His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 211

14:53 Tue, Jun 30

Chapter 211

Chapter 211

Isabella’s POV

63

So youcasta

By the time Caterina came home, I knew something was wrong immediately. It was small things at first. The sharp way she closed the apartment door. The tension in her shoulders. The fact that she muttered something in Italian under her breath that definitely did not sound holy.

I looked up from the couch instantly.

“What happened?”

She froze for half a second like she hadn’t expected me to notice so quickly. Which was ridiculous. Because the woman practically radiated irritation right now.

“Nothing,” she said.

I stared at her.

She stared back. Then rolled her eyes dramatically. “I hate your aunt.”

I blinked. “My aunt?”

“Dominic’s aunt. My sister,” she corrected immediately. “Unfortunately.”

That only worried me more.

I sat up straighter. I knew she had gone for lunch with Vittoria, her husband and Dominic. I had an inkling that it might not be a particularly pleasant affair, but I also hadn’t expected Caterina to be as riled up as she currently was.

“What happened at lunch?” I asked her.

She sighed heavily, dropping her handbag onto the chair before sitting down beside me. “That woman has the emotional intelligence of a spoon.”

“…. Still talking about the aunt?”

“Yes,”

A beat.

“And Alessia.”

My stomach tightened instantly.

Caterina visibly realized what she had just said, but it was already too late. Her expression shifted instantly and I could see the regret plain as day on her face.

I looked at her carefully. “She’s here?”

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Chapter 211

“No-well-

31

“She’s in Milan again?”

63

555 vouchers

Caterina cursed softly under her breath.

“It slipped out,” she muttered.

My chest started tightening slowly. Coldly. That familiar unease creeping back in again.

“She came to lunch,” Caterina admitted finally, clearly realizing there was no point backtracking now. “Vittoria invited her without telling us.”

Something heavy settled in my stomach.

Again.

Why did she keep coming back here?

Why?

Caterina immediately reached for my hand. “Isa, listen to me. Dominic had nothing to do with it.”

I looked down briefly. Then back at her.

“He was furious.”

I let out a small humorless laugh. “That’s what happened last time too.”

“I know,” she said quickly. “But he genuinely did not know she was coming.”

I rubbed my temple slowly.

A headache was beginning to bloom there.

“She’s back in Milan,” I whispered more to myself than her.

God.

The apartment suddenly didn’t feel as safe anymore.

“She won’t stay,” Caterina said firmly. “Dominic is sending her back to Florence again.”

Again.

That word echoed unpleasantly in my head.

Again.

How many times was this going to happen?

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14:53 Tue, Jun 30

Chapter 211

How many times was Alessia going to keep showing up near us?

Near Mateo?

363

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t want her anywhere near me or my son.” The words came out sharper than I intended.

But I meant every single one of them.

Caterina squeezed my hand gently. “I know.”

“No,” I said quietly, my chest tightening more now. “You don’t understand. Something about this feels wrong.”

Because it did. Deeply, instinctively wrong.

I stood abruptly and started pacing slowly.

“When we all lived together before, she never did this,” I said. “She barely even interacted with me unless she had to. She certainly never went out of her way to talk to Mateo.”

Caterina stayed quiet. Listening.

“And now suddenly she keeps showing up wherever we are?” I continued. “The park. The grocery store. Lunches. Milan itself.”

I wrapped my arms around myself unconsciously.

“She doesn’t even know I’m pregnant yet,” I whispered.

That thought scared me more than I wanted to admit. Because if this was how Alessia acted now, then what would happen once she found out?

Once she realized Dominic and I were having another baby together?

The fear hit sharper then. Not for myself. But for Mateo. Always Mateo first.

My hand moved instinctively to my stomach.

Then immediately after, towards my phone.

“Isa?”

I barely heard Caterina.

I was already dialing Maria. Mateo had gone to pick up some groceries around the block with her. But my chest burned with the need to know if he was alright, to see him with my own eyes as soon as possible.

Maria picked up on the second ring. “Isa?”

“Where’s Mateo?” I asked, too fast. Too anxious.

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14:53 Tue, Jun 30

Chapter 211

Maria noticed my mood instantly.

“He’s right here,” she said reassuringly. “We were just leaving the grocery store. He’s fine.”

Relief flooded me so quickly it almost made me dizzy. I sank back onto the couch slowly. “Okay.”

“Did something happen?” Maria asked carefully.

I glanced towards Caterina.

She looked worried now too.

“No,” I said automatically.

A lie. A weak one.

Maria clearly didn’t believe me. Her voice softened. “He’s perfectly fine, Isa.”

Before I could even tell her to come home immediately, she added gently, “We’re already heading back. Don’t worry.”

I closed my eyes briefly. “Okay.”

“We’ll be there soon.”

After the call ended, silence settled heavily in the room.

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