Rising Against the Odds: Antonio's Tale

Six: Unanswered Questions

It was Carlos, Lucia's husband. Antonio quickly composed himself. "I'm alright," he responded.

Carlos raised an understanding eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

“Of course, why wouldn't I be?” Antonio responded, attempting to conceal his unease.

Carlos continued, his tone suggestive, “Well, I don't know, perhaps meeting your fiancee's family?”

Antonio wondered if Carlos had seen him with Maria's family. “Oh, you saw?” he asked.

Carlos clarified, “I didn't see, but I know how it is.”

Antonio, still trying to conceal his discomfort, replied, “Well, I'm fine, I'm good.”

“Well, you, my guy, are in for a long... well, you’ll see. See you around," Carlos gave him a tap on the shoulder and walked away.

Antonio chose to explore the remaining sections of the gallery. As he strolled through the lavish space, he couldn't help but feel a sense of determination. "This is pure luxury; I must use this as motivation to put my enemies to shame," he thought to himself, absorbing the elegance that surrounded him. Every corner exuded class and sophistication.

Suddenly, he heard someone calling out to him. Antonio turned around to find Maria's two guards approaching. They seemed relieved to have located him. “Sir, sir, We've been looking all over for you. We're leaving now," they called out, gesturing with their hands, "After you, sir."

Antonio followed the guards until they reached Maria, who was already by the exit with Lucia.

Maria questioned him, "Where have you been? Well, never mind that we're leaving now. My dad has already left."

Antonio kept a composed expression. "I'll be in the car," he responded briskly, walking away without another word.

Lucia waved and called out to him, "Goodbye!"

“Alright, sis, thanks for coming," Lucia and Maria exchanged cheek kisses.

"See ya," Maria said as she left the gallery. However, her smile quickly turned into a frown, and she couldn't help but mimic Lucia mockingly.

When she got to the car, Antonio was already seated. Maria joined him, and the guard closed the door after her. The other guard, who also served as the driver, occupied the front seat. With the engine running, they drove off. Antonio and Maria sat in silence throughout the ride.

Lucia returned to the gallery where her father, stepmother, and Carlos were waiting.

Rafael smiled warmly as his daughter approached. He began with an apology, "Sorry, your siblings had to be total jerks. Neither of them could show up today."

Lucia dismissed their absence, saying, "It's nothing, Daddy. They called or texted or whatever."

Rafael couldn't resist poking fun at Maria's choice of a fiancé, "Did you see the riffraff Maria called her fiancé?" This elicited laughter from all except Carlos.

Though he joined in the laughter at first but then got an unpleasant look from Rafael, which made him stop abruptly.

Rafael continued with a sly grin, "She and her father are so desperate; she would marry anything." Carlos chuckled this time.

Rafael, noticing Carlos's reaction, remarked, "Look at him laughing like he's any better," with a disgusted expression.

Lucia and her stepmom couldn't help but chuckle, and despite trying to hide it, they ended up laughing.

Carlos decided it was best to leave, he managed to say, "I'll be in the car," and walked away, leaving them to their amusement.

"So, are you heading home now?" Lucia's stepmother inquired, but Lucia chose to look away, turning her attention to her husband who was walking away. It was clear that Lucia and her stepmother were not the best of friends, or rather, Lucia didn't hold much affection for her.

"I'll be with you shortly, babe," she said aloud.

Rafael noticed the tension between Lucia and her stepmother and tried to defuse it. "Lucia, your mom asked you a question," he said.

Instantly, Lucia countered, "She is not my mom. Thank you for coming, Dad. I'll visit the house very soon. Love you." She kissed him on the cheek before parting ways. She then went to join her husband who was waiting in the car.

Rafael attempted to apologize to his wife, "I'm so sorry, don't mind her."

His wife responded with a sigh, "Let's just leave."

Back home, Antonio headed straight to his room, seeking some quiet time to think about the many questions on his mind. It was late, and both he and Maria needed rest. Antonio decided that he would seek answers at dawn.

After he had freshened up and changed out of the unfamiliar suit that wasn't his style, Antonio lay back on his bed, looking at the dimly lit corners of his room. His mind wandered to his parents, pondering whether they were worried or relieved by his absence. He also briefly remembered his best friend and his ex-girlfriend, thinking about their past moments as distant memories. Gradually, fatigue washed over him, he drifted into an unsettled sleep.

“Knock knock," Sara knocked gently on Antonio's door, but he remained in a deep sleep, oblivious to the sound. She tested the door handle and found it surprisingly unlocked. She silently entered the room, discovering Antonio in an unusual sleeping position. His right leg dangled over the edge of the bed frame, and his left leg rested comfortably on the mattress.

"What a strange way to sleep," Sara muttered to herself. She approached the bed and gently tapped Antonio. Startled, Antonio jolted awake, his instincts in defense mode until he recognized Sara's face.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," Sara said softly. "I've been knocking for a while. Miss asked me to call you for breakfast."

Antonio let out a loud yawn and stretched. "I'll be out in a bit, I just need a moment to collect myself," he assured Sara, who nodded and left the room.

Feeling a bit weak, Antonio made his way to the bathroom to freshen up and brush his teeth before heading to the dining area. Maria and her father were already seated, and an array of dishes covered the table as if they were hosting a feast.

"Good morning," Antonio greeted both father and daughter as he took a seat at the long dining table, which had numerous chairs.

"Morning, did you sleep well?" Maria inquired, and Antonio nodded in response.

"Help yourself," Andres said, gesturing for Antonio to dig into the spread. Hungry, Antonio wasted no time and began to enjoy the meal.

Antonio ate hastily, evoking surprised looks from Maria and her father, who abandoned their meals. Maria, especially, found Antonio's eating habits distasteful.

Meanwhile, Mr. and Mrs. Torres hadn't seen their son in days, and they couldn't care less. That morning, Mrs. Torres left for the market a bit late. Her husband had resumed drinking as he usually did.

As she opened the door and prepared to leave, she muttered, "Useless man, I'm off to the market." However, when she stepped outside, she was met by an unexpected sight – Pedro, the loan shark, and his henchmen. It had been five days already.