Semua Bab Her Mafia Stepbrother’s Obsession : Bab 21 - Bab 30

Alessia stayed frozen long after the double doors closed behind Bianca.She stared at the dark, bitter pool of ammazzacaffè spreading over the white kitchen tiles, winding around the sharp pieces of broken crystal.Her lungs burned as she dragged a shallow, uneven breath through her dry throat. She had been so careful with those glasses, wiping every inch of crystal before using them because her mother couldn’t stand even the smallest fingerprint or smudge.Now dark amber liquid was running down the lower cabinets and pooling across the ruined floor.Ten minutes.The thought hit her all at once. Dinner was supposed to begin at exactly seven-thirty, and Don Antonio never tolerated anyone being late, well, except Cassian.Trying to push down the panic rising in her throat, Alessia turned away from the mess. There was no time to clean it.If she stopped now, being late would only make things worse. Her hands shook badly as she reached into the upper cabinet and took out more crystal glas

Alessia remained where she was, her mind numb with dread. An announcement? In the De Rossi household, an announcement from Antonio never meant anything good. It usually meant shifting alliances, calculated cruelty, or another demand for absolute obedience. She sat stiffly on the edge of the hard wooden chair at the far end of the dining table, her chest rising and falling in shallow, silent breaths. The moment she raised her head, a pair of cold silver eyes met hers from across the white linen. Cassian sat back in his chair, his head tilted slightly, his gaze fixed on her face with a quiet, dangerous intensity that stripped away whatever little composure she had left. Alessia quickly lowered her head again. Her dark, disheveled hair fell around her face, giving her something to hide behind as she stared down at her lap. Her trembling hands gripped the worn fabric of her grey dress until her knuckles turned white. “So…” Antonio began. A rare, frightening smile spread across his st

During the week that followed, Alessia lived like a ghost within the massive, cold walls of the De Rossi estate.She had perfected the art of moving unnoticed, keeping her chin lowered and avoiding Cassian whenever she could.She used the service hallways only during the quieter hours, always listening for the heavy, deliberate sound of his boots or the familiar click of his silver lighter.One rainy morning, the head housekeeper assigned her to clean the long gallery outside Don Antonio’s private wing.Alessia worked quickly and quietly, kneeling on a small cushion as she scrubbed the dark wooden trim along the baseboards.She was halfway down the corridor when a heavy scent drifted around the corner — the unmistakable combination of a familiar expensive cologne, tobacco and scotch.Her blood ran cold. Alessia looked up just in time to see the heavy double doors of Antonio’s study open. Cassian stepped into the gallery, adjusting the cuff of his tailored dark suit.A lit cigarette re

“So… there’s a rat.”Cassian’s low, gravelly voice cut through the silence of his private study. He stood beside his massive mahogany desk, a crystal glass of scotch hanging loosely between the broad fingers of his right hand.The amber liquid shifted around the ice as he stared down at his personal enforcer, Luca.“Yes, boss,” Luca said, stepping forward, reached into his dark suit jacket and dropped a thick stack of manila papers onto the desk with a dull thud. “I did as you instructed, and I was able to identify him. It’s Don Antonio’s left hand lieutenant.”Cassian showed no surprise. He set his glass down with a quiet click, picked up the manila folder, and flipped it open. His pale silver eyes moved over the pages , taking in the evidence Luca had gathered.Indirect financial transactions through Swiss accounts. Tracked burner phone calls to rival families in the north. Secret meetings at midnight in Milan’s industrial sector. A slow, cruel smile pulled at the corner of Cassian’s

“Care to explain?!”Elena’s voice filled the private drawing room, loud as it bounced off the gold-leaf molding and crystal sconces.She stood over Alessia, her chest rising and falling beneath her silk blouse, her dark eyes burning with anger.The heavy oak doors had been slammed shut behind them, leaving Alessia trapped inside the room with the woman who had already decided she was guilty.“Why did you throw yourself at him?!” Elena shouted, stepping closer, her manicured finger pointing at the plush velvet sofa across the room. “He is your uncle!”Alessia’s lips trembled, painfully dry and cracked. She sat on her knees where her mother had thrown her, her small body shaking uncontrollably.Slowly, her tear filled eyes moved toward the couch. Kayden sat against the dark leather cushions, looking far too comfortable with what was happening.He held a glass of clear liquid in one hand, his posture relaxed, his feet crossed at the ankles. His shoulder was bandaged beneath his unbuttone