Warning
1038 Words
Mai's pov
I let go of the device and it drops back into the snow.
He doesn’t take his eyes off the phone in the snow. “Kade,” he calls.
He subtly steps in front of his daughter, one arm goes slightly back, blocking her. She doesn’t notice as she is drinking her cocoa.
A man comes out of the side of the house.
“Sir?”
“Take it,” Marcello orders, pointing at the phone.
The man puts on gloves, picks it up and holds it close to his face. His eyebrows tighten just a little.
“Run a full check,” Marcello says. “Now.”
The man nods and walks into the house without another word.
What was that?” I ask, my voice embarrassingly thin.
“Nothing you need to worry about.” He turns away before I can say anything else. “Inside.”
The little girl grabs my hand, pulling me toward the door. “Come on, Mia! It’s warm inside!”
I look back at Marcello as she drags me away. He is still staring at the snow where the device was, jaw tight, shoulders stiff. Then he snaps out of it and follows us with long strides.
Inside, warm air wraps around me.
My clothes are still wet, my fingers numb, but the smell of pine and cinnamon drifts through the hall. The place feels like one of those christmas movies where the rich family always has a giant staircase and a big chandelier. I barely have time to take it all in before Ava pulls me deeper into the house.
“Daddy,” the little girl says, tugging his coat, “can Mia help me decorate?”
“Not now,” he answers without looking at her.
“Why? It’s christmas tomorrow.”
“She can help later Ava.” He says gently.
His eyes cut to me, then flickers back to his daughter.
“Welcome home, sir,” someone says.
Marcello just nods once and takes off his gloves. His eyes finds mine again like I did something wrong.
I swallow. “I didn’t mean to pick it up.”
He doesn’t answer, he just gives me a cold stare.
I stare at my boots. “I’m really sorry.”
“Stop apologizing.” He murmur.
Ava giggles like she is used to him being like this. She pulls me toward the stairs. “Let’s go! I want to show you everything! This way! Come see my room first!”
“Slow down,” I whisper, trying not to slip. “I have short legs, remember?”
She laughs, her boots thudding against the glass floor.
She drags me through long hallways with big paintings and shiny floors.
She pushes open a door at the end of the hallway. Her room is warm, pink and white paint designs the wall. Soft lights glowed from a small christmas tree in the corner, stuffed animals line her bed. She jumps onto it instantly, sinking into the pillows.
“Come on!” she calls. “Sit with me!”
I step inside awkwardly, peeling off my damp coat. “I don’t want to mess up your bed.”
“You won’t,” she says, dragging a blanket aside so I have space.
I sit gingerly at the edge, feeling out of place in my wet jeans and muddy boots but she doesn’t care. She just keeps talking about school and toys.
Soon, she shows me the guest room door. Just as Ava opens it, Marcello appears behind us. He must walk silently because I didn’t even hear him.
His dark eyes studies my face like he’s trying to figure out what I want from him and I try not to squirm under his gaze.
Ava jumps onto the bed, hugging a snowman pillow. “This room is so cool! I'm glad it's yours.” Her voice breaks the tension in the room.
“Thank you for having me, Ava.”
Marcello walks into the room, watching me finally put my wet bag down.
“Dinner in twenty minutes,” he says, dropping a pile of clothes on the bed.
“Try to look presentable.”
My face heats. “Thank you ”
He turns to leave but pauses. His voice drops. “Don’t let her get attached.” He whispers so only I can hear.
“I didn’t plan to,” I say quietly.
He looks at me for a long time. So long it makes my chest tight, then he nods once and walks away.
I let out a breath. Ava climbs off the bed. “Come on, let’s change! Daddy gets grumpy if people are late.”
“Does he?” I ask.
She shrugs. “ Yea. He says disciplined people keep to time.”
We get dressed and head to dinner. The dining room is huge, with candles and food that smells too fancy.
“You volunteered at the charity event,” Marcello says suddenly.
“Yes,” I say. “I met your daughter there.”
“I know.”
The rest of the meal remains quiet.
After dinner, Ava pulls me back upstairs to play with her dolls. I sit with her, laughing at her little jokes.
She finally gets sleepy, so I help tuck her in. When she’s out, I walk to my guest room, rubbing my arms because even warm air can’t melt the weird tight feeling in my chest.
I push my door open and settle onto my bed. Just as I begin to drift off, something slides across the floor with a soft scrap.
I open the door and pick the small envelope in red and white, like a christmas card. Someone must have just pushed it under.
I open it with shaky fingers.
Only one sentence is written inside.
'You can’t protect her forever.'
My stomach drops.
The card slips from my hand and falls to the floor with a soft flutter.
Just then, I hear the sound of someone approaching and it's Marcello.
He stares at me for some seconds before moving to pick the card on the floor, his face goes dark as he reads the content
- Writer
