271

271
Allesio’s POV
I tried to act normal. I really did. But every time I looked at Rosa, the truth of what I’d done pressed harder against my chest, making it impossible to breathe.
She didn’t know. Not yet. And God, I wished I could keep it that way forever.
We were sitting in the garden, the scent of freshly watered flowers thick in the air. Rosa was trimming some roses, focused, quiet. It was the first moment we’d had alone since she came back from her trip with Emilia.
“Did you enjoy it?” I asked, my voice steady.
She glanced at me, eyes suspicious. “Why are you asking like that?”
I forced a smirk. “Like what?”
“Like you actually care.”
I scoffed, leaning back against the bench. “I do care. You act like I’m a heartless bastard.”
She snorted. “Because you are.”
I should’ve laughed, thrown a snarky remark back, but the words hit different now. If she knew what I had done, she’d mean it.
She went back to snipping away at the roses, her silence unsettling. I used to find comfort in our quiet moments, but now they suffocated me.
“I saw Alaric earlier,” she said suddenly.
My stomach twisted. “Yeah?”
She nodded, not looking at me. “He didn’t say anything about you.”
Of course, he didn’t. Alaric hadn’t said a word to me since everything happened. No matter how many times I tried to talk to him, he shut me out. I was lucky he hadn’t killed me yet.
“He’s still pissed,” I muttered.
Rosa finally turned to me, eyes sharp. “Can you blame him?”
I clenched my jaw. “No.”
Silence stretched between us again. This time, it was heavier.
Rosa wiped her hands on her dress and sat down across from me, crossing her legs. “Why do I feel like you’re hiding something?”
I tensed but kept my face neutral. “What are you talking about?”
She squinted at me. “You’ve been weird ever since I got back.”
“I’m always weird.”
“This is different.”
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Maybe I just missed you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Deflect.”
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. “Rosa-”
“You’re lying about something.” She tilted her head, studying me. “And you suck at lying to me.”
I hated how well she knew me. Hated how easily she could see through the cracks in my armor.
But I couldn’t tell her.
If I did, she’d never forgive me.
And I wasn’t ready to lose her yet.
Dinner at the estate was tense.
Not because of Rosa-she was laughing with Emilia, casually stealing food off her plate while Alaric pretended not to notice.
He hadn’t looked at me once.
Not when I sat down, not when I spoke, not even when I passed him the wine bottle. He acted like I didn’t exist.
I wasn’t used to this.
For years, I’d been at his side. His second-in-command. His brother in everything but blood. And now, I was nothing.
I forced myself to eat, even though everything tasted like ash.
“You’re unusually quiet,” Emilia said, nudging my arm.
I smirked, pushing a piece of bread toward her. “Just enjoying the show.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You mean Rosa stealing my food?”
“Exactly.”
Rosa rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like I don’t do this all the time.”
“That’s not the point!” Emilia groaned, smacking her hand away when she tried to grab another piece of steak. “You literally have your own plate.”
Rosa grinned. “Yours just tastes better.”
Emilia turned to Alaric. “Are you going to say something about this?”
He barely spared us a glance. “No.”
The conversation died. The lighthearted mood vanished.
I knew Emilia and Rosa felt it too, the tension and awkwardness between him and I.
I put my fork down. “Alaric-”
He stood abruptly. “I’m done.”
Emilia grabbed his arm before he could leave. “Alaric.”
He exhaled through his nose but didn’t shake her off.
“Talk to him,” she said softly. “You can’t ignore him forever.”
His jaw clenched. “Yes, I can.”
Then he walked out.
I swallowed hard, pushing back the urge to follow him.
Rosa watched me, her expression unreadable. “What did you do?”
My chest tightened. “Nothing.”
Her eyes flashed. “Liar.”
I couldn’t answer. I got up and walked away.
I sat in the study, pouring myself another drink.
The estate was quiet now. The only sound was the ice clinking against the glass as I took a slow sip, letting the burn settle in my throat.
I had spent the last few weeks trying to fix things, trying to prove to Alaric that I regretted what I had done. But maybe it wasn’t enough. Maybe it never would be.
The door creaked open.
I didn’t have to look up to know who it was.
Rosa stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “You didn’t even say goodnight.”
I sighed, setting my glass down. “Didn’t think you’d care.”
She walked over, standing in front of me with her arms crossed. “Stop being an idiot.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Easier said than done.”
She leaned against the desk, studying me. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
I hesitated. “No.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. “You’re a coward.”
I flinched.
She had no idea how right she was.
She shook her head. “I don’t know what you did, but whatever it is, it’s tearing you apart.”
I exhaled, rubbing a hand down my face. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does if it’s ruining you.”
I met her gaze, my throat tight. “Would you still look at me the same if you knew the truth?”
She didn’t answer right away. And that silence told me everything.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a smirk. “Exactly.”
She reached out, hesitating before touching my arm. “I don’t care about whatever mistakes you made. But I care if you destroy yourself over them.”
I looked away. “I already have.”
She sighed, frustrated. “Then let me help.”
I wanted to. God, I wanted to, but she couldn’t fix this.
No one could.
I stood, stepping past her. “Go to bed, Rosa.”
She grabbed my wrist, stopping me. “I’m not giving up on you, Allesio.”
I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply.
Maybe she should. Oh God.
I should have pulled away. I should have told her to stop trying to fix something that couldn’t be fixed.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I let her hold onto me, let her warmth seep into my skin, grounding me for just a moment. It was dangerous, how easily I craved that comfort. How much I wanted to believe that maybe-just maybe-if I let Rosa in, she could make everything okay.
But she didn’t know what I had done, and if she ever found out, she’d hate me.
I exhaled and gently pried my wrist from her grip. “You should get some sleep.”
She didn’t let go right away. Her fingers lingered for a second before she pulled back, eyes narrowed in frustration. “You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Push me away.”
I forced a smirk. “Maybe you should take the hint, then.”
Her jaw clenched. “You’re such a-” She cut herself off, shaking her head like she didn’t even have the energy to argue with me. “Fine. Be a stubborn idiot. But don’t expect me to sit back and pretend I don’t see what’s happening to you.”
I turned away, walking toward the window. “Goodnight, Rosa.”
She let out an irritated sigh. “You’re impossible.”
I didn’t answer.
The door clicked shut behind her, leaving me alone with the suffocating weight of my thoughts.
I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, staring out at the darkened estate.
This wasn’t how things were supposed to be.
I had always been loyal. Always been the one Alaric trusted, the one who would never betray him.
And now? Now, he wouldn’t even look at me. I’ve fucked things up badly and I didn’t even know how to fix it anymore.
The next morning, I went through the motions.
Breakfast. Training. Handling some business for the family. I kept myself busy, hoping it would distract me. But it didn’t. Nothing did.
Rosa wasn’t speaking to me.
Not openly, at least. She still threw the occasional glare my way. Still made sure a plate of food was set aside for me at dinner, even though she acted like she didn’t care.
I hated it.
But maybe it was for the best.
She wouldn’t stop digging until she got answers, and I couldn’t afford for her to find them.
I was in my office, flipping through paperwork I wasn’t really reading, when the door opened.
Alaric.
I tensed, setting my pen down.
He didn’t say anything right away. Just stood there, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
I had to force myself to hold his gaze.
“You need something?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
His lips pressed into a thin line. “No.”
I nodded slowly. “Alright, then.”
He turned to leave, and something in me snapped.
“Alaric.”
He paused.
I pushed back my chair and stood, bracing my hands on the desk. “You can’t ignore me forever.”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “Watch me.”
I clenched my jaw. “I know you’re angry.”
He finally turned, eyes dark with something deeper than anger. “Angry doesn’t cover it.”
I swallowed hard. “I-”
“You what?” His voice was sharp. “You’re sorry?”
“I am.”
He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “That doesn’t fix a damn thing, Allesio.”
I knew that.
I hated that.
I ran a hand down my face. “I don’t know what you want me to do.”
Alaric stepped forward, closing the distance between us. “You don’t get to play the victim.”
“I’m not-”
“You made your choice,” he said, voice cold. “And now you live with it.”
Then he walked out.
I sank back into my chair, gripping the edge of the desk until my knuckles turned white.
It was nighttime when I finally left my office, walking out of the house and deciding to take a stroll in the courtyard. I paused when I saw Rosa there.
She was sitting on the stone ledge, staring up at the sky. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her face, highlighting the sharp line of her jaw, the stubborn set of her lips.
I hesitated, but then walked over, stopping a few feet away.
She didn’t look at me. “Are you going to tell me what happened with Alaric?”
I exhaled. “No.”
She nodded slowly, like she had expected that answer. “He still won’t forgive you?”
“No.”
She was quiet for a long moment. Then, “Do you regret it?”
The question caught me off guard.
I wanted to say yes.
Wanted to tell her that every night, I lost sleep over it. That every time I looked at Alaric, I felt the weight of my betrayal crushing me.
But the words wouldn’t come.
Because deep down, I wasn’t sure if regret was enough.
Rosa finally turned to look at me, her gaze steady. “You know, whatever it is you did… you could just tell me.”
I let out a dry laugh. “No, I can’t.”
She sighed, rubbing her temples. “You’re exhausting, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told.”
She studied me for a moment. “You look like hell.”
I smirked, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “Thanks.”
She rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t a compliment.”
Silence settled between us.
Then, softer, “I hate seeing you like this.”
Something in my chest twisted.
She didn’t say it with pity. Didn’t say it like I was some broken thing that needed fixing. She just said it like a fact.
Like it mattered to her, like I mattered to her.
I swallowed hard. “I’ll be fine.”
“Liar.”
I huffed out a laugh. “You really don’t let up, do you?”
“Nope.”
She nudged my arm lightly. “You should get some sleep.”
I glanced at her. “You staying out here all night?”
“Maybe.”
I hesitated before sitting down beside her. “Then I guess I’m staying too.”
She didn’t argue.
She just let me sit there, the silence between us different this time. Not heavy, not suffocating, just… there.
And for the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe.