Alessio’s gaze sharpened as he processed my words.
“What?” he asked, his tone low and dangerous, a warning in every syllable.
I hesitated, but the resolve in my chest tightened. “I said,” I began again, my voice firmer this time, “after all this is done, I want to pay off my father’s debt and have my freedom to leave.”
For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of my words thick in the air. Then, to my surprise, Alessio chuckled softly, a sound that was neither amused nor lighthearted. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a sleek packet of cigarettes from his wallet and slipping one between his lips.
I frowned, stepping forward. “Really? A cigarette?”
He lit the end with a practiced flick of his lighter, the flame briefly illuminating his sharp features.
“What else is there to
