25Alaric’s POV I was breathing hard by the time I sped back into my driveway and parked my ride in the middle of it, leaving the door open as I stepped out and stormed towards the house entrance. Allesio came down from the car and hurried after me.I had only been getting angrier each passing minute because I couldn’t understand why this was happening to me when I was in power. During my father’s reign, shit like this doesn’t happen. But this…this happening during my reign, it was going to put a stain on my record and that vexed me.“Ric,” Allesio called out, falling into step beside me, but I didn’t answer him. I couldn’t focus on him. All my mind was on how I was going to fix what had happened. This could ruin my empire. All the things I’ve built since I came into power.“Ric,” Allesio called out again and I turned to him, glaring at him to shut the hell up before focusing on the path to my office. I didn’t have any enemies. All enemity my father had made before his death, I had m
26Emilia’s POV Francesca was still crying and hiccuping in my arms when Alaric stepped in, closing the door behind him so quietly that I wouldn’t have known that he was in already in here had I not been facing the door.He looked torn, his whole demeanor downcast as he took a step forward and paused, as if contemplating turning around and going out. But he didn’t do that. Instead he took another step forward. And another, until he was standing in front of me, and then fell to his knees. He put his hand on Francesca’s arm, and she raised her head. On seeing that it was him, she brushed him away and buries her face in my chest.“Francesca. Baby,” he called out in a broken voice but she shook her head.“Go away,” she demanded. “I don’t want to see you here. Go away!”“Baby. Baby I’m sorry,” he said gravely. “I’m so sorry, baby. Daddy is sorry, okay? Daddy didn’t mean to yell like that.”“Go away!” She insisted, refusing to look at him.“Francesca,” I intervened, looking away from Alari
27Alaric’s POV It was late afternoon as I stepped into the house, my head pounding from exhaustation. I would still have to go back to the office in about an hour or two, and all I wanted at the moment was to rest for the amount of time I’d spend here before I went back.My eyes involuntarily snapped to Emilia who was standing in front of the window, watching Francesca playing in the garden with a small smile on her face. As much as I had tried to, I couldn’t get her scent out of my head this morning. I couldn’t get her scent out of my bed, unless I was going to burn up the sheets, or send them to the laundress which I didn’t have time for at the moment.She had left this morning before Francesca and I even woke up. And J wondered how she managed to slip out of the room without me even noticing. And I hadn’t seen her since then. Until now.She turned to me after a few moments, her expression serious. “Alaric, we need to talk.”I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the directness in her
28Emilia’s POV I wanted to go back to my house.No. I needed to go back to my house. To pack up all my things that I hadn’t been able to when Alaric insisted I stayed here, and also got me clothes. I hadn’t gone back to my own place since then.I wanted my things. I needed my things actually. My clothes, my books…everything. I was mulling over it while I went down the stairs as, only to see Alaric turning around the corner that led to his office.My heart skipped a beat as I practically jumped down the last of the steps. I took a steadying breath, hurrying to him.“Alaric,” I called, keeping my tone calm and composed.He stopped, turning to look at me, eyebrows raised in mild surprise. “Yes?”“I’d like to go back to my apartment for a few hours,” I said. “I left a lot of my belongings behind, and I’d like to pack them up properly and bring them here.”I could practically hear my heart beating so hard in my chest, and I could see his expression shift into one of disapproval.“It’s no
29Alaric’s POV After Emilia had come to my study last night with her drenched phone in hand, I’d known I’d have to get her a replacement. She hadn’t asked for it directly, and part of me respected that; she wasn’t one to demand things. But that phone was her connection to the world outside these walls, and in a way, I knew she relied on it. I’d told myself it was just a practical decision, a way to keep her occupied and, hopefully, content.So, this morning, I’d arranged for a new one to be delivered. I picked a model similar to the one she had, simple enough but even more upgraded, and left it with Allesio to hand over to her.That was over three hours ago. And I know that Allesio had given her the phone by now. I ran my hands through my hair, focusing on my schedule for this month. It was already tight as fuck. And I didn’t know how I was going to get through with it.A soft knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts, and I already knew who it would be.“Come in,” I called, sitti
30Emilia’s POV Having a new phone with me was bringing a mix of relief and excitement. It had barely been a whole day without my old phone but if made me feel like I had been entirely cut off from my world.Allesio had helped me transfer all the information from my old phone into the new one. And I wasn’t expecting Alaric to get me the latest model of my phone, but he did. And though it was kind of confusing to operate, I still appreciated it.I scrolled through the contacts that Allesio had copied over from my old phone, and seeing familiar names on the screen made my chest tighten. There were so many messages I’d missed, especially from Matteo and Rosa, my best friend. They’d both been blowing up my phone in the few hours I had been unreachable, and I knew I owed them explanations.I decided to start with Matteo. Dialing his number, I tapped my foot anxiously, listening to the rings.“Finally!” His voice burst through the line, laced with relief and a hint of irritation. “Where th
31Alaric’s POV When I agreed to let Emilia check on her brother, I didn’t expect to be dragged along. But somehow, I found myself standing outside the sterile doors of Matteo’s hospital room, the hum of fluorescent lights above and the lingering smell of antiseptics filling the air. Emilia was silent beside me, her shoulders tense. We hadn’t exchanged more than necessary words over the past week, and I intended to maintain that by all means necessary.Emilia stepped forward, hand already on the door, but she hesitated, glancing back at me. I could tell she was hesitating, probably rethinking the whole thing. I didn’t know why exactly she had asked me to come but now she looked like it was a bad idea. I kept my expression flat. I wasn’t here to comfort anyone. I watched her shoulders stiffen as she pushed the door open and stepped inside.Matteo looked worse than I’d expected—pale, worn down. That was a surprise. I thought he was already getting better. His dark eyes flickered to the
32Emilia’s POV I was standing behind Francesca, brushing her hair into a bun when the door of her room pushed open. She raised her head slightly. “Hi dad,” she greeted before shifting her gaze down to the barbie cartoon she was watching on her tablet.“Sweetie,” he said in acknowledgement. I looked at him as I eventually wrapped Francesca’s hair into a bun and held it in place with a rubber. He and I have barely seen each other since two days ago when I had requested for him to follow me to the hospital. I had wanted Matteo to see that he was not as bad as he thought, but that was a very stupid mistake on my part. I didn’t know why I thought I’d be able to change Matteo’s mind. If I was stubborn, Matteo was even worse than I am.The way Alaric kept staring at me made it clear that he had something he wanted to say to me. And he didn’t want to say it in front of Francesca.I kissed her cheek, my hand lingering on her shoulder for a little while as I started moving towards him. He tur
266Allesio’s POVIt had been a week since I made that promise to Rosa. Since I promised her that I won’t tell Alaric. And each day felt like a weight pressing down harder on my chest. The guilt of keeping the secret, the guilt of betraying Alaric, was gnawing at me, and I couldn’t escape it. The promise I’d made to her—I won’t tell Alaric, I won’t tell anyone—had started to feel less like a vow and more like a cage I couldn’t break out of.I spent more time at the mansion than her condo now, hoping to bury my thoughts under the grind of work. I told myself that keeping my focus on Alaric, on what I owed him, would keep my head straight. But every time I looked at him, every time I saw his face, the guilt flared up again. It didn’t matter that Rosa was the one I loved. I had a duty to Alaric that I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much my heart pulled me in the other direction.This war with myself—loyalty versus love—was eating away at me.I had just stepped off the elevator when I bum
265Rosa’s POVIt was late when Allesio finally came back into to the condo. The air between us wasn’t just tense—it felt fragile, like a glass already cracked and on the verge of shattering. But this time, it wasn’t about the Cruz family or Dominic’s death. Something else weighed on him.“Allesio?” I called softly, setting my book down on the nightstand. He paused in the doorway, his hand resting on the frame like it was the only thing holding him up.“Rosa.” His voice was low, almost hoarse, and I knew whatever he was carrying wasn’t just another argument waiting to happen.I stood, crossing the room until I was close enough to see the faint lines of worry etched on his face. “What is it?”He hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “There’s trouble at the docks.”My stomach clenched. “Again?” I breathed out.“Yes. Again,” he murmured in reply.“What happened?” I asked.“Alaric got word that a shipment went missing. Weapons, high-grade. Some of the guys think it’s a setup.” His jaw tight
264Allesio’s POV.“You’re lying to yourself, Allesio. And it’s going to destroy you.”Rosa’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade, sharp and deliberate. I looked up from the glass in my hand, the amber liquid trembling slightly as I set it down. Her words hung in the air, daring me to respond, but for a moment, I didn’t. I couldn’t.Instead, I leaned back against the chair, exhaling slowly. “What am I supposed to say to that?” I muttered, my tone edged with exhaustion. “You want me to admit you’re right? That I’m falling apart? That I don’t have the first clue how to fix any of this?”“I want you to stop pretending you can carry all of it alone.” Rosa crossed her arms, her gaze piercing. “Because you can’t. And if you don’t realize that soon, it’ll cost us everything.”I ran a hand through my hair, the frustration boiling over. “And what exactly do you suggest, huh? Just tell Alaric the truth and hope he doesn’t tear the world apart looking for revenge? Because that’s exa
263Allesio’s POVI felt like I was losing my grip on reality. Every time I saw Rosa, it was like the walls were closing in. Her confession still hung over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how much I tried to shake it, the weight wouldn’t lift. The guilt wasn’t just about keeping secrets from Alaric—it was the deeper betrayal I couldn’t even admit to myself. The tangled mess of Dominic’s death, the Cruz family, and Rosa’s insistence on her and her family’s innocence had my head spinning.The worst part? I wasn’t sure if Alaric had picked up on it yet. If he hadn’t picked up on it that I already knew and I was hiding it. He wasn’t blind, and he definitely wasn’t stupid. The man could read me like a book on my best day, and I wasn’t even pretending well anymore.I couldn’t avoid him forever, though. I was in his office, and the air felt even more suffocating than usual. He was flipping through some papers at the scattered on the table, his focus seemingly on anything but me.Meanwhi
262Allesio’s POV“Do you ever think about how things might’ve been if Dominic were still alive?” I asked, my tone casual, though my heart thudded heavily in my chest. I was at Rosa’s condo today too. It was where I was spending most of my free time now. And I decided that I wanted to know everything today. Maybe, just maybe she doesn’t know anything and I don’t have to choose between her and Alaric.She raised a brow, giving me a somewhat confused look. “Dominic?”“Alaric’s brother. Do you think if Dominic was still alive, Alaric would have been a better man than he is now?” I asked her, observing her intently. “Do you ever think about how things might have been I’d Dominic were still alive?”Rosa froze for a moment, her glass hovering mid-air. “That’s a loaded question, Allesio.”I shrugged, keeping my gaze steady. “Is it? Alaric does. A lot. He doesn’t say it, but I know he’s still haunted by it.”Her eyes flicked to mine, wide and uncertain. “Haunted how?”“Like he’s carrying some
261Allesio’s POVSecrets have a way of sinking into your bones, of twisting around your every thought like a barbed wire. No matter how much I tried to focus on the present, the weight of the decision I’d made not to share Rosa’s information with Alaric clawed at me.It wasn’t like I didn’t understand the stakes. Alaric and I had been through enough together for me to know how he operated. Loyalty wasn’t just a requirement in our world—it was the lifeline that kept you breathing. And yet, I chose Rosa.It wasn’t a decision I’d made lightly, but every time I thought about the way her eyes brightened whenever she saw me, I knew I couldn’t throw her into Alaric’s crosshairs. Not when she trusted me.Alaric was already seated in the dimly lit bar when I arrived, a whiskey glass in his hand and an air of impatience hovering around him.“You’re late,” he said, his eyes cutting toward me as I slid into the seat across from him.“Traffic,” I lied smoothly, signaling the bartender for a drink
260Rosa’s POV.The afternoon sunlight was warm on my face as Allesio and I walked back to the apartment. The day had been full of small joys—ice cream, bookshops, and just the comfort of him being with me, but something was very off about him. It was just too obvious. And it had been for a few weeks now and I couldn’t figure out what the issue was.Allesio wasn’t himself.Sure, he laughed at my jokes and indulged me when I dragged him into yet another store to look at scarves or quirky trinkets. He held my hand and kissed my temple like always, but there was a distance in his eyes. It was like his mind was somewhere else, wrestling with something I couldn’t see.“Are you okay?” I asked again, keeping my tone light as we climbed into the elevator lifting us up to our apartment. I just couldn’t let it sit still, seeing him so obviously bothered.“Yeah,” he said quickly, a little too quickly.I let it slide, but my curiosity sharpened. This wasn’t the first time I’d felt him pulling awa
259Allesio’s POVRosa was standing in the kitchen, by the stove and starring a pot with one hand while the other rested on her hip. Currently we were at her new condo she just moved into. She has this small smile on her face, so beautiful and so effortless that it struc me how lucky I was to have her in my life.“You’re staring,” she said, glancing at me over her shoulder with a teasing smirk.I leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. “And if I am?”“You’re distracting me,” she replied, though the smile playing on her lips betrayed her mock annoyance.I pushed off the doorframe and walked over, wrapping my arms around her waist. “If I’m distracting you, it’s only fair. You’ve been distracting me since the day we met.”She laughed again softly and warmly and leaned into me. “You’re such a charmer, you know that?”“Only for you,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.Moments like these felt almost too good to be true. The simplicity of being with her, the ease of her presence—it
258Alaric’s POVI watched her from across the room. She was sitting there, her arms crossed, looking down at her lap as if trying to collect herself. Her shoulders were trembling ever so slightly, and I could feel the guilt gnawing at me, making my chest tighten with each passing second.I had messed up. Big time. I had let the rage and the need for control cloud my judgment, and now she was sitting there, hurt, angry, and devastated because of the choices I had made without her. Without her.I was so damn stupid.“Emilia,” I said, my voice low but firm, my feet taking me toward her before I even realized what I was doing. She didn’t look up when I said her name, but I knew she heard me.She didn’t respond, though. She just kept looking at her hands, fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. I could feel the distance between us, like an invisible wall had gone up the moment I’d made the decision to move against Alonso without even telling her.I could feel her anger radiating fro