Entwined With the Villainous Guardian
Chapter 296: A Genuine Smile

Chapter 296: A Genuine Smile

Viviana gently caressed Leander’s hair as he lay on her lap. He sensed great sorrow and regret. She decided to let him cry his heart out. He cried for almost ten minutes. That was ten more minutes than she had ever seen him cry.

"Will you love me no matter what, Lemon?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered. That question didn’t take her long to answer. She didn’t think that her love for him will fade.

"What if I break your heart further? Will you still love me?" he asked.

Viviana gulped. He keeps on talking about breaking her heart. She’s been brokenhearted for a while. What more is he going to do with her heart? Her heart was glued back together plenty of times.

"I will," she said.

Yeah, he’s been acing strange these days. She was hurting but even then, she couldn’t manage to hate him. Now she could see that he was obviously suffering too. How will she ever hate him?

And... what more can he do to break her heart further?

She got to be honest. She’s getting tired these days trying to figure him out.

Leander went silent for some time. "I heard you’ve been visiting many kids these days..."

"Yeah, they just want to learn and I help them in any way I can. Their parents are not well-educated and the kids are interested in education," she said.

She couldn’t sop running her fingers through her hair. He had the perfect hair. And even at his age, she didn’t see his hairline rescinding. He will have a full head of hair for the rest of his life.

Isn’t that amazing? She can play with his hair forever!

"No one knows you are my wife there, right?" he asked.

"No," she said. She deliberately hid who she was from them. She didn’t think anyone would approach her once they knew her surname.

"You only talk to the kids? No one else approaches you?" he asked.

"No," Viviana said. "Leander, is something the matter?" she asked. She felt like she was getting interrogated.

Leander sighed. "Some believe that I am using you to garner the support of the common people. They think I am going to enter politics..." he said.

"What?" Viviana couldn’t believe that. "Is that why they formed the commission? To stop you? By the way, what happened to the commission? They are not talking about it in the news anymore. Did you handle it?" she asked.

Even then, they would have talked about it.

"No,’ Leander got up from her lap. "An undercover cop is circling around you, trying to meet you in private. He probably knows who you are and how you ended up here and what your intentions were...Would want to convince you to be a witness against the Kastello family."

"Oh, I will be careful not to talk to strangers then," she said in a meek voice.

She could only see his back and by how lower his voice got; she knew it was coming.

The sharp words he’s been throwing at her heart lately.

She hoped that was not the case. She was afraid.

"You should talk to him," he got down from the bed. He inhaled deeply and she saw his broad shoulders rising. "You should do what you’ve always wanted to do."

He sounded so monotone, just like he used to talk back when she first met him. She didn’t want to go back there. Back then, she hated him too and she didn’t mind his hate. But now... His hate would break her.

"I will not talk to the cops, Leander," she said in a slightly raised voice. Her patience had bounds. She didn’t want to let him trample on her again and again.

"Changed your mind so soon?" Leander asked turning to look at her. The smirk on his lips exuded mockery. He scoffed and then opened his mouth. "Seems like~"

"Enough, Leander!" Viviana raised her voice. "If you do not want me here, just say it. I will leave. I won’t take anything of yours. Just don’t hurt me with your words. I do not want to live like this!"

"You want to leave, don’t you? I never talked about you leaving. It’s your wish, isn’t it?" Leander asked back.

"Oh, for f~" Viviana sighed trying to control her anger. "What else am I going to think? How did the cops knew who I am? I saw my ID. You gave them the proof. And now you talk as if I want to bring your family down. When you wanted to protect your family, no one could get any proof. But with me, you are letting everyone know that our relationship is not good. You sneak out to meet your ex for everyone to see, you blame me for stuff I don’t even think about. Yes, I do think you want me gone, Leander! You act that way!"

Maybe she raised her voice too much, the baby woke up. Viviana heard the baby wriggling in the crib and ran to the baby.

"Shhh...." She shushed the baby, gently patting her chest.

Leander stood by the door, watching her. The anger he saw in her face just a moment ago was gone. Her eyes had turned gentle and filled with worry for the little baby.

Oh, how soon she forgets me...

Folding his hands over his chest, he leaning on the threshold of the door. He thought she would leave if he was being nasty to her. She has the Vitale family waiting to get her. She does not know that Vito Vitale is in need of a kidney, but she was not even making any plans to leave.

He thought giving her money would push her to leave. Once she steps out, he knew Leonardo will get her whether she wanted to go with him or not.

But she didn’t spend any money on her and she lived as usual. And today, out of nowhere, she spent a great amount of money on a baby she should not care much about.

He wanted to cry again. But he held back. It’s moments like these when he loses his balance, making her think that he still cares for her. She refuses to leave holding on to those moments.

He can ask her to leave. But he would die before those words come out of his mouth. He tried. He can hurt her, but he cannot ask her to leave. He’s that pathetic and selfish.

He should change tactics.

Viviana sighed in relief seeing the baby falling back asleep. She covered the baby and turned to see Leander.

"You can say it, Leander. I won’t be mad at you. Even if I leave, I will wait for you to come back to me," she said. "You’re the only one I love. I cannot love anyone else as much as I love you. You might not love me the same now, but when you miss me, you can find me. Wherever I go, I will be waiting for you..."

She might be tired of him. But she didn’t think she can wipe of the love she had for him just like that.

Leander held his breath seeing the pure smile on her face. She meant every word she said. He wanted to run to her and hug her and kiss her until his breath leaves him. But he cannot. Not yet.

Looking at Viviana standing by the crib, a flash of memory came to his mind.

A woman was sitting by the window. Her eyes were misted. Bowing her head, she kissed the ring on her shaking hand. When she looked up, stains of tears were on her cheeks.

Hearing him, she turned in his direction. "Leo," she smiled hurriedly wiping her tears.

Leander held his chest.

He didn’t remember anything from the past. Although he grew up with his mother for twelve years, he couldn’t remember even a smidgen of her until then.

But right at that moment, he saw a glimpse of his mother. He knew it. He felt it in his heart. The smile that was filled with love although she was worried most times... The genuine smile of love...

His mother’s smile...

His head hurt as if it was splitting.

"Mom..." he whispered.