Its past midnight and me and Aless just got home. We made Ivan Petrov sign a petition in our favour in exchange for his pathetic brother.

I didn't get the time to call, and i didn't talk to her in the car earlier and I didn't come to dinner. I hope she's okay. I walk to our room and slowly opening the door i enter. But she isn't in bed. I furrow my eyebrows and look around.

What the fuck.

I check the bathroom and she's not in there. I get my phone out, and go to the closet, just as im about to dial security, i see my baby curled up in a corner in the closet with a blanket around her. I feel a sting in my chest.

Fuck.

I walk closer to her and gently try to pick her up, but wakes up and starts struggling.

"Baby, baby, calm down amore, its me" i say making her look at me confused. Then her eyes falsh and tears fill them.

"Im sorry" she whispers. I shake my head. She hiccups and i sigh, picking her up, i bring her to the bed then take off my clothes and get in, in just my boxers. I hold her to me and try to make her sleep.

~

The next morning, i wake up to see Aria not in bed, i hear something in the bathroom and go in.

She's standing there in little dress, doing her hair.

"Are you going somewhere?" I ask her. She turns to me, but doesn't look into my eyes.

"To the bakery" she says.

"No you're not" i say to her. The Russian bitches are still in Italy and the fact that the son of a bitch fucking spoke to her and i didn't know till the next day makes me mad as fuck.

"What do you mean im not?"

"I dont want you to go to work, its not safe" i say and she just looks at me.

"So, what? I just stay home all day and wait for you to come home and when you do, we eat one meal together and go to bed? You want that to be my life?" She asks me, her voice is soft but her tone seems a little annoyed.

"No- Aria, its not up for discussion, you cant go to work when im not there and its not safe." I say. Why is this so hard?

"What do you even mean Nick? Because all im hearing is that youre telling me that i cant go anywhere without you, and thats so stupid Nick" I say, exasperated.

"You are not going anywhere, i have to go we'll talk later" he storms out of the room. What is going on?

I didn't go down to breakfast, i just didn't feel like it. Im in Gray's room with him, he's sitting between my knees, playing with his toys on the rug.

"hey" i look up to see Lara, she's Niccolos cousin visiting from England. "are you ok?"

"Yeah Im fine." i say to her. I already ranted to her a Laia.

"Matt can be like that too sometimes, you just have to ask them to meet you in the middle." she says. "I think you should go to work and talk to him later" She says. She's not wrong. And thats not a bad idea actually.

After Grayson is settled with Lara, I change into a pair of light wash jeans and thos cute little white crop top.

I get a small black shoulder bag and put my phone, wallet in. As well as some lip balm and sunglasses.

When I feel dull or glum, i like to get ready and put effort in.

So, i put on some concealer and some bronzer then mascara and blush and a little gloss. Cute.

Once im done, i go down stairs to mama, and tell her im leaving. She asks me about Nick so i tell her. She was very nice about it, and even offered to talk to him, but i said its ok.

A driver in one of the cars, that mama arranged came at the door, I got in and then asked them to just drop me off a little away from the estate, somewhere i can get a cab. The driver protested but i told him its ok.

I arrive at the bakery and walk into the kitchen to see Aunty and a man. He looks about 20. Who is that?