246
Emilia’s POV
The phone buzzed over and over again, its incessant vibration making my stomach tighten. I glanced at the screen-“Alonso Cruz” flashed ominously in the dim light. For a moment, I debated ignoring it. I didn’t want to hear more from him, especially not after everything that had happened. But the curiosity, or perhaps a fleeting hope, got the better of me. I swiped to answer.
“Hello?”
“Emilia,” Alonso’s voice slid through the phone, smooth and calm, like he was speaking from a distant, controlled place. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
I sat up straighter. “No, it’s fine. What’s going on?”
“I’d like to invite you and Alaric to dinner,” he said, almost too casually.
I froze. Dinner? With Alonso? The man who seemed to be the very embodiment of everything Alaric despised? The man who’d caused so much turmoil in our lives? It felt like a trap. But the calm in Alonso’s voice-measured, even cordial-gave me pause.
“Dinner?” I repeated, buying myself a moment to think.
“Yes. I think it’s time we all sat down and talked. Put the past behind us,” Alonso continued smoothly. “A neutral setting, of course. A peaceful evening to discuss what we both want: an end to the hostilities, perhaps.”
I hesitated, my mind racing. I didn’t trust Alonso-how could I? But the idea of peace, of resolving things with him, it tugged at me. Could this be a genuine offer? Or was it another ploy?
“I’ll talk to Alaric about it,” I said finally, though I wasn’t sure how he would respond.
“Of course,” Alonso replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. “But do let him know that this invitation is one I wouldn’t extend lightly.”
Before I could respond, the line went dead. I sat there, staring at the phone, my heart hammering against my chest. What had I just agreed to? And why did I feel like I was walking into a minefield?
Alaric didn’t take the news well.
“A dinner?” he spat, his voice thick with disbelief. He paced the room, his movements sharp, his fists clenched at his sides. “With Alonso Cruz? Are you serious, Emilia?”
I tried to keep my voice steady. “Yes, I’m serious. He said it’s a chance to talk, to work things out.”
Alaric’s eyes narrowed as he stopped pacing, his gaze fixing on me like a predator eyeing its prey. “Work things out? With him? You can’t be serious, Emilia. That man doesn’t ‘work things out.’ He manipulates. He schemes. And you know that.”
“I know,” I said quickly, holding my hands up in a placating gesture. “But what if this is genuine? What if he really does want peace? Can’t we at least hear him out?”
“No.” Alaric’s voice was cold and final.
I rubbed my temples, trying to fight off the headache that was forming. “Alaric, you can’t keep fighting forever. Maybe this could be-”
“No,” he cut me off again, shaking his head. “It’s not worth the risk.”
“But you don’t even know what he’s going to say,” I persisted, frustration edging into my voice.
“I don’t need to know,” he snapped. “I know him. He’s playing a game. He always is.”
“Alaric-”
“Why are you so eager to trust him?” His voice dropped, turning sharp as a knife. “What is it about him that makes you so willing to believe his lies?”
“I’m not trusting him!” I shot back, my words more forceful than I intended. “I just think… maybe we need to try something different. For once, can we try to talk instead of immediately resorting to violence?”
He let out a bitter laugh, and I could see the anger simmering behind his eyes. “You’re too hopeful, Emilia. You always see the best in people-even when they don’t deserve it.”
“And you see the worst,” I shot back before I could stop myself. “You’re so wrapped up in your anger that you can’t see the potential for anything different.”
Alaric’s jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. For a moment, I thought he might lash out, but instead, he turned away, his shoulders stiff with suppressed rage.
“Fine,” he said, his voice low and controlled. “We’ll go. But if this is a trap-”
“It won’t be,” I interjected, though I couldn’t shake the nagging doubt in the back of my mind.
Alaric spun around, his gaze fierce, locking with mine. “If it is, Emilia, I’ll make sure Alonso regrets ever thinking he could manipulate us.”
I took a step towards him. “Alaric, you don’t have to come with me. You trust me, right? And you know that I can handle it on my own. Better still, Allesio can come with me.”
“We’re going,” he said, his voice calm. “But I won’t sit back and let Alonso play games. If this is a trap, it’ll be the last one he ever sets.”
I nodded, not sure what else to say. My shoulders sagged in relief and I wanted to sit down when I heard Alaric mutter something under his breath-something that made me freeze in my tracks.
“We’re not going,” he said again, this time with a finality that made my stomach drop. “I’ve changed my mind. It’s not worth it.”
I blinked, taken aback. “What? Alaric, we just agreed to-”
“I said no,” he interrupted, turning to face me fully. His eyes were like steel. “We’re not going. It’s not worth it. I won’t risk anything, not after everything that’s happened.”
I stared at him, confusion flooding my thoughts. “But we-”
“No,” he repeated, his voice firm this time. “I’m not going to play his game, Emilia. You heard what he said. This is all part of his manipulation. I’m not falling for it.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat. I could feel my heart sinking, and all I could see was every possiblity of reconciliation slipping through my fingers.
“You promised,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “You promised we’d try, that we’d at least give it a chance.”
Alaric’s face softened for just a moment, but it quickly hardened again. “I meant what I said, Emilia. But that was before I understood just how dangerous he still is. You think this dinner is going to fix anything? You think one conversation will change everything between us? It won’t. It can’t.”
I took a step back. “So that’s it? You won’t even consider it? Not for me? For us?”
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration flashing across his face. “It’s not about us, Emilia. It’s about protecting you. I won’t let him get close to you. Not now, not ever.”
The bitterness in his voice stung, even though I knew he was just trying to protect me. But it didn’t make it any easier. I wanted to scream, to shake him and make him see reason. This wasn’t just about protecting me-it was about us, about our future.
“Then what are we doing, Alaric?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion. “Are we supposed to live in this constant war with everyone around us? How long are we supposed to keep fighting, always assuming the worst of everyone? I’m so tired of it.”
Alaric’s expression softened slightly, but he didn’t step toward me. “I know, Emilia. I know you’re tired. But I’m not willing to risk your safety for the sake of trying to get along with a man who has never given us anything but pain.”
I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breath. I wanted to argue, to tell him that I needed this, that we needed this-some kind of peace, some kind of normalcy. But deep down, I knew he wasn’t wrong. Not completely.
I opened my eyes and met his gaze, my heart aching. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Alaric’s voice was soft when he spoke again. “You don’t have to do anything, Emilia. Let me handle this. I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise you that.”
The promise was familiar, too familiar. It was the same promise he’d made before, and yet here we were again, standing on the edge of yet another dangerous decision.
I shook my head, tears welling up despite myself. “You don’t have to handle everything for me, Alaric. I’m not a child. I want to fight with you, not just watch from the sidelines.”
He sighed, his hand coming up to rub his temples. “I don’t know what the right answer is, Emilia. I just know that I’m not willing to risk you getting hurt again. Not for anything.”
The tears finally fell, and I wiped them away quickly, my throat tight. “I’m not asking you to risk me, Alaric. I’m asking you to trust me. To trust us.”
He was silent for a moment. And then, finally, he nodded hesitantly.
“Okay,” he said quietly. “We won’t go to the dinner. But that’s the end of it. No more talks. No more games.”
I swallowed hard, feeling a mix of relief and frustration. “I understand.”
But deep down, I wasn’t sure if I did.