Buried Secrets, Burning Desires

CHAPTER 2

Edmond Vitale was diagnosed with terminal Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) months ago.

Dr. Ethan Graves, an expert in the field and a family doctor, has been prescribing effective medication to help manage his health.

Stefano, Enzo's eldest brother, came running in heavy footsteps.

“What's wrong with dad?” Stefano asked, rushing to grab Edmond tightly by his hand.

“Stay calm, Dad. "Stay calm,” Enzo whispered, kneeling by Edmond's side, his voice cracking.

Within minutes, they heard the distant sound of an ambulance.

Dr. Graves arrived, followed by two paramedics.

"Let's move him!" Dr. Graves ordered.

They carefully lifted Edmond onto the stretcher.

He groaned in pain but didn’t fight them. Blood still stained his mouth.

Gabriel, Enzo’s immediate elder brother, quickly climbed into the ambulance without a word, holding his dad's hand firmly

Enzo stood there, frozen for a second, watching the doors slam shut and the ambulance drive away into the busy street.

The house fell into a strange, heavy silence. Everyone gathered in the main parlour.

Hazel stood quietly in a corner, biting her lips and her brows furrowed with fear of what could go wrong, anxiously watching Enzo.

The family phone rang,

Everyone was startled as they turned to look at it.

Enzo slowly picked up.

“Hello?”

“Yes?” Enzo answered almost below his voice.

There was a pause. Then Dr. Graves' voice came through the line.

“He didn't make it. I'm so sorry Enzo”.

Enzo's chest tightened, almost impossible for him to breathe.

For a moment, it felt like the walls of the house shifted.

"No!” Stefano muttered, slumping back onto the sofa with all his weight, both his hands landing on his face.

Enzo just stood there, staring at the phone, like he didn’t hear the words right.

His breath came in short gasps. His chest tightened painfully.

Hazel took a step forward, her heart aching, she leaned forward as tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Tears welled up in Enzo’s eyes, but he didn’t let them fall.

He just dropped the phone and turned away, gripping the back of a chair like he needed it to support his legs.

Hazel’s heart shattered as she watched Enzo trying to be strong, trying not to fall apart.

She had never wanted to hug someone so badly in her life.

…

Two Days Later

The Vitale mansion was wrapped in black ribbons.

People came and went, dressed in black, murmuring in low voices.

Servants moved around, carrying food and drinks for the mourners.

The smiling photographs of Edmond Vitale were placed on every table.

Enzo hadn't smiled once. He barely spoke to anyone.

His once-fitted suit now hangs loosely on him. This is the leanest he had ever looked, the grief was weighing him down physically.

Hazel and Evelyn walked around with eyes swollen, making sure everyone have had something to eat or drink.

That afternoon, while everyone was gathered in the front yard,

Enzo slipped away. Hazel saw him walking down one of the back corridors.

Without thinking, she followed.

She found him standing alone by a quiet staircase, looking out downstairs through the window.

"Enzo?," she whispered.

He turned, his eyes were so red and wet with tears, and without a word, he pulled her into his arms.

Hazel gasped softly at the suddenness of it. His arms wrapped around her so tight she almost couldn’t breathe.

His face pressed against her shoulder, hiding the tears he refused to show anyone else.

She said nothing. She just let him hold her.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

Dr Graves stepped in, wearing a black suit, and a tired smile.

He looked around and nodded respectfully.

"My deepest condolences, Enzo," he said quietly.

Enzo stood up and shook his hand. He did not say much, only a small nod.

Dr Graves looked at them all for a second, then spoke again.

"If you don't mind... I would like to check Mr. Vitale's room. The medications he last took would help with the records."

Stefano got up first.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small silver key, and handed it to Dr Graves.

"Hazel, go with him," Stefano said, waving his hand like he was dismissing a fly.

Hazel led Dr Graves down the long hallway toward Edmond's room.

Just as they reached, they saw someone there.

It was Evelyn.

She was bent over, struggling to fit another key into the lock.

"Oh thank God," Evelyn said, wiping her hands on her apron.

"I lost my own key. I need to get in and do my cleaning."

Dr Graves said nothing. He simply walked forward and unlocked the door with the key he had.

The door opened with a soft creak.

The room smelled heavily of Edmond's favorite cologne.

The bedsheets still ruffled.

Hazel's mind got overwhelmed with the reality that Sir Edmond will no longer be there, she cried.

Dr Graves moved around carefully, searching for something.

On the small table beside the bed, he saw the last tea cup Edmond had used.

It still had a little tea remaining on the bottom.

He picked it up slowly.

“Who served him this tea?”

He asked hazel.

“Uhhh…. It. Was my mom” Hazel responded.

"Oh, that," Evelyn said quickly, stepping forward.

"I should have thrown it away. Let me take it."

She reached out and grabbed the teacup tightly.

But Dr. Graves pulled her hand away.

"No," he said gently but firmly.

"I'll keep this. Please just continue with your cleaning."

Evelyn froze for a moment. Then he forced a small smile.

"Of course," she said, backing away.

Hazel stood by the door, watching everything.

Dr. Graves turned and left the room.

Dr. Graves stepped out, carefully holding the tea cup, as he made it to the door, a knock came twice and the door slowly opened.

A tall, old man in a long black coat walked in while Dr. Graves left.

His face was cold and expressionless, his gray hair neatly groomed.

His shoes clicked sharply on the marble floor as he slowly moved toward Enzo and his brothers.

Enzo recognized him immediately.

Andrea Costi. The business partner. The ally of his father.

The man whose investment had helped his father build their empire Aerovitale.

Andrea nodded stiffly to Enzo.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Vitale,” he said, not a trace of warmth in his tone.

“Edmond was indeed an important man.”

Enzo forced his voice out.

“Thank you, Mr. Costi.”

Andrea paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room like he owned everything in it.

Then, as if he couldn’t wait any longer, he went straight to the actual reason for his rare visit.

“Well!”

Andrea reached into his black coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

He placed it onto the table in front of Enzo and his brothers.

Enzo’s heart sank as his eyes landed on the paper.

He didn’t want to know what it was.

But he had to.

“Your father, Edmond, he umm…, he recently took a very large loan from me,”

“The loan was meant to expand Aerovitale into other countries. It was a project we were all excited about.”

Enzo could feel his blood run cold.

He picked up the paper, his forehead skin ruffled and his eyes narrowed down on the content of the document.

“He died,” Stefano said quietly, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Yes,” Andrea said, his gaze unwavering. “And that’s the problem now.”

Gabriel stepped forward, looking confused.

“What do you mean, the problem?”

Andrea’s eyes met Gabriel’s, but he didn’t care to answer directly. Instead, he focused on Enzo.

“Your father borrowed a sum of money, a HUGE, significant amount,”

He said, tapping his walking stick on the marble floor.

“And now, I need it back. Every penny.”

Enzo’s breath caught in his throat. He tried to speak, but the words couldn't come out.

“We don’t have it,” he managed to say, moving forward to Andrea.“

“That money is a very huge amount, and he has already invested it”

Enzo explained with both his hands clenched together.

“The project commenced before he suddenly passed. The expansion was going well, Mr Costi.”

Andrea’s expression still didn’t change.

“I warned Edmond!” he said coldly, hitting his walking stick on the marble floor.

“I told him not to take such a large risk.”

But he insisted. He was confident. And because of that confidence, I trusted him.”

He looked down at the paper again as it held all the answers.

“You’re not in a position to ask for time,” he said, his voice sharper now.

“I want the full amount within the week.

"I can’t afford to lose nearly half of my wealth on an investment that has now gone sour.”

Enzo felt his heart sink, tiny sweat forming all over his body.

He looked at his brothers, but they too looked helpless, no words coming forth from their mouths.

“Mr. Costi, please” Enzo began,

“You can’t expect us to have this kind of money right now.”

“This is billions! Give us time! We will work on this and get you back every penny!”

But Andrea didn’t budge.

“I gave your father the time he needed. I will not give you the same.”

He took one last look at Enzo, his eyes cold as ice.

“I’m sorry for your loss. But I need my money Vitale.”

“I'll call back in a week and if you don't have my money by then,” Andrea said pausing,

“I'll have to involve the government” he replied as he turned, heading toward the door.

Enzo stood there, staring at the spot where Andrea had been.

Suggestions raced through his mind, but none of them made sense enough to voice out.

They were about to lose everything.

The legacy that his father entrusted to him. The empire he had built. The future of Aerovitale.

Everything they had could be wiped out in a week over a loan.

The next morning, Enzo stood in front of the mirror, looking at his reflection but not really seeing himself, his eyes red and swollen, his skin dry.

His mind was racing with thoughts, The weight of his father’s death still felt heavy on him.

But now, something heavier dusturbed his thoughts, Mr Costi and the loan.

Enzo had to do whatever it took. He won't let his family lose everything. He won't let Aerovitale fall apart.

His brothers didn’t seem to care much. They have only one focus: their father's will.

With a heavy sigh, he grabbed his jacket and left the house.

In the large office, Andrea sat behind a polished desk, the same cold, emotionless expression on his face.

Enzo stood in front of him, his posture tense.

“Please, give us a few months Mr Costi. Just a few months for the investment to start paying off.

“This is the largest investment my father has ever made.”

“We can turn it around!”

“Aerovitale can be bigger than it ever wa….”

“You don’t understand anything, do you,?” he said, cutting off Enzo's speech.

“i am not going to make huge deals based on your little hopes and promises,”

“I want my money back! I gave Edmond a chance,”

“Now, I want it back!”

“All of it!”

“And I want it now!.”

“Andrea said banging his fist against his table”

“He gathered his posture back after he almost roared at Enzo”

Enzo’s stomach twisted.

He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, realizing there was no more room for argument.

“Mr. Costi,” Enzo called out with a helpless look on his face.

“What exactly do you want us to do?”

“Is there anything? Anything at all we could do to buy time to work on this investment?”

“I trust in my ability to make it a success!”

“But I just need time, I just need about 6 months!”

He stared at Andrea waiting to hear something from him.

Andrea sat back on his chair, tapping his nails on his table.

He didn’t speak for a long moment. The silence went on.

Finally, he spoke again, his voice slow and deliberate.

“There is one thing you can do.”

Enzo’s heart skipped a beat. “What is that, please tell me?” he pleaded.

Andrea paused for a minute and smiled,

“I have a daughter,” he said, his voice smooth, like he was making a business deal.

“Ruby, She’s 26. Smart, beautiful, capable.

“I’ll give you the grace you need to expand,”

“I’ll give you time. You’ll be my son-in-law, and I’ll help you.”

“I want a capable gentleman for my beautiful daughter.”

Enzo clenched his fist, His stomach growled in disgust.

Marriage? A marriage proposal to get him out of a financial hole?

He didn’t even know her. How could this even be a solution?

“Mr. Costi,” Enzo said, forcing the words out, even though he could feel a heavyweight pressing down his chest.

“I don’t know your daughter. This is business, Mr Costi. It can’t be about marriage. It can’t be about emotions.”

“And I'm sure that your daughter doesn't even know who I…”

“Then a week is all you have, Vitale.”

“A week!”

“Or I’ll involve the government and bring your family and your empire down to nothing.”

Enzo’s hands trembled as he stood up. “I... I understand.”

He left the office, his mind in a haze.

Every step felt heavier, his mind racing with different thoughts.

The thought of marrying a woman he didn’t know to save his family? It felt wrong.

Everything about it is wrong.

Back at the house, Enzo couldn’t sleep.

The thought of marrying another woman that's not hazel made his skin crawl.

His mind kept replaying Andrea's words over and over.

In less than a week, the government would be here dragging every single one of them out.

Everything they have ever built would be seized.

Nothing he thought of could help.

He couldn’t sell Aerovitale.

The loan was too big.

Borrowing from other investors was impossible.

No one could give him the amount he needed.

His phone was still in his hand as he laid in his bed, his left hand resting on his face.

A thought suddenly came to his mind. He jumped out of bed and dialed Andrea's number.

The phone rang for a few seconds before he answered.

“I’m listening, young Vitale,” Andrea’s voice came through the phone.

Enzo closed his eyes. His chest felt tight.

“I’ll meet Ruby,”

Enzo said, with a strange certainty, like he had thought about it and made an unwavering decision.

Andrea chuckled at the other end of the line. “Now you’re thinking like a man.”

Enzo didn’t reply. He just ended the call and stared at his reflection on his mirror.