One Night Mistake… Now I Carry the Mafia Heir

Chapter 71: 71/The Fragile Fortress

Chapter 71

Stephanie’s Point of View

Cedric cornered me with his massive frame behind the side wall, sparks flying from his grey eyes like a hurricane about to destroy everything. He began dictating his orders in an authoritative tone, demanding that I never embrace Alexander in front of him again.

I looked at him in utter disbelief, feeling an urge to laugh out of sheer oppression. Could he truly have the audacity to say this after what I had just seen with my own eyes? Did he think he had any right to hold me accountable?

"Are you joking with me, Cedric?" I asked in a tone dripping with sarcasm and bitterness. "Or have you completely lost your senses?"

"I never joke about these matters," he replied sternly, leaning closer until his angry breath brushed my skin. "Don’t you dare ever approach him that way again, Stephanie. Do not test my patience."

Before I could gather the strength to respond to this blatant insolence and slap him with my words, Isabella’s pretentious voice pierced the silence of the hallway: "Cedric, darling... where did you disappear to? Where are you?"

In the blink of an eye, he released my arm as if my hand were a burning coal and stepped away with rapid strides toward her, his features shifting into a fake, calm mask.

I stood frozen for seconds, trying to process what had happened. Is this man truly insane? How dare he demand loyalty and distance from his brother while, mere minutes ago, he was devouring that woman’s lips with savage passion? How could he demand from me what he does not even possess himself?

I returned to the office with shaky steps, where Grandfather Victor was trying to regain his strength and sit upright. Alexander spoke, watching us with scrutinizing eyes: "This is a strange day indeed... Stephanie faints in the morning without warning, and now you, Grandfather, fall unconscious! The whole house seems exhausted today."

At this, Cedric commented with a mocking and utterly ridiculous tone, shooting me a mysterious glance: "Maybe Grandfather is pregnant too. Isn’t that the only explanation for fainting in this house?"

Everyone erupted in laughter at his crude joke, but I felt a genuine nausea sweeping through my being just from hearing his provocative voice. "Alexander, Grandfather needs rest," I said, addressing Alexander in an attempt to end the situation. "Let’s escort him to his room upstairs; the doctor insisted he stay in bed."

I moved to walk, but Cedric stepped up sharply and blocked my path with his body, saying in a tone that brooked no argument: "You go rest. You are pregnant, and your fatigue is doubled... Alexander and I will escort Grandfather."

I didn’t want to argue with him in front of them. Instead, I turned silently and headed toward the stairs with heavy steps, as if dragging mountains behind me. As soon as I entered the room, I locked the door, then rushed to the bathroom, feeling a terrible suffocation. I pulled off my clothes with hands shaking violently and turned on the faucet. I stood under the cold spray, naked, letting it flow over my burning body... and finally, the fortresses crumbled, and I burst into a sob that tore through my chest.

I cried with a bitterness I had never known; I cried until I felt my eyes would dry up from the abundance of salty tears. The scene of Cedric kissing Isabella that way replayed in my mind over and over, like a poisoned dagger stabbing my heart with every breath. I collapsed completely, sitting on the cold bathroom floor as the water poured heavily over my head, mingling with my muffled gasps. I felt the walls closing in on me; what I had seen was beyond my human capacity to endure or ignore.

I don’t know how much time passed while I was drowned in my agony under the cold water, until the sound of violent, frantic knocks on the bedroom door broke the silence: "Stephanie! Are you in there? Are you okay?"

It was Alexander’s voice. I couldn’t respond; there was a choking lump in my throat preventing me from uttering a single letter, and I feared the weakness of my brokenness would show in my voice. He called out again with greater concern and a muffled shout: "Stephanie! Open the door! Answer me, please!"

Suddenly, I heard the door being forced open, and Alexander rushed into the room. When he found me collapsed on the bathroom floor under the water, he knelt beside me, horror covering his handsome features: "My God! Stephanie, what’s wrong? Why are you sitting like this, drenched in water? Are you in pain? Has something happened to the baby?"

I didn’t respond to his rapid-fire questions; I simply looked at him with eyes red and swollen from crying. Alexander reached out and turned off the water, then helped me stand. My body was completely limp, like a lifeless corpse. He grabbed a bathrobe and put it on me, wrapping it around me with extreme care to cover my wet body. He led me out to the room and seated me on the edge of the bed, sitting beside me while holding my hand. He touched my face with exquisite tenderness and asked in a low voice: "Stephanie, look at me... tell me the truth, what’s wrong? Why all these tears?"

"It’s nothing, Alexander," I finally spoke in a hoarse voice that came out with difficulty. "Just exhaustion from the day’s events."

He shook his head in clear disbelief. "How can you say it’s nothing? I found you in a state of total collapse, not answering when I called! Did something happen while I was gone? Did someone upset you?"

"No, truly, it’s nothing," I said weakly, trying to end the interrogation. "I just need some quiet."

He sighed deeply, as if realizing I was hiding a great deal. Then he said in a calm, soothing voice: "Fine, I won’t pressure you now... come here."

"Where?" I asked aimlessly, trying to wipe my tears.

"Just stand up with me," he replied, holding my hand gently and urging me to rise.

He led me with quiet steps to the vanity and seated me on the chair before the mirror. Then he picked up the hair dryer and plugged it in, beginning to dry my wet, scattered tresses with extreme softness.

He ran his fingers through my hair with such gentle care that it made me close my eyes, trying to forget the outside world for just a few moments.

[I opened the app and found your amazing support! Oh my God, I felt so happy! I found it in both my stories and I was overjoyed. Thank you so much! Shawnnie thank you Rockst3ady Thank you I love you very much ]