A Confrontation

Genelia turned towards the door with her heart thumping loudly inside her ribcage. Did she hear correctly? Was it really Brandon’s voice she heard? She clutched at her heart while her face paled at seeing Zander in her apartment, his angry gaze fixed upon Enzo. It was no illusion, and he was really here, but how did he know her whereabouts? 

“Yours?” laughed Enzo, his mocking laughter echoing in the quiet apartment. “How many women do you need? Why can’t you be happy with the bitch you were kissing?”

Zander stormed towards him in a fit of rage to beat the man to a pulp. “That’s none of your bloody business. Why don’t you go back to your own bloody criminal world?” Enzo braced himself for a fight, not at all intimidated by Zander’s attacking stance.

“For your information, I’m not a criminal, but a physiotherapist, a healer. It is my bloody business since I’m the one who saved Genelia, and therefore have a right to be with her. Where were you when she needed you the most?” yelled Enzo while Zander froze, turning to look at his wife, who still stood transfixed to the spot, too shocked by everything happening around her. 

“Don’t listen to his crap, Gen. I’ve searched for you like a madman for a month, gone places and finally killed Ross Moretti myself. I’ve taken my revenge for everything he did to you,” he said, slowly walking towards her while Genelia’s eyes filled up with tears at his words. Of course, she knew he had taken his revenge, but somehow hearing it from his mouth made her head swell with satisfaction. 

“Please don’t cry, Gen. I’m here to take you home.” Realization struck Genelia, and she slowly shook her head, backing away from him. 

“I’m not going back, Brandon. You’re free to live with Bianca and your daughter. I’ll give you a divorce.” Zander looked hurt and reached her in two strides, standing inches away from her. 

“Have you lost your mind? Why would I need to live with her?” he cried desperately while Enzo laughed again, causing Zander to glare at him with disgust. 

“Stop the act, Mr. Reid. You can get away with it once, but not again and again. Genelia needs a stable life with a man like me, who loves her deeply. I have loved her for the last eight years and there has been no other woman in my life but her. That’s the type of dedication you need to give to the one you love. You don’t deserve her!” said Enzo earnestly while Genelia slumped into a chair with disgust, unable to tolerate the two of them fighting like cats and dogs for her. While Zander threateningly approached Enzo, they hardly noted her pale face and rapid heartbeats. 

“Really? Then how did you agree to abduct her? How did you put her through such a stressful situation when she’s going through a difficult pregnancy? I have loved her for the last eleven years, truly, madly, and there’s no love that can match my unconditional one for her.” Zander caught his neck in a vice-like grip, ready to end him and his melodrama. 

“Unconditional love, eh?” laughed Enzo, challenging him. It infuriated him further to make him tighten his hold on Enzo’s neck. Enzo clutched at his hands to extricate himself, but Zander was furious at his insinuations, refusing to loosen his vice-like grip. 

“Stop both of you. I don’t want either of you here, so just leave me alone,” she cried out in desperation, her head reeling from the chaos surrounding her when all she needed was rest. Zander stilled and released Enzo and, noting her condition, rushed towards her. 

“Gen? I’m sorry. Are you okay now? You need to rest,” he said, kneeling down in front of her and tenderly touching her cheek while his eyes searched hers, but Genelia moved away from his touch.

“I don’t need anything. Why are you here, Zander Reid? I’m sure you have your mistress and illegitimate child waiting for you somewhere,” she gritted out bitterly, shocking Zander to the core. This was the first time she called him by his full name and he searched her cold eyes for the love he always found there. However, this time it wasn’t there, only disappointment in him! 

“I don’t have anyone waiting for me anywhere. You should learn to trust me, Gen. Seeing Enzo here, I too could have misjudged you but I didn’t because I trust you.” Genelia gaped at him, his words making her feel a little guilty while Enzo scoffed and muttered curses at him. 

“Everyone I loved has failed me. I don’t trust anyone,” she whispered, looking down at her hands. His fingers tucked the hair behind her ear and tears pricked at her eyes. Having gone through hell, she hadn’t expected to see Brandon again in this life. She hadn’t expected to be alive, to be able to give birth to the twins, but mostly she hadn’t expected Brandon to seek her out, to pursue her. 

“Think again, Gen. I’ve never failed you knowingly. It was you who always misunderstood me, but that should change now. Come home with me and I’ll teach you to trust me. We have our whole life for that,” he entreated with her. Genelia searched his eyes to find only sincerity and love shining in them. Could she trust him again? 

“No, Brandon. I can’t forgive you so easily.” She shook her head, looking away and standing up to place some distance between them. Enzo smiled with relief after watching their interactions with avid interest. Maybe he still had some hope after all! 

“I haven’t kissed her, Gen. She saw your reflection on the window pane opposite and grabbed me suddenly, taking me by surprise. It was just a ploy to separate us.” Brandon was at his wit’s end trying to explain Bianca’s behaviour to her. By now, she should have gained a rough idea about Bianca’s nature. How could she trust her more than him? Why couldn’t she see through Bianca’s ploy?

“Excuses and excuses. Why did you go with her behind a cottage if you didn’t want to get kissed?” drawled Enzo, rolling his eyes at him. Zander wanted to throttle the guy for his unwanted jabs. Here he was, trying so hard to convince Genelia to return with him, and all Enzo could do was spoil his efforts. 

“Can you shut your fucking mouth up?” he gritted out while Enzo chuckled. 

“He is right, Brandon. Why did you go with her?” asked Genelia and Enzo did a happy dance in his head, grinning like a Cheshire cat at a gaping Zander. 

“I didn’t go with her. I just went to meet the manager because Bob and his entire team were in the hospital for food poisoning. On my way back, she suddenly appeared in front of me and before I could realize she took advantage of my momentary surprise, and pulled me along with her towards the back of the cottage.” Genelia listened to his side of the story and her heart skipped a beat, knowing maybe he was right. Even she felt shocked to see Bianca. 

“No wonder I didn’t see Bob and his team anywhere when I needed to go to the washroom,” said Genelia, now understanding everything that happened. Enzo groaned and sat down, looking guilty. 

“Ross asked us to get them out of the way. We couldn’t help but food poison them,” he admitted, making them gape at him. 

“Why did you help Ross if you’re such a Saint?” asked Zander angrily. 

“Did I have a choice? If I didn’t, he would have killed her long back. Why else do your think she was safe for so long? It’s because I saved her every time by informing Carlos all about Ross’s plans. The same goes for you. Ross had you kidnapped, but Carlos’s brother saved your life by risking his. He could have shot you on your head as Ross had instructed, but he shot you in the trap and arm instead. Finally, he had to pay the price with his life!” They stared at him, listening to all the information with horror. So it was he and Carlos who had saved their lives! 

“Why did you save us?” asked Zander, getting up to sit down on the sofa, as he finally could fill in the missing links to the harrowing events they faced.

“I think the answer is obvious, Mr. Reid. I love Genelia, and I can do anything for her.” Zander scoffed at his words and looked him squarely in the eyes. 

“If you love her so much, why didn’t you save her from Rafael’s tortures?” he demanded angrily. Enzo looked at his hands and sat down, looking lost and defeated. 

“I wanted to, but I was indebted to Rafael for sponsoring my education and helping my parents financially. I couldn’t go against him. Anyway, Rafael wasn’t as bad as Ross. His only problem was his obsession with Genelia. He used to love her a lot, but every time he saw the hatred in her eyes for him, he became a monster. He wanted to force her to love him. If she did willingly, he would have released her dad’s business and stopped all his abusive ways.” Shocked, Genelia sat down to support her jelly-like legs after hearing the truth. She did not know that Rafael loved her. She had always considered him a monster. 

“You can’t force someone to love you. Didn’t he know that?” she whispered, as if in a daze, while Enzo sighed, knowing that the same thing applied to him as well. 

“Maybe he didn’t, but I do. I know how much you love this man who doesn’t deserve your unconditional love. Genelia, I wish you good health and happiness and now I think I should go before I break down,” said Enzo with a stiff smile. Before she could wish the same to him, he disappeared out of the door, closing it shut after him.