His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Isabella’s POV

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Even though it was supposed to be an off day from work, Dominic had left early in the morning, much before any of us had woken up.

After a late breakfast, Caterina had baked some cookies and Mato had helped a bit while I’d watched the two, some semblance of normal in my otherwise chaotic head. Later, the three of us spent some time in the pool, followed by a hearty lunch.

It was much later in the evening when I was in the garden, watching Caterina explain about various flowers to Mateo in the distance that Alessia found me.

I was sitting on the edge of the low stone bench near the hedges, my phone resting face-down beside me, the sky overhead slowly darkening into shades of violet and grey. It was one of these evenings that felt suspended, almost too quiet to be peaceful, too still to be comfortable.

“You look better today,” Alessia said, making me look up.

She stood a few feet away, posture relaxed, hands loosely clasped in front of her very visible baby bump. There was nothing aggressive in her presence. Nothing overtly wrong. And yet my shoulders tightened all the same.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’ve been feeling better lately.”

“That’s good,” she replied, stepping closer. “May I?”

She gestured to the bench.

“Of course.”

She sat, smoothening her skirt with careful precision. For a moment, neither of us spoke. Somewhere behind us, the faint sound of water from the fountain carried through the garden.

“I wanted to check on you,” Alessia said finally. “After everything

“I appreciate that,” I said, keeping my tone neutral.

She was a little too late in her checking in, but I didn’t say that. Iid not particularly like her, and I still wasn’t sure what to do with the whole her claiming to be pregnant with Dominic’s cild until I had more information. But she wasn’t being particularly hostile, so I figured having a civil conversation with her won’t hurt.

She turned her head slightly, studying my face. “You’re handling it well.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “I don’t know if well is the right word.”

She smiled faintly. “Surviving, then.”

That felt closer to the truth.

Silence stretched again. Alessia was good at that, letting quiet do the work for her.

“Dominic’s been very busy,” she said casually.

“Yes,” I agreed. “Work’s been intense lately.”

She hummed softly. “More than usual.”

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Chapter 105

“I assume it’s temporary,” I said.

“Of course,” she replied easily. “Things always settle eventually.”

The way she said it made it sound like she didn’t believe it.

I shifted slightly on the bench. “You sound a little unconvinced.”

She tilted her head. “I’ve just learned not to underestimate how long certain situations linger.”

“Situations?” I echoed.

She waved a hand vaguely. “Complications. Consequences.”

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The words sank under my skin. Of course, there were. I knew it was why Dominic had been so busy. But I didn’t know the true extent of it. He wouldn’t tell me. Maybe if I played dumb, Alessia would tell me?

As much as it stung me to admit, she was more involved in his work than I’d ever been. She definitely knew more than I did. I knew she was probably internally gloating about that, but in that moment, I didn’t care. All I cared about was getting some

answers.

“I thought everything from that night was handled,” I said carefully.

“Oh,” Alessia said softly. “I’m sure it was.”

Not is.

Was.

I studied her profile, the smooth calm of her expression, the way she chose her words with surgical care. Did she not know either, or was she simply pretending not to? Maybe Dominic had told her not to tell me anything?

“You don’t sound very sure,” I tried again, hoping she would slip and say something more.

She turned towards me then, her gaze steady. “Dominic is very thorough.”

That wasn’t reassurance.

That was deflection.

“I suppose he has to be,” I said.

“Yes,” she agreed. “Especially when there are people involved.”

“What kind of people?” I asked.

She smiled faintly. “The kind who don’t disappear just because we want them to.”

My heart gave a slow, heavy thud.

I forced my voice to stay light. “You’re being very vague.”

She laughed quietly. “Am I?”

“Yes.”

“I suppose that comes from spending time around men like Dominic,” she said. “You learn to speak around things instead of at them.”

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Chapter 105

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I stared ahead, the garden suddenly feeling too open, too expose You make it sound like he’s been dealing with more tha just meetings”

Alessia hesitated.

Not long.

Just enough.

“He’s been under a lot of pressure,” she said. “Traveling. Visiting places that aren’t exactly pleasant.”

“Where?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Hospitals, for instance.”

The word landed like a stone dropped into still water.

Hospitals.

I turned to her sharply. “Hospitals?”

She blinked, as if surprised by my reaction. “Oh, right, you don’t know yet”

“Know what?” I asked.

“You will know when the time is right,” she said smoothly.

Her words made me think back on what Dominic had said last night. That he would tell me everything. He just needed some time. I sighed internally. He had probably told her to tell me the same thing in case I tried to probe too much

Realising there was probably no way I was going to get any information from Alessia, I stood.

“I should go inside,” I said to her. “It’s getting cold.”

Alessia rose as well, her movements unhurried. “Of course.”

As I turned to leave, her voice followed me.

“For what it’s worth,” she said softly, “Dominic does what he believes is necessary. Even when it’s complicated’

I paused, my back to her.

“Necessary for whom?” I asked.

There was a pause.

But when she answered, her voice was calm and unreadable. “For everyone”

I didn’t look back.

I walked towards the house, her parting words refusing to leave my mind.

Nothing she’d said had given me any concrete answers as to who he’d been busy with, what consequences he had to face.

And yet, by the time I reached the door, my pulse was racing

Because suddenly, I was wondering how much and how big of auth was being kept from me.

And for how long.

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