Game of Love Ch. 11

The smile that cracked Adrianna's face was from out of this world. It had just been a simple prayer but Sergio didn't show up. But she too was getting worried because she had no idea where he was. What if he showed up?

"Let's not panic."

"No, Kim!" Giada shook her head. "This isn't ordinary. Something is very wrong. What if... what if... what if..."

"Don't panic!" Kim assured. "I know my son and he wouldn't disobey me. He is gonna come here because...."

"My son, oh my God!"

The two women started panicking. They tried to look calm but nothing was working. She could already see some of the media people talking among one another and she knew that trouble was gonna boom if her son didn't show up.

Mere seconds started turning into more seconds and then minutes. Minutes turned into more minutes, close to an hour and things started getting sour. Some guests started coming out, wondering what the hell was happening. But both the women assured them that everything was under control and all they had to do was go back inside.

"Aunt!"

It was Steve and he was looking really smart and sexy in a beautiful designer's suit. It had a pure white jacket with a pitch black trouser and black shoes. His hair was in a low taper fade that made him look sexier. He'd just come from outside and being the best man, of course, he had to be worried.

"Steve!" Kim sighed.

"Aunt, where's Sergio?" He asked with a worried look on his face. "People are starting to ask questions and some of them are impatient. What's going on?"

"He's not here." Kim said simply, hitting her forehead. "I am gonna murder than son of mine if he doesn't show up here, I swear. This is really embarrassing already."

"Let me call him."

Steve started calling Sergio's phone but to everyone's dismay, the driver brought the phone to them. Now they were panicking.

"Oh God, what am I gonna tell my son?" Giada gasped, breathing like she was in labor. She didn't want the thoughts that were developing in her mind to come to the surface because she was scared of them being true. "Oh my God, please, not today, please. This day is very important."

"Don't worry, aunt!" Steve reassured. "I'll go and look for him right now. I'll be back with him, I promise. Just handle the guests for now."

Steve quickly turned and started rushing to one of the cars. Adrianna followed him and the two of them drove off like the hounds were after the two of them.

"I swear, I won't spare Sergio if he doesn't show up here." Kim vowed, balling her fists. "I'll kill him with my bare hands. I swear."

***

Sergio was standing at the temple staircase, feeling like he was gonna explode with anxiety attack. He kept on glancing towards the place where he knew Eric was gonna emerge from but there was nothing. He was a bit sweaty, scared and very anxious.

His heart was hitting his chest so hard that he thought it was gonna break his ribs and rip his skin apart. And the void. The black hole in his head, deep inside his soul, slowly swallowing all his hopes and dreams. That was the worst of that moment he was in.

He had everything planned for that day. There were beautiful decorations, the best he could do in such short time. Everything for his wedding with Eric was set and he'd even invited the priest of that temple to marry them off in a traditional way. He'd even bought two beautiful golden bands. The only thing remaining was Eric.

"God, Eric, where the hell are you?" He said under his breath, trying to stay calm. "Please, come here. I am waiting for you my love."

He made a quick glance at his watch and saw that it was now 10:54.am, his wedding was supposed to start at 10. He knew his mother was worried and so was everyone else. But the only thing that he needed to do was be with the boy that he loved so much. He didn't care about anything.

"Eric, why are you not here yet? Were you serious when you told me you didn't love me?"

There were a lot questions in his mind. And when he couldn't find the answers, his anxiety turned into panic. He started sweating and tears formed in his eyes. His whole body shook, bones rattling in constant fear of the truth that loomed before him.

"Mr. Alvarado, time is running out." He heard the priest's voice behind him. "I don't think your groom is gonna show up. It's been an hour already and I have other important activities that I need to attend."

"Please!" Sergio put his hands together, pleading with the man. "Just a few more minutes. He'll be here."

"It's been an hour already, Mr. Alvarado. I know I agreed to help you but we're running out of time."

"I know but please understand. This boy loves me a lot." He chuckled nervously. "I know he's gonna be here. Just a few more minutes, please."

The priest gave a sigh. "Alright. But if he doesn't come anytime soon, I'll leave."

"Thank you!"

And he continued waiting, hoping with his entire heart that Eric was gonna show up. But his hopes started getting shattered as there was no hope of Eric. He knew that people at the wedding hall had probably started panicking. Minutes passed and then more minutes but Eric didn't show up.

"Mr. Alvarado, please, I cannot wait anymore." The priest said.

"Priest, please..."

"I am sorry." He apologized. "Maybe this is God's way of telling you that the two of you aren't meant to be. I have waited for so long and I cannot anymore. You should do the same and move on. I am sorry, my son, but I have to go."

The priest turned and started leaving. Sergio felt like his heart had been ripped into half. He furiously took off his jacket and threw it to the ground. Tears welled in his eyes and he started kicking the jacket like he was going insane. He'd never experienced such pain.

"Eric!" He screamed. "Eric, I love you! Why did you this to me?"

There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. He was being haunted by the deep love that he felt for Eric.

"Eric why?" He screamed as hard as he could. "Why did you do this to me? I love you so much, Eric! You've broken me, Eric. I thought you were gonna show up. Why?"

He got weak and dropped to the ground, crying softly. He didn't care who heard him, he didn't care who saw him and he definitely didn't a hoot about what they thought of him. The pain was passing through him like water through a circular pipe without leaving. His pain intensified each second.

"Eric, I love you! Why?"

Every breath felt like his last, every breath made him ache for it to be the last. His cries were loud, harsh and painful. He felt like someone had just stabbed him with a hot sword.

"I love you!"

His screams echoed in his head filling the silence with burning flames of self-loathing. He blamed himself for everything that had happened. He was the cause of it all. He'd caused so much pain to Eric that now the boy didn't want anything to do with him. It was all his fault. He shouldn't have played with fire when he did five years ago. Karma was catching up with him in a way he hadn't expected.

'But if you don't show up, I'll proceed to the wedding hall and marry Trevor. I'll never bother you again.'

It was over and he had to accept his new fate. Sergio slowly got up and slowly started rubbing his tears. He slowly picked up his jacket and started walking slowly, taking step by step. But even though he walked, he had no idea if he was gonna push through with the wedding.

***

"Kim, this is now 2.pm." Giada gasped, failing to hide her tears. "Where could he be? This wedding was supposed to happen four hours ago."

"I know." Kim said softly, running her fingers through her hair. "I shouldn't have left him all alone. I don't even know what's really happening to him right now. What if... what if my son was kidnapped?"

"Kidnapped?" Giada chuckled bitterly. "He got out of the car himself and left to an unknown place. What if that bitch threatened him or something? How could he do this to my son."

The two women were scared shitless. They looked messy and hopeless well. They didn't want to believe what was happening. It felt like a terrible nightmare.

Giada sighed, glancing towards the car where her son was. She almost had a heart attack when she saw him coming towards her with a worried look on his face. She couldn't bear to see the pain that she was in.

"Mommy, what's going on?" Trevor asked, slowly walking to his mother. "You've refused to tell me anything and I have been sitting in that car for almost four hours now. Where's Sergio?"

"Trevor, sweetie," Kim chuckled, holding his arm. "Honey, you look really beautiful. Don't ruin your outfit. Everything is gonna be just fine. Can you please go back inside?"

"No, mother!" He shook his head as tears welled up in his eyes. "I can't just stay in the car without knowing what's happening to my husband. My husband was supposed to be here. At this moment, we were supposed to be wed by now. But I have been sitting in that car four almost four hours. I deserve to know what's happening."

Kim looked at Giada and gave a sigh of frustration. "Honey, Sergio is missing. He didn't show up here."

"What?"

Trevor's brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes took in more light than he expected. Every part of him went on pause while fear started catching up with him. Limp extremities creaked and cracked under the pressure of his body.

"Sergio isn't here?" He was panicking. "How come? Where did he go? No!" He shook his head as a tear started rushing down his cheek. "No! He couldn't have gone to..."

"Don't have those thoughts in your mind." Giada held him tighter. "He'll show up, please. Don't give the media any hint that something is wrong, otherwise, things are gonna be bad. A scene will be created and it will be bad for us."

"Giada is right. You're my son in law so don't panic." Kim tried her best to smile. "Sergio is your husband already. Besides, Steve and Adrianna went to look for him. They're gonna bring him here and your wedding is gonna proceed as planned."

As if to give them hope, a car arrived quickly and the doors opened. Kim, Trevor and Giada smiled to welcome the groom but they got disappointed when Adrianna and Steve were the only ones that got out of there looking really tired.

"Well? Where's my son?"

Steve sighed, running his hands through his hair. He was a bit messy and he was no longer wearing his jacket.

"Aunt, I am sorry but we couldn't find him." He apologized. "We've looked for him everywhere we possibly could. But... but we were not lucky. No one has seen him or heard from him."

The news hit Trevor so much that he couldn't hold himself. He started crying like a baby, holding on to his mother tightly. His fears had come true. Sergio hadn't been truthful to him. He hadn't fulfilled his promise.

"What? Where could he be?" Kim's voice was barely above a whisper. "How could I have been so stupid as to leave him alone? What if he got kidnapped?"

"Kidnapped?" Steve shook his head. "Sergio cannot be kidnapped. He can handle himself."

"Yes, he can." Kim nodded.

"What if that desperate whore manipulated him?" Giada gasped, hoping it wasn't true. "What if he threatened him?"

"Eric wouldn't do that." Adrianna said in defense. "Why is he suddenly being brought into this? I had called his office and his assistant told me he was at the office when I called. So please, don't put him in this. Sergio probably left because he couldn't handle the pressure of..."

"Shut up!" Kim snapped, stomping her foot on the ground. "Why the hell are you talking like that? It wouldn't surprise me if it was true. But let's focus on Sergio, pray that he arrives here soon. This is gonna be embarrassing. The whole country knows about this wedding, our family members and friends too."

They decided to wait a bit but Trevor couldn't hold himself. He was crying the entire time and his eyes got swollen, his makeup got ruined and his wedding suit got a bit dirty. That wasn't how he had planned for the day to be. Not even his worst thoughts had reached to the situation at hand. He felt like dying because Sergio had betrayed him.

One hour turned into two and then three. Everyone started coming out and cameras and media people came to them. It was embarrassing.

"Mrs. Alvarado, what do you have to say about this?" A journalist asked. "It is almost 5.pm and your son hasn't arrived. Will the wedding still hold?"

"Do you have any idea why Mr. Alvarado hasn't arrived here today?"

"Is it true that you were forcing your son into this marriage and that's why he hasn't come here today?"

"Will this marriage still happen?"

"What do you have to say about this?"

Kim had never been so embarrassed her entire life before. She felt like she was being stripped naked right in front of the entire country. She was dumbfounded, just stood there like a statue. If that wasn't the most embarrassing thing ever then she didn't know what was.

"Ma'am, talk to us. You said the wedding was gonna be grand. But your son didn't show up."

Steve went in front, blocking the media from Kim and Giada.

"Please, can you leave us alone?" Steve almost lost his temper. "As you can see right now, we have no idea what has happened to the groom. He didn't do this on purpose. You all know that these two have been in love with each other for years."

"But sir..."

"One thing I can assure you is that the wedding will hold." He said softly. "We just don't know what has happened to the groom."

"Sir, can we have a word with the groom, Mr. Trevor?" They shouted. "Do you think Mr. Sergio doesn't love you enough?"

Trevor held Kim tightly, sobbing on her chest. Giada was getting really mad with the questions. She furiously rushed to the front, staring at them like she wanted to beat them.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Giada snapped, raising her finger. "My son and Sergio are very much in love. Who are you to say that about them? You don't know anything so you should shut your mouths before you lose your jobs."

"This doesn't call for threats." They all shouted. "We're just doing our jobs."

"Your jobs?" Giada snarled, balling her fists. "Your job isn't to poke your noses in the personal issues of other people. So shut up before you suddenly wake up tomorrow and realize that you're all jobless. I am not threatening you. I am promising you."

"Ma'am, that doesn't change the fact that the groom didn't show up." One of them spoke confidently. Giada looked at him angrily. "You don't have to threaten us. We know exactly what's been happening in your life lately. Was this wedding just for business' sake?"

Giada felt like she'd just been connected to a cable of anger. Her jaws began shaking and she groaned. But luckily, Steve saw what was happening and before she could make a mistake, he rushed in front of her.

"Please, leave us alone! Security!"

The guards came rushing and started taking the media people away. Kim and the rest of them felt surrounded by people that judged them. They were talking among themselves and some of them were laughing. It was like they had become the laughing stoke of the entire country, a really powerful family. It was more than embarrassing and Kim wasn't gonna spare her son. That was a promise.

***

'The whole country is talking about it, the wedding which was supposed to be the wedding of the century didn't happen.' A woman on the gossip show said, chirping. 'This was a waste of funds and the whole country is a little bit disappointed.'

'The question is, where is Sergio?' A man asked, raising his shoulders in a shrug. 'He's not been seen anywhere. Could he have been kidnapped or could he have eloped with....'

Kim switched off the TV before the man could finish his sentence and she threw the remote furiously at the floor, breaking it in half. Not only was she mad, she felt like murdering someone, anyone that she could lay her hands on. She was acting like a monster.

There was tension in the air, so thick that everything could feel it. Everyone was in panic mode, well, everyone except for Adrianna who was seated on the couch with her legs folded and busy playing with her phone. She couldn't pretend that she wasn't happy with the turn of events. Her brother had finally grown some balls and walked away from the wedding. She didn't care where he was as long as he didn't marry the brat, Trevor.

Trevor was seated on the floor, looking messy like he'd been involved in a brain crush. His eyes were totally swollen and his heart was broken. It felt like concrete drying in his chest. He hadn't expected Sergio to break his heart like that. The heart break he endured was no less than a hurricane. The devastation was absolute and he was torn apart. His face was still wet with tears. It was already 8.pm and no sign of Sergio.

Kim was pacing around the living room, glancing towards the door, expecting for her son to just walk in. She was gonna kill him and that was for sure. She wasn't gonna let him live and that was a promise that she made to herself. She'd never been as angry as she was at that particular time.

Trevor's entire family was there including a two of both Giada and Kim's friends that were like family. They were all worried but Giada was so scared that she was trembling.

"How could he do this to me?" Kim snarled, balling her fists. "I will not spare him, I swear."

"Kim, what your son has done today is pretty bad." One of their friends spoke. "He knew just how important this day was for everyone and yet he decided not to show up. What sort of behavior is this? He not only showed disrespect to you as a mother but to every guest in attendance. Who knows what they're saying about you out there."

"Can we please remain calm?" Steve pleaded, putting his hands together. "We're not sure of what had happened. We cannot jump to conclusions. All of us here know that Sergio is not a reckless man. What if he truly is in trouble? No one has seen him. We shouldn't be mad at him, please."

"He kidnapped him." Trevor sobbed. "I know that... that whore did this. My Sergio... my Sergio has been kidnapped." He said in between sobs. "He's been kidnapped. How could he do this to me? He knew this wedding was so important to me and that's why he kidnapped him."

"There's nothing like that, Steve." Kim snapped. "If he was in trouble or let's suppose he was kidnapped then why haven't the kidnappers called for a ransom? I know he did this on purpose but I will not spare him, I swear."

Steve just remained quiet. Somehow, he knew that what everyone was saying was true. He was just hoping that Sergio hadn't done anything stupid to himself.

Kim was so scared and depressed she couldn't take it anymore. She dialed a number angrily and placed her phone on her ear.

Suddenly, there was strange wind that blew from the entrance into the house with a powerful passion. Then a feeling took control of her, a feeling that something wasn't right. She took a quick glance towards the entrance and froze when she saw him, standing at the entrance.

First she saw those beautiful sparkly, blue snickers and started tracing up to the perfectly fit black skinny jean that showed off those curves and then a black see through shirt with nothing inside and then the face, the face that almost gave her a heart attack and made her so mad.

He was looking really handsome in a natural middle parted long dark hair. He had a long scarf around his neck that reached the ground.

Everyone saw him, standing at the entrance with a look on his face that scared almost everyone. Slowly, Kim removed her phone from her ear, slowly dropping her hand. She got so mad that she felt like killing him. She was gonna kill him for sure.

But suddenly, Sergio emerged from behind him and he had a really brilliant smile. He wasn't dressed as he was early that morning. His shirt was untucked and his shirt was halfway buttoned up and folded at the sleeves. His hair was messy and the smile on his face was something that they'd never seen before.