"See you on Monday.”

Derek looked at Matteo's sad face once more and was tempted to throw him over his shoulders and run away with him.

He wanted to say that everything was going to be okay, that all it took was one word and Matteo would never have to deal with those people again. But before the words could come out, he did what anyone in his place would do; he controlled himself and walked to the car that was parked a few feet away. Or rather, he marched, sprinting down the road and doing his best not to look back or go back to Matteo.

Derek just stopped walking when he got into the driver's seat and sped away from there.

Shit! What was he thinking! Why did he keep doing this? He shouldn't have let himself get carried away, but he couldn't help himself. Matteo reminded him of his teenage years, of those days in college where he was free to do whatever he wanted; Matteo made him act like a child again, defying older people who had an image of authority and harassing anyone he felt like. What could he say? After all, Derek was what Matteo had accused him of without even having to use words; a billionaire, a womanizer, and with a superiority complex.

He wasn’t like that anymore, that person stayed in the past; now Derek was a centered and responsible individual, he wasn't the type to cheat even if his illustrious wife didn't think the same. But what if Matteo needed help? What if Leonel tried something against Matteo? About Diego, he had no doubts. Was it safe to leave Matteo among those people? Who would defend him when the next punch came? 

No! Derek couldn't think about that. He didn't even know those people and he barely knew who Matteo was. He didn't... Shit! He shouldn't have left Matteo alone. Frustrated, he slammed on the brake and let his head fall against the steering wheel, the horn making a loud sound. WHAT. WAS. HE. THINKING! Matteo wasn't his at all and if Matteo had survived in that place without him for all this time, he could keep going. Right?

Sure.

Really… what if Matteo couldn’t? He looked so defeated, so fragile… cases of anxiety could cause worse even more damage, like suicide or depression, couldn’t they? What if Matteo… No! He couldn’t think about that, he couldn’t! Derek should have dragged Matteo out of there when he had the chance, he knew that if he insisted just a little longer Matteo would have accepted, but… he admited, okay! He wanted Matteo to come of his own free will and not because some guy he had just met had asked him to. However, Derek could offer help, couldn’t he? Just one more time?

He took his cell phone out of his pocket and looked for Matteo's contact, thank goodness he had given it to him in that conversation in the kitchen before the panic attack. Derek pressed the message icon and typed:

“Is everything okay? I hope things haven’t gotten worse. The offer still stands. Whenever you need it.”

Was it too direct? Too blunt? Too sincere? Too intimate? It didn’t matter. He pressed send and put the phone back in his pocket, starting the car once more. He sent a message, and at the moment, it was all he could do. Was the right thing to do. Otherwise, he would just be another one of those people demanding something when it was clear Matteo wasn’t willing to give it.

With this depressing thought, Derek drove the rest of the afternoon and early evening, still not knowing what to do, but doing what he could in this situation.

He walked through the entrance of the condominium and finally arrived home, exhaustion overcoming him as soon as he stepped out of the car. It seemed like so much had happened and so much time had passed, even though it couldn't have been more than five or six hours since breakfast. He walked around the house and up the steps to the porch only to be greeted by two pairs of tight hugs.

The children grabbed him by the waist and smiled at him, all happy. Of course, that wasn't enough. Sofia Gray, his dignified wife, was sitting on the sofa in the living room with a drawing in her hand; on it were them: Logan, Alice, Matteo and Derek. A normal, happy family.

"Daddy, Daddy! Mommy got here early." Logan said looking at him, still with his arms around his waist.

“He told her everything about Matteo,” Alice warned, perceptive as always.

“It’s okay,” he said to the children. Or maybe he said it to himself, trying to convince himself of it.

So the three of them walked the rest of the way to the living room, sitting on the couch opposite where Sofia was.

"Oh, Derek. Did you make it back home? I thought you were too busy to care about your kids.”

"I called a babysitter before I left.”

Derek didn't even bother explaining since the kids should have told her what happened.

"You know what's even more amazing? It seems like you replaced the nanny I hired without telling me." Sofia stood up, smoothing her dress and crossing her arms. Her eyes analyzed him from head to toe, demanding and cold.

Ah, it seems like she was preparing to fight, even her voice changed intonation.

"Children, it's time for bed, yes? Go ahead and go upstairs." He gave each of them a kiss and watched Alice take Logan's hand, leading him upstairs.

Derek waited long enough for the children to disappear down the hallway and turned to her:

"What are you doing here? This is not our agreement.”

"Guess what? I missed you, sweetheart." She smiled and blew a kiss in his direction, sitting back down, her eyes sparkling as she studied him. Sofia tossed her long platinum hair to one side of her shoulder, exposing part of her chest and neck, showing the swell of her breasts against the tight dress.

There was a time when Derek would do anything for her, but now all that was left were threats and conversations to see who was the strongest one.

"Sofia!”

"You still haven't answered me.”

"If you must know, he's the person you hired.”

"Is he? From what Logan said, you two seem pretty close.”

He felt the need to roll his eyes like a teenager and ended up resigning himself to his torture. It’s like they say, if you can't beat them, join them. That's exactly what he did, he sat down next to her and closed his eyes for a moment.

"He's a good kid. He just needs help." Derek said finally.

"Don't you tell me?”

"His family is worse than mine and yours combined.”

"Is that all? Do you want to help him?”

"Unlike you, I'm not a traitor." Feeling Sofia approaching, Derek opened his eyes again, looking at her head on. "Speaking of which, when are you going to sign the divorce papers?”

"Divorce? Things are great as they are. Why ruin something that is going so well?" Then she looked him in the eyes and placed her hands on his shoulders, sliding them down in a caress that only disgusted him.

"Sofia." Derek said, turning away from her. "What are you doing here?”

"Hmm, I love it when you talk rough. We could--”

"We could nothing. There's only one reason why you came back.”

"Okay!" She told him. Sofia got up from the couch and went to the suitcases that were still in the entrance hall and came back soon after, handing him an invitation to the Palace Hotel, one of the most exquisite party rooms in the city. "I need your help. I have this party... it's important to me.”

"They always are. Are you trying to use me again?”

"Look, I would go with Michelle, but these people are traditional. If they see you with me, it will make things move much faster. Think about it this way, the sooner you agree, the sooner I'll leave. Doesn't that sound like a good deal?”

"A good deal? You've got to be kidding me.”

Derek brought his hand to his face and rubbed it, he was too tired to deal with her.

"Come on, Derek. Just this once.”

"I won't do anything until you sign the papers.”

"Derek, you know I can't do this.”

"You can't? Are you sure? I have enough evidence to annul the marriage for adultery. Is that what you want?”

"You're lying, you would never do that! What about the children? Are you gonna do that to them?”

"They’re already grown up. They don't need you. I don't need you. And if you don't want to accept it, I'll be forced to use force. Who will lose more? Me, a university professor, or a socialite architect? Can you imagine the gossip magazines? I can.”

He stood up, tired of it, and turned his back on her, not caring if Sofia would get hurt or not. But of course she wouldn't give up that easily, right?

"I… I’ll sign it. After the party, if you’ll come with me. The kids need to go too.”

Derek turned to her and studied her angelic face. If he hadn't known the venom behind that vulnerable expression, Derek might have believed it. He would have believed it before he found out what Sofia was doing on these business trips. And with who.

"Okay, but this is the last time. If you don't keep your end of the deal, I can't be held responsible for the consequences.”

With that, he turned his back on Sofia and walked up the stairs, finding the children at the top of them, their little faces sad and tearful.

"Shhh… it's okay. Who wants to hear a story?" Logan and Alice sniffed, but held their hands and together, they entered the room.