266

266
Allesio’s POV
It 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 bumped into her.
Emilia.
I hadn’t expected to see her. Not now. Not here.
She stood there, her eyes wide, as if she hadn’t expected to run into me either. I felt even more suffocated now that I saw her, the fact that we were family now-at least, technically.
She wore a cool, distant mask, something that felt like sadness or fear, or maybe it was just the tension I felt that was making me see things. Her gaze flickered down briefly, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.
“Allesio,” she said quietly, her voice tentative but controlled, like she was walking on a tightrope, trying not to fall into anything too complicated. It made me wonder if she and Alaric had a fight and that was what was disrupting her mood. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
I had to force myself to look away from her for a moment, to break the intense eye contact. My chest tightened. The guilt was rising again, like a tidal wave. She didn’t know. None of them did. But I did. I knew too much. I knew that her father, Alonso, was tangled up in Dominic’s death, and I knew that if Alaric found out, it would be the end of everything.
“You’re here to see Alaric?” I asked, trying to sound casual. My voice was too sharp and she raised a brow.
I saw a flicker of suspicion, maybe. She didn’t buy the casual tone. She never did.
“Actually, yes,” she said. “But I think I’ll be the one asking you if you’re here for Alaric.” She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing slightly, as if she was trying to read me. She always was good at that.
I shifted uncomfortably, suddenly aware of how much I didn’t want her to know what was going on inside my head. She was Alaric’s fiancee, but she was also the daughter of Alonso Cruz. And everything about her made this situation so much worse.
I cleared my throat. “Just passing through,” I said, trying to shrug off the guilt I was feeling. “I’ve got some things to take care of, you know.”
Emilia nodded, but she didn’t look convinced. “Is everything all right with you, Allesio? You look… I don’t know…bothered?”
I stiffened, instinctively. It was as if she had reached in and pried open a part of me I didn’t want her to see. The truth was, everything felt off. I was off. I had never felt so conflicted in my life. But I couldn’t tell her that. Not here, not now. She wasn’t the one I needed to unload on.
“I’m fine,” I said, my voice tight.
She didn’t believe me. I could see it in her eyes. She took a step closer, crossing her arms over her chest, her brow furrowed in that familiar way. “I don’t believe you,” she said softly. “Something’s been wrong with you for a while now, hasn’t it?”
I hated how well she knew me. She wasn’t wrong, though. I’d been off for weeks. But it wasn’t something I could just talk about, not with her, not with anyone. Not when the consequences were so damn high.
“Just… a lot on my mind,” I muttered, stepping past her as quickly as I could. “I’ll be fine. You should talk to Alaric. He’s waiting for you.”
I thought I had gotten away from her, but then I heard her voice, soft but insistent, calling my name.
“Allesio.”
I stopped, but I didn’t turn around immediately. My jaw clenched. I wasn’t ready for this conversation. Not with her. Not with anyone.
When I finally turned to face her, she was staring at me, her expression unreadable.
“Why do you look so guilty, Allesio?” she asked, her voice so quiet it almost seemed like she was afraid of the answer.
I opened my mouth to say something, to deflect, to push this conversation away like I had done with everyone else, but the words caught in my throat. How could I explain what I was feeling? How could I admit to her that I knew things about her father-things that could destroy her relationship with Alaric, things that could destroy everything?
I couldn’t.
“I’m not guilty,” I said, finally. “I’m just… tired.”
Her gaze softened, but I could see the doubt still swimming around in her eyes. She wasn’t buying it. She had always been able to see right through everyone, and I hated that about her right now.
She took a step closer, as if she couldn’t help herself, but then she stopped. “I know we aren’t close, but if you’re feeling something, if there’s something wrong, you know you can talk to me.”
I knew she meant it. I knew she cared, in her own way, even though we weren’t close. But I couldn’t talk to her. Not now. Not about this.
I forced a smile, the one that never quite reached my eyes, and nodded. “Thanks, but I’m good. Really.”
She studied me for a moment longer, and then, with a slight nod, she turned away.
I watched her disappear down the hallway, her figure growing smaller with every step.
I turned away and made my way down the hall, my mind reeling, my steps slower than usual. I hadn’t realized how much I needed that distraction, that brief conversation with Emilia, even if it only made the guilt worse. The truth was, I felt like I was trapped. Every choice I made seemed to push me further into a corner, and the more I tried to hold it all together, the more the threads started to unravel.
I was trying to protect Rosa. I had promised her, over and over, that I wouldn’t tell Alaric about her Alonso’s role in Dominic’s death. And yet, here I was, standing on the precipice of something I wasn’t sure I could stop anymore. Every time I saw Alaric, every time he looked at me like he was trying to read me, it made my stomach twist in a way I couldn’t ignore.
How much longer could I keep this from him?
The question buzzed in my mind like a persistent fly, never leaving me alone. I had been able to bury it before, but not now-not after everything that had happened in the past week.
I reached Alaric’s office, my hand hovering just above the doorknob. I could hear the faint sound of voices from inside, but they were too muffled for me to make out. The door opened before I had a chance to knock, one of our men, Gabriel, stepped out. He nodded at me, then quickly disappeared down the hallway.
Alaric’s eyes were already on me as I walked in, his gaze sharp, like he had been expecting me.
“Allesio,” he said, his voice low, but there was an edge to it that made me uneasy. “Is everything okay?”
I froze, feeling the air in my lungs thickening. There it was, that familiar question. He had been noticing. And I hated that he was.
“I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile. I tried to make my voice sound casual, but it came out strained, as if I was holding my breath. “Just tired. A lot on my plate, you know how it is.”
Alaric didn’t look convinced. He leaned back in his chair, studying me for a moment before speaking again, his voice quieter this time.
“You’re lying, and I know it. Whatever’s bothering you, you can tell me. I’m not just your boss, Allesio. I’m your friend. I’m your brother. I’m your cousin. You don’t have to keep everything locked inside.”
I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to ignore the sick feeling in my gut. He was giving me an out. He was giving me the chance to tell him what I’d been holding back, to come clean. And yet, the words stuck in my throat like they always did.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered, refusing to meet his eyes. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat louder than the last.
Alaric’s gaze darkened, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he exhaled sharply and sat up straighter in his chair. He must have sensed my discomfort, but he wasn’t going to push me past my limits. Not yet, anyway.
“Alright,” he said, his voice more resigned now. “I’m not going to force you to talk if you’re not ready. Just know that I’m here when you are.”
I wanted to collapse in relief, but I couldn’t. Instead, I nodded stiffly, trying to regain my composure. The weight of the secret between us was suffocating, and the longer I kept it from him, the worse it would be when it eventually came to light.
Alaric leaned forward, folding his arms across his chest as if he had a thought he wanted to share. “I know things have been complicated lately. With Rosa, with everything. But if you need help with something, don’t hesitate to ask. I’m not just some leader you report to. I’m your friend.”
His words were sincere, but they felt hollow.
I forced myself to smile again, even though it felt wrong. “Thanks, Alaric. I appreciate it.”
He nodded slowly, watching me closely. I could feel the weight of his gaze, and for a moment, I wondered if he knew. If he suspected the truth.
But I couldn’t let myself entertain that thought. I couldn’t let myself spiral into doubt.
“Alright, then,” Alaric said, standing up from his chair. “I’ll let you go. Just remember, Allesio… whatever happens, I’ve got your back.”
I managed a tight smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes. As I turned and walked out of his office, I felt a hollow emptiness in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t ready to confront the truth. Not yet. Not until it all exploded in my face.
But I knew it was coming.
And when it did, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle it.