Falling Like A Fool (COMPLETED)

Six

LAST WEEK OF OCTOBER, BRAZIL

I woke up from the sound of my mobile phone. It was on the side table, along with my watch, and wallet. I answered the call even if I was still feeling dizzy like I was doped.

"Matteo, Marcus me informou que ele tem uma pista sobre a família de Manoel nas Filipinas! (Matteo, Marcus informed me that he has a lead on the family of Manoel in the Philippines!)"

"É uma ótima notícia Nevio! (That's great news Papai!)" I answered, still disoriented.

"Eu tenho desejado para ver a família do Manoel e encontrar Manoel, então nós pode levá-lo de volta ao Brasil. (I've been longing to see Manoel's family and find Manoel so we can take him back to Brazil.)"

"Sim, eu também, Papai. Não posso esperar para ver as únicas mulheres em nossa família. (Yes, me too, Papai. Can't wait to see the only women in our family.)"

"Sim, mas Isabella é família demais. (Yes, but Isabella is family too.)" He added.

I was lying on my stomach, and turned. I was shocked to see Isabella on the other side of the bed, naked and sleeping. "O que f**k? (What the f**k)?" I whispered in shock, but it was loud enough for my father to hear.

"O que é Matteo? Trouxe outra mulher em casa? Não conversamos sobre isso que a última vez que você vai ter uma mulher na nossa casa, que seria a mulher que vai se casar, ou então não estou goi ! (What is it Matteo? Did you bring another woman in our home? Didn't we talk about it that the last time you are going to bring a woman, she will be the woman you will marry, or else I'm not going to give you your inheritance!)"

I didn't respond to my father, but I grunted.

Marry? Isabella? You gotta be kidding me!

I looked at Isabella who was still asleep, and wanted to bang my head on the wall as I sat up. I checked under the cover. I was naked alright and so was she. But even if I saw her naked under the sheets, I did not have a hard on, so why would I have slept with her? It was not logically possible! She is practically like a sister to me!

Isabella, is the goddaughter of my father, and the only daughter of one of the most powerful Sicilian mafia in Brazil. Though my father was working for the Brazil government, he and Isabella's father, Leonardo La Torre, had been childhood best of friends, since Leonardo La Torre migrated as a kid, with his father who was also a mafia leader. My father and Leonardo de la Torre had a rift for a couple of years, but since they treated each other like brothers, they soon communicated, and kept their friendship secret. It was beneficial for my father's promotion in the government as Isabella's father had been my father's contact in the syndicate world when needed. So, in many ways, we owe Isabella's father a lot. That's why since Isabella's father is in a dangerous world, her father requested my father to take care of Isabella and stay with us.

My brothers and I treated Isabella like a sister, and I would like to believe that she treated us that way too. Although I know she was infatuated with me when we were kids, I thought she has gotten over it, because I treated her like a sister; and sleeping with her was clearly incestuous.

I honestly couldn't recall touching her last night. All I remember was that she went to my office, and asked for my company, because she was feeling sad. I didn't even know why she was sad, but I knew she was acting different.

"Papai, eu vou te ligar mais tarde. Eu só tenho que... hum... cuidar de uma coisa (Papai, I'm going to call you later. I just have to...uh... take care of something.)" I said and ended the call.

I went to the cabinet and was about to get dressed, when I noticed that she moved and slowly opened her eyes.

I crossed my arms and faced her. "O que aconteceu? (What happened?)" I asked her, letting my expression show loathe that I felt seeing us naked together in bed.

She pulled the blanket to cover herself and sat up. She turned her head away as I was naked in front of her. "Fizemos amor, Matteo. (We made love, Matteo.)" She nervously answered.

"Impossible!" I paced, not minding if she saw me naked. She probably would have seen me naked anyway, I thought. Moreover, I was already angry and feeling frustrated. How was I going to tell my father and my godfather about what happened to me and Isabella? They both trusted me with taking care of Isabella, but it didn't include taking her to bed! Although I couldn't recall I ever did, but being in bed with Isabella now was evident enough that something happened between us. I definitely know that if father and Isabella's father knew about this, they would ask me to marry her.

LAST WEEK OF APRIL, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BRAZIL

After communicating with President Gerardo Ponce, we learned that the Shayla Milena Pontes that Pres. Ponce's son was going to marry in the US, is the same Shayla Milena Pontes that our family has been looking for as long as I remember.

My father almost had a heart attack in so much joy that we've finally found the only daughter of my uncle, Manoel Pontes, my father's twin brother, and my only uncle. This is why my father wants to find his brother's wife and only daughter. My father considers himself responsible to his brother's family.

After our mother passed away, Papai never remarried. He stood as father and mother to us, his four sons. He just focused on taking care of us while he worked as Ambassador of Brazil to different countries. He used to bring us with him, but when we reached college, he made us choose if we still wanted to go along with him to his assignments. My brothers and I just decided to stay in Brazil to study and learn the businesses that the Pontes family was famous for-Car Manufacturing and Real Estate. We greatly appreciate the love he has shown to us, that's why we obey him and grant his requests, particularly going to the US at late notice to meet Shayla Milena Pontes who was going to get married to the son of the Pres. of the Philippines.

My brothers and Papai went to the US earlier than me. I just arrived now from the airport as I had to attend to a meeting in our car manufacturing company.

"Where will I meet with you?" I asked as I walked out of the airport. I put on my shades and held my bag as I walked towards one of the cabs that I saw in front of airport.

"You just take a cab and go to The Ritz-Carlton hotel." Malik, my younger brother, answered. I knew something wasdifferent. I had a feeling that he was not in the hotel yet with Papai."Are you already with Papai?" I grunted as Iwalked towards one cab that I saw parked."Oh, come on, Matteo! Just for today. I justwant to check out Las Vegas.""No! You go back to the hotel and accompany,Papai!""But Maximillan is there already. It's notlike Papai needs all of us there!" Malik reasoned out."No! I'm riding the cab going to Ritz now,and I want to see your ass there or you're gonna get your ass kicked, Malik!" Isaid acting the older brother that I was. I was about to open the cab, when someoneheld the handle at the same time as I did. I noticed the long slender fingersthat brushed mine, and I felt something inside, but I ignored it. I looked upand saw a beautiful angel without wings, who was surprised, as I was, that wewere getting the same cab. She removed her hand as she was taken aback.I gave her a smile, and continued to open the door. I immediately went in, and locked the door,leaving her baffled."To Ritz- Carlton hotel," I said to the cabdriver."What? This is my cab!" I heard the beautifulangel exasperatedly shouted as she pounded on the window. I gestured that I was sorry, but I was in ahurry.I heard her loud vociferation through mywindow. "Jerk! If I ever see you again, I swear I'm going to kick your balls!" Shethreatened.I couldn't help but smile, then I rememberedI was still talking to my thickhead brother on the phone."Sheez! You don't know how to have fun?"Malik complained."I sure do." I just chuckled and ended thecall.

As soon as I arrived Ritz-Carlton hotel, my father and I went to the Ponce beach mansion. Who would have thought I would see the beautiful angel again? It turned out that she was one of the bride's maids of my cousin, Shayla.

I don't know if it was coincidence, but I welcomed our meeting. When we came in Gerard and Shayla's home, I quietly watched Tanya. I know that she knew I was looking at her because she would discreetly glance at me, which I found cute. She was cute. No, she was beautiful. Yes, and I admittedly have been having lewd thoughts about her. I was actually strategizing how I could get to be alone with her because she was always with her friends. So I thought of a plan, and initiated a billiards game with them, and won. And I made sure to be alone with her. In some weird way, I felt drawn to her, and wasn't able to stop myself from seducing her.

It pleased me to discover that she was still a virgin. I don't know if it was my male ego, but I wanted her to be untouched by another man. I wanted her for myself. I was feeling possessive of her. There was a strong force inside me that was urging me to take her, to possess her and keep her only for me. And I pursued that feeling as I almost took her on the billiards table. I knew I had her in my hands, but I felt her shocked, afraid, and unsure. A part of me restrained myself to take her fast because I was afraid for myself too. I was afraid I would fall for her. But the urge was so strong and it almost made me forget that I should consider what she would feel, if I do take her... so I let her free... just for that night. But a part of me knew I wouldn't let her out of my sight.

I tried to sleep but I couldn't stop thinking of what happened to me and Tanya. I was just toying with her, but when I kissed her, I almost forgot I didn't want any woman to get close inside.

"Papai," I cried as my father tried to take his life with a shotgun inside his mouth, while he was grieving inside his room. Papai removed his shotgun, and threw it away from him. He called me and I ran to him. He quickly embraced me and started crying.

We were all grieving for the loss of my mom, who had been fighting cancer for 7 years.

"Desculpe-me, filho. Eu amei a sua mãe tanto... (I'm sorry, son. I loved your mother so much...)" I felt Papai shaking. He was very devastated for the loss of the love his life.

Papai was a hopeless romantic, and every single day in our home was like a romantic movie scene. I watched as Papai would come home with sweet surprises for our Mãe, until she was diagnosed with cancer. It was the same time that we learned that my Mãe was pregnant with my two younger brothers.

Mãe chose not to be treated with cancer so that my younger brothers who she was carrying would live. After my two younger brothers were born, she was immediately treated for cancer. She lived for six more years but her body grew weak, and had complications. She comforted Papai who was very depressed of her situation, and expressed that to her that he couldn't live without her.

"Morte é inevitável, meu amor ... (Death is inevitable, my love.)" Mãe said as she and Papai cuddled in the garden bench, while they played their favorite song inside our living room.

"A sua morte será a minha maior mágoa, e a morte da minha alma. (Your death will be my greatest heartbreak, and the death of my soul.)"

"Migoel, my love, pls promise me that you will take care of the product of our love. They are my remembrance to you that I love you so much. I will live through them, my love.)"

Papai didn't say a word, but he hugged Mãe and cried.

She passed way after my two brothers turned six years old. During those seven years, all Mãe did was tell us she loves us so much, even in her dying breath.

After my Mãe's death, Papai had a hard time coping, so I took the initiative to care for my brothers, and home with the help of our nanny, butler, and chauffer. I felt responsible for my brothers. And having boys at home was a riot. Good thing though was that my brothers followed me. I was the leader of the group. Even in school or outside our home, other kids groups were scared of us because we could beat them up easily. Papai didn't know of our brawls with other kids because he was like a robot going to his office and coming back home, after he attempted to commit suicide.

But, when my younger brothers was hospitalized due to dengue, and was almost 50/50, it was like Papai got out of his coma, and changed. He apologized to us and promised us that he would take care of us and love us.

As we grew up, Papai fulfilled his promise to Mãe and sincerely loved and took care of us. Even if there were women expressing interest in him though, he never fully committed himself to them because his priority was his children. I guess, even if Papai was able to recover from our loss, I wasn't able to recover from the psychic trauma of loving and getting heartbreak, from death and losing someone you love. This is why I never let woman get to close to me. I was afraid of the pain it would cause me. I don't know if I wouldn't do what my father almost did, if I wasn't there to stop him.

I felt grim just thinking about my inner turmoil. But, the beautiful angel suddenly popped in my head, and made me smile.

I held on to the gold chain on my neck with the gold cross that Mãe gave each one of us. She said it would remind us to be close to God and that she is with God in heaven. I put the cross on my lips and my shoulders above my head as I lay down beside my twin brother.

"Mãe, ela é a única que não me dá desgostos? (Mãe, is she the one that wouldn't give me heartbreak?)" I whispered as I stared in the ceiling.

Marcus turned and put his arm on me. "Sim, para obter alguns dormer. (Yes, so get some sleep.)" He said.

I pushed him away and he laughed. He faced the other side, and started snoring.

I slept but I woke up earlier than my brothers. I went jogging and doing my routine.

When I got back inside the mansion, I checked the time in the grandfather's day clock and it was just 3:30 am. I went straight to the kitchen to get some water, and found Tanya drinking coffee on the kitchen table, while reading news on her tablet.