radicalducati Chapter 138
Chapter 138
The crisp morning air greeted Alessia as she stepped into the sleek glass doors of Kane Enterprises. It had been a whirlwind trip to Bali, but she felt rejuvenated, her stress temporarily washed away by the sun, sand, and Theo’s unwavering support. As she made her way through the lobby, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor, the familiar buzz of her office greeted her. But something was different today.
“Miss Kane,” Claire, her assistant, called out as Alessia approached. Her expression was hesitant, almost apologetic. “Your office is… well, it’s full of flowers.”
Alessia paused mid-step, her brow furrowing. “Flowers?”
Claire nodded, gesturing toward the double doors of Alessia’s corner office. “They arrived this morning. All of them.”
Alessia pushed the doors open and froze. Her office was a riot of color and fragrance, with every available surface covered in elaborate floral arrangements—roses, lilies, orchids, and even exotic tropical blooms she couldn’t name. Cards were tucked into the bouquets, their pristine envelopes taunting her.
“Who sent these?” Alessia asked, though a sinking feeling in her chest already told her the answer.
Claire hesitated. “Christian. The delivery guys said it was all from him.”
Alessia’s jaw tightened as she strode across the room, grabbing one of the cards. She opened it, her eyes scanning the familiar handwriting.
“Alessia, I’m sorry for everything. Please let me make things right. I’ll do anything to prove I’m serious about us and the baby. Love, Christian.”
She let out a frustrated sigh and tossed the card onto her desk. Before she could say anything, her phone buzzed with a call. The screen flashed with Christian’s name. Ignoring it, she turned to Claire.
“Get rid of these,” Alessia said firmly, gesturing to the flowers. “All of them. Donate them, trash them, I don’t care. Just make them disappear.”
Claire nodded quickly. “Of course. Right away.”
As Claire began coordinating with the janitorial staff, Alessia sat at her desk, running a hand through her hair. She knew Christian had a stubborn streak, but this was too much. Her phone buzzed again, this time with a text.
Christian: “I’m downstairs. Can we talk?”
Her stomach twisted. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation at her workplace, but it seemed Christian wasn’t going to give her a choice.
Fifteen minutes later, the doors to her office swung open, and there he was—Christian, looking every bit the polished businessman in his tailored suit. But there was a desperation in his eyes that Alessia had rarely seen.
“Alessia,” he started, his tone soft but insistent. “I just want to talk.”
She stood, her expression cold. “You shouldn’t be here, Christian. This is my workplace.”
“I know,” he said quickly, stepping closer. “But you’re not answering my calls, and I didn’t know how else to reach you.”
“I’m not answering for a reason,” she shot back. “You can’t keep doing this.”
He gestured to the flowers. “I’m trying to show you how sorry I am. I’m trying to prove that I care.”
“By sending an entire florist’s inventory to my office?” Alessia countered, her voice rising. “Do you have any idea how inappropriate that is?”
Christian’s jaw tightened. “I’m just trying to fix things, Alessia. For you. For the baby. For us.”
“There is no us,” she said, her tone firm. “You made sure of that.”
Christian flinched but quickly recovered. “I made mistakes, I know that. But I’m trying to make it right. I love you.”
Alessia’s heart ached at the words, but she refused to let herself waver. “You don’t get to come in here and disrupt my life just because you suddenly decided to feel guilty. I’ve moved on, Christian. You need to respect that.”
“Moved on?” he repeated bitterly, his eyes narrowing. “With him? With Theo?”
Alessia crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. “That’s none of your business.”
Christian let out a humorless laugh. “So, that’s it? He swoops in, and I’m just supposed to let him take my family?”
“No one’s taking anything,” she snapped. “You lost my trust, Christian. That’s on you, not Theo.”
He took a step closer, his voice dropping. “I’m not going to let him take you. Or my child.”
Her patience snapped. “Christian, stop this,” she said sharply. “If you don’t, I will go to the police. Do you understand me?”
He froze, his expression hardening. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me,” she said, her voice icy. “I don’t want to escalate this, but if you keep showing up uninvited and harassing me, I will.”
Christian’s shoulders slumped, and for a moment, he looked defeated. “I just… I don’t want to lose you.”
“You already did,” she said softly but firmly. “Now, please leave.”
He stared at her for a long moment before nodding slowly. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”
“Yes, it is,” Alessia replied, her tone resolute.