mean, I do not get it! Why the hell is he so mad with me? I did not do anything he did not do to me! The way is acting is starting to piss me off. And Leora and Mila's bitchiness does not help. I do not care what either of them says; they are just two attention seekers begging, like dogs, for Alberto and Nazi's attention. But, I cannot help but imagine knocking both of them out with a pan every time I look at them. Actually, no, that would be an insult to tangled; to compare it to Leora and Mila..." Crystal's babble is interrupting when Ignazio opens the door and enters the bedroom as he fights for each breath he takes.
"What is wrong?" Crystal gets off the bed as holds his hand to help him steady himself.
"We got a lead... we... we know where... they are." The Italian man pants.
"What how?" She never thought that they would find them so suddenly and abruptly. She doubts that there is a bad reason behind that, but she chooses to keep her opinion to herself. There is no point to waste her breath if no one is going to listen to her.
Milo, Ignazio, and Alberto would, and of Zaire was awake he would too, Sadly, they would not be able to shake Lucas or Lorenzo who apparently have come to her.
"Lucas' spies managed to gain Ivan's trust enough that he assigned them to watch guards at Alonso and Nicholas. They just sent Lucas the location. We are preparing to go and rescue them." Ignazio informs her. She wants to ask further, but she knows the Italian man will not tell her. Hence, she asks for the person who would not deny her anything.
"Where is my f... uncle? Where is my uncle?" Crystal knows that both Ignazio and Alberto have their doubts about Milo being her father, and they have hinted it a few times, but she never confirmed or denied it. Instead, she pretended to not catch any of their hints. The people in the house hate her enough, she does not need them to hate her even more.
Once everything is over she will tell them and send all of them on their way. That way, she will not have to deal with their reactions and outbursts.
Ignazio gives her a raised eyebrow, but he answers her nonetheless.
"He is in his office with the others. I just thought I should come and update you on what is going on." Crystal does not feel betrayed that everyone is practically having a meeting without her. After all, she had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with the search for the two men.
The Brazilian woman turns to her younger brother and makes sure is covered probably with the blanket before she leaves the room and head to her father's office with Ignazio right after her.

"Lorenzo, Ignazio, Alberto, Lucas, and I will go here with a back up team and we will rescue them." Milo pulls a strand of hair of Crystal's face as he gives her a reassuring look.
"I though she wanted nothing to do with this, so why are you telling her any of this?" Leora asks rudely as she gives Crystal a glare.
"If I were you, I would watch the way you talk about my niece Leora. After all, she is the only one of you who can actually defend herself and the ones around her." Milo defends Crystal. His words make Leora shut her mouth and look at the ground.
"So what if she can fight? There will still be guards who will guard the house while you are gone." Mila's annoying voice replies.
"You never know when things can go wrong." Ignazio mumbles supporting Milo.
"Why would I defend them?" Crystal decides to ask before Leora explodes about how Ignazio stands by Crystal than herself.
"Because you. Leora, Mila, Camilla , and Freya are staying here." She wants to object, she wants to demand to go with the men, but she cannot do it.
""Listen to me Crystal, Zaire is under your protection. He is completely helpless in that state. You and Freya are the only one I trust with his life. So I need you to promise me that you will do anything to keep him safe." Crystal could see her father's plea in his eyes. He does not want to go and safe a son and lose the other. Thus, Milo will save Nicholas while Crystal protects Zaire.
"You know very well that I will."
"We are ready." Ilya, who came as soon as they decided to stay in Romania, informs Lucas who gives him a stern nod.
"I love you kid." Milo pulls her into a hug and kisses her forehead.
"And I love you." Crystal hugs him a little too tight; she does not want to let him go.
"I will be fine Chrissie, I promise." He whispers. Crystal does not care that everyone, including Lucas, watches them. She needs her father to understand that she needs both him and Nicholas to come back.
"Do not make promises you cannot keep." She hisses. She pulls away from him and hits his chest. Milo smiles as he looks at her.
"Well, I have never broken a promise that I have given you, and I do not plan to make this one an exception."
"Just promise me that you will be careful."
"I promise sweetheart." They hug once last time before both Milo and Lorenzo leave the room. Camilla follows them.
"Good luck."Crystal tells Alberto as she gives him a side hug.
"Will do." Alberto promises her and follows after the elder people who left the room as he ignores hi wife's complaints about him hugging Crystal.
Crystal rolls her eyes before she turns to Ignazio. They give each other a wide smile before the Italian man gives her a squeezing hug.
"I am going to miss you."
"You sound like you are going to move to the Antarctica." Crystal giggles despite her sour mood. They pull away from each other, and Ignazio grabs her right hand in his.
"We will bring them back. I promise."
"Why would you promise her that? She could not give a damn about my brother or hers for that matter!" Crystal almost forgets that Leora is in the room. Both her and Ignazio turn around to face the furious Italian woman who does not seem to be happy about the scene that folds before her.
"Remember what we talked about, okay?" Ignazio ignores Leora and turns to Crystal.
"Yeah, I remember." She assures him as she recalls the conversation they had a couple of times in the past couple of months. Ignazio had given her a gun and made him promise her to always keep it on her and use it if she has to. She chose to not inform him that she has no idea how to use it, and took the gun quietly.
"Ignazio what are you talking about? You never told me about an important conversation between you and her!" Leora acts as if she owns Ignazio which Crystal knows bothers the Italian man more than anything else.
"We are about to go and rescue your brother from the devil's den and that is what you are worried about?" His words do nothing to shake her.
"I just meant..." Ignazio does not give her a chance to explain as he storms out of the room with angry steps.
"No, Nazi, wait..." Leora follows him like a tail attached to his body which leaves Crystal and Lucas alone in the room. But before he can say anything hurtful to her, she gives him a cold look and goes to search for Freya.
There are thousands of things she longs to say, but she represses the urge to turn around and say them.