No Will To Live

When Viviana woke up after a day, the good doctor was there. He told her that she had contracted a catheter-induced urinary tract infection. The wound in her hands was treated along with her UTI.

Viviana sighed in relief. In the few seconds her brain functioned after she encountered that excruciating pain, she had imagined a lot. She thought that Leander had done something to her, filmed it, and distributed it already.

But thankfully, the pain is not what she feared it would be. She is sick, that's it.

In retrospect, if the pain was what she imagined it to be, she wouldn't have been able to stand or walk. She knows what days of abuse would do to a woman. She was happy that didn't happen to her.

Leander brought the dinner. He didn't speak much but he looked very contemplative. She was not in the mood to chat with him either.

She asked for a wish. That didn't go well. That didn't stop her. She complained about her lack of underwear. She never liked going commando. Sitting with crossed legs all the time was tough.

Without saying anything, he looked at her for a minute.

"Today, my brother is the guest on Abbott's Late Night Show. They already recorded it," he said breaking the silence. There was a glint in the corner of his eyes as he carefully gloated.

"So?" Viviana raised her brows as she wanted to know what he was getting at.

She knew the PR machine would come up with something after the big exposé on Evander. The Kastello family can surely buy a slot in the most viewed late night show to make Evander presentable and remind everyone why he is the "King" of the entertainment industry.

Evander was charming, she should give him that. He would pull it off.

"He addressed the rumors surrounding the "accident" that was falsely reported by a news organization," he said and leaned on his chair.

Viviana looked at him with a plain expression. The news reported it as an "accident" when it was an "attack". She was a little disappointed by it. But she was curious how the Kastello family had dealt with it.

Leander waited for her to ask him how they spun the narrative, but she was not saying a word. He looked at her eyes and his heart skipped a beat. She knows how to successfully push his buttons and yet make him calm down.

What a woman!

"Evander explained how he was drunk that night and his friends played that nasty prank on him. That viral picture was not supposed to be released on the internet and was a careless mistake. His friends--the popular movie stars, attested to his statement closing that issue…" Leander's voice trailed into his smile as he observed her.

A chill went through Viviana's spine. This is the power of the Kastello family. They could change the past. They can change records if they please. She knew that.

Her dark eyes met with his. She smirked.

But nothing has changed. Evander still is castrated. They can change the records, but they cannot change his body.

"Good for him, I guess," she shrugged and picked up the cilantro on the carbonara. She was not a picky eater, but she didn't like cilantro.

Why would they want to put green leaves that taste like soap over your food? Senseless! Parsley! Parsley's the answer! Or rosemary… Not soapy cilantro!

BAM!!!

He slammed his fists on the table and Viviana instinctively grabbed the wine glass. Before dinner, she asked for a cigarette, and he slammed the table then too. She reasoned with him and told him that she won't smoke inside the room and that didn't convince him. He only got madder.

Now he is mad that she does not like cilantro.

At least he rationed her wine. She didn't want to lose the wine. She took a big gulp of the wine and finished the glass.

"Can't you see? No one could touch my family as long as I am here," he smirked tilting his head slightly, giving a villainous vibe. "Your friends died in vain!"

Viviana threw the cutlery inside the plate and stood up.

"So be it," she smiled.

She hated it when he mentioned her friends. Her chest got heavy with grief, and she wasn't in the mood to eat anymore.

"Sit!" he slammed the table once more and shouted with all his strength. The top two buttons of his shirt were open leaving a clear view of his neck. She could see the veins in his neck protruding as if they could burst any moment as he shouted.

"With the state of your lungs you wanted to smoke and now you're skipping dinner?"

Viviana scoffed. "Watch me," she gritted her teeth and walked away.

She was huffing with anger. She didn't like getting yelled at.

Leander was out of ideas. When she asked him for a smoke, he was so mad at her. Here he is, trying everything to keep her alive, and yet she…

How could she value her life so little? Doesn't she know that every time she faints, his heart pounds wondering if she will never open them again? How could she do this to him?

He wanted to tell her that she should not die yet because she hasn't fulfilled her ambition yet. That's why he talked about Evander's interview. He thought that would give her the wish to live.

But she… Nothing is working.

He doesn't have to worry about this woman! But he couldn't stop himself.

"Don't you want underwear?" he asked.

Viviana stopped in her tracks.

"Finish your dinner if you want underwear to wear. Or I will take it as you love wearing my shirts alone."

Viviana turned and looked at him. His lips were pouty, and her cheeks were puffed out. Even with her knitted brows, she looked cute.

"I'd rather be naked than wearing your~" she stopped herself from finishing her sentence as Leander raised his brows.

What if he actually leaves her naked?

She thought about it. There is no guarantee that he will keep his word. But she does not like to waste food. And this food comes with an incentive. She decided to take up his offer.