Next day..
Amara stood in the garden, her arms crossed as she gazed at the flowers in bloom, trying to lose herself in the calm of the morning. The warmth of the sun kissed her skin, but despite the serene surroundings, her mind was far from peaceful.
It had been days since the tension with Alessandro had intensified, and his relentless persistence was beginning to gnaw at her nerves.
She sighed when she caught sight of him walking through the garden gate.
‘Why is he here again?’ she muttered under her breath, the irritation already building as she watched him approach.
Alessandro strode toward her with his usual swagger, a casual smile plastered on his face as if nothing in the world could bother him. His charm, though effortless to everyone else, felt like a thorn digging deeper into her patience.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Alessandro greeted, stepping closer and leaning in to kiss her cheek.
Amara rolled her eyes, not even attempting to hide her disdain..
“What’s it now, Alessandro?” she asked, her voice sharp.
Alessandro chuckled softly, ignoring the venom in her tone as if it were nothing more than playful banter. “Get ready, Amara. I want to take you out somewhere.”
She raised her eyes to meet his, the intensity of her glare making it clear she had no interest in his little outing. “Which gunfight are you taking me to this time?”
Her words hung in the air, a sharp jab at the chaos he had dragged her into time and again. She could still remember Cruise and Venice.. the bullets, the fear, the near-death experience for Vaughn. It wasn’t something she could so easily forgive, let alone forget..
Alessandro let out another laugh, this time a bit more subdued. “Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, but this time, no gunfights. Just… a surprise…”
He reached out, lightly brushing his fingers against her cheek, a gesture meant to soften her resistance, but it only fueled her irritation. “Come on, Amara,” he coaxed. “Give me a chance.”
Amara shook her head, stepping back to distance herself from his touch. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she stated, her voice as cold as the morning dew.
Alessandro followed, his persistence like a shadow that wouldn’t let her breathe. “Please, sweetheart,” he repeated, the smoothness of his voice bordering on a plea.
“No,” Amara snapped, quickening her pace toward the house.
“Please…,” Alessandro echoed, keeping stride with her.
Amara shot him a glare, her annoyance flaring. “Still no.”
Alessandro paused for a moment, clearly not deterred by her repeated refusals. His eyes darted to the side, and Amara followed his gaze, her stomach sinking as she saw her father, Vincent, making his way across the garden.
Alessandro seized the moment with a sly smile. “Hello, Uncle,” he greeted warmly, his voice loud enough to catch Vincent’s attention.
Amara’s eyes widened, the blood rushing to her head. She knew what Alessandro was doing, and the sheer audacity of it made her want to scream.
Vincent approached, his usual calm demeanor masking whatever thoughts were going on behind his eyes. Alessandro wasted no time. “Uncle, would it be alright if I take Amara out for a bit? Just for the afternoon,” he asked, his tone casual yet respectful, a stark contrast to the tension bubbling between him and Amara.
Amara’s heart pounded in her chest, a surge of anger rising so quickly she could barely keep it in check. How dare he? How dare Alessandro ask her father, knowing full well that she had been refusing him this entire time? He was doing this on purpose, forcing her hand in a way he knew she couldn’t defy without causing a scene. Right in the moment, she wanted nothing more than stab Alessandro over one hundred times…
Her eyes shot daggers at Alessaessandro’s request. In his eyes, it seemed like a reasonable idea.. after all, the two of them needed to spend more time together, to figure out how to coexist peacefully. “That sounds like a good idea,” Vincent finally said, nodding thoughtfully. “You two should spend more time together, get to know each other better.”
“But, Dad.. I need to pick Vaughn from school in an hour..” Amara began, her voice tinged with desperation, but Vincent cut her off with a wave of his hand.
“Don’t worry, I’ll ask Lucas to pick up Vaughn from school. You go and enjoy your afternoon,” Vincent said, his tone final, leaving no room for argument.
As he walked away, Amara stood frozen, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. She could feel Alessandro’s eyes on her, smug and triumphant.
Her blood boiled. The urge to punch him in the face.. to wipe that self-satisfied grin off his face.. was overwhelming, but she held back, knowing it would only give him more satisfaction.
“You’re going to regret this, Alessandro,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice low but laced with venom.
Alessandro’s grin only widened, his amusement clear. “Oh, I’m so scared,” he teased, his voice dripping with mock fear.
Amara glared at him, her rage simmering just below the surface, but before she could unleash another retort, Alessandro stepped forward, cutting her off with a smooth, almost too-pleasant tone. “Now, if you please,” he gestured toward the house..
She shot him one final look of disdain, a look that said, I hate you, before turning on her heel and storming inside. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
Inside, Amara grabbed her things, her mind racing with fury. How had Alessandro managed to turn the tables so quickly? She had no choice now, not with her father involved.
She tried to steady herself, but the anger continued to churn inside her, like a storm waiting to break..
Alessandro was waiting for her by the car, leaning against the sleek black vehicle with a smug confidence that made her want to scream. She had never met someone so infuriating, so skilled at manipulating every situation to his advantage. And yet, there was something else there, something in the way he looked at her that made her wonder if all of this.. his persistence, his games.. was more than just a way to win.
Was he actually trying to prove something?
She clenched her jaw and approached the car, the cold air biting at her skin. Alessandro opened the door for her, still smiling as if he hadn’t just played the dirtiest trick in the book.
“After you, sweetheart,” he said smoothly.