Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Mafia's Nanny : Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

18Emilia’s POVThe door to my room swung open, and Alonso stepped in, his presence as commanding as ever. I stood near the window, arms crossed, glaring at him. My heart hammered in my chest, but I refused to let him see how much he intimidated me.“Alessandra,” he started, his tone too calm for my liking, “we need to talk.”“Oh, now we need to talk?” I snapped, spinning to face him fully. “You’ve kept me locked up like a prisoner for days, and suddenly you’re interested in having a conversation?”His jaw tightened, but he didn’t raise his voice. “I’m protecting you. This is for your own safety.”I scoffed, the sound bitter even to my own ears. “Safety? You call this safety? Trapping me here, refusing to let me leave, keeping me in the dark about everything?” I took a step closer, my voice rising with every word. “You’re no better than the men who kidnapped me!”The flash of anger in his eyes was immediate, but he masked it quickly, folding his arms across his chest. “That’s a dangero

184Emilia’s POVThe villa was unnervingly quiet as I cracked the door open and peered into the hallway. The steady hum of distant conversation and the occasional shuffle of feet were the only indicators that the guards were still in position. My heart pounded in my chest, every thud echoing in my ears as if trying to betray me.I had spent the past few days carefully observing the guards’ movements, piecing together their patrol schedule and noting the blind spots in the villa’s security. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. If I didn’t take this chance tonight, I might never get another. Alonso had softened slightly toward me, but his determination to keep me under his watch was unwavering.Barefoot, I stepped into the hall, the cold marble floor sending a chill up my spine. My dress, loose and plain, clung to me as I crouched low and moved toward the staircase. The grand chandelier above cast sprawling enough brightness in some parts of the room, and I pressed myself into the dark

186Alaric’s POVThe second Emilia stumbled into the meeting room, disheveled and bruised, I knew I wouldn’t rest until every last person responsible for her pain paid the ultimate price. But before I could even think about revenge, I had to get her to safety. To me, that meant one thing: the hospital.Now, we were in the car, the engine humming as I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my eyes flicking between the road and her pale, dirt-streaked face. She sat beside me, bundled in my coat, though she kept trying to shrug it off as if the discomfort of wearing it was worse than her obvious exhaustion.“I don’t want to go,” she muttered flatly, breaking the silence that had settled between us since we left the meeting.“You’re going to the hospital,” I answered her in an equally flat tone.“No,” she said just as firmly, her voice raspy but unyielding. “I’m fine, Alaric. I just need to clean up and rest. That’s all.”My knuckles whitened as I tightened my grip on the wheel. “Fine isn’t

188Alaric’s POVThe second Emilia said Alonso Cruz claimed to be her father, I felt my blood turn to ice. It was the kind of cold that started deep in your chest and spread outward, freezing everything in its path. Then came the heat—a blazing inferno of rage that made my hands curl into fists.“Say that again,” I demanded, though I’d heard her clearly the first time.She sat across from me on the couch, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles had gone white. Her eyes flicked to mine, hesitant but stubborn still. “Alonso said he’s my father.”“Is this what you’ve been hiding from me since you got back?” I demanded. “Is this why you made me promise to not kill that bastard like he deserves?”“Alaric, calm down-“ she started but I turned to her, my eyes narrowed.“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down, Emilia! Just answer the question, damnit!” I yelled.“Fine! Yes! That’s the reason! Happy now?” She snapped, crossing her arms and looking away from me.I shot to my feet,

190Emilia’s POVThe morning light spilled into the room, soft and golden, warming my skin as I sat by the window. I hadn’t been able to sleep much. Too many thoughts raced through my mind, all tangled up in the chaos of the past weeks. I’d escaped Alonso’s villa and returned to Alaric, but nothing felt settled. Every quiet moment was reminded me that something—or someone—was still lurking just out of reach, threatening to shatter this fragile peace that we were having right now. Every quiet moment reminded me of how easy it was for those men to get to us.The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, steady and purposeful. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Alaric stepped in, a folded piece of paper in his hand. His expression was dark, his jaw clenched tightly.“What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up straighter.He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, holding the letter up for me to see. “This arrived for you this morning.”“Fo