Semua Bab Her Mafia Stepbrother’s Obsession : Bab 11 - Bab 20

The door to the servants quarters was a thin pine that had been painted so many times that the white finish had cracked into tiny, spiderweb-like lines. Alessia sat on the edge of her narrow iron cot, her knees pulled tightly against her chest, her chin resting on her folded arms. She hadn’t turned on the lamp. The only light came through the narrow transom window high on the wall, casting a pale beam across the scuffed floorboards. Outside her room, the second-floor gallery was quiet. Still, she could feel him, his presence seemed to settle over the hallway whenever he was near, heavy enough to make the air feel harder to breathe. She could picture him walking along the dark hallway, his shoes making almost no sound against the wool, or standing by the window with a cigarette between his fingers. He didn’t have to come inside to make her feel trapped. Somehow, his presence alone was enough to turn her little room into a cage, every small creak of the old house made her tense.

Cassian left after his tormenting declaration. The kitchen was empty, but the memory of his touch remained, burning against her skin. Alessia stayed pressed against the cold granite counter long after Cassian’s footsteps faded down the stone corridor, her breathing came in short, uneven breaths, and she couldn’t seem to fill her lungs properly. The smell of his tobacco and rain still lingered in the warm kitchen, clinging to her dress, her hair, and the bruised skin of her cheek. “I will always find you.” The words kept repeating in her head. She turned back to the sink, her hands shaking so badly that she struggled to turn the brass tap. Cold water spilled over her wrists and onto the floor, but even that did little to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t go back to her room. The thought of that small, dark servants’ room made her stomach twist. The thin pine door, the useless lock, the faint line of gray smoke beneath it. If she went back to her cot, she’d spend the rest of

Alessia opened her mouth to speak. A breathless apology rose to her dry, sunburned lips, but she never got the chance to say it.Cassian opened his hands and simply let go.The support vanished so fast she barely had time to react. Gravity took over, and her exhausted legs gave out entirely. She hit the cold marble hard, a sharp thud shooting shockwaves straight up her spine.She knelt there on the floor, stunned, the dark green dress bunched around her bruised knees. Cassian stood over her, his face an expressionless mask. “Right where you belong, Dolcezza.” he whispered, his tone a low mocking purr. “On your knees, trembling for me.”His lips curved into a slow, cruel smile. He had done it deliberately, and he didn’t offer her a hand. Instead, he stepped around her and walked away, his heavy boots striking the marble with measured footsteps. He disappeared down the dim gallery toward the East Wing without looking back, leaving Alessia on the floor, her head still spinning from th

Alessia didn't wait for Kayden to say anything else. The instant his fingers moved toward her face, something inside her snapped. She stopped thinking about Elena, the unfinished rosebushes, or the punishment waiting for her. She didn't even notice the gravel cutting into her palms, she dropped the shears and ran. "Alessia! Get back here!" Kayden's voice followed her. His footsteps, once slow and casual, became heavier as he chased after her, but she didn't look back. Fear gave her exhausted body a burst of strength she didn't know it had left. She ran through the garden archway, her dark green dress brushing against her knees, her heart pounding so hard it hurt. She reached the side entrance to the East Wing, the door normally used by the kitchen staff. Her hands were slick with sweat as she grabbed the iron latch and pulled it open. She stumbled inside, the cool darkness of the estate swallowed her. She kept going. The hallway was empty, and behind her, Kayden's footst

Alessia ran straight back to her small, suffocating room, pulled the thin pine door shut behind her, and slid the little iron bolt into place.Her knees gave way almost at once, and she dropped heavily onto the edge of her narrow cot.Fear wasn’t just a passing shock anymore. It had settled deep inside her chest, cold and tight, making each breath feel painful, as though she were dragging broken glass into her lungs. Cassian’s words kept replaying in the silence of the room.“If this repeats itself again, Dolcezza… Don’t blame me for whatever happens next.”She covered her face with her trembling, dirt-stained hands, her thoughts racing in every direction. She didn’t even know who frightened her most.Elena, with her cruel slaps and constant spite, always finding another way to strip away the little dignity Alessia had left. Cassian, with his imposing presence and dark, possessive threats that made her feel as though he could swallow her whole? Or Kayden?Just thinking about Kayden ma