Chapter 9
Words
"Dorm"
After that intense, heart-to-heart moment with Adams, and everything else our bodies shared, I got dressed. He walked me to my dorm room door, just up the stairs from his on the next floor. I said goodbye with a soft smile and headed in.
Early the next morning, a post popped up in our student group chat about a business brand coming to campus to educate us on entrepreneurship and branding. I quickly got ready and headed down for the event.
The programme began with a welcome speech from the Chancellor of Canadian University, who said,
"Students, today's session is more than just a presentation, it's an opportunity to gain real-world insight from one of the most respected business families in the country. As young innovators and future leaders, may you be inspired to think boldly, act purposefully, and grow beyond the classroom. Welcome, and make the most of it."
Soon after, a distinguished-looking man entered the hall. As everyone clapped, something about him struck me.
Then it hit me, he looked just like Alessandro.
Oh my God… he was Alessandro's father.
It felt like staring at Alessandro, just decades older.
My heart stopped for a second. Just as I was trying to shake off the memories, the applause rose again…
And there he was, Alessandro.
Striding into the hall like a scene from a movie.
I froze. My heart pounded. I screamed, but only on the inside.
-----
After the long, inspiring speech by Alessandro and his father, we were handed flyers for an exclusive mentorship and internship program they were launching in partnership with the university. The event wrapped up, and students began to spill out, buzzing with excitement.
Adams reached for my hand again, lacing his fingers through mine like it was the most natural thing, like we were a couple. We walked toward the exit together, but just before we stepped out, one of his friends called him over. "Give me a sec," he said, letting go of my hand as he moved to talk.
I stood there, waiting.
Then suddenly, "Come with me. Now," a deep, commanding voice cut through the noise behind me.
I turned. Alessandro.
"Huh?" I blinked, confused by the sharp tone.
"I said right now," he repeated, more firmly.
Without even thinking, I followed as he walked ahead. He reached his car, opened the passenger door and said, "Get in."
"Why?" I asked, trying to piece together what was happening.
"Just get in," he snapped, his tone lower but intense.
"I need to at least tell my friends I'm...."
"Get in," he said again, this time not leaving room for questions.I slid into the seat reluctantly. He shut the door with a quiet thud, circled the car, and climbed in. Within seconds, he pulled out of the parking lot, his silence loud, the tension between us even louder.
----
"Crystal Fir Manor"
As we stepped into the VIP suite at Crystal Fir Manor, the heavy door shut behind us, sealing in a tense silence. Alessandro walked a few steps ahead, not saying a word, his jaw clenched, and hands buried deep in his coat pockets.
I stayed close to the entrance, watching him quietly. Something was clearly off.
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked gently.
No answer.
"Alessandro," I tried again, my voice firmer. "What is going on?"
He still wouldn't turn to face me. His silence was beginning to feel louder than any outburst.
"That's the third time I'm asking," I said, stepping closer. "Why are we here?"
Finally, he turned, his eyes sharp, burning with a mix of frustration and something deeper, something harder to name.
"I saw him," he said flatly.
I frowned. "Who?"
"That guy, who had his hands on you like you were already his."
I blinked. "Adams? He's just a friend."
"I don't know his name, and I don't care," he said, stepping forward. "But I didn't like what I saw. Not one bit."
I crossed my arms. "So instead of asking, you just dragged me out of there?"
"I didn't drag you," he said coolly. "I needed to talk to you without everyone watching… without him hovering."
"You could've said that," I muttered.
"And would you have come?"
I hesitated.
He took another step, voice dropping.
"Look… I've been trying to stay away.
You're younger, you're figuring life out, and I thought I could keep things clean between us."
I stayed silent, heart thudding.
"But today," he continued, "watching him look at you like that, touch you like that, I realised I don't want clean."
My breath caught.
"Mila," he said, softer now, "I know I shouldn't care this much. But I do. And if you feel anything close to what I do, then stop pretending we're just acquaintances."
His words hung in the air between us, heavy and honest.
And for a moment, all the noise in my head faded, replaced by one undeniable truth, I couldn't pretend either.
----
I let out a loud, frustrated yell as the words poured out of me, fast and trembling.
"Why did you avoid me, because I'm young?! That's why, isn't it?" My voice cracked as I stepped away from him.
"That's the exact reason I didn't want to tell you my age in the first place! But I did… because I thought it was the fair thing to do. You told me yours, and I wanted to be honest. But what did that honesty get me, Alessandro?"
He looked like he wanted to speak, but I didn't let him.
"You let me down!" I cried. "You disappeared like I didn't even matter. Not a single call, not even a text. I was sitting in my room, wondering if maybe, just maybe, I gave you the wrong number on my card. I kept checking my phone like some idiot."
I swallowed hard, my chest rising and falling too fast.
"I told myself maybe you were busy… maybe the work trip you mentioned came up. I made up excuses for you! I defended you in my own head like you didn't just ghost me. Like you didn't just vanish after making me feel something I've never felt before."
I looked him straight in the eyes now, the anger in my throat tightening into something rawer.
"You don't get to walk back in here acting like the victim, Alessandro. You don't get to stare at me with those eyes like I'm the one who crossed the line."
And then the words came like fire.
"F*ck you, Alessandro. Seriously. F*ck you for confusing me. For making me feel special, only to leave me hanging. For showing up now and acting like I'm the one who messed this up."
I turned away, arms shaking, tears stinging behind my eyes.
Why were we talking like we were a couple? Why were we arguing like we'd been dating for years? I asked myself silently, still facing away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.
"Mila…" Alessandro said softly behind me. "I'm sorry, I wa....."
Just then, my phone rang, cutting him off.