Aria POV
The car slowed as the gates opened. I didn't realize I've been holding my breath until Lorencio sucked in a loud one beside me.
"Mom! look! Look at that!"
His small hands pressed against the glass as the car moved forward.
"Is that ours? Is all of it ours?"
The estate was huge, tall trees lining a wide driveway, water glinting somewhere beyond the hedges. It was so unreal and perfect.
Lorenzo bounced in his seat pointing at everything.
"That fountain looks like the one in cartoons!"
"Mom! there's so many windows!"
"Dad can I run there? Can I?"
Alessandro only glanced at him once the corner of his mouth lifting just slightly.
"You'll see everything."
I stayed quiet.
When the car stopped guards opened the doors. The house that looked like it belonged in another life. Inside, it was even brighter. Soft colours open spaces, enough colors and my chest freezed.
Years ago...…God, it felt like another lifetime...…. I'd been curled on Alessandro's lap talking too much the way I always did when I felt safe.
I'd told him about the house I wanted someday. Not too big and dark like he liked. Told him I want warm colors not too complicated or extremely stylish. Just somewhere that didn't feel like a cage.
Standing here now, it felt like someone had reached into my memory and built it.
As my eyes met his, it was transfixed on my face on every emotion in my face and then without another word he holds lorencio hand walking into the house.
"Come"
"I'll show you around."
Lorenzo ran ahead his laughter echoing through the halls as Alessandro showed him the living room, the garden, places I couldn't even process properly. I followed a few steps behind. Then we reached a room near the end of the corridor.
Alessandro opened the door.
Lorenzo froze.
"Dad...…"
His voice dropped to a whisper.
The room was beautiful. child's football posters on the walls, a small goal post set near the corner, shelves already lined with toy cars, action figures, neatly stacked books. A bed that wasn't too big nor too small.
Lorenzo ran in, touching everything like it might disappear.
"This is mine?"
He turned eyes shining.
"You made this for me?"
Alessandro shrugged out of his coat and set it aside.
"Yes."
Lorenzo launched himself into his arms without warning.
I looked away...…
"Play for a bit" Alessandro said gently setting him down.
"We'll be back."
Lorenzo nodded eagerly already distracted then Alessandro turned to me.
"I'll show us to our room."
I stayed rooted to the spot.
"Our room?" I echoed my brows knitting together as my pulse spiked.
Alessandro didn't answer. He didn't even look at me. He just turned and walked.
The audacity of it made my jaw tighten. Like it was already decided and my opinion didn't even qualify as something worth acknowledging.
I followed him anyway. He stopped at the very end and opened the door.
The room swallowed me whole. It was beautiful, clean lines, warm neutral tones , a massive bed positioned exactlly where should hit in the morning. It looked unreal.
I stepped in slowly my fingers curling into the fabric of my dress.
"Alessandro...…."
The door closed behind me.
Then silence as I took everything in and then it dawned on me.
"You'll sleep here" he said calmly.
The calmness was worse than shouting.
"With you?" I asked disbelief coating every word.
"Yes."
"You can't be serious."
"You are not putting me in your bed like some arrangement you signed off on."
"This isn't about you." he said flatly.
"Oh..... that's rich..... You threaten me, drag me across cities, dictate my life and suddenly this isn't about me?" My voice rose slightly.
"Lower your voice."
"I won't." I snapped.
He moved then...… one step closer, invading my space without touching me.
"You will sleep here because Lorencio will wake up knowing his parents are under the same roof." he said quietly.
"And because I will not have him wondering why his mother disappears down another hallway at night.
"So it's all about control?" I whispered.
"That's what this is."
"If it were control," he said eyes burning into mine.
"you wouldn't still be standing here arguing."
"We can't pretend to be something we're not."
"I'm not pretending"
"I'm correcting."
A chill ran down my spine….….
"I won't share a bed with you" I said firmly.
"I'll sleep on the couch, or the guest room, anywhere else."
"There is no guest room for you" he replied without hesitation.
"What do you mean by that?"
"This house was prepared with one thing in mind," he said
"My family."
"If you walk out of this room." he continued evenly
"you walk out knowing exactly what you're risking."
"You wouldn't." I breathed.
His eyes softened for half a second, just enough to hurt.
"I would" he said.
"And you know it."
Silence stretched between us, thick and unbearable.
I hated that he knew where to strike.
"This doesn't mean you own me . It doesn't mean anything"I said.
"No." he replied.
"It means I won't lose you again."