The Return of My First Love novel Chapter 20

Emily

With a firm grip, Alessio led me through the mansion, straight to the lion's den. His room.

The second he shut the door, he immediately pinned me against the wall. It wasn't aggressive, if anything it was gentle. His dark eyes were intense, boring into mine with a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Avoiding his gaze was of no use because he wouldn't let me lose it.

What did he want to discuss?

Was he going to confront me about the lie?

I had expected for him to be furious, to wrap his strong hand around my neck and choke me, so the fact that he didn't made me even more anxious.

"I should..." Alessio began speaking, then he shook his head. "No, let's switch things up," he bumped me, almost playfully. "How about you tell me what you think should happen to you?" His tone held some kind of mockery.

"I-I..." I failed to manage my voice. Perhaps preparing what I wanted to say would be better for the next time. Then again, it wasn't every day one was told to make up their own punishment.

"I'll do whatever you say. I believe you don't hurt children. Naty, she's good, obedient... like me. I'll stay quiet. I'll play my part." I ranted anything to convince him, and judging by the chuckle that escaped his lips, followed by a satisfied sniff, I hoped I had passed the test.

"And the child's father? Will he be an issue?"

"No!" I lied... again. "I haven't seen him in months!"

Well, that part was true.

This time I even felt bad for twisting the truth, but I had no choice. Staying within these mansion gates, being Alessio's fiancee was the only way to protect Naty from Jason.

In any other scenario, I could've let her stay with her family, but in this case that would've been a lost cause. Dad who had left us for his new wife when I was only two years old, hadn't looked back ever since. Mom never made me forget how he had just packed his bags and didn't care about me, didn't fight for me, wasn't interested and didn't want to see me.

The hardest part was having eight siblings, but none of thEmily sharing the same dad. The four oldest shared the same father, and so did the four youngest. I was the middle child.

There really was no point of having that much siblings because we hadn't really spoken after we all left the house.

That part was mainly because of mom who did not stood behind my pregnancy. At least once a month I would recall her exact words before she kicked me out. 'If you ruin your life by keeping that baby, you'll be as good as dead to me' and so I was.

Over the years, she did see Naty a few times, probably out of curiosity, but the two were not close. Till this day she refused to be her grandmother.

"Anyway," Alessio woke me from my thoughts, eyeing me as if he wanted me to confess all I had been thinking. "I'll have thEmily take your stuff to this room."

This room?

Confused, I looked around the room he had ordered me to clean a few days ago. Why would he take my stuff here?

"But this is your room?"

"Our room," he corrected, his tone a bit irritated. "And now I need to arrange a children's room too, thanks to your little stunt."

I wanted to talk back, tell him to treat me with a bit more kindness if he really needed me, but his patience was wearing thin and I needed him just as much.

Once again, we just stared at each other. It seEmilyed to be some kind of silent understanding between the two of us, and I bet it wouldn't be the last time.

He still scared the shit out of me, but somewhere deep down I could sense some kindness. I hoped he wasn't as terrible people made him out to be. I was aware he wasn't exactly good either because I knew who these people were and what they stood for.

His reaction towards Naty could've been way worse.

"I'm sorry for lying," I found myself apologizing. "I usually don't lie. I just... I needed to protect myself—"

"Protect yourself from who? From what? I don't see any danger." he spat, offended by my choice of words. It really was quite amusing seeing the surprised look on his face. Was it really that hard to understand that he was the threat?

I opened my mouth to respond but quickly shut it, fearing any wrong word could escalate the situation.

"For how long have you been here?" he suddenly asked.