Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 118410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118410 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 474(@250wpm)___ 395(@300wpm)
My heart ached at the thought of Alessio suffering alone. He desperately needed solace, yet refused to accept it even when it was being given to him freely.
Why couldn’t he see my pain? Why couldn’t he see that I was the same as him?
He was too blinded by his own past.
Chapter 31
Ayla
I swiped away my tears as I walked down the stairs in a daze. I couldn’t understand Alessio. He was unpredictable and short-tempered, and he hid his feelings well.
I just wished he let his guard down and let me in. I wanted to know what he was thinking.
As strange as it sounded, I wanted to help him.
But he shut me out every time, first gentle and then rude and heartless.
Every time I was with him, I felt a pull. His touch was fire, his voice silk. And his eyes penetrated my soul.
I should fear him. I did fear him, but under the layers of fear, I cared. He made me feel even when I didn’t want to.
Neither of us wanted to feel. We both tried to hide it.
I walked into the kitchen and found Maddie and Lena there. “Hey,” Maddie chirped from her spot behind the counter.
Lena turned to face me and wiped her hands in her apron. “Good morning, Ayla,” she said with a sweet smile.
Smiling back, I gave her a hug. “Good morning,” I said as I stepped out of her warm embrace. I helped them in the kitchen, trying not to think about that morning.
“I’ll message the others to set the table,” Maddie muttered as she took out her phone. She was still typing the message when I saw Viktor walking into the kitchen, his face hard and cold.
“Boss wants his breakfast in his office,” he said briskly before leaving. We didn’t even have a chance to reply.
Was Alessio going to eat alone? I thought back to our earlier encounter, his fury as he told me to leave the room, and the flash of pain I saw in his eyes before he shut me out.
I felt someone nudge me, snapping out of my thoughts. Maddie stared at me in confusion.
“What’s wrong? You’ve been quiet this morning,” she asked, leaning her elbows on the counter as she waited for an answer.
I shrugged.
Maddie leaned forward. “Is it about Alessio?”
I chuckled. “You are a mind reader, Maddie.”
Her eyes twinkled and she winked. “I know. So, what happened?”
“Well, last night, I went to the piano room and Alessio caught me there. But when I was about to leave, he let me play—”
“What?” she squealed. “You played the piano? Alessio let you play the piano?” Her mouth hung open in shock.
I nodded.
“Wait. You played the piano in front of Alessio?”
Before I could answer, she continued, “Ayla, this is big! He never lets anyone play the piano. It’s forbidden. It’s his mother’s, and since her death, nobody was allowed to play it.”
The news took my breath away and I stared at her in shock.
If that’s why he was angry at me, why did he let me play in the first place?
I bit down on my lips in frustration. Alessio was a confusing man.
“Mom! Did you hear that? Alessio let Ayla play the piano!” Maddie exclaimed loudly next to my ear. Wincing, I took a step away.
“Yes. I heard,” Lena replied, her voice soft. I turned toward her and saw that she was smiling at me, her eyes shining merrily.
Turning back to Maddie, I continued, “But it didn’t end well. He ordered me to leave afterwards. He was really angry. And this morning too.”
“This morning?”
“I went back to check on him to make sure he cleaned his wounds. But he didn’t. So, I cleaned them for him. He was nice about it, but then got angry again,” I muttered.
“Wait. You cleaned his wounds and he got angry at you?” Maddie bristled slightly. When I nodded, she placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot on the ground in annoyance. “God, he is so damn annoying. What exactly did he say?”
At her question, I grew somber. “I kind of told him that we all need comforting sometimes and he shouldn’t have to deal with it alone. But he got really angry and told me to stay in my limits. And he yelled at me to leave.”
“What. An. Ungrateful. Bastard,” Maddie growled.
“Maddie! Watch your language,” Lena scolded.
“I’m serious, Mom. How dare he? Ayla helped him, and this is how he treats her?”
“We all know how he is. Alessio doesn’t like the attention. Or comfort. He doesn’t do well with emotions.” Lena placed a comforting hand on my back.
“I know,” I whispered.
Maddie still looked angry. “Maybe you should have just left his hands bloody so they would get infected. He sure as hell deserves it. Asshole.”
“Maddie! Enough!” Lena reprimanded her loudly.
“Fine!” She crossed her arms against her chest. Lena gave her a glare, but it didn’t look threatening at all. I didn’t think she could ever look angry, even she tried hard.