His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Dominic’s POV

11

“Hello, Dominic.”

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The way she said my name felt like a deliberate line drawn between us. Polite. Distant. Professional. As if we were strangers meeting at a conference instead of two people who had once shared a life.

“Isa.”

For a moment none of us spoke.

Mateo still held my hand, looking between the two of us with a quiet curiosity that made him look wiser than his years.

Then Isabella folded her arms lightly across her chest. “What are you doing in Milan?”

The question was direct. No warmth. No curiosity.

“A meeting,” I replied.

Her eyebrow lifted slightly. “With whom?”

“The team overseeing the Renaissance Revival collaboration.”

The faintest shadow of a smile touched her lips but it was more knowing than amused.

“Of course,” she said.

She knew exactly what I was doing here. And she knew that the team hadn’t insisted on anything.

I had.

But the technicality was inconvenient for her.

Her company was collaborating with mine. Which meant that as CEO of the Russo Group, I had the right to attend any meeting tied to the project.

Legally, she couldn’t stop me. And she knew that.

And I knew that she knew.

The air between us thickened with unspoken tension.

Then I added quietly, “I also came to see Mateo.”

Mateo beamed instantly. “You missed me?”

“Of course, I did, piccolo.” I ruffled his hair gently.

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Chapter 173

D:

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Then my gaze flicked back to Luca. He had been silent so far. Watching. Measuring. And I could practically hear the unspoken accusation in his eyes.

You shouldn’t be here.

Luca slipped his hands into his pockets casually. “Well,” he said mildly, “Milan must be very fortunate today.”

My gaze sharpened. “Oh?”

“Yes,” he continued smoothly. “The CEO of a multinational empire taking time out of his schedule for a…. project meeting.”

His tone was polite. But the jab was unmistakable.

I smiled faintly. “The project is important.”

“I’m sure it is.”

Another quiet pause settled between us.

Mateo looked from one face to another, clearly sensing something he didn’t fully understand.

Isabella spoke before the tension escalated further.

“Well,” she said, her voice returning to its professional calm, “if you’re here for the project, then I suppose you’ll be joining the curator meeting tomorrow afternoon.”

“I will.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “That meeting was scheduled two weeks ago.”

“Yes.”

“And you only just decided to attend.”

“That’s correct.”

She held my gaze. A silent battle warring between us. I waited for her to say something, to bluntly call me out. But she only gave a small nod.

“Of course.”

Because again, legally she couldn’t stop me.

Luca chuckled softly beside her. “It must be convenient,” he said. “For business trips to align so perfectly with personal interests.”

I turned my attention fully towards him. “Do you always insert yourself into other people’s business conversations?”

“Only when they concern people I care about.”

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Chapter 173

The implication hung in the air.

:

My jaw tightened. “That’s admirable,” I said evenly. “But unnecessary.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.”

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I stepped slightly closer. “Isa and I have known each other long enough to manage our own conversations.”

Isabella cut in before the exchange could escalate further. “That’s enough,” she said, her tone carried authority.

Immediately both of us fell silent.

Which irritated me more than it should have.

She turned towards Mateo. “What were we about to do?”

“Gelato!” Mateo said excitedly.

Then he tugged my sleeve.

“Dominic, you should come!”

I looked down at him. “You already have a favorite place?”

“Yes!”

“That was fast.”

Mateo grinned. “Luca found it!”

Of course he did.

Something dark twisted in my chest.

“The best place in Milan,” Mateo continued enthusiastically.

“Well,” I said slowly, forcing my voice to remain calm, “then I suppose I should see this legendary gelato place.”

Mateo cheered. “Let’s go!”

He grabbed my hand again and began pulling me towards the street.

I glanced up.

Isabella hesitated briefly. But she didn’t object.

Luca simply watched us. And if the look in his eyes was any indication, he knew exactly what Mateo had just

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Chapter 173

done.

He had forced a temporary truce.

The gelato shop was only two streets away.

Mateo spent the entire walk talking excitedly about flavors.

“Pistachio is the best,” he declared.

“Is it?”

“Yes. But Luca says hazelnut is better.”

Of course he did.

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I glanced briefly at Luca walking beside Isabella. “You two have been exploring the city thoroughly.”

“We try to keep Mateo entertained,” Luca replied lightly.

“I’m sure.”

Isabella shot me a look. “Dominic.”

“Yes?”

“Try not to turn a gelato outing into a competition.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Mateo chose pistachio. I chose espresso. Isabella picked lemon. Luca went with hazelnut.

We sat outside on the terrace.

For a few minutes the conversation revolved entirely around Mateo.

School. Parks. Castles he wanted to visit.

It felt almost normal. Dangerously so.

Because sitting there watching Isabella laugh softly at something Mateo said made something ache deep in my chest.

This.

This was what I should have had.

Instead I had an engagement ring waiting for me in Florence, a wedding I didn’t want and a future that felt like a prison.

Mateo suddenly looked at me. “Dominic, are you going to come with us to our place?”

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Chapter 173

The question caught me off guard.

Before Isabella could answer, I said casually, “That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether your mother invites me.”

Mateo turned to her eagerly. “Mama!”

Isabella met my gaze.

Her expression hardened slightly. “Dominic has meetings.”

“I can move them.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Her eyes narrowed. “That won’t be necessary.”

“I’m sure we could-”

“No.”

The word landed sharply. Professional. Controlled.

“Dominic,” she continued, her tone cool. “you came for your meeting.”

“And Mateo.”

“You’ve seen him.”

I held her gaze. “So, that’s it?”

“Yes.”

The firmness in her voice left no room for argument.

Mateo looked confused. “But Domi-”

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “He has important things to do.”

The implication was unmistakable.

I had chosen my priorities.

Now I had to live with them.

I forced a small smile for Mateo.

“Another time.”

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Chapter 173

He looked disappointed but nodded. “Promise?”

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“I promise.” I stood slowly, the chair scraping lightly against the pavement. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

My gaze lingered on Isabella.

She didn’t soften, didn’t waver, just watched me with that same distant composure.

“Goodbye, Dominic.”

The words felt final.

And as I turned to leave, the realization hit harder than I expected.

Milan had given her something I had taken away.

Peace.

And standing there watching her sit beside someone else, laughing quietly with my son, I had never felt more like an outsider in my own family.

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15:47 Thu, Apr 2