couldn't be certain. When he spoke again, he was back to being his confident, captivating self.
“Of course, cara. I guess I got distracted for a moment,” he said casually and winked at me. “What’s the address?”
I told him, and he put it into his navigation system. “There. Happy now?” he asked in a teasing manner and I nodded.
There was something strange about his behavior, but I couldn't put my finger on it, so I let it rest. Instead, I gazed outside the window and focused on the streets we passed. After a while, we ended up in the part of the city where I grew up; that wrong part where there was nothing but poverty and danger.
Nevertheless, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of those streets I hadn't seen in so long. Alessandro had strictly forbidden everyone to ever take me anywhere near that neighborhood. Since he had always kept a tight leash on both me and all of his employees, it was impossible to keep it hidden from him. Even Broderick had never dared to disobey him on that matter.
The closer we got, the more restless I became. I was overwhelmed with emotions I had kept bottled up for so many years. At some point, we drove down the street where Mangiare was situated and it was hard to breathe. For some reason, Alessandro slowed down a bit when we drove by the restaurant and both of us stared at the building until it disappeared from our sight. I thought I saw Mr. Giordano through the glass, but I wasn't sure. Then, my eyes followed the path I had taken so many times before when I would walk home from work. Memories barged in, reminding me of the time I was a young, naive girl—full of hope and working hard for a better and more prosperous future.
I closed my eyes and bit hard on my lower lip. I wouldn't cry. Nothing could make up for the time I lost, but I had to keep on moving. I had to focus on the future. Suddenly, Alessandro took hold of my hand and his thumb caressed my knuckles in silent support. But what made him do that? He believed the loss of contact with my sister stemmed from my own decision to choose him over my own family, so he couldn't have possibly known how I felt.
We entered my old shabby neighborhood. If there was any judgement on Alessandro's part, he didn't let it show. Instead, he seemed very much at ease with the surroundings that were light years away from his luxurious mansion. But I didn't dwell on it any further because we were minutes away from my old house, and a thousand thoughts attacked my mind in a split second. I couldn't believe I would see May after all these years. What did she look like? Was she okay? Most of all, would she recognize me? My breathing turned harsh and excited as Alessandro drove down my street and finally parked the car in front of the house.
It still looked the same. I took a long hard look at those shattered walls, and heaviness settled in my chest.
“So, this is where you used to live?” Alessandro asked softly.
I cast him a glance and nodded. “You must be shocked.”
“Not at all, cara,” he retorted in a light voice. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“No,” I confirmed quietly. “I need to do this on my own. I won't be long.”
He smiled. “Take your time. I'll wait for as long as it takes.”
I reached for the door handle and paused for a moment, returning my eyes to Alessandro's. “Thank you,” I whispered with as much honesty as I could muster. Nothing could erase the suffering and pain Alessandro had caused me, but I would be forever grateful for this moment.
He responded with a short smile. “Go.”
I got out of the car at last and walked toward the door. A flashback appeared before my eyes and I remembered the night when Alessandro gave me a ride home. Just like then, I could feel his eyes boring into my back.
When I stood in front of the door, I inhaled a chunk of fresh air and rang the doorbell. It appeared to be broken because there was no sound. I tried knocking, but there was no reply. Still, I wouldn't give up and kept on knocking. I even opened the post opening in the door, and asked if there was anyone