Chapter 7: Enzo's Christmas Gift

Jay When I know Marcello and Enzo are gone, I head up to my room. I am very curious about this gift Enzo was referring to. “Where are you off to sweety? Come join us for a drink,” Mom says as she sees me going upstairs. “Just getting something from my room. I will be right down,” I answer, and she smiles. When I come into my room, I see a folder with two gift boxes on the top of my bed, just under my pillows. I picked up the small gift box first and read the note under it. ‘My Juliana, This is not a Christmas gift, this is a promise of what’s to come. I bought this when I was 18 and held out hope that I could one day give it to you. I will give you time, but I have no doubt that you will soon be mine.’ and then it’s just signed ‘E’. I opened the box and there was a beautiful engagement ring inside. “Wow,” is all I can say as I examined the ring. A lot of detail went into this and if I am not mistaken, this is my birthstone. And I doubt it’s a replica. Pure Alexandrite is very hard to come by. I paid a pretty penny for my pendant I bought at an auction. The stone is stunning, and the surrounding diamonds compliment it perfectly. I can see he put a lot of thought into this to make it unique to me. He even engraved ‘My Juliana,’ inside the band. That is so sweet, but I can’t accept this. I can’t give him what he wants. I don’t even know or remember him. “Oh Enzo, I wish I had never been kidnapped,” I whispered to myself as I put the ring back. I picked up the other box, and it was a diamond tennis bracelet, earrings and necklace set. It’s just as beautiful. I sit down on the bed and sigh. This man is going to make it hard for me to avoid him. I just know it. I need to find a way to handle him. I put the box back and picked up the folder. I open it and find a paternity test. I frown and pick it up and look at it properly. It is for Joel Walters and Anne. The findings conclude that they share no DNA markers. The next page is a maternity test for Olivia Walters and Anne too. That is exactly the same. Anne is not Joel and Olivia’s biological daughter. I knew something was off about her, but I saw the DNA test Alfonso handed them. Anne was a 99% match for Joel. Could they have switched the tests out? I wouldn't put it past Anne to pull such a stunt, but was Alfonso in on it? Joel and Olivia should've run a private test themselves, not rely on other people's word. Serves them right, though. They treat Anne like a princess made of glass when she is the furthest thing from it. They even had their wills changed to make her the sole beneficiary of the Walters estate. They better watch their backs before she has them killed for their money. She has no loyalty to them and she is a snake. I will give them this gift to make up for the years they gave me a home. That is all I can offer them after the way they treated me. Oh, this is perfect. Thank you, Enzo! I can definitely work this into my plans. I pick up the file and go through all the other documents. There is a bank statement in the name of a Dr James Edwards that shows three payments of one million coming from the account of Anne Walters. Wow, she didn’t even use an alias or get someone to help her. She must have been very sure she wouldn’t get caught. There is also a full background check for the doctor and pictures of him and Anne taken very recently. I should've hired someone earlier to follow Anne, then I wouldn't have missed this very interesting turn of events. She must still need him for something, and they look very close. Too close, actually. Either they were lovers or still are. And that is even better. Let's see what Alfonso thinks about this. I read the note that accompanied the documents. The handwriting is the same as the note he left with the ring. ‘I heard about your plan for revenge. This will definitely come in handy. I have the doctor on ice whenever you are ready. He has quite a story to tell. Enzo,’ Oh, this man is brilliant. I have to thank him, but I don’t even have his number. I would also like to know how he got his hands on this information. I put everything back into the folder and hid that, and the ring with the note in my drawer. I want to go through everything properly later. And I don't want anyone to find that ring until I have spoken to Enzo about it. I left my actual Christmas gift on my nightstand, and went downstairs to find my mom. “Hey mom, can I please have Enzo’s number?” I asked when I found her, Vinny and my dad sitting on the patio. She gives me a knowing look, and so does Vinny, and I roll my eyes. I am sure they are in on his plan to win me over. I wouldn't put it past my mom and Vinny looks like he has a very naughty streak too. But I do not need matchmakers right now. I need to make Anne and Alfonso suffer. That is my main objective. "What’s wrong, princess? Why are you looking for Enzo?” my dad asks worriedly. “It’s nothing bad, don’t worry. He left a file for me with information that could help me with my plans for Anne. I just wanted to thank him. What he gave me will definitely ruin her,” I say, and Dad smirks. “That’s my boy,” dad says, going through his phone. He sends me the number and I immediately saved it. “Don’t call him now. He and Marcello are busy with a sensitive matter for me,” dad says, and I nod and send a quick message to him. ‘Call me when you have a moment, Jay’. I was just about to sit down, but my phone rang. When I saw it was Enzo calling me back, I excused myself. Mom and Vinny exchanged a look before they giggled, but I just ignored them. “Hey Enzo, dad said you are busy. I can wait till later,” I say when I answer his call. “You will always come first, principessa. Either you miss me already, or you got my gifts. Do you like them?” [princess] he asks, and I didn’t think it was possible, but he sounded even sexier over the phone. “I did, thank you. Both gifts are truly beautiful, but I can’t accept the ring. I wanted to speak to you about the file you left for me. But we can talk when you are finished with your business.” “Hmm, I won’t take any of the gifts back. You can hold onto the ring for me for now. As for the file, we can discuss that, and other things, when I get back. Some things are best discussed alone, behind closed doors,” he answers so calmly, but I can clearly hear there is fighting happening wherever he is. I can also distinctly hear gunshots. “Uhm okay, we can talk later. Be careful, please. And watch my brother's back.” “With my life. See you soon, principessa.” [princess] he says and hangs up. Oh, this man is something else. Why am I letting him get to me anyway? I smiled and shook my head, before I went back to spend the rest of my afternoon with my parents and Vinny. I still have work to do, but this is my first Christmas with my parents and I want to spend as much time with them as I can. Marcello and Enzo came back when we were getting ready to have dinner. “Thank God you are both okay,” I said when I saw them. “Have some faith in your brother, sis. I always come home for dinner, especially when mom is cooking,” he says, and kisses mom on the top of her head and she giggles. “Are you joining us for dinner?” Vinny asks Enzo. “That’s why I am here. I missed zia Sofia’s cooking,” [aunt] Enzo says, and that makes mom’s smile even brighter. - “Come sit here, there is space,” Vinny says, showing Enzo to sit down opposite me and Marcello just sits down next to him. “Everything go according to plan?” Dad asks as he pours us wine. “It went perfectly. I will fill you in later,” Marcello answers, and dad nods. The conversation and laughter flowed freely after that. Dinner was interesting for me, to say the least. Every time I glanced Enzo’s way, he was already looking at me. Damn him for being so handsome. He knows he is affecting me, and it’s kind of pissing me off. I have no time for mind games with this man. I need to focus. And he is nothing but a distraction. “Are you ready to have that chat now?” Enzo asks after dinner with a 'I mean business' expression. “What chat?” Marcello asks. “I left the file for Jay to go through,” Enzo says. “Oh, do you need my help?” he asks. “No, it’s cool. But can you please ask one of the guys to bring our guest in warehouse two here? Jay needs to meet him,” Enzo says, and Marcello smirks and takes out his phone to make a call. “Where is the file?” Enzo asks me. “In my room.” I answer and start walking, but he follows behind me. I quickly opened my drawer and took out the file, but when I turned around, I bumped straight into Enzo. He catches me before I lose my balance and puts his arms around me. “I didn’t expect you to literally fall for me.” he says with a smirk, still holding onto me and I roll my eyes. “You are quite the comedian,” I say, trying to move from his grasp, but he just tightens his hold. “I am not quite ready to let you go yet,” he says, softly looking into my eyes. I look away because I need to break the spell he has me in. “Well, we can’t really get anything done if you don’t let me go,” “I think we can get plenty done,” he answers with that sexy smile of his. “Enzo, please.” I say softly. His proximity is too much for me. Being in his arms like this feels way too good and natural. “Please what, Jay?” he asks, smirking. “Can we please focus?” I say, moving away and this time he lets me. “I can do that,” he says and sits down on my bed. “I have a desk, you know. And it fits two.” I say, pointing over to my desk in the corner and he chuckles. “Your bed looks so much more comfortable,” he counters, and pats the space next to him. I just sighed and sat down, making him smirk. This man is insufferable.