Chapter 32: Jealousy, Jealousy

***

***

It was almost time for dinner when the girls came back after a long day out.

Serenity tensed up immediately as they crossed the threshold while Athena walked in, unbothered.

The head butler was quick to assist them to the dining chamber.

The red head who has been accustomed to having her meals in the room hesitated on what to do. But in the end the butler kindly informed her that it was Alessandro's order to bring her at the table for tonight.

"Urgh! He won't eat you. Stop being so scared." Athena rolled her eyes as she looked over her shoulder.

Serenity quickly scurried after her, hoping to seek shelter behind her back.

She craned her neck as her eyes wondered adamantly to see if he was there. She breathe out a sigh of relief when the head chair appeared to be empty.

Simone and Antonio greeted them with a nod of their head and went back to discussing something.

A pang of guilt hit her as she saw the bruise on Simone's left face. It must have been from Alessandro's powerful punch earlier. Simone always seemed to get hit when she was around. She has to apologize to him sooner.

Suddenly, the room sensed a tense presence of a particular someone. Serenity could feel the goosebumps littering her exposed skin. Even Simone and Antonio stopped chattering and cleared their throats simultaneously. Athena strayed her eyes away from her phone for a second and returned back to it after a sigh.

The aura darkened the atmosphere as his shoes clicked against the pristine floor when he approached his chair.

Serenity clenched her fist under the table, her heart was hammering loudly and her spine straightened up.

Alessandro didn't look at her when he sat down on the head chair. She bit her lips when she realised she had unconsiously picked the chair nearest left to the head chair.

Her eyes fluttered close for a moment as she tried to regain her breathing which appeared to have struck in her throat.

The dinner was served and soon the sounds of clattering of the spoons and plates were the only thing that can be heard.

Serenity had a hard time swallowing. The anxiety and embarrassment was eating her out. She had been pushing the mashed potatoes around and hardly bringing the spoon to her mouth.

Out of nowhere, a hand appeared and took her plate away before replacing with with another plate of steak already cut into proper bite sized pieces.

She looked at Alessandro with wide eyes but he acted indifferent as he scooped some baked potatoes and placed it on her sides.

Her heart warmed and her tummy clenched with butterflies at the action.

A little blush struck on her face as she hid a smile and began eating.

Athena stared at them silently from the corner of her eyes.

"Bring me a glass of red wine." She said to the butler near her.

Alessandro looked at her and then at the butler who was about to pour her drink.

"Fifteen ounces."

"Five." Alessandro cut her off.

Athena glared at him.

"I won't get drunk from a measly fifteen. Vitali. My tolerance is much higher than yours."

"I have something important to talk to you tonight. Athena. And I need you sober for that." He pressed, making her scoff before waving the butler off.

Athena drowned the drink in one gulp and stormed off.

Everyone silently went back to their dinner as though they were used to her tantrums.

Serenity was torn with what she should do. Athena helped her a lot today. Should she go after her or give her space?

Thankfully Antonio interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Lasagne?"

She smiled back stiffly, "No, thank you."

She then remembered Simone who was siting right infront of her, to the right side of Alessandro. His bruise was prominent and she internally winches in pain on his part. She remembered her mama used to give her something sweet everytime she got hurt. And she would instantly feel better with the goodness of the sugar.

Serenity reached over for a small empty bowl and scooped a generous amount of fruit custard onto it and even went as far as garnishing it with strawberries and mangoes.

She stood up a little and placed the custard dish in front of Simone.

The three of them looked at her, confused.

"It's..." Serenity awkwardly looked down with a light blush, "...It's good for health. You should have-have some..."

Simone smiled a little but instantly froze up when a very dark aura engulfed his side. He peeped slightly from the corner of his eyes and almost teared up. Alessandro was glaring daggers at him and his custard.

Why was this tiny girl hell bent on making his life miserable? He was not prepared for the uncalled consequences.

"Ahmm hmm.." Antonio coughed loudly to get her attention.

Serenity innocently turned to him with a worried expression as she poured water in his glass.

Idiot!

He discreetly tried pointing towards the lover boy with his eyes but the dimwit beside him was denser than curd.

Alessandro's grip on his fork and knife tightened, his knuckles paling as his viens popped out.

Simone could swear that the custard is poisoned from his glare alone. He was already reciting prayers upon prayers in his mind.

'Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done-"

"Ouch! Antonio- Stop kicking me!"

Serenity complained as she pushed her chair away from him.

Antonio paled when the target shifted from Simone to his ever so unlucky self.

He wondered if Serenity was deliberately doing this to them but then again her naive oblivious eyes glancing at them with curiosity ended his assumption.

Simone tried to laughed it off awkwardly, "Er...It's just a fruit custard...T-There is no...no need to get so riled up, Alessandro? Right? Eh! Besides, I don't like custards that much. You can have it."

Serenity frowned at his words.

"But you love custards. I saw you having three servings last time at dinner."

Simone mentally slap his head. Shut up!

"I am allergic to strawberry, Serenity." He gritted his teeth in frustration.

She pouted, titling her head to the side.

"Liar, I saw you stealing my strawberry ice cream that Alessandro bought that day."

She had dug him a grave.

"How the hell do you know so much, woman!" Simone threw his hand exasperated with her answers.

"I pay attention."

Now she had awarded him his very own death certificate unknowingly.

"Attention, is it?"

A cold dominating voice sounded lowly.

The trio froze, instantly sitting up straight.

Serenity could feel the hair on the back of her neck shooting up at the baritone. She had completely forgotten about him.

As she slowly turned her face towards him, she almost fall off her chair. His expression was domineering, frigid and dark. The cold midnight blue eyes were glaring at the table as if it can burn a hole through its surface. His clenched jaw tightening with every second.

She wondered if she had done anything wrong.

A harsh kick landed on her ankle again from the side and Serenity bite down on her lip to contain her scream. She glared at Antonio but he was already pleading her desperately with his eyes jumping from Alessandro to the custard and to her.

"Simone, our units in Australia are in need of some much needed assistance. Pack your bags. You're flying there in four days and don't return until I say so."

"What!" Simone screamed, shooting up from his chair.

"Don't tell me you're sending me off for...for this. What if I got bitten by a spider or a snake or...a kangaroo and die!"

"That's even better."

"No! Not Australia!"

Alessandro lazily looked up at him with his blank eyes, daring him to offend him more.

He then, patted his lips with the napkin and stood up as he strolled out of the room.

"I am dead!" Simone muttered under his breath repeatedly, shaking his head.

"What did I do?" A small clueless voice came from the red head

Antonio and Simone snapped their head towards her in disbelief.

***

After much coaxing and several scolding from the two Vitalis'. Serenity finally stood outside his study with a large tray of food in her hand. She looked down at the little dish on the side and frowned.

All this for a custard, she chastised in her mind.

Simone had fallen onto his knees and begged her to go and calm Alessandro down which equalized to throwing her in the lion's den. He looked so pitiful that she was moved.

Jealousy, they told her.

But why would Alessandro be jealous of a custard.

"Alessandro is territorial and you evoke the possessive cave man in him! Why would you give me this shit infront of him!"

Antonio nodded, agreeing with him.

"Both of you are lucky enough. Thankfully he didn't explode. He must have been controlling himself because of the incident in the morning."

"But it's just a custard!" Serenity whisper yelled at the absurdity.

"How would you feel if Alessandro gives that plate of steak to Athena instead of you?"

"Athena is a vegetarian."

Simone banged his head on the table.

"Same case scenario, okay imagine Alessandro arranging a lovely plate of custard with his own hand and giving it to Athena with a concerned look and ignored you, forgetting about your existence." Antonio said.

Serenity opened her mouth to answer but the sudden grip on her heart made her speechless. As she imagined the scenario, she didn't realise how much it actually pained her in unspeakable volumes. Alessandro with another woman, No.

"See." Antonio pointed at her, " That's exactly how he must have felt."

"Please, please, please save my life Serenity. It is in your hands now. Please just do anything and change Alessandro's mind. I don't want to go away! Please, I am begging you."

"What...What should I do?"

Simone grinned widely and stood up,

"Seduce him, duh!"

"S-Seduce?" She choked.

Antonio slapped Simone's head in return and shook his head.

"No, you don't have to. Just try to coax him a bit and yes, bring him something to eat. He barely touched his food."

Serenity looked at the table and truly she could see Alessandro's half filled plate.

"Fine."

"Can I come in?" She cleared her throat as she slightly pushed the door open.

Alessandro paused from typing and looked up. He gave a curt nod.

She slowly approached him near the table and placed the tray on it.

"H-Hi Alessandro...Can we talk?" She asked softly, looking down on her lap.

His eyes bored onto her but the lack of reply left the air tense and cold.

"I...I am sorry. I truly am. I didn't realize I was doing something so stupid that could have possibly cost me my life. And thank you...for saving me once again. Please don't get mad anymore. I promise I won't do it again."

When he didn't reply again, Serenity wasn't sure what to do, she felt so embarrassed and shy in front of him as though he reprimanded her with the silent treatment.

Just when tears started pooling up her large doe eyes did Alessandro finally relented. He sighed and pointed her to come closer.

Serenity walked around the table towards him obediently.

His hand reached out and gently pulled her on his lap.

She settled in his comfortable embrace with a breath of relief.

She guessed she had cooled him down.

Alessandro dig his chin on the blade of her shoulder as he held her close, with one hand wrapped around her tiny waist and the other typing on the keyboard as he worked for a few more minutes.

Serenity was about to ask if she was disturbing him but his calm expression and soft eyes made her rethink.

When he was finally done, typing the reports then she opened her mouth.

"You need to eat, Alessandro."

He hummed in reply.

She frowned, twist her neck and looked up at him when he didn't bother taking the food.

"Feed me, love."

A small smile slipped on her face as she blushed.

She picked up the plate and started feeding him bite by bite till he finished everything.

"I almost forgot! I need to talk to you about something."

"Yes?"

Serenity hesitated and placed her hand on top of his for extra comfort. She played with his long and slender fingers softly as she spoke, "Can...Can you reconsider your decision of sending Simone away?"

She felt him stiffened behind her and hurriedly continued, " Please, I only gave him that custard because...he got beaten up because of me. I felt guilty, looking at his bruise. He is not your punching bag, Alessandro. You need to control your temper. I think you...you should apologize to him. He is your brother after all and he always got your back. We should never take our family for granted, the relationships no matter how strong it is will always be fragile on one side. Both parties need to put in equal effort from both sides and only then, it will be concrete and strong. Simone truly looks up to you and he always speaks so highly of you.

So, please don't let a moment of jealousy push him away when it even is not his fault."

A brief silence followed her little speech.

"...Jealousy?"

Was that the only part he got?

Serenity opened her mouth to reprimand him again but his next word left her hanging.

"...I've never felt it before."

Her eyebrows pulled together as she stared at at the side profile of his face. He had never felt jealous in his life before? How could that be possible?

"You don't?"

Alessandro shook his head, "Not a first hand Jealousy."

"First hand?"

"This similar feeling...I've felt it once when I came to Crystal mansion that day. But that was when I thought of you with another man."

"That's not possible. Don't be shy. Everyone feels jealous at some point in life."

"I don't...until today."

"Didn't you feel bad when your parents sometimes show more love to your siblings than you?"

He shook his head again.

"Or when your friends hang out and don't invite you?"

"I don't do friends."

"What about when...Ari got married?"

"Who?"

Serenity gasped loudly, "Ariana Grande! You cannot not know her? Have you been living under the rock, Alessandro?"

The blank look on his face answered her. She slapped her hand over her mouth and immediately grabbed the sides of his face, squishing them together.

"Are you...an...alien?" Her voice dropped to a whisper.

Alessandro rolled his eyes at her dramatic little ass.

He caught hold of her wrist and brought it down to her lap.

"Yes, I am. Satisfied?"

She humphed and slumped down on his lap again.

"But seriously, Is this really the first time you felt jealous?"

"As far as I remember, yes." He hummed and slowly rubbed the side of her exposed arm.

"I didn't like it when you showed attention to another guy. All I ever wanted to do was wring Simone's neck at the moment."

"Alessandro!" Serenity gasped at his words.

"You can't do that! He is your sworn brother."

"I can, my love. Just don't do anything anything to provoke me in future because I can't guarantee I will control myself." He pressed a kiss on her temple.

She pouted, "I am taking you to therapy soon."

Alessandro chuckled.

"I will be working on something important later. You can go to sleep, love. Don't wait for me." He tucked her into the bed and sat down by the side as he run his fingers through her red locks.

"Okay. Come back soon." Serenity yawned as she turned to her side and settle in a comfortable position. Her eyes dropping heavily as sleep embraced her.

Alessandro kissed her forehead like always and slipped out of the room quietly.

***

He took a deep breathe in as he stood outside the room. He had to do this, just for Serenity and only for her.

The moment he opened the door, an instant smell of cigarettes hit him. Alessandro frowned as he looked for the source, Athena leaned against the window still and wrapped the end of the cancer stick between her lips as she drew in the smoke.

"I thought you had stopped it. Why now?"

"I need to clear my mind, Vitali." She sighed and put down the stick, pressing it on the ash tray to put it out.

Her smirk returned to her face as she glanced at the clock.

"A healthy fine young man inside my room at this hour of the night. Someone may get a wrong idea, Vitali."

"Shut up, Athena. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't need you."

"Need? Get in the bed then, baby." She moved towards him.

Alessandro glared at her.

She let out a hearty laugh at the expression on his face.

"What do you want?"

"Teach me...how to slow dance."

Athena stilled for a minute before bursting out into peals of laughter.

"Jesus Christ! Who are you? What have you done to our infamous ice prince!" She laughed again, holding our stomach.

Alessandro clenched his jaws, his face fuming a shade of red.

"This is a serious matter, Athena."

"Yup, indeed a serious matter. Oh who the fuck are you kidding here! Go to bed. Your spine has been as straight as a pole ever since you were born."

"I don't fucking care. You have to teach me whatever it takes. I need to learn it tonight itself." He gritted.

"You have always keep women five feet away. Slow dancing is a romantic dance and for that you need to get close to the woman. Almost like a skin to skin contact. It is not just a dance, it is an emotion that has to be swayed with the rhythm of music. Who are you gonna dance with when you're allergic to woman? Man?"

"Serenity." He answered in one beat.

"One of her wish was to slow dance under a starry night sky."

Athena shut her mouth and hardened her eyes.

"Fine."

"Lower your hand Vitali, you're not raising a pistol, you're holding a girl!"

"I said RIGHT! FUCKING RIGHT!"

"YOUR RIGHT IS MY FUCKING LEFT!" Alessandro yelled back.

"Oh right, left! Don't step on me! OUCH!"

.

.

.

"Eye contact is necessary but not now. I don't wanna throw up." Athena said.

Alessandro was trying too hard but it was more difficult than he thought. His footwork was almost equivalent to non existence.

"You're not marching! Vitali! You're dancing. Loosen up!"

"Relax your shoulders!"

"DO NOT STEP ON ME!"

"Now I will give a twirl and you have catch me back gently. Understand?"

He nodded but he actually didn't.

"YOU HAVE TO CATCH MY WAIST, IDIOT! NOT MY EAR!"

"I swear to my Alabama, if you step on me again, I will butcher your toes!"

After four hours of continuous practicing, Alessandro finally got the hang of it. Athena breathe out a sigh of relief. She seemed like to have aged ten years in the past few hours. She won't be surprised to see grey hairs on her head.

She almost felt bad for Serenity. If she had declined teaching him, the poor girl would have a fractured foot on her birthday."

"Yes there, that is right. Now pull me closer and sway to the left, one step, two step. Stop and twirl. Loosen your shoulders. Maintain eye contact but not now."

They practiced for a new technique, the final dip.

"Girls love this part. It seemed to be the most intimate and romantic of all. She will be trusting you with her balance. You have to keep that trust and not let her fall. Her vulnerable side is in your hands so be careful. It is embarrassing to fail this one, especially more on the woman's part. You don't want to embarrass Serenity now, do you?"

"Never."

"Good."

***

Serenity woke up with an urgent need to relieve herself. She jumped out of the bed and rushed to the en suite. After she was done, she staggered back to her room sleepily. She got into her cover and turned towards Alessandro.

Her sleep dazed eyes furrowed as she glanced at the cold side of the bed. It was still neatly made. Alessandro hasn't come back yet. She looked at her nightstand for her alarm clock.

The screen showed 3.10 am

She sat up straight and wondered in confusion.

Was he working all night without a minute rest? She instantly grew worried. He never looked after his own health.

Getting out of the bed, she slipped onto her fuzzy slippers and made out of the room.

She knocked on the door of his study and waited for his answer. When no reply came, she knocked again a little louder.

Serenity frowned and twisted the knob.

The door didn't open, it was locked.

Where could he be?

She was about to climb up the stairs when she saw one of the in house night guard patrolling the hallway. She quickly walked towards him.

"Hi! Have you seen Alessandro? Did he go out?"

They guard dropped his head, "No, ma'am."

"Oh!" Serenity sounded disappointed and turned to leave.

Just as she was about to walk away, the guard cleared his throat.

"Uh- ma'am, I saw Mr. Vitali going to Ms. Springton's room a few hours ago." He replied hesitatingly.

"Oh! Thanks." She grinned at him and quickly walked away.

The guard didn't expect that reaction at all. He was reluctant to tell her after all it was their affair but seeing the dejected look on her innocent face, he suddenly felt the need to tell her. Any sane woman would know the warning behind his words.

A man going to another lady's room in the middle of the night and not returning to his bed told many things but the young girl took it in a good natured way.

His eyes went towards the ceiling. May God protect such innocence.

Serenity approached Athena's room. The door was a slightly open and the brightness from the room let a ray of light illuminating the dark hallway.

A soft romantic music was playing inside just when she was about to knock, her hand stilled as she took in the scene before her.

Athena was in Alessandro's arms, they were dancing to the song. The posture was intimate from her angle. Alessandro's arm was wrapped around her waist. Her one hand on his chest and the other entangled with his in the air.

He twirled her flawlessly and she went back in his arms again before he dipped her gently. Her head thrown back and her swan like neck on display where Alessandro's eyes were trained on.

As he pulled her back up, her chest slammed onto his. Both breathing heavily as they stared in each other's eyes.

Serenity stumbled back. Her heart ached immensely. She let out a little gasp as she pressed her hand over her chest. Her mind was swirling with what she had seen and like a projector displaying the image again and again.

Working on something important?

Was this what he meant?

Unknowingly, a tear slipped down her eye.

Uneasiness settled on her chest as she tried to relieve the hurt in her heart. Jealousy and confusion.

She turned around and walked away quickly.

***

How was it?

Good?

Bad?

Or just meh..?

Thank you so much to everyone who had sent me a lot of pictures for the birthday ball. I will try to incorporate your ideas into the coming chapter soon.

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Until then,

Adios,

Stella Cadante.