Chapter 26 Eric

We returned home, and as soon as we walked in, I kissed her with intense passion, my lips seeking hers in a sensual and desperate dance. But I was also careful, aware that she was a valuable person who deserved to be treated with tenderness and respect.

My strong arms wrapped around her body with unexpected tenderness, keeping her safe and protected as we explored our deepest desires. Her arms and legs intertwined with mine, as if holding me tightly, pulling me closer to her.

I felt the warmth of her body against mine, every inch of skin tingling with the gentle touch of her fingers. I wanted to touch every part of her, kiss her everywhere, feel her soft skin beneath my hands and mouth.

The kiss intensified, becoming increasingly hungry and voracious. I could feel her labored breath, her heart beating strongly, and I knew she was as eager as I was to explore every corner of our bodies.

Finally, I picked her up in my arms, holding her firmly as we walked toward the bed.

I was with Ariele, about to enter the bedroom, when we were interrupted by Cassandra. She was clearly irritated and disapproved of our kisses.

"Cassandra, what's wrong?" I asked, trying to understand her reaction.

"I didn't like what I saw, Eric. Ariele is my daughter's babysitter, and she needs to set a good example. Kissing you like this, she's not displaying appropriate behavior for my Toni," Cassandra replied accusingly.

"Ariele hasn't done anything wrong, Cassandra. She's not acting inappropriately in front of your daughter," I defended Ariele, knowing she didn't deserve to be treated this way. And Cassandra should remember that this was still my house.

But Cassandra wasn't willing to listen to my explanation. She continued to attack Ariele, making it clear that she had a personal vendetta against her.

"Ariele is always trying to be the center of attention. She's trying to steal what's mine and now she's influencing my daughter with her inappropriate behavior," Cassandra said, full of venom.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Cassandra was being unfair and irrational. I had to step in and defend Ariele. I didn't want to explode at her because if that happened, things would spiral out of control.

"Cassandra, you're being cruel to Ariele. She's not doing anything wrong. You're just jealous of her. And if you continue to treat her this way, I won't tolerate it. Ariele is important to me, and I won't let you hurt her," I said firmly, defending Ariele. Cassandra shifted her attention from me to Ariele, anger in her eyes but unwilling to back down.

Cassandra seemed surprised by my response. She was silent for a moment before finally saying:

"I'm sorry, Eric. I didn't mean to be so harsh on Ariele."

I wasn't surprised by her sudden change; she knew she was treading on thin ice with me when it came to Ariele, and that was never a good path.

Just when things seemed to be normalizing, Ariele stood behind me, but it was her ring that Cassandra found as the new cause of confusion.

Cassandra accused Ariele of stealing her ring.

"Where did you get my ring?" Cassandra shouted.

Ariele immediately denied the accusations and explained that the ring was a family heirloom given to her by the mother superior at the convent where she lived.

"I didn't steal anything! This ring has been mine since the mother superior gave it to me when I was 15," Ariele replied with conviction.

Cassandra didn't believe Ariele's story and continued to accuse her of theft. The argument escalated, and the two started yelling at each other. I tried to calm things down, but nothing seemed to work.

Ariele was visibly shaken by Cassandra's accusations, and Cassandra was hell-bent on proving that Ariele was a thief.

"I don't deserve to be treated like this. I didn't steal your ring," she said, trying to remain calm.

Cassandra, on the other hand, seemed determined to prove that Ariele was a thief.

"I won't stop until you return my ring. I know you took it," Cassandra retorted. "Eric, you can't stand thieves. What are you going to do with this little thief?" The blonde tried her best to get her hands on Ariele, scratching my arms in the process, pushing my patience to the limit.

I felt powerless in the situation and tried to mediate the argument as best as I could, but the fight only got worse. Harsh words flew back and forth, and the tension was palpable.

"Enough!" I shouted, a cry that surely woke Toni. I looked at Cassandra, who had stopped trying to attack Ariele and had backed away from my body, leaving a burning sensation from her nails.

My deadly glare made her step back a little more.

"Go to your room; I'll come there shortly," I said firmly to her, feeling all my desire dissipating. Cassandra didn't question and left, leaving me alone with Ariele, who already had red eyes.

"I swear this ring is mine," she said through sobs. I wiped the tears from her face, bringing her closer to me, giving her a kiss on the forehead, trying to calm her racing heart.

"It's okay; it was just a misunderstanding. Cassandra isn't in the right mental state lately; I'll talk to her," I said, looking into her blue eyes, pure as crystals, radiating the purity I had seen on the first day. "Wait for me here; I'll be right back."

I walked quickly to Cassandra's room; the door was slightly ajar.

I knew Cassandra was trying to seduce me; she had opened her robe, revealing her intimate parts, but I was determined to find out the truth about the ring, and her body wasn't attracting me.

"Cassandra, stop this. I'm not interested in you. I want to know about the ring," I said firmly.

Cassandra sat on the bed, clearly irritated by my response.

"How can you be so naive, Eric? Ariele is a thief! She stole my ring; it's a family heirloom, reserved only for daughters and wives!" I knew very well what that ring represented; it was a symbol of the highest protection within our mafia.

I knew Ariele wasn't a thief. She was an honorable and dignified person, and I didn't believe she was capable of stealing something so valuable.