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"Anyway, do we have a suspect?"

"Linda."

"Why?"

"Don't know. She keeps denying it. But she served you the soup so.."

"The soup?"

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"Yeah, it wasn't the bread. We all ate it and it was wrapped. And the soup was made only for you."

"Yeah, but anyone could have done it."

"But only she and Janet knew it was meant for you." Mateo said. "I gave all the other house helps the month off because I thought we would leave for Italy today."

"Then wouldn't she know she will be the prime suspect if something happened to me?" She asked. She continued before he could argue. "And wouldn't she try to escape? Also, how can you be sure it was for me in the first place?"

Mateo wasn't going to answer the last question. He wasn't ready to tell her that it was her life that was in danger due to Mona. Not until he had taken that wench down.

"Maybe that was her plan River, to pretend she didn't do it." Mateo had seen it happen way too many times. He was not taking a chance when it came to River and their children.

"And do you have any proof?" River was getting too worked up. Mateo didn't think that was good for her. "The girl got the soup and served it right in front of me. I should have seen it happen Mateo."

"She could have put in before you got there." He tried to explain. He frowned at how River was trying to defend Linda but then realized why. "I know Linda and you have grown pretty close but you still can't trust her so blindly, love."

He bit his tongue as the word of endearment slipped out but River didn't seem to notice it because she was too focused on getting Linda off the suspect list.

"No, that is not the reason. I just know she couldn't have done it. The drug was found in my body in its original form. It denatures above 104 degrees. So, it was not put in the hot soup. And the bread still had its wrapping so she can't be the one who messed with the bread."

"But we tested the bread you ate. It had no such drug in it."

River bit her lip as she looked at him, exasperation and helplessness evident on her face. He knew what she was thinking, which was exactly what he was thinking; if they could get to her, they could get to the kids.

She rubbed her face hard and took deep breaths as if thinking hard at what could have happened. And all of a sudden, she looked up, her eyes wide. "The cookie jar wasn't properly closed."

Mateo raised a brow as he tried to interpret what that had to do with the situation.

"You ate the cookies?" He asked, finally catching on.

"And it tasted weird, bitter. I thought it was because you people didn't close it properly." She said. The couple stared at each other as they tried to figure out what had happened.

"The kids and Adam didn't eat the cookies because the kids had decided yesterday that the rest of the cookies would be for you and Adam had promised he wouldn't touch it." Mateo said. "And he is not the kind to break any promises."

"And the cookies weren't completely spoilt so it happened today." She added.

All the pieces of the puzzles fell into place.

Mateo pulled out his phone and checked the today's videos from the CCTV installed in the kitchen, something he should have done way earlier but he hadn't because his brain wasn't working with the condition River was in. Nobody knew about the cameras that had been installed, except himself and Adam. They had installed it around the house themselves when they had initially moved in.

And there it was.

"Alfredo." Mateo whispered out, feeling hurt and betrayed as he watched the footage of him adding something to the jar of cookies, hastily closing it as the twins approached him and picking them up and walking away.

"What?" River's voice was almost manic. "WHERE ARE THE KIDS, MATEO?"

"With him and Janet, outside."

Mateo was already on his feet as he said it, making his way out. He could feel River behind him.

He shoved the door open and turned to see Janet sitting alone, Alfredo and the kids nowhere in sight.

"Where are they?" River spoke up before he could.

"Alfredo took them down to the cafeteria." Janet replied, getting up on her feet. "He said he will get them something to take their mind off things."

A sob broke out from River and Mateo turned to look at her, her hand bleeding from where she ripped the IV drip off, barefoot, pale as a ghost and eyes red and swollen.

"River-"

"Let's go find them." She said, cutting him off.

Mateo stared at her for a moment, watching her breathe heavily to calm herself down.

He too took a deep breath and nodded, "Go put on your slippers at least."

"Capo?" Janet looked at them alarmed.

"Stay here just in case they come back." He said as River joined him and they walked ahead, towards the elevator.

"Let's take the stairways." River said as he pushed the button.

"No, I need to think of you too right now." He said, turning to her and then glanced at the elevator screen. "It's at the floor below."

River sighed and looked back ahead, tapping her foot impatiently.

The elevator dinged as the door opened.

The two stopped in their tracks.

Adam stood there with both the twins on each of his hip while Alfredo stood behind, holding two muffins.

Mateo didn't think twice before he lunged forward at him, slamming him against the steel box.

"HEY!" Adam protested and he was holding his best friend back. Mateo turned around for a second to see River walking away with the children, looking over her shoulder and giving him a nod which he returned. Janet too followed her, an expression of realization and shock on her face.

Adam caught on too, because he closed the elevator door and pressed the basement floor button and turned to the older man. "You were going to kidnap the kids, weren't you? You would have if I hadn't gotten there."

"Why?" Is all Mateo asked.

Alfredo's face hardened. "You will never know."

Mateo took a step forward, looking down at the man he once thought to be family. " Oh trust me Alfredo, we will."

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"Mommy, why did Papa push Uncle Fred?" Kiara asked as River placed the twins on the hospital bed.

"Because he turned out to be a bad boy, baby." She leaned down and kissed her head before turning to her son.

"Mommy, you got hurt." Lucas' eyes were on the back of her hand, which now had blood dried all over it.

"I know baby." River smiled. "Mommy's going to patch it up now, okay?"

He nodded and she placed a kiss on his head as well.

River turned to Janet, her chest constricting.

"Can I trust you?" She wondered out loud.

She gave the doctor a sympathetic understanding look.

"I will stay outside while you tend to your wound. You can lock the door from inside." She said.

River nodded.

She locked the door behind her and went into the bathroom, not closing the door so that she could keep her eyes on the twins who were chattering among themselves.

Bless their five-year-old hearts for being so oblivious of the shit going on around them.

River quickly washed off the blood and looked at the damage she had inflicted. The area was already swelling up. They would have to put the drip back on her other hand.

She sighed and got out, opening the door and letting Janet in before pressing the call button and getting back on the bed with her kids.

"You are okay now, right?" Janet asked as she took the seat farthest from them.

River nodded. "I thought I burst a vein but it was just capillaries. I guess I was running on low blood pressure so it didn't do the damage it was supposed to do." Which didn't make sense because she usually had high blood pressure during her periods.

Or maybe because the dosage wasn't high, which brought her to the conclusion that this was a distraction or Alfredo deliberately did it. But then again, the doctor said she was overdosed.

Ugh why does nothing make sense when I want it to?

"Mommy, when are we going home?" Kiara asked as the two of them looked at her.

"When the doctor says Mommy is fit to go."

"Okay." They chorused.

"What happened here? Why are kids in here?" A nurse walked in, looking like she was ready to explode.

"The drip came off." River held her hand up which looked like it got clawed. "And my husband had to go and we couldn't leave the kids alone."

"Well Mrs.-"

"Dr. Johnson." River smiled. "Also, I think I am good enough to leave the place so I request you start the procedure."

"But-"

"But I suggest you check my blood pressure one more time before you do that." She cut her off again.

She knew she was the patient but she was just too tensed and restless that she needed to leave the place at once.

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"The doctor may leave the hospital but the hospital doesn't leave the doctor."

"Shut up!" Mateo rolled his eyes as he lifted her off the seat and carried her bridal style. River was enjoying the ride when it hit her. "Mateo, what are you doing? Your wound!!"

"It's healing just fine." He grunted out. Of course, it wasn't.

"Let me down." She growled.

"Nope." He said stubbornly.

"Let me down or the Italy trip is cancelled." She said, giving him a smirk.

Mateo let out an exasperated sigh before he placed her down while she gave him her victorious Cheshire cat grin.

"The bags and all are packed." Alessia walked out of the guest room, bringing yet another smile to River's face. "You should get some rest for today. We leave tomorrow."

River nodded as the kids took each of her hand.

"Okay, we will be late. You guys should sleep with Mommy today." Mateo crouched down and pulled the kids forward.

River was so pissed at the guy. She was sure the pain killers were helping and it wasn't serious since the appendix was removed but he really needed to take care of himself.

Who am I kidding? As I said before, Gunshots were probably like papercuts to these idiots.

"You too Mateo, Adam and I will handle Alfredo." Alessia stated firmly.

Finally, someone who talks sense.

"What?"

"You heard the lady." River narrowed her eyes at him who just pouted like his children.

River was starting to think that the only thing they take after her was the curly hair.

And love for lemon cookies. Ugh, Alfredo had ruined that for her.

"Alright everyone, to the bed we go." River hummed as she pulled the kids with her, waving at Adam and Alessia as she did. Mateo stayed back to talk to them while River took the babies upstairs to help them change into their pajamas before bringing the kids back downstairs.

The beds in this mansion were Alaska King sized. Every single one of them. And since Mateo seemed to be having no problem, she decided the kids were sleeping with them. It should be fine as long as they don't kick him on his right side. They had gotten the kicking in sleep from their mom too, though hers reduced significantly after she became a light sleeper owing to her job. Mateo on the other side, barely moved in his sleep.

Mateo was already in bed when they got back.

"Papa, we are sleeping here tonight.!" Kiara said as she climbed onto the bed from the empty side, her plush panda tucked under her arm.

"Are we now?" Mateo sat up, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Now that River thought about it, this was his first time sleeping with the kids. Awww.

"Yes we are!" Lucas said as he hopped onto the bed, jumping on it, his wild curls bouncing as he did.

"I wonder why your Nonna never thought of letting me grow long hair?" Mateo wondered out loud.

River rolled her eyes while Lucas stopped jumping, looking at him confused.

"Probably because you don't have this awesome gene in you." River flipped her hair as she moved to his side of the bed, opening the drawer on the night stand to get his medicine box. "Come with me."

She walked into the bathroom and he followed, closing the door behind him. "I don't need to change the dressing River." He whined before she even opened the cabinet where all the gauze and bandages were.

She turned towards him and raised a brow, her hands on her hips. "I will cancel this trip if you act like a kid Mateo."

He groaned and looked up. "Why are you being such a killjoy?"

"And why are you being such a baby?"

"River-"

"Just lift your shirt."

Though he continued grumbling to himself, Mateo lifted his shirt. River peeled off the bandages and wiped the area with a wet towel and then antiseptic. "Okay, the skin has grown over it." She commented as she pressed on it. "Does that hurt?"

He shook his head. "But it does hurt when I bend down or lift fat-asses."

River quirked a brow as he smirked down at her. "One, nobody asked you to pick me up and two, I am not a fat-ass."

"Yes you are."

"No I am not. Though there is nothing wrong with being fat, I am not. I am scrawny, skin and bones and all that." She pointed out, disposing off the used bandage and just deciding to leave the wound as it is. It didn't need dressing anymore.

"You are not fat, but you have a fat ass."

River rolled her eyes, looking up. "Oh I am sorry, some five years ago my body thought it would have to push out two little monkeys so it widened my hip. Big deal!"

"Thought? You did push out the two monkeys."

"No I didn't. I had a C-section." River said, taking out his medicines and passing it to him before opening the pack of syringe.

"Why?"

"Well, the kids managed to get tangled up in each other's umbilical cord, crack two of my ribs and we had to get them out premature at thirty-five weeks." She gave his analgesic shot and disposed of the syringe as well.

"You never told me any of that." He sounded sullen yet again.

"It's quite normal during twin pregnancies." River sighed. "I don't remember what happened that night." She chuckled out loud at the one teeny detail. "The only thing I remember is Shane had to run out of his room mid-sex when I collapsed and screamed for him. So he took me to the hospital in boxers and a trench coat."

"What is your relationship with... Shane?"

"Sebastian or Mr. Shane to you. Shane to Jackie and me." River said. "Shane and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember because our mothers are best friends. He is the brother from another mother."

"Like me and Michelia." He commented, chuckling.

"Yeah?" River turned to him after putting all the stuff back in the box.

"Yeah, Michelia is four years younger than us. And she was the only girl among us. Our fathers worked closely and then Michelia was born and Leo and I vowed to protect her as the elder brothers. Leo had other ideas I guess. We never knew he was into incest." He chuckled.

River scrunched up her nose. "Wait, you guys are related?"

"No. Leo and I are first cousins. Michelia's dad, Gaetano is Leo's Papa, Luigi's right-hand man. My papa, Alessio is the boss. Zio Luigi - Zio means uncle - is the underboss and Ricardo's papa, Giovanni, is the advisor to the Sicilian Mafia. You might have met Ricardo once or twice, right?" He listed out. River looked at him and blinked. "You will get used to it." He winked.

She smacked his arm while he guffawed. The sound of his laughter did things to her. "Now get out so I can do my business." She said.

River turned on her heels to go get her clothes but was stopped when two strong arms wrapped around her, turning her back to him, pulling her closer.

"Mateo?" River's voice came out squeaky as her senses assessed the sudden change in the mood.

Mateo gazed at her eyes intensely, making her feel weird, the good kind of weird. "What?" She whispered out.

"You know what I thought about you before I knew you had kids?"

She shook her head and chuckled nervously. "I am not a mind reader now, am I?"

"I thought.." He moved his mouth closer to her ear, his breath fanning her lobe, "..that you will be the one to bear my children."

River's eyes widened as she heard it. He placed a kiss on her jaw and walked away, leaving her there with wide eyes and probably a scarlet face.

What??

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