Chapter 153 FLESH AND BLOOD.
\~~~RAINA.
I leaned against the doorframe of Alessia's office, watching her sprawl out on the couch like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Her dark hair fanned across a throw pillow, and her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. She looked exhausted, not just from work, but from whatever storm was brewing inside her.
I'd been on my way out of the building, ready to handle a quick inspection of the new warehouse site on the outskirts of the city, nothing major. I was just making sure the security setup was solid before we moved any inventory there.
But when I passed her door and saw her like that, I couldn't just walk by.
Alessia was like a sister to me now, and I knew just right that this mood wasn’t ordinary.
“What do you mean you two fought?” I asked, stepping inside and closing the door softly behind me.
Alessia lifted her head, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of frustration and vulnerability. She sat up a little, propping herself on one elbow. “We did, and I think I might have been too harsh with him.”
I raised an eyebrow and walked over to the chair across from the couch, lowering myself into it slowly. “Well, with everything you just said, I think you are,” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
I wasn't meant to be judgmental.
Alessia snapped her brows together, her face tightening as she sat upright fully, swinging her legs off the couch. “He is choosing my brother over our relationship. In fact, I wasn’t harsh enough!” Her voice rose a notch, sharp with that fiery edge she got when she felt cornered.
I couldn't help but chuckle, the sound light and easy to cut through the tension.
It wasn't that I found it funny exactly. It was just that Alessia had this way of diving headfirst into her emotions, which was rare because Alessia wasn’t one to let her emotions get the best of her.
Not especially on things like this. Boy matter, I mean.
I settled back into the chair, crossing my legs. I'd planned to drop by her office on a whim, thinking a quick chat might lift her spirits, but now it felt like I was in for a full therapy session. She had been brooding when I walked in, staring at the ceiling like it held all the answers.
“You didn’t have to put him in a condition of picking one of you,” I said gently, keeping my tone neutral.
Viktor was loyal to a fault, we all know that already.
And with what she had told me about Viktor, I knew it wasn't just about choosing but about gratitude tangled up with fear.
Alessia leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, eyes narrowing at me. “And are you for me or against me?” she snapped, her posture straightening like she was ready for a fight.
“What do you think?” I shot back with a small smile, holding her gaze.
She huffed, running a hand through her hair, and leaned back again. “I don't know, Raina. Sometimes it feels like everyone is pulling for Luciano. Viktor's been dodging the conversation about telling him for weeks. He cooks for me, stays over, makes me feel like we're building something real... and then bam, it is all about loyalty to my brother.”
We talked for a while longer, the conversation flowing back and forth like a gentle tug-of-war. I kept trying to nudge her toward seeing things from Viktor's side.
“Think about it, Alessia. Viktor has known Luciano since he was seven. Luciano didn't just give him a job, he gave him a family when he had none. It's not that he's choosing Luciano over you, it is that going against him feels like betraying the one person who saved him. You two have only been together a month. That is intense, but it's new. Give him time to sort through it.”
She shook her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her blouse. “Time? That is all he says. But I have this fear, Raina. I have a fear of abandonment. Like, I'm the main character in my own story, you know? I won't let my man choose my brother over me. If he can't stand up for us, what is the point?” Her voice cracked a little on the last word, and I could see the raw hurt in her eyes.
Alessia had always been the strong one, the one who held the family business together while Luciano handled the darker side, but this was hitting her where it hurt, deep in that place where the past lingered.
I nodded, letting her words sink in. “I get it. Really. But pushing him like that? It might make him pull away more. Viktor is not the type to run from a fight, but he's also not going to throw away years of loyalty on a whim. Talk to him when you're both calm. Tell him about your fears without the ultimatum. Relationships like yours need patience.”
Finally, I glanced at my wristwatch, and I needed to get to that warehouse inspection before the crew wrapped up for the day. I stood up, clasping my hands together in front of me. “Look, I hate to cut this short, but I've got to head out for a bit. Just checking on the new site outside the city and making sure everything's secure.”
Alessia tilted her head, a small smile breaking through. “You’re going somewhere?”
“Yes. I’ll be back before Gabriel comes to pick me up,” I said, grabbing my bag from the chair. I waved goodbye, giving her a quick hug at the door. “Think about what I said, okay? Call Viktor. Work it out.”
She nodded, waving me off with a half-hearted grin. “Thanks, Sis.”
I made my way to the elevator that led to the first floor, the hum of the office fading behind me as the doors slid shut. The ride down was quiet, and then I pulled out my phone to check the time, but it beeped with a new message. Luciano's name lit up the screen, and my heart did that familiar flip.
“I’ll be home late tonight, baby. And if I can’t come home too, I will let you know. Let me know when you get home, okay? I love you.”
I breathed out slowly, a mix of warmth and unease settling in my chest. It had been a while since I'd slept in the house alone without him and those nights had felt empty, the bed too big and cold.
I typed back quickly, “Update me. And I’d appreciate it if you return tonight, though.” I hit send, then slipped the phone into my bag, the elevator dinging as it reached the ground floor.
The doors opened to the bustling lobby, and I stepped out, nodding my head and waving in greeting to a few colleagues who called out hellos.
The air outside hit me as I pushed through the main doors, stood on the sidewalk, and scanned for a cab. Luciano would have made a huge deal out of me using public transportation if he knew. He would fuss over my safety like I was made of glass.
I raised my hand, and almost immediately, a yellow cab pulled up to the curb. The driver, an older man with a graying beard, leaned over to pop the door. “Where to, miss?”
I slid into the back seat, giving him the address of the warehouse site, then the cab merged into traffic, the familiar rhythm of horns and stoplights lulling me into a relaxed state.
I pulled out my phone again, browsing through emails and scrolling through social media to pass the time. The warehouse inspection shouldn't take more than an hour, and I could have sent my assistant or anyone else, but I just wanted the road walk too.
Suddenly, the cab lurched to a rough stop, tires screeching slightly. I gasped, my phone nearly slipping from my hands as my body jerked forward against the seatbelt. “What is going on?!” I exclaimed, my heart pounding in my ears.
“I’m sorry, madam. I wonder what that driver’s deal is,” the cabbie mumbled, peering through the windshield with a frown. He gestured ahead, where another car had cut us off abruptly, pulling into the lane in front of us.
I raised my head to look, squinting against the glare of the sun. I couldn't see well as the traffic was getting thick, and cars were honking all around but I caught sight of someone stepping out of the offending vehicle.
A woman, from the sway of her hips. She moved with a stylish confidence, her stride purposeful, like she owned the street. Long legs, quick steps, but her face was shadowed, hidden by the angle and the rush of passing cars.
“Is she coming here?” I asked the driver, my voice tighter than I intended. A prickle of unease ran down my spine. New York traffic was chaotic, but this felt off.
Before he could answer, the woman stopped right by our cab. Without a word, she yanked open the door beside me, the one I'd left unlocked in my haste. She slid in smoothly, the door clicking shut behind her like a trap snapping closed.
My eyes widened, breath catching in my throat as if I'd just seen a ghost. The blood drained from my face, leaving me cold and clammy. She was sitting there, inches away, her presence filling the cab like smoke. And she looked... like my perfect image.
The same sharp jawline, the same dark eyes that mirrored mine, and the same cascade of hair framing features that could have been mine if not for the subtle differences.
She was dressed head to toe in black. Tight black shorts that hugged her thighs, a fitted black top that clung to her curves, and a black face cap pulled low over her eyes, casting shadows that made her even more menacing.
It was an outfit for blending into the night, not a sunny afternoon.
“T… Talia!” My hands flew to my mouth, muffling the gasp that escaped.
My sister, the one I'd thought was gone, the enemy who'd vanished after stirring up so much chaos. Here she was, flesh and blood, staring back at me with a smirk that sent chills racing across my skin.
She tilted her head slightly and a slow smile spread across her lips.
“Hello, sister.”