Chapter 28: Nightmare In Daylight

Antonio's POV

My feet weren't responding to what was only a slight whisper in my heart.

'Go after her Antonio'.

My head said 'No. Let her be.'

And that's exactly what I did. I turned back to Anna who was staring at me like she couldn't believe I was still standing by the door instead of going after my own wife.

"You're not going after her?" she finally asked and attempted to get out of the bed on her one good foot.

"No. Actually, let's go get this mess sorted out with my father. I need answers and I need them now."

I assisted her down the stairs and brought her wheelchair over to her which was left in my office when I took her out of it.

*
*
*
"Are you sure Antonio, you don't know how he'll react," she said while we drove to my parents' house.

"And I don't care how he'll react. What he did, wasn't fair to you and I wouldn't stand for it."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. No one had ever been so caring for me."

She squeezed my hand with hers and I drove on.

*
*

One hour later, we arrived at my parents' place. It was located on the east side of Florida, very close to the beach.

I remembered running away and going to the beach to escape the things that happened between my parents, especially when they started yelling at each other
I remembered running away and going to the beach to escape the things that happened between my parents, especially when they started yelling at each other.

Mom thought I was too young to understand what was going on but I wasn't. I knew and I remembered every bit of it, but there was that one occasion, I tried so hard to forget about.

"Your parents' place is lovely. I always wanted a house close to the beach," Anna said as we drove through the automatic gates.

"Indeed," I answered short.

We pulled onto the pavement and I parked the car and got out. I helped Anna out afterwards and I wheeled her through the entrance of the house.

"Antonio, you've came!" my mother excitedly greeted when she saw us.
"And you've come with this one." She glared at Anna.

"I'm not here for greetings mother, where's dad?"

"He's in the study," she answered and without another word, I went directly there with Anna in tour.

I pushed in the door and his eyes landed on me with confusion. "Son, what's the meaning of this?"

"I've been meaning to ask you that same question dad. What's the meaning of this! All of this!"

"Boy, I don't know what you're talking about! Have you lost your mind?"

"Father, the only reason I'm here is because I don't want to testify against you in the court of law. I've already signed over some possession to Anna and I want you to sign over the others that's in your name because it doesn't rightfully belong to you!"

"Antonio, you must be crazy. I'm not signing over anything to that little bitch!" he laced.

"Watch your mouth father!" I defended.

My father stood up slowly from behind his desk across the room. He adjusted his T-shirt and cleared his throat.

"She's not getting a red cent from anything Antonio. Every asset that's on my name would remain in my name including this house and yours!

You're asking me to hand her back everything. Handing her back everything means that we end up with nothing!"

"Then so shall it be father! You got rich out of her accounts. You stole her money, every cent, and you left her with absolutely nothing. Aren't you feeling guilty?"

"I'm a Kissle. We don't feel guilt for our actions."

"Peter, I'm not asking for everything from you. I know along the way, you've invested in other businesses and the money you made, it's yours. All I'm asking for is my mother's possession. They rightfully belongs to me," Anna spoke.

"Seems like I didn't make myself clear enough for you. You're. Not. Getting. A. Red. Cent.

Everything belongs to me. It's all mine!

If you wish to sign over your share of it Antonio, then you do just that but that delusional, seductive, pregnant whore isn't getting what I made mine."

"Dad, you wouldn't and can't get away with this. I saw the will and you can't fight against the wishes of the parent for their child. You'll lose and you'll lose everything. I'm begging you to please hand them over to her."

"Oh, I see what's going on here. Melissa called this morning. She said that she caught the two of you in bed together.

You're falling for her, slept with her yet again and now you've come up with the grand master plan of leaking me. To take everything away from me.

Anna is love with you so even if this family loses everything, you'll be more than happy because Anna would hand you most of it back but me and your mother could go to hell."

"The both of you belong there!" I shouted. I was angry. He was being his usual stubborn self but I at least thought I could get through to the man. He was still my father.

"You watch your damn mouth in this house Antonio! I wouldn't stand for any disrespect from my own son! I didn't raise you to talk like that to me."

"You didn't raise me period! All you ever did was lash out at mom and cheat on her!"

"Boy if you don't get...."

"No. We're not going anywhere until you sign over everything to Anna!"

"She's not getting anything!" he snarled again.

"Then so be it, you left us with no choice. Shal Marshall would love a new case."

His eyes popped and threw his hands up. "Fine! Fine! I'll do that right now. I'll sign it."

He sat back down and I let out a breath of relief. I turned towards Anna and mouthed 'everything's going to be alright.'

"ANTONIO!" Anna yelled and fright came to her eyes. I turned back towards my father and he was pointing a gun at us.

"Dad, what you doing? You wouldn't shoot your own son!"

"This isn't for you. Anna had turned you against your own family and she must be removed from the picture," he answered.

"Dad, don't talk crazy. Please put down the gun and do the right thing here."

"I AM DOING THE RIGHT THING!"

My father wasn't himself anymore. I needed to take the gun away from him before he did something he would regret for the rest of his life.

I made baby steps in front of Anna, shielding her since she was the actual target and not me.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY ANTONIO!"

"I can't let you shoot her. I'm falling for her and she's pregnant with my baby," I carefully said.

"I DON'T CARE!" and as if he was possessed by the devil himself, my father rushed out from behind his desk and walked up to me.

I used that opportunity to ruffle the gun away but he wasn't giving up without a fight.

Dang!

The gun went off.

My eyes widened. My breathing slowed down and the boiling blood rush I had a minute ago, was now cold.

I looked down and saw my hands covered in blood and a sharp pain in my stomach made it clear that I received a piercing bullet.

The last thing I heard was the screams of Anna before the cold hands of darkness consumed me.