<b>Chapter 180 </b>
Ileana was so terrified she could barely form a coherent sentence, but even then<b>, </b>her first instinct was to threaten Alessia.
“You can try me if you want,” Alessia replied, her gaze cold and indifferent.
“Go ahead–run to the Tates tonight and tell them all about this, embellish it however you like. If you want to go after the Morton family, be my guest–let’s see if you’re actually capable of it. Just remember, all of that depends on whether you can handle the consequences of pissing me off.”
Her voice didn’t waver. It wasn’t harsh or low, just matter–of–fact, as if she were reciting an unchangeable truth.
“Tonight was just a warning. If I catch you pulling this kind of stunt again, it won’t end with just a little scare. Do you understand?“.
As soon as the words left her lips, there was a sharp crack. Before Ileana could process what was happening, Alessia had already set her arm back in ce.
The lingering pain numbed Ileana’s nerves, but that precise control–being able to toy with her agony–instilled a bone–deep fear.
Alessia leaned in, her presence so overwhelming that Ileana instinctively tried to shrink away, only to realize there was nowhere left to go.
“Remember this, Ileana: I may not have the Tate name, but without it, you’re nothing at all. Behave yourself. y your part as the pampered princess and quit trying to make trouble for me. Because if you keep this up, I promise you–if I could get in once, I’ll get in again. And the next time, it won’t stop at just this.”
To Ileana, Alessia’s words sounded like the devil’s whisper, sending tremors through her entire body. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Her arm remained frozen, as the pain only seemed to grow stronger.
Yet, in reality, there wasn’t a single mark on her. If she tried to use Alessia of anything, there’d be no evidence.
That was Alessia for you. No matter how reckless she seemed, she never left herself exposed.
Once her lesson was delivered and her warning made clear, Alessia left Ileana’s room with Ste. Butler Dawson was waiting quietly at the top of the stairs, offering nothing but a polite bow.
14:44
<b>“</b><b>Mr. </b><b>York </b><b>is </b>still <b>in </b>his room. <b>I’m </b><b>not </b><b>sure </b><b>what </b><b>happened</b><b>,” </b><b>Dawson </b><b>murmured</b><b>, </b><b>his </b>tone <b>neutral</b><b>–</b>the mark of a man who knew how to keep his job.
<b>“</b><b>Keep </b>an eye on her,” Alessia instructed, nodding toward Ileana’s door. <b>At </b>that moment, Ileana’s furious screams echoed behind them as she ordered the <b>staff </b><b>to </b>
fetch her a doctor.
“Yes, ma’am!”
As soon as they started down the stairs, a small, excited voice called out from behind them, apanied by the joyful bark of a dog.
“Alessia! You’re back!”
Ste shot Alessia a look, one brow raised as if to say, “Well, we’re busted–the Tate family’s little prince just caught us.”
Alessia sighed and gestured at Ste, who winked and slipped outside to bring around her motorcycle.
Alessia turned to face York. He stood there, clutching Rex’s leash in one hand and holding up three lifelike toy snakes in the other–wiggling them for effect.
“What are you up to?” she asked.
“That woman’s making such a racket, I figured I’d go scare her a bit,” he said, shaking the fake snakes with a mischievous grin.
“Get back to bed. Don’t you know kids who stay upte don’t grow tall?” Alessia chided, exasperated.
She held out her hand. York hesitated, hiding the snakes behind his back.
Alessia didn’t push, just stood there with her hand outstretched. They stared each other down for barely ten seconds before York gave in.
“Fine, take them!” he huffed, shoving all three snakes into her hand with a pout.
14:44