Chapter 37 Unexpected Events After Returning to the Villa

Elena Garcia POV:

I tagged along with Sofia to the hospital.

After the check-up, the doc said Sofia's injuries were no big deal, just some minor scrapes, so they patched her up real quick.

I was still worried and asked if they could do a more thorough check.

When Sofia hit the handrail earlier, she was in so much pain she could barely talk.

"Maybe she just has a low pain threshold. Relax, she's fine," the doc reassured me while the nurse bandaged Sofia up. "If you're still concerned, we can keep her here for observation."

I told Sofia about the suggestion, and she laughed, "Elena, you're overreacting. I feel way better now, no need to stay here. I still want to hang out with you guys. You can't leave me in the hospital while you all have fun, right?"

That would be too harsh.

I couldn't make Sofia stay, so I asked the doc for tips on how to take care of her.

Even though I had experience taking care of Rosa and dealing with my own injuries, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a refresher.

Once everything was sorted, I got ready to take Sofia to meet up with Albert and the others.

Just as we were about to leave, Sofia touched her chest and gasped, "Oh no! My necklace!"

She started searching herself and her bag frantically.

"What's wrong, Sofia?" I asked, seeing her panic.

She looked frustrated. "I think I lost my necklace, oh my god!"

Sofia looked at me with puppy eyes. "That's my amulet, I can't be without it."

The necklace seemed super important to her.

I tried to remember if I'd seen it, but I had no clue.

"What does it look like?" I asked.

Sofia described it briefly. It was a silver necklace with a blue gemstone set in a swan-shaped base.

We retraced her steps in the hospital, but none of the doctors or nurses had seen it.

The doc who examined her said she hadn't seen it either.

"That's too bad, I must have left it at the villa! I have to go get it back!" Sofia said, looking regretful.

"But, Sofia, we should be meeting up with Albert now." I couldn't let her go back to the villa.

Even though Marco promised to handle any danger before it arrived and that having others leave was just a precaution, it didn't mean going back was totally safe.

"Please, Elena, that was a gift from Isabella when we first met. I can't lose it; I need to check on it. You understand, right?" Sofia said, almost begging.

I'd never seen her so flustered.

When she mentioned it was a gift from Isabella, I got why she was so anxious.

I thought Isabella was to Sofia what Rosa was to me; they were both super important in our lives.

If I were heartless, I'd scold her. But I'm not.

I thought about how to handle this. Letting Sofia go back alone was out of the question.

Maybe I could go back and help her find it?

We'd just left the villa not long ago, so I figured it should be safe.

I could also text Marco; we had exchanged numbers earlier. That seemed like a good plan.

"Sofia, calm down. I'll help you, okay?" I hugged her to give her some comfort. "Trust me, trust your family. Now go to the Beverly Center, meet up with Albert. I promise, when you see me again, you'll have your necklace too."

Sofia looked at me, surprised, then her face turned stubborn. She pushed me away. "No, Elena, I don't want you risking yourself for me. I can go get it myself. Honestly, I can't even remember exactly where I left it; I need to go back and look carefully. You should go meet up with Albert first."

I couldn't change her mind; she was set on going back to the villa.

I had texted Marco, but he didn't reply. When I called, he didn't answer either.

While I was trying to reach Marco, Sofia had already called a cab and hopped in.

The car sped off.

Holding my phone, I decided to go with her.

The car stopped near the villa. The lights on the private beach were off, and the villa was dark, which made me feel a bit relieved.

It seemed Marco had taken the Bianchi family out, and no one was around.

Too many thoughts were swirling in my head, making me slow to notice the lack of patrols on the beach.

Even if most people had left, there should still be someone watching the private beach.

Sofia ran back to the villa, and when she saw it was dark, she stopped, "Isn't Marco here?"

"He probably had to leave for something. Let's grab the necklace and get out of here," I suggested.

Marco still hadn't replied to my messages.

Before we had left the villa, Marco said he would stay, so it was normal for Sofia to be curious when she didn't see him upon our return.

"Should I go with you?" I asked.

I looked around, feeling a bit uneasy. But for safety, I thought I should stay outside to keep an eye out.

"No, I think I'll find the necklace quickly," Sofia replied.

After Sofia went inside, I sat on the first floor, waiting for her to come back.

After focusing too much on the surroundings, my eyes started to hurt.

At night, the light was terrible. The wind made the plants sway, and various objects made strange noises. Everything seemed dangerous and suspicious.

I couldn't help but mutter, "Why did Marco turn off the lights when he left?"

But then I realized something and looked back at the villa.

The villa's lights were off.

That didn't make sense. If there was moonlight on the beach, the villa's light should be barely noticeable.

After Sofia went in, she shouldn't have left the lights off.

My heart was pounding. 'When did Sofia go in? How long has she been in there? Is there danger inside the villa? Has Sofia run into trouble?'

As I grabbed the door handle, I got a message from Marco.

Marco: [Don't go back.]

But the message came too late. When I saw it, I realized Sofia was in danger. I yanked open the villa door.

As I opened the door, a blinding light hit my eyes.

I could hardly keep my eyes open. I used my hands to shield my eyes and could barely make out that it was a strong flashlight.

In the living room on the first floor, Sofia was tied up, sitting on the ground looking miserable.

Several men stood there, one sitting on the sofa, cursing when he saw me. "Damn it, another woman! Where the hell did that bastard Marco go?"

One of them grabbed my hair and punched me hard in the stomach.

I doubled over, groaning in pain.

When they got no answer, the guy who grabbed my hair dragged me in front of Sofia.

They looked at us with malice in their eyes. 

A male voice questioned us, "Why are you here? This should be the Bianchi family's private beach. Our intel said that bastard Marco should be here. Are you two bitches Marco's mistresses?"