195Emilia’s POVThe package sat on the dining table like a live grenade, wrapped in pristine white paper and tied with an elegant gold ribbon. It was undeniably expensive. Alaric stared at it from across the room, his arms crossed over his chest, a muscle in his jaw ticking with unrestrained fury.“This is how he operates,” Alaric muttered, his voice low and dangerous. “First letters, now gifts. He’s testing boundaries, trying to worm his way into your head.”I ran my fingers over the ribbon, a knot forming in my stomach. The card attached bore only one word: Francesca.“It’s not for me,” I said quietly, though my voice didn’t carry the conviction I wanted.Alaric scoffed, stepping closer, his footsteps heavy with the weight of his anger. “Don’t be naïve, Emilia. It doesn’t matter who it’s addressed to. This is about you. Always has been.”I didn’t look at him. Instead, I focused on the neat handwriting and the deliberate simplicity of the card. “What harm can a gift do?”Alaric’s ha
196Emilia’s POVThe library was quiet except for the soft rustling of papers as I flipped through the pages of yet another thick book. The words blurred together after hours of reading, but I couldn’t stop. Not yet. A part of me felt like if I didn’t keep looking, the answers would slip further away, buried in the cracks of time and silence.The truth about my mother and who she really was, wasn’t just something Alonso or Alaric could tell me—I had to find it myself. I needed facts, not their filtered versions of what happened.Alaric had protested, of course. “You’re digging into the past of a man who would rather kill you than let you find out his secrets,” he’d said the first time I brought up the idea. But when he realized I wouldn’t back down, he reluctantly offered his resources and, surprisingly, his presence.“Find anything yet?” Alaric’s voice broke through my thoughts. He stood in the doorway of the small study, leaning casually against the frame, though his expression betr
197Emilia’s POV. I curled up on the couch, a blanket draped over my legs as I wondered about all the things we’ve come across about my mother. All the puzzles that only made my head go crazy instead of giving answers to all the questions I had. The air was quiet and still, save for the occasional crackle of the fire from the fireplace.Alaric sat across from me, a glass of whiskey in his hand, staring into the flames. His expression was unreadable, but I could see the tension in his shoulders and the way his fingers tightened slightly around the glass. He’d been quiet all evening, and that silence had stretched between us like a taut string, ready to snap.I didn’t press him. Not yet. Alaric was like a storm—you had to feel out the winds before stepping into the tempest. Instead, I let the quiet settle, taking slow sips of tea and letting the warmth seep into my hands.Finally, he spoke, his voice low and rough. “I can’t stop thinking about how close I came to losing you.”I looked
198Emilia’s POVThe library smelled faintly of leather and old paper. It was a comforting scent that reminded me of rainy days spent lost in novels. But this wasn’t a comforting moment. I was surrounded by stacks of folders and records, Alaric’s laptop open to a clutter of tabs.“Read that again,” Alaric said, his voice tight, as he handed me a document from the pile.I took it, my fingers brushing against his briefly, and skimmed over the neatly typed lines. It was a record of a business deal from over two decades ago between Cruz Industries and Castillo Holdings. My eyes snagged on the last line: “Finalized under the direction of Alonso Cruz and Jonas Castillo.”“It doesn’t make sense,” I murmured, setting the paper down on the table between us. “Why would Alonso and Jonas be working together back then? I thought their families were always at each other’s throats.”Alaric’s jaw ticked, his hands gripping the edge of the table. “They were. Or at least, that’s the story my father alw
199Emilia’s POVI walked out of the room, wiping my sweaty palms on my thighs as I wondered if Alaric would ever agree to what I was about to suggest to him. I already knew the answer anyway. He wouldn’t. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t give it a try still.I walked down to his office, my footsteps near silent as I prayed to God that he doesn’t blow this out of proportion.I knocked once and opened the door, poking my head in. He was seated by the table, nursing a bottle of whiskey in his hands as he read some kind of document.He raised his head as I walked in and closed the door behind us. “Babe,” he murmured, dropping the glass on the desk. His eyes brightened up and I hated that I would be the one who let that brightness dim.“What’s going on?” He asked, raising a brow when I didn’t smile at him.“I want to go back” I murmured, biting my lips. There was no use beating around the bush and dragging this out.He stiffened. “Go back where?” He asked flatly.“To Alonso’s villa,” I mur
200Emilia’s POVThe air inside the car felt heavy and suffocating as though the stupidity of my decision pressed down on every passenger. The convoy surrounding us—a caravan of SUVs loaded with Alaric’s men—only heightened my anxiety. Outside the tinted windows, the world passed by in muted colors, but my focus was on the knot in my stomach that tightened with every passing second.“I still think this is a mistake,” Alaric’s voice crackled through the small earpiece I wore, his tone as sharp as the blade he always carried.“I know,” I replied quietly, glancing at the driver, who kept his eyes locked on the road. “But I need to do this.”He sighed audibly. “We’ll be right outside. If anything feels wrong, anything at all—”“I know,” I interrupted. “You’ll storm the place. Just… trust me, Alaric.”The line went quiet, but I could sense his frustration. He hated this, hated the idea of me walking into Alonso’s villa even with his men stationed at every entrance and exit. Still, he’d agr
201Emilia’s POVThe house was unusually quiet when I stepped through the front door, the familiar scent of leather and polished wood greeting me like an old friend. My body ached from the stress of the day, and my mind was still reeling from everything Alonso had said. But as my gaze swept the empty entryway, I felt a pang of longing—for the comfort of this home, for Francesca’s sweet voice, and, yes, even for Alaric’s brooding presence.I hadn’t even taken a step toward the living room when I heard the unmistakable sound of Francesca’s laughter floating down the hallway. It was light and unburdened, and it felt like a balm on my frayed nerves.I followed it, my footsteps soft against the tiled floor, and found them in the sunroom. Francesca was perched on Alaric’s lap, her tiny hands clutching one of his much larger ones as she giggled at something he’d said. Alaric, for his part, looked almost relaxed, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.The sight made my heart twist
202Alaric’s POVThe house was quiet, too quiet, as I sat in my office with a glass of whiskey that I hadn’t touched in over an hour. The amber liquid caught the dim light of the desk lamp, swirling lazily as if mocking my restless mind. Emilia was in the next room, probably pacing, possibly crying, but definitely not telling me everything she was thinking. That was the problem with her. She’d shoulder a world of burdens without letting anyone else carry even a fraction of the weight.And it was killing me.I heard the soft creak of the door opening, and when I looked up, there she was. Her hair was slightly disheveled, her face weary, but there was something very dull in her expression. She didn’t wait for me to invite her in—she rarely did these days. Instead, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts.“Are you going to stand there all night?” I asked, my voice rougher than I intended.She crossed the room and sat in the chair ac
280Emilia’s POV I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I just ran.My heart pounded in my chest as I shoved open the door to Alonso’s house, my breath coming in short, panicked bursts. I barely registered the grand hallway, the expensive furniture, the tension in the air thick enough to choke me.All I saw was them.Alaric.Alonso.Standing in the middle of the room, guns raised, pure hatred burning in their eyes.And then—Alonso’s finger twitched on the trigger.“NO!” I screamed, my voice cracking as I threw myself between them.It was instinct, reckless and stupid, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even think about it, I just moved. My arms spread wide, my body the only thing standing between them.“Are you both insane?” I shouted, my voice shaking.Alaric’s eyes snapped to me, wild with rage and something else something darker.“Get out of the way, Emilia,” he said, his voice low, deadly.“No,” I shot back. “You get out of the way.”His jaw clenched. “This isn’t your fight.”“The hell it
279Alaric’s POVAlonso leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms out like we were having a casual conversation instead of a standoff. His gun was still within reach, but he hadn’t gone for it. Neither had I.Not yet.“You’re awfully quiet,” he noted. “Did I hit a nerve?”I scoffed, keeping my gun trained on him. “You haven’t said anything worth responding to.”He smirked. “Maybe I should.”I narrowed my eyes, watching him closely. His demeanor had shifted slightly—not cocky, not smug. Something else. Something that made my instincts sharpen.Alonso exhaled slowly, tapping his fingers against the table. “You think you know everything about why our families hate each other. But you don’t, Alaric.”I let out a humorless laugh. “You killed my brother. That’s all I need to know.”He shook his head. “That was an accident.”I stiffened. “Bullshit.”His eyes darkened. “You think I wanted Dominic dead? You think I went out that night planning for this to happen?”I said nothing, but my gr
278Alaric’s POVThe night was still, the kind of stillness that came before a storm. The kind that made your gut twist in anticipation, like the world itself was holding its breath. I barely noticed.All I could feel was the fire burning inside me.I gripped the gun in my hand, my fingers tightening around the cold metal as I stepped out of the car. I stood in the front of Alonso’s mansion, watching as his guards moved around relaxed without suspecting anything at all.Good.He wouldn’t see me coming.My footsteps were steady as I moved up the driveway, my mind sharp, focused. Every part of me was locked in, my rage simmering just beneath the surface. The guards at the front barely had time to react before I took them down quick, clean, quiet.I didn’t come here for them.I came for him.The door to his house wasn’t locked. Arrogant bastard.I pushed it open without hesitation, stepping inside. The place was dark, but I knew he was here.I could feel him.A few more steps, and then—
277Emilia’s POVI knew something was wrong the second I walked into the house. The energy was different—charged, electric, like the air before a storm. The staff avoided eye contact, moving quickly, their silence heavier than usual. My stomach twisted.Then I saw him.Alaric stood in the middle of the living room, dressed in all black, a gun strapped to his side, his expression cold and unreadable.My heart nearly stopped.No.No, no, no.I stepped forward, my voice sharper than I intended. “Where are you going?”He didn’t even flinch. Didn’t hesitate.“To finish what should’ve been done a long time ago.”I sucked in a shaky breath. I already knew what he meant, but I asked anyway, hoping, praying, I was wrong.“To kill Alonso.”A simple statement. Flat. Like he was announcing he was going out for coffee.Panic clawed up my throat. “Alaric, please—”“No.” His voice was sharp, final.I took another step toward him. “You can’t do this.”“I have to do this.”“No, you don’t!” I nearly sh
276Emilia’s POV The house was quiet when I walked in, which was unusual. Normally, there was at least some noise—Francesca’s laughter echoing through the halls, the distant hum of conversation, or the occasional sound of Alaric’s men moving around. But tonight, everything felt… still. Too still.It wasn’t long ago that I returned from my trip with Rosa and Francesca, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. The time away had been refreshing, a much-needed break from everything. But as soon as I stepped inside, that feeling disappeared, replaced by a kind of suffocating feeling.I set my bag down and started toward the stairs when I heard voices coming from Alaric’s office. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but the door was cracked open, and my name stopped me in my tracks.“She can’t know about this, not yet,” Alaric’s voice was sharp, controlled.I frowned and stepped closer.“I understand,” Allesio replied. “But are you sure about this? Going after Alonso like this… it’s going to start a
275Emilia’s POVI needed a break.Desperately.Between Alaric’s mood swings, the tension in the house, and the unshakable feeling that something was being kept from me, I was losing my mind. And I knew Rosa could sense it too because she was the one who suggested this trip.“Two days,” she had said, grinning as she packed a bag in my room while I sat on the bed, watching her like she had lost it. “No men. No stress. Just me, you, and Francesca.”I had hesitated at first. Leaving Alaric like this felt… wrong. But what was I even staying for? To keep watching him glare at his phone and snap at Allesio without telling me why?So here we were, driving up the coast, Francesca singing along to whatever pop song was playing on the radio while Rosa handled the wheel with her usual confidence.I sighed, leaning my head against the window as the salty breeze from the ocean drifted into the car.“Okay, spill,” Rosa said, shooting me a glance.I frowned. “Spill what?”“Whatever it is that’s been
274Alaric’s POVI sat in my office, fingers steepled as I stared at the map spread across my desk. The Cruz estate was marked with red, the layout burned into my mind. I had spent hours going over every possible entry point, every possible weakness. Alonso Cruz would not see me coming.I had been waiting for this moment.A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I quickly gathered the papers, shoving them into a drawer before calling out, “Come in.”The door opened, and Emilio stepped inside, his expression grim. “We’re ready.”I nodded. “Good. Lock the doors.”He closed the door behind him, locking it before moving toward the chair across from me. “Allesio still doesn’t know?”I clenched my jaw. “No. And he won’t.”Emilio frowned. “Alaric—”“No,” I cut him off. “He had his chance to be honest with me. He chose to lie. He chose to protect Alonso.”Emilio sighed but didn’t argue. He knew better.I had made my decision.“You’re sure about this?” he asked after a moment.I lean
273Alaric’s POVFrancesca giggled as she sat on my lap, swinging her little legs back and forth. She had insisted on playing with my watch, her tiny fingers fumbling with the strap. I let her. Anything to see her smile.“Daddy, look!” she said excitedly, holding up my watch like it was the greatest treasure in the world. “It’s too big for me.”I chuckled, adjusting the strap so it wouldn’t slide off her wrist. “That’s because you’re too small, princess.”She pouted. “I’m not small. I’m big.”“Oh yeah?” I raised an eyebrow. “How big?”Francesca stretched her arms as wide as she could, her eyes sparkling with determination. “This big!”I smirked, tapping her nose lightly. “Still too small to wear my watch.”She huffed but quickly got distracted, playing with the buttons on my sleeve. I watched her, my chest tightening.She had no idea.No idea that I wasn’t really her father.No idea that the man she called ‘Daddy’ wasn’t the one who had given her life. And she never would have known i
272Alaric’s POVRage was a living, breathing thing inside me. It burned through my veins, consuming every rational thought, leaving only the raw, seething anger that had taken root in my soul since the truth came out. The Cruz family. Those bastards had killed Dominic. And Allesio—someone I trusted, someone who was supposed to be my right hand—had known all along. He had kept it from me. Lied to my face.I gritted my teeth as I sat in my office, gripping the armrests of my chair so hard that the leather creaked beneath my fingers. The image of my brother’s face flashed in my mind—Dominic, who had always had my back, who had always put family first. He was gone. And the people responsible had been breathing easy all this time.Because Allesio let them.I slammed my fist onto the desk, sending a glass of whiskey toppling over. The amber liquid spilled across the wood, but I didn’t give a damn. My chest heaved as I forced myself to calm down. It didn’t work.The sound of heels clicking