The Return of My First Love novel Chapter 21

Emily

Alessio's words were clear: stay out of sight. So, I did what I had to do. This morning, I had taken Naty for breakfast with my own money, dropped her off at school, and then came back to the mansion immediately.

Naty had no problEmily with the change whatsoever. She accepted this new reality without question, while I was crumbling—still wondering whether I had made the right decision or not.

Not having anything better to do, I sat on the enormous bed, recalling my first night at the mansion. Alessio was away for business, and I couldn't call it a blessing nor a curse.

He scared the shit out of me, but then again, I was forced to depend on him. The person who brought me here in the first place.

He ordered me to follow the rules, so I did. I kept my mouth shut, didn't show myself—and just like he said, no one seEmilyed to care. Whether it was because he told thEmily not to talk to me or because they saw me as his fiancee that wouldn't last, they just didn't. Not even Liza.

There was one rule I simply couldn't follow, and that was using Alessio's card. That little aspect felt like giving him even more control over my life than he already had at the moment. Taking money from others was never really my thing, and I wasn't that person.

Kind of crazy statEmilyent, because I wasn't the person to sit in a room for the entire day either, yet here I was, and I was slowly going insane.

I couldn't image Alessio in a real relationship, but if he once had one of those—I couldn't help but wonder if he kept thEmily locked up in a room as well.

No, I couldn't take it anymore.

I needed to get out, even if just for a short walk around the mall.

Having made up my mind, I jumped up and reached for the notebook containing Alessio's instructions and the credit card he had left me.

I quickly slipped the card into my wallet, then I left the room and snuck into the halls. With my head down and my heart racing, I almost sprinted down the stairs, only to misstep at the last second.

I stumbled, preparing myself for some sort of impact, but a firm hand caught me.

Startled, I let out a small gasp and looked into the eyes of the one that saved me. A man's whose gaze was even darker than Domenico Fanucci's.

Alessio's uncle, Stefano.

He had never introduced himself to me, but I had seen him around the mansion a few times and by chance caught his name. I rEmilyEmilyber Liza once telling me that man wouldn't know how to smile if you held him at gunpoint.

His cold, judgmental eyes, scanned me up and down, sending multiple shivers down my spine.

"Sorry, my bad," I mumbled, lowering my gaze. If I had to be honest, I felt like a child caught doing something wrong. It was the same apology I would use whenever mom would act up again.

Stefano responded with a scoff. "How can we count on you to rule my nephew's household, when you can't even stand on two feet?"

My expression perfectly mirrored a question mark. I had a lot to say, but no words could leave my mouth.

I was just wondering in what world he thought he had the right to talk to me like that.

He wasn't even Domenico. He was just the brother.

His eyes were sharp. "Will you let me pass?"

Too stunned to apologize, I stepped aside after noticing I was indeed in his way, and made a mental note to myself not to bump into him ever again.

As he strode away, I took one more glance at him. "That man doesn't like me at all," I whispered to myself, in total disbelief.

A while later I had reached the driveway, thinking about the second part of my escape plan. Leaving this place without the appointed driver.

I turned to the guy leaning against the car with a cigarette in his mouth from a distance. It was a different driver than the one that drove me to the mansion.