Chapter 71

Alaria:

I woke up with a headache that made my world spin.

The anger that I felt was one that I couldn’t describe, but I knew not to talk about anything. It was something that I had whenever I slept on heavy thoughts. I was upset with everything that happened, and the idea of Enzo accusing me the way that he did was something that I couldn’t swallow. It was something that I was furious with.

“Mama, are we going home?” Ashton asked, taking me off guard.

I looked at my son, and I couldn’t help the heavy breath that I took..

“We are going to go home soon enough, but it will be our home. The two of us are going to have our own home together, and it is going to be peaceful, just like the way in the it was past.” I said, and he frowned in confusion.

“I will not have a daddy anymore?” He asked, breaking my heart as he asked. I didn’t know how to respond to his question. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly before kissing the crown of his head.

“You are going to have your dad. No one is ever going to be able to separate the two of you, but you are going to need to wait for a while. With things that keep happening, you are going to need to be patient, baby.” I said, my voice softening as I looked at him. “We are going to go back to where we were, the way that we were. We are going to need to be. strong.”

“Are we going back home, mama? Like before…?”

“No, baby. Our home is here. You have your school, and you are going to be good at school, and you are going to do your best to get the best grades and results. When that happens, you are going to make mama proud, and your father too.” I said, and he smiled. “We are going to stay here for today while mama finds us a proper house to stay in. I don’t want you staying in a hotel.”

He nodded in understanding, and I got up from bed, knowing that I had no time to waste SEMANA OURO APROVEITE Emergency cans only 0 100% 11:41 on tears and in thoughts. I had my responsibility, and it was my child. It was one that I took when I wanted to give birth to my boy years ago. Had I not wanted to take it, then I shouldn’t have chosen to have my baby. He wasn’t responsible for my own decisions, no matter what these decisions were.

I walked to the bathroom with him, helping him out of his clothes as he freshened up to get ready for the day while I stood in front of the mirror. I looked at my reflection, and for the first time in years, I saw myself being both weak and helpless.

“What am I going to do?” I whispered to myself. “Was Yildez really right about me being so peaceful…?”

“Bye, baby.” I said, smiling at my son as he entered his class.

I walked out of the building to frown when I caught Ezio’s scent. My brother and I haven’t been speaking in months, not since he chose to send me off to Enzo the way that he did.

I looked away from him as he approached me, but he didn’t care. He wrapped his hand around my arm, stopping me from going anywhere, and I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Just because I can’t growl in warning here, doesn’t mean that I won’t pin your head to the concrete floor.” I said, glaring at him. He scoffed, and I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to challenge me. He didn’t. instead, he took a step back as he allowed me to move my hand from his grasp.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, voicing out my confusion.

“I heard of what happened yesterday.” He said, and I looked away from him.

“He already told you that…”

“He sent his second beta and his men to look for you.” He said, making me frown. “They blocked the city boarders. They won’t allow you or Ashton to leave.”

“You have got to be kidding me?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“I went to the hospital before I came here. Katherine saw me there and I spoke to him, well, Emergency calls only D 100% 11:41 三团100%

not necessarily using my tongue along though.” He said, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Do you want us to drink a cup of coffee? It would be better to talk there instead of in front of the children’s school.”

“I would rather walk. I need to get some air anyway,” I said, and he nodded.

He extended a hand for me to walk and the two of us walked on the sidewalk as I got lost in my thoughts.

“I don’t know what to do at this point, Ezio.” I said, voicing out my thoughts. It was painful for me to be feeling alone, but I knew, despite our argument, that the one person that I could genuinely speak to was my brother. “I know that you sent me to him based on rules and our protocols. I understand that you tried to fix things somehow. You didn’t want war to occur, but I found myself stuck in fire, one that I don’t know how to escape.”

“Do you love him, Alaria?” He asked, and I closed my eyes. My heart ached against my chest, and I knew that I did.

“He was my first love, Ezio. The man knows well that he always was my weakness. It was something that I could never deny, and I will not deny.” I said, and he nodded in understanding. “I don’t know how I feel about him now though. All I know is that I have suffered a lot because of him.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, and I shook my head.

“The man accused me of starting something that I wouldn’t have taken part of if they forced me to. I couldn’t even say a word to defend myself. He wouldn’t listen if I tried.” I said, looking down at my feek “He is angry, but I believe that he knows you better than to…

“The two of us know that he stopped knowing me a long time ago, brother.” I said, stopping him. “I know that we both want to believe that he knows me, but do you really believe that he knows what I would and wouldn’t do?”

“He wouldn’t have let you leave with Ashton if he believed that you had a hand in this, Alaria.” He said, and I scoffed.

“Is that why has the city boarders blocked? I wasn’t even planning to leave, but…”

Emergency calls only I TOURS “Put yourself in his shoes, sister.” He said, stopping me. “His own son was put in this, and he was shocked. While it doesn’t redeem him, you need to understand that he would be under the influence of the shock and anger.”

“You are defending him.”

“Believe me, I am not.” He said, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t if he paid me to. But I want you to ease yourself with something that I can tell is breaking you.”

“It would take a lot more than just talk to case the pain that I am in, Ezio.” I said, looking down at my feet. “I need to find myself an office. I don’t know if you heard, but Damon…”

“Has been claiming that the two of you could b romantically involved.” He said, and I shook my head.

“The man is delusional if he believes that I would be putting up with that.” I said, shaking my head. “And don’t try convincing me like Yildez did.”

“Yildez will never change. But no, I wouldn’t do so. However, I came with an offer to you.” He said, and I raised an eyebrow. “A partnership, both of us, and that is going to be one that would support both you and Ashton.”

“You don’t plan on having me side against Enzo, do you?” I asked, and he scoffed.

“Enzo’s pain is going to be when he sees you ignoring him and siding with your own family. But no, the man is still my nephew’s son. However, we have a problem.” He said, and I frowned in confusion as I shook my head. “Jacob Petrov…”

“The bastard Rogue?”

“He is coming back,” he said, and I frowned. “And he is coming stronger now than ever. Rumors have it that his father is ill, some say poisoned, and others are claiming that Damon has a had in this.”

“What?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Even Enzo is going to need to be careful at this point, especially if both brothers side. together.” He said, making my heart drop. “All of us are going to need to be careful if that happens…”

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