His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Isabella’s POV

Mateo groaned dramatically and buried his face into his pillow,

“No.”

“Yes,” I replied, pulling the curtains open just enough to let morning light spill in.

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“Nooooo,” he repeated, louder this time, stretching the word as if it might magically cancel the school day.

I bit back a smile. “You enjoyed your birthday too much.”

He popped his head up. “Exactly! I’m still tired from fun.”

I sat on the edge of his bed. “That’s not how it works.”

“It should be,” he muttered.

He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. “Can’t I just stay home today? Just one day? We didn’t even finish playing with the rocket.”

“You know school is important,” I said gently. “And you know you have to go every day unless you’re sick.”

He sighed heavily.

“I’m sick,” he tried.

“Oh really? What hurts?”

He hesitated. “…my happiness.”

I laughed before I could stop myself.

“Nice try.”

He flopped dramatically again. “I just want one more day of birthday.”

“I know,” I said softly, brushing his hair back. “But that’s what makes it special. You can’t have birthdays every day.”

He peeked at me.

“You can play after school,” I added. “But we have to get ready quickly, or we’re going to be late.”

Reluctantly, he sat up.

“Fine,” he grumbled.

19XS Tue Jun

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helget him into his uniform while he complained under his breath about math homework and early monings Buten aulking, he leaned into me without thinking. Let me fix his collar. Let me smooth his hair.

ness will a little worm cloud.

Cardna nofired immediately.

Oh what is his face she asked gently, setting down her teacup.

Ward croused his arms School”

Cartina rayed theatrically. th. The great tragedy of education.”

The seckoned him closer. “Come here”

He wriked over reluctantly, and she cupped his face.

“Ion mow” he said softly, when Dominic was small, he tried to escape school by hiding in the olive trees.”

Ward’s eyes widened. Really?”

Dominic, entering the dining room at that exact moment, froze. “Mama.”

Caedina waved him off. “He thought we wouldn’t find him.”

Mateo bora into laughter.

Dominic shook his head. “I was six”

“And abbors Caterina added sweetly.

Moned’s mood visibly lifted.

“How will go to school, Caterina continued gently. “You will learn. And then you will come home, and tell us

Stane nodded Soury.

Dranine extased ins arts. “Nonna is very persuasive.”

whweps has been. I murmured

aned fronts trawards Mateo. “So. No hiding in trees.”

We don’t have clive trees.”

vt, trommene replied sheronly.

The beverley of it shade sinnething warm bloom inside my chest again.

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19:43 Tue, Jun 9

Chapter 136

This. This was what I wanted for Mateo.

A house full of laughter.

Not tension.

Not fear.

Just life.

I glanced at Dominic. “Can you take him to school today?”

He looked surprised. “Of course.”

“I’m going with Alessia to her appointment.”

He nodded. “Alright.”

Mateo grabbed his plate of eggs and toast and began eating happily.

“Have a good day,” I said to them.

Dominic paused briefly, meeting my eyes.

“Text me,” he said quietly.

“I will.”

As I turned to go upstairs, I exhaled once.

Today was important.

If there was any chance to gather information about Alessia’s pregnancy, it would be at the doctor’s office. Nurses talked. Records existed. Slips happened.

And I would be watching everything carefully.

I climbed the stairs and knocked on Alessia’s door.

She opened it almost immediately.

She was already dressed in a soft cream sweater, her hair loose hair and her makeup light.

“Ready?” she asked, smiling faintly.

“Yes.”

She stepped out, closing the door behind her..

“You didn’t have to come,” she said as we began walking towards the staircase.

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19:43 Tue, Jun 9

Chapter 136

“I wanted to.” I replied evenly.

She studied me briefly. “You’ve been quite attentive lately.”

“I care about the baby,” I said.

That much was true.

One way or another, I cared about the truth.

We walked slowly towards the stairs.

“Dominic worries too much,” Alessia said lightly.

“He worries about responsibility,” I answered.

She hummed in agreement.

We reached the top of the staircase.

She placed one hand on the railing.

“Sometimes,” she continued softly, “I feel like I don’t deserve all this attention.”

I looked at her.

“That’s not your decision to make.”

She turned slightly to look at me, and in that small shift, something changed.

Her foot slipped.

Or missed.

It happened too fast.

Her body tilted backward.

“Alessia-!”

I lunged forward instinctively, grabbing for her arm.

For one split second, our fingers touched.

Then she fell.

The sound her fall made was sickening.

Her body tumbled down the staircase, hitting wood and railing in a blur of movement and fabric.

Time fractured.

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outer th

anything I’d ever heard

I love Som for on the waves, my heart hammering violently in my chest.

“Oh my God‘

maurs,

hencying the fore

My hands were durų,

you whispered to to we,

Your fundered from the hallway,

***econds later, taking in the scene instantly.

Alewe on the floor Crying Weeding

Me standing Anne her.

*roven Soked

The world warrowed into that single, horrific image.

lume an urwards a

hanit off panic in his soice made everything worse

Wasedaireading across the mable

And the terrible, sick redization that pysything had just changed.