6

Emilia’s POV.

The moment Alaric walked into the room, his presence overpowered me, clouding my senses, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I lost my wits and became clumsy around him. It was a strange thing, to be both grateful and cautious around him, like standing in front of a storm—beautiful from a distance, but dangerous up close. He stood across from me, a small, self-satisfied smile playing at his lips, and when he spoke, his words stopped me in my tracks.

“I’ve taken care of your brother’s bills,” he said, casually, as if he hadn’t just thrown a lifeline to the person I loved most in the world.

For a second, I couldn’t speak. My throat tightened, my heart raced, and all I could think was that Matteo was safe—that Alaric, despite being the cold, impenetrable man he was, had actually kept his word. I felt tears prick the back of my eyes, and I pressed a hand to my mouth, trying to gather myself.

“Thank you, Alaric. Really, I…” My voice broke, and I looked down, suddenly overwhelmed by everything—relief, gratitude, and the sense that maybe, just maybe, things could get better. I couldn’t contain the smile that crept onto my face, a rare, genuine one that I hadn’t felt in months. “Thank you so much. I don’t think you realize what this means to me.”

He didn’t respond at first. He only looked at me with that same unreadable expression, a hint of something—was it amusement?—in his eyes. I waited, half-expecting him to tell me it was all a joke, that there was a catch.

But he didn’t. He just stood there, silently witnessing me getting all caught up in my emotions, as if he were absorbing it, storing it away.

Finally, I took a steadying breath, bracing myself for my next request. “I’d like to go see him now, if that’s okay.”

The shift in Alaric’s demeanor was almost immediate. His easy stance hardened, his jaw tensed, and he crossed his arms over his chest as if I’d just crossed some invisible line. “No.”

My smile faltered. “What do you mean, no? He’s my brother. I just want to see him.”

“You have a job to do here,” he said, his tone final. “Your presence is required. Besides, the hospital staff is more than capable of taking care of him.”

I felt a rush of frustration bubble up. “He’s not just some patient, Alaric. He’s my family.”

“That may be true,” he replied, his voice cool and steady. “But you work for me now. Your time belongs to Francesca, and she needs you here.”

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to shout. How could he be so cold, so completely unmoved by what this meant to me? All I wanted was a few hours, just to sit by Matteo’s side, to see for myself that he was okay. But it was like talking to a brick wall. Alaric didn’t see me as a sister desperate to be with her family—he saw me as an employee, a tool to be used and kept in place.

I took a slow, deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll come back. Just give me an hour, that’s all I’m asking. I don’t even need the whole day—”

“No,” he repeated, cutting me off sharply. His eyes locked onto mine, steely and cold. “You agreed to this, Emilia. You knew what you were signing up for.”

“And I thought that meant I’d still be able to see my family,” I shot back, unable to keep the bite from my words. My eyes narrowed at him as I glared at him. I might as well be talking to stone. “I’m not a prisoner, Alaric. You don’t get to control every minute of my life.”

Alaric’s gaze darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. I knew I was pushing my luck, but I couldn’t help it. The frustration was building, fueled by the cruelty he was showing me. How could he be so heartless? He might have paid for Matteo’s bills, but that didn’t give him the right to keep me away from him.

“You forget yourself,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “I have done what I promised. I am upholding my end of our agreement. And you will uphold yours.”

I swallowed, forcing myself to not shrink away from him as much as I wanted to. This wasn’t a man who was used to hearing the word “no.” And yet, I couldn’t back down. Not about this.

“Fine,” I said, my voice thick with suppressed anger. “But this isn’t what we agreed on. You can keep me here today, but I will see him. You can’t keep him from me.”

Alaric’s expression shifted, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he closed it off again. “This conversation is over, Emilia.”

With that, he turned and left, leaving me alone in the quiet room with my frustration and helplessness. I wanted to scream, to break something, but I knew it wouldn’t change anything. Alaric held all the cards, and he knew it. The only power I had left was my own stubbornness, the knowledge that I wouldn’t give up on Matteo no matter what Alaric demanded of me.

But as I stood there, breathing hard and blinking back tears, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was strong enough to keep fighting him. If he’d already drawn this line, if he was willing to keep me from my brother now, then what else would he try to control? How long would he try to keep me away from his family? To what length would he extend his power?

And what would it cost me to fight him?

I ran my hands through my hair, letting the tears finally drop from my cheeks. This was all my fault. I shouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place. I felt like I had sold myself to the devil.