His Merciless Redemption novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Chapter 203

Isabella’s POV

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By the time I got home from work the next evening, I was tired since I’d had to cover up a bunch of meetings Luca had rescheduled for our lunch yesterday. Though it wasn’t the kind of tired sleep could fix. It was the kind that sat somewhere deeper, quiet, and lingering, refusing to leave completely.

The moment I stepped inside the apartment, the familiar sounds of the house wrapped around me again. I could hear Caterina in the kitchen. Maria moving about. And Mateo giggling away at something.

Something in my chest loosened just a little at the sound, a smile coming to my face of it’s own accord.

‘Mama!” Mateo ran towards me the second he saw me, nearly colliding into my legs as he hugged me tightly.

‘Hey,” I said softly, crouching down and pressing a kiss to his hair. “What did you do today?”

‘A lot,” he said very seriously.

‘Oh? Like what?” I raised a brow, amused.

‘I went grocery shopping with Nonna,” he announced proudly.

I blinked, looking up instinctively.

Caterina appeared in the doorway just then, wiping her hands on a towel.

‘He insisted on helping,” she said.

I stood up, narrowing my eyes slightly. “You went out?”

‘It’s two streets away,” she said calmly. “We walked.”

L

‘You shouldn’t be exerting yourself so much,” I said automatically, remembering her health scare back in Florence.

She waved it off. “I am not fragile, Isabella.”

I sighed. “I know that. But still—”

“We were fine,” she cut in gently. “It was a short walk. Fresh air is good.”

I opened my mouth to argue but then closed it again. Because she wouldn’t listen anyway.

Mateo tugged at my hand again. “And people are nice here,” he added casually.

“That’s good,” I said, smiling faintly.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Alessia is also here.”

Everything inside me stilled.

“What?” I asked, my voice quieter now.

He didn’t notice the shift, still smiling. “Yeah, I saw her,” he said.

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Chapter 203

My fingers tightened slightly around his. “Where?” I asked.

0480

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“In the grocery store,” he said easily. “Nonna told me to go get the cheese from the other aisle and she was there.”

My heart started beating a little faster. “And then?” I asked carefully.

“She helped me pick it,” he said. “I couldn’t find the one Nonna wanted.”

I glanced up at Caterina.

Her expression had changed, too, subtly, but enough.

“What did she say to you?” I asked, keeping my tone light.

Mateo shrugged. “Nothing much.”

‘Nothing?” I pressed gently.

‘She just asked what I was doing,” he said. “And I said I was helping Nonna. And she said that was good.” A pause. “She was being nice.”

Something sharp twisted in my chest. Nice. But why? Why now?

‘Did she say anything else?” I asked.

He thought for a second. “No,” he said. “That’s it.”

Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “I didn’t like her much before. But she was nice today.”

That did something to me. Something I didn’t like. Something that burned quietly under my skin.

forced a small smile. “Okay,” I said. “Why don’t you go to your room and color for a bit? I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”

Okay!” he said, already running off.

watched him go, and waited until he disappeared down the hallway. And the moment he did, everything inside me napped tight.

‘I’m sorry.” Caterina’s voice came softly from behind me.

I turned.

She looked genuinely apologetic. “I didn’t know she was there,” she said. “If I had known, I would never have sent him alone.”

I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. “It’s not your fault.”

And it wasn’t. Not really. Because how could she have known? But that didn’t change the fact that it had happened.

That Alessia had been there. That she had spoken to Mateo. Without me. Without anyone knowing.

Something about that just didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t feel right. At all.

“I don’t like this,” I admitted quietly.

Caterina didn’t argue. “I know.”

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Chapter 203

I pulled my phone out without another word and dialed.

It rang once. Twice.

Then, “Isa.”

“Why is she still going near my son?” I didn’t even let him speak, didn’t ease into it, didn’t soften it.

Silence.

Then, “What happened?” Dominic asked.

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*She was at the grocery store today,” I said, my voice tight. “Mateo saw her. She talked to him. Helped him pick cheese, apparently.”

“What? I told her not to-”

‘Well clearly she didn’t listen, did she?” I snapped.

“Isa-

‘No, I cut him off. “I already told you to take care of her. I told you I don’t want her anywhere near him and yet she’s still showing up wherever he is.”

‘She’s not following him,” he said. “It was probably a coincidence.”

‘A coincidence?” I repeated, incredulous. “Really?”

‘She’s just trying to befriend him,” he said. “She’s going to be his stepmother soon-”

‘What did you just say?” My voice dropped, dangerously quiet.

There was a pause on his end.

Then, “You know what I mean,” he said.

‘No, I don’t,” I shot back. “Because the last time we spoke about this, you said you weren’t going to marry her.”

‘I’m not,” he said.

Then why are you saying that she’s going to be his stepmother?” I demanded.

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