***
"Oliver, Assist the young miss to the guest room on the 2nd floor. Make sure to take care of our special guest."
Alessandro informed a young butler who immediately bowed and took Butter's extra luggage to the guest room.
Serenity and Butter squealed together as they entered the luxurious mansion.
"You must be so tired, freshen up and take some rest. I will bring us some light snacks and then we can talk."
"Sure. My mother sent you some gifts as well."
"Really? How is Aunt J and papa?"
"The usual, oh my God! It's so hard to live without you, Seri. Do you know I got grounded almost every week. You were my shield and protector. I am even planning to steal you from here."
"You can steal me anytime , Butter." Serenity giggled.
But the man walking behind them stiffened.
The red head quickly escaped for the kitchen once Butter went to take a shower. She asked the kitchen staff for some light snacks and two glass of lemonade. Taking the tray of food in her hands, she rushed back to the room.
Alessandro who was watching her all the time suddenly felt ignored. He sighed, shaking his head and went back to his study grumbling under his breath.
"This is the dried roasted pumpkin seeds, this one is pickled jalapeño. Mom also packed you some fig jam. You loved these, didn't you?" Butter laid out the jars she had brought from the Island.
"Oh I missed having these. Aunt J is so thoughtful. Thank you so much." Serenity grabbed the jar of pumpkin seeds and hug it it her chest like it was a small baby.
"Three weeks ago, the eastern fishermen caught a huge net of crayfish from the lake. We had a community feast and everyone talked about you and how much you loved it."
"Ah! Why do all the good things happen when I am not there?"
"Now tell me what is going on here." Butter asked seriously.
They were best friends for nearly a decade now and they never hid anything from one another. Serenity sighed and knew she had to tell her. She knew that although Butter seemed to be impulsive and care free, her mouths are always sealed when it comes to secrets and that's one trait she loved in her. Because Serenity was the worst at keeping secrets.
She narrated what happened briefly and how it landed her here and then how Alessandro treated her even with all his mood swings and anger issues.
"Goodness...so he is like in the mafia or something?" Butter leaned towards her and whispered.
Serenity nodded.
"Then does he go around in the dark alleys at night to beat someone up and growl 'WHERE IS MY MONEY!'"
The red head stared at her confused.
"No... Alessandro isn't like that." She cringed at the thought of Alessandro beating someone up for money.
Butter frowned, " I have read hundreds of books on wattpad about Mafia and it often starts with this male lead beating someone up in a dark alley and the female lead seeing them."
"No, that's not what happened to us."
"Okay... Does he use the phrase 'You're mine!' in a deep sexy voice when he is jealous?"
Serenity shook her head, the most Alessandro would do is either glare at her or give her silent treatment.
"What type of mafia is he then?" Butter wondered.
"Butter...I need to tell you something." Serenity stammered while blushing.
Her best friend put the plate of food aside and turned to her seriously.
"I...I think I like Alessandro..." she confessed.
Butter went silent for a minute , "That's it?"
"Idiot! I already felt the tension in the air when that big bad mafia came into the picture."
"Huh?"
"Can you be anymore oblivious? Even a blind man could tell you liked each other. So how far has the story processed? You didn't confess yet, right?" Butter sighed and pressed her palm on her forehead.
Serenity smiled sheepishly and shook her head.
"What are you waiting for then?" She prodded.
"The right timing...?"
"There is no such thing, you just have to choose the time and make it right. Aww! Our little Seri is all grown up and even falling in love for the first time." Butter cooed and slapped her arm.
"Butter stop! You're embarrassing me." She fumed red and cover her cheeks, "Enough about me, how are you and Eto?"
"We broke up a few weeks ago."
Serenity gasped, "Already? Butter, you can't just date people for an hour and break up whenever you feel like it."
"Oh please, don't lecture me. Mother dearest is doing a fine job on it." She waved her hand and dropped down on the bed with a sigh.
"I don't like wasting my time or other's . I knew Eto and I weren't a match, we are not compatible. So why try to adjust and bear it when I know we aren't gonna be it any day. Besides I am only sixteen. Teen loves are little shits, they aren't always the happy ever after."
"What about...Alessandro and me? Do you think we will break up so soon if we started dating now?"
Butter was reminded of that deep territorial jealousy drifting off the dominating male who refused to share Seri's attention even with her best friend.
'As if that alpha male would let you out of his sight for ten minutes.' she thought
But instead she said carefully, "Depends on the person, I think. Someone like Mr. Vitali wouldn't give up on you guys that easily so don't run away from your feelings. Falling in love is beautiful."
***
Dinner was announced and the girls rushed down arms in arms. Alessandro stared uncomfortably at their intertwined fingers from the head chair. Serenity usually sat on his left but that evening, she settle down three chairs away from him with her best friend.
Antonio, oblivious, reached out to sit on that particular chair but he was shooed away with one glare from Alessandro. And hence the seat remained empty through out the dinner.
"Holy mother! Serenity who is that gorgeous woman?" Butter gasped lowly and whispered to Serenity.
She turned to see who she was talking about and saw Athena descending the stairs. She was dressed immaculately in a silk wrapped dress, her platinum blonde hair flowing gently down her back. Even her strides were calculated and elegant.
"She is Athena Springton, Alessandro's friend. She might appear rude but don't take it to heart, she is actually very kind."
Butter was staring at the stunning blonde with her jaws dropped to the floor. Serenity could also see a drool trailing down her chin. She lightly kicked her under the table.
"What are you doing?"
"My eyes are blessed. Can there be anyone more stunning than her? Serenity, you have to help me with this one!" Butter widened her eyes with a pout.
Serenity didn't tell her that her puppy eyes looked more less of a puppy and more of a cow.
"I...I don't think I should..."
"Please, please consider our ten years of friendship."
"But what if Athena likes boys?"
"She is just confused. Don't worry." Butter brushed her off.
On the other side, Alessandro was eye sore after sneaking some glances at the two girls who were too intimate for his liking. He gestured subtly to his old Butler without uttering a word.
Dinner was served but when Serenity was about to scoop some rice onto her plate, she looked down to find none infront of her, not even the cutlery.
"Where is my plate?" She asked the nearest butler.
The old butler kindly gestured to her original seat which was on the left of Alessandro.
Serenity was dumbfounded, she pursed her lips and snapped her head towards Alessandro but the man was eating his food as if he was deaf to her situation.
"I want to eat with Butter!" She demanded like a stubborn child.
Nobody responded even Antonio and Simone seemed to be enjoying the drama. Only Athena was focused on her meal without giving anyone a damn.
"It's okay, we can share my plate, Seri. We used to do that all the time." Butter instigated.
Antonio mentally face palm. He sighed and convinced himself that they were kids and it's okay to be oblivious.
Serenity immediately cheered up...unlike the ice prince who seemed to have swallowed a black hole.
****
"Where are you sneaking off to?" Alessandro closed his laptop and sat up on the bed when he saw his little red head running out of the closet with a pair of pajamas.
"I am sleeping with Butter. Good night Alessandro." She chirped.
Serenity skipped towards the door and just as she was about to step out, a strong arm grabbed her waist and hurled her over his broad shoulder.
The sudden blood rush made her dizzy, she yelped.
Before she could register what was happening, she was thrown on the bed. Due to her light weight, Serenity bounced twice, holding her head.
"Alessandro, what was that for?" She squeaked in a nervous tone.
He clenched his jaws, "You are sleeping here. End of discussion."
Serenity instantly sat up, "But, I have already decided to have a movies night with Butter."
Alessandro pinned her down and wrapped her up in a bundle of blanket like a burrito. She squealed and yelped in protest but he was too quick and agile with his actions that she had no time to fight back. Before she knew, her limbs were bounded like a mummy and she couldn't move.
"Alessandro! You- You bad- You bad boy! Get me out of here!" She screamed.
He smirked and lower his lips towards her scrunched angry nose before pecking it lightly.
"Now, now. Aren't you adorable?" He pinched her flustered cheeks.
"You! You- you-" Serenity was red with anger and her lack of curse words was making her frustrated.
"You are a bad boy!" She yelled at him. Serenity thought it will make him sad and afraid because she had used this tactic on a lot of kids back in the island.
But the shameless man beside her let out a deep chuckle.
He leaned closer, his breath tickling the shell of her ears as he whispered seductively, "Trust me, I can be a good boy too... in bed."
But poor innocent Serenity didn't get the memo. She glared at him with a sneer, "No, You are on bed but you are not a good boy! You are still a bad, bad, bad boy!"
"But good girls love bad boys, darling."
Serenity was speechless. She was suddenly concerned, she wondered if she should bring Alessandro to the church and teach him the difference between good and bad boys.
"Alessandro, please..." she widened her doe eyes and forces her tear glands to hydrate itself to give a teary appearance.
Alessandro was already aware of this trick, he grounded his teeth and waved the duvet over her face, burying the burrito if a girl under the sheets.
"Alessandro!"
Not even five minutes had crossed, Serenity was already passed out on the bed, Alessandro sighed and slowly unwrapped the little burrito. She unconsiously clung onto him as he laid her down properly once again. Her skin was flushed from the heat and her red strands sticking to her rosy cheeks. She was a delight to his eyes, his precious girl.
"What you do to me, love." He whispered to the stillness of the night.
He was determined that tomorrow was the day, he would officially announce her status in his life. She was to be groomed as the future queen of the Vitali regime. Only she has the right to the crown and nobody else, Alessandro wouldn't let anybody. His heart was already taken captive in her small hands and he don't dare to take it back.
The night passed fleetingly but Alessandro didn't sleep a wink, his eyes kept flickering towards the clock and to his little red head.
Just as the clock struck twelve, a small smile appeared on his face as he pressed down a longing kiss on her forehead.
"Happy birthday, my Queen."
****
A short chapter for 600k *****
How was the chapter?
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Or just meh?
Interesting question coz I am bored : What is that one dark side of a popular figure or celeb?
Idk if I heard it wrong or not but I've come across a post which said that Mother Teresa isn't a Saint as she is portrayed to the world. I am not sure about it but they also said that she didn't give mess to the ailing patients in her hospital even if they are on the verge of death. I might be wrong. Feel free to correct me.
I am having a migraine from planning the birthday ball. A lot of huge incidents coming up that might alter the course of the book. Until then continue to support me with your sweet encouragement. I love you lots.
Don't forget to VOTE AND COMMENT
Adios,
Stella Cadante.