Chapter 148

Layla

Eva, Stasia and I had finished our talk long before we began hearing the conversation that was coming from the front hall. The voices started off muffled but gradually grew louder to the point where I actually knew who was speaking.

I was frankly shocked that Ethan was there.

He and I still weren’t on the best of terms with each other. It honestly made me wonder that if I ended up getting better would I ever seek out Ethan’s friendship again?

I wasn’t sure.

What truly hurt me above all else was how easily he was able to turn his back on me. Back then, the stakes were incredibly high and things were terribly tense. What I probably needed, above all else, was a supportive friend—instead, I gained an enemy.

No matter, my curiosity peaked either way.

The three of us moved back into the house and toward the main hall. Of course, I missed a majority of their conversation but I kept hearing the name ‘Agent Carter’ being tossed around so it was easy enough to assume the topic.

I glanced around the small group and took in the unsettled energy. Carlo kept giving Ethan the death glare while Ethan looked as though he was getting ready to throw a punch at Carlo. Also was playing the peacemaker and tried to keep the tension between them all as low as possible.

As soon as the three of them noticed us, everyone slipped into an awkward silence.

Before I got a chance to make any sort of introduction, Stasia spoke out with a wonderstruck look on her face.

“Matteo?”

Everyone turned to stare at her but her eyes were purely locked on Ethan. She mindlessly took a few steps forward to get a better look. Ethan glanced around at the rest of us, hoping that someone would try and clear up the situation.

“Wait, Stasia, you...You know him?” I asked.

She merely nodded while failing to hold back a smile. “Oh, yes,” she claimed. “Matteo and I...We go way back.”

I couldn’t believe it. What the hell were the chances of that? I turned my head to glance at Aldo but he seemed as lost as anyone else.

Ethan politely cleared his throat and shook his head. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember you.”

Stasia’s features pinched in disbelief. She folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes in heavy doubt.

“Stasia, he’s telling the truth,” I said. I had no idea what possessed me to want to speak up for the guy but I did. “Years ago, Matteo Marcello had gotten into a bad car accident. In the end, everyone believed that he was dead—even Aldo didn’t know that he was still alive. However, the results of the crash left him with awful amnesia.”

“You’re saying that he has absolutely no idea who he is...Who he was?”

“Exactly.”

Stasia raked her gaze over Ethan, silently and intricately assessing him. Shockingly enough, Ethan wasn’t in his full uniform like he had been last time. But someone as observant as Stasia and Eva were able to piece together the new character in front of them.

Stasia held back a scoff. “You mean to tell me that the Matteo Marcello lost his memory and chose to become a friggin’ cop?”

“And here I thought I couldn’t be surprised anymore,” Eva commented.

Ethan glowered. “Why is that so shocking? Was Matteo Marcello that bad of a person?”

“Well...He was certainly no saint,” Carlo muttered with a sneer.

My mind was still reeling over the fact that Stasia knew who Ethan once was. When I turned my head to steal a glance at him, I found him looking conflicted. I felt a flicker of sympathy as I recalled my own harsh words I’d once said to him.

“...When you find out just the kind of person you were, will you be prepared to deal with the consequences that come with bearing the Marcello name? Will you own up to your own crimes?...”

I kind of knew the chance of Ethan ever uncovering his own memories was slim to nothing. However, I didn’t think any of us would have considered the chance of him recounting his past if it was told to him by someone who lived through it with him.

Would Ethan ever think to reach out to Stasia about his past?

“Um, is Eli in his room?” I asked Aldo. “I need to tell him about the trip.”

Aldo frowned while he nodded. Ethan glanced between us, giving a questionable look.

“Trip? What trip?”

“We’re taking Layla away on a ‘girl’s weekend’ trip,” Eva said with an easy smile.

Ethan didn’t look convinced but he knew better than to question any further. His eyes were far too focused on Stasia. It was like he was straining his mind to try and remember something—anything from his old life.

In the meantime, I was somewhat intrigued by what they were talking about before we sort of interrupted. Then again, I refused to get involved in anything related to Agent Danny Carter. Just the thought of him made my head hurt and my jaw clench.

Without wasting any more time, I turned on my heels and headed toward Eli’s room. I lifted my hand and gave a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” he called out.

I quietly stepped into his room and found him sitting up on his bed with his sketch pad propped up in his lap.

Warmth spread through my chest when he greeted me with a smile. “Hey.”

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“Nothing really. I wanted to talk to you about something, though.”

He set the sketchbook aside and gave me his full attention. “Is this about you going on your trip with Eva and Stasia?”

My brows lifted in surprise. “Yes? Uh, how did you know about that?” I asked him.

Eli gave me a sheepish look. “I may have overheard you talking earlier.”

My stomach flipped. I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that he at least knew about the trip or guilty for the fact that I hadn’t come to him sooner about it.

“You’re right,” I said. “I’m planning on taking a short trip away from home for a few days.”

“I won’t be able to come with you, will I?”

My heart clenched in my chest. I unconsciously reached out to run my fingers through his hair. His eyes filled with disappointment.

“Not this time, I’m afraid,” I said weakly.

“Eva and Stasia are going to make sure that you get better, right?”

I nodded my head while fighting back tears. “That’s right. And I promise that I’m going to do everything I can to get better so that I can come back to you and Dad again.”

Eli moved to wrap his arms around me, bringing me into a tight hug. I curled my arms around him and leaned down to kiss the top of his head.

“Since you know about the trip, I mainly came to ask you if you would prefer to stay here or go spend some time with your other grandparents,” I said. “You remember Dmitri and Irena, don’t you? You haven’t seen them in quite some time and I know they would love to see you.”

Eli shrugged. “Is it okay if I stay here with Dad? I think he might need me while you’re gone.”

Another rush of pain swelled in my chest. I gently nodded my head as I held him close.

“You may be right,” I whispered.