I yanked the door open, marched out of his penthouse, and stormed down the silent hallway without even glancing back.
My chest burned, vision getting dizzy, and before I knew it, I was outside, walking furiously down the quiet empty road like my entire body was on fire.
Hot tears spilled down my cheeks, mixing with the anger pulsing through me. With each step, I expected... no, I hoped that I would hear his heavy footsteps chasing after me, calling my name, demanding I stop.
But the street behind me was dead silent, he didn't follow me
The realization twisted in my chest, breaking me open even further. Not only had I stormed out like a dramatic idiot, but I'd also left without taking anything, especially my phone... everything was still in his house.
And here I was, crying in the middle of an unfamiliar neighborhood in nothing but my gym outfit, wandering like a fool.
I slowed my steps, looking around but every road looked the same. High-end houses, black gates, and perfectly trimmed hedges. A maze designed for people who live here.
My stomach dropped as I realized the truth. I'd only been to Lorenzo's penthouse twice. Once when my brother drove me, and yesterday, when Lorenzo himself came to pick me up from the bus station. I didn't even know how to get back. Even if I wanted to swallow my pride and return, I wouldn't know which road led where.
The hopelessness of it all hit me, and I pressed my hands to my face, groaning.
"God, Alessia… what the hell were you thinking? Did you actually expect a man like him to run after you? Are you insane?"
My voice broke with a sob and laughter at the same time. Maybe I really was insane because the truth stung more than anything. He hadn't cared enough to follow.
I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn't hear the honking at first.
A loud, blaring horn jolted me back to reality. I spun around and found myself standing directly in front of a black Sedan car, blocking its path. The driver, a middle-aged man in a suit, was leaning on the horn like I'd ruined his entire day.
He slammed the door open and stepped out, his face contorted with irritation.
"Are you blind or just stupid? Get out of the road! If you want to die, do it somewhere else and not in front of my car!"
My head snapped up, anger spiking again, hot and uncontrollable. I was already in my apex of humiliation and being broken... this man had no idea who he was talking to.
"Excuse me?" I shot back, wiping my tears furiously with the back of my hand. "You almost ran me over and now you're insulting me? You're the idiot here!"
His jaw dropped, as if no one had dared speak to him like that before. "What did you just say to me—"
"Are your ears blocked too? You heard me!" I snapped, stepping forward, fury drowning out my common sense to be respectful, which I hated.
Before he could bark back, a frail voice broke through, "That's enough, both of you!"
An older woman carrying a grocery bag stopped nearby, her eyes darting between us. She shook her head and placed a hand gently on my arm.
"Young lady, calm down. This place isn't safe for someone like you to be wandering all alone."
The man muttered a curse under his breath, clearly unwilling to fight an old woman, and got back into his car. With one last glare in my direction, he sped off.
I let out a shaky breath and turned to the woman. "Thank you ma'am."
She looked at me carefully, her eyes narrowing as they took me in. "Where are you going, dear?"
"Lorenzo Morano's penthouse." The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
Her gaze sharpened instantly, sweeping me from head to toe. Only then did I realize how ridiculous I looked... mascara smudged, face puffy from crying, and still in the leggings and tank top I'd worn to the gym.
The woman's lips pressed together, disapproval etched on her face. "Are you one of those girls who fantasize about him?"
"No! I... no, it's not like that." My throat tightened, but I couldn't bring myself to explain the truth, not to a stranger.
She tilted her head, clearly unconvinced.
"Because two weeks ago, a woman was arrested for doing the exact same thing. She pretended to be lost, looking for his penthouse. Turns out, she was a stalker."
My jaw dropped. "I'm not a stalker. My situation is… different. I just can't go into details."
She gave me a look that said she didn't believe a word. "I don't know where his place is. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."
With that, she turned sharply and walked away, her grocery bag swinging at her side.
I stared after her, speechless, then spun in a circle, assessing the empty street around me. Nothing but endless gates and confusing mazes.
I groaned, smacking my forehead. "God, I'm such a moron! I should've asked her for her phone. I could've at least called my brother…"
But now it was too late because the woman was gone, and I was back being alone on the empty road.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the distance, low and ominous. The clouds above shifted, dark and heavy, rolling in fast.
I tilted my head back, my stomach sinking. "Fuck! I can't be exposed to rain."
★★★
~Lorenzo~
The cold shower did nothing to cool my temper.
Water slid off my skin, but the memory of Alessia's glare, her childish words, and the slam of that door burned hotter than ever. By the time I dressed in a plain black shirt and slacks, my mind was already made up.
When she stormed out earlier, I almost went after her. Almost. But on second thought, I forced myself to stay put. Running after her would only feed her bratty, reckless behavior.
Alessia had always been sheltered, pampered... her brother made sure of that and it showed. She thought the world revolved around her emotions, that slamming doors and throwing tantrums had no consequence.
Well, not under my roof.
If she was going to live here for the next three months, I'd strip away that attitude piece by piece. No excuses or easy outs. She would learn accountability for her actions whether she liked it or not.
I walked into her room, scanning the neat bed where her phone still lay, abandoned. Her bag, her things, all untouched. She hadn't thought of even going with her cellphone, but only reacted like an immature teenager.
She would pay for this stunt, but later.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of my thoughts. I slid it out and glanced at the screen... Adams.
I answered immediately. "Hello."
"Lorenzo, my man!" Adams's voice was cheerful, annoyingly carefree. "How did you handle that big tits lady? I told you she was trouble, didn't I?"
My patience thinned. "I'm not in the mood for that talk."
"Okay, okay," he chuckled. Then, casually, "By the way, is Alessia busy? I've been calling her, but she's not picking up."
I exhaled slowly, my gaze drifting back to her phone on the bed. Before I could answer, Adams cut in, "never mind, I'll call her later."
"Fine."
"Oh, and Lorenzo..." Adams's tone shifted, almost as if he'd just remembered something important. "Seems it's about to rain. Please, don't let Alessia get exposed to it."
"Why?" My brows furrowed.
"She has a very bad cold urticaria. It can trigger a serious allergic shock if she's exposed—"
A deafening crack of thunder split the air, muffling Adams voice. Then followed by the sudden roar of rain hammering against the windows.
I went numb... my blood iced over. "Oh, damn it!"