Alessandro's eyes darkened slightly, a faint curve forming on his lips.
"Let him in," he said, as if nothing had happened, continuing with his food. Cas nodded once and stepped out.
The room fell quiet again. Then Alessandro turned his attention back to Celia.
Without breaking eye contact, he pushed his chair back slightly. The soft scrape against the floor echoed in the silence.
"Come here," he said.
His hand tapped lightly against his lap, slow… but intimidating.
"Sit on my lap."
He didn't raise his voice, he didn't need to.
Celia froze. For a second, he thought he heard wrong.
His fingers tightened slightly around the fork, his body going still as his mind tried to process the command.
Alessandro simply watched him, calm… patient… expectant. Like a man who was already certain he would be obeyed.
Celia was already cursing within himself. He let out a quiet sigh, his gut twisting uneasily. Something deep inside him was telling him to just go… or risk offending the man.
He sighed again and slowly stood up from his chair.
Each step toward Alessandro felt heavier than the last.
When he finally stopped in front of him, he didn't sit immediately. He just stood there, staring down at him.
Even though Alessandro was still seated, he somehow looked taller.
More imposing and that… was frightening.
Alessandro didn't give him time to think. He reached out, grabbed Celia by the waist, and pulled him down onto his lap in one smooth motion.
Celia stiffened instantly.
Alessandro's hand remained firm on his waist, holding him in place like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Goosebumps spread across Celia's skin without warning.
A sharp, uncontrollable reaction.
Alessandro noticed, but he ignored it as it didn't matter. He simply turned his attention back to his meal.
With his free hand, he picked up a piece of the already sliced meat and brought it to Celia's lips, pressing it lightly against them.
Celia, already confused and at the same time afraid, couldn't understand why he had been asked to sit on this weird man's lap.
He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you doing this?" Alessandro didn't answer.
His attention remained on his food, as if Celia hadn't spoken at all.
The silence stretched… longer without mercy.
Then suddenly, the door behind them was pushed open. The sound broke through the room.
Celia's attention snapped toward it.
A young, tall man walked in. He wasn't as tall as Alessandro, but he still carried a noticeable presence.
His long black hair fell past his shoulders, soft and smooth, almost giving him a feminine look.
His emerald eyes were striking—sharp, captivating, almost unnatural in how they held attention.
For a brief second, Celia stared at him. There was something about him that resembled Alessandro…
But the differences were clear.
He was slimmer and leaner. His features are softer and delicate enough that, at a glance, someone might mistake him for a woman.
And yet… There was nothing soft about the way he carried himself.
He glanced at Celia, his eyes lingered before shifting to Alessandro. "Ah, brother…" he let out a quiet chuckle.
"You really replaced him that fast?" he asked, walking slowly toward the table—straight to the seat Celia had occupied earlier.
He pulled the chair out and sat down like he owned the place. Without a care, he lifted one leg and placed his boot on the table, not bothering if it stained the polished surface.
Alessandro didn't react. He was still holding Celia by the waist, his grip firm and unmoving, as if nothing had just been said.
Calmly, he continued eating his meal… Like the words hadn't even reached him.
Alessandro finally placed his fork down. The soft clink against the plate echoed in the silence like a warning.
Only then did he lift his eyes, towards the man with his boot on the table. For a moment, Alessandro said nothing.
Then, in a calm voice that carried no emotion at all, he spoke.
"Take your foot off my table." The words landed like a command already enforced.
He picked up his wine glass, swirling it slightly, still watching the man.
"You travel far to sit in my house," Alessandro continued quietly, "and the first thing you do is disrespect it."
A faint pause.
Then his eyes sharpened just a little.
"That either means you're stupid boy…" He took a slow sip of wine.
"…or you want my attention."
The room felt tighter now.
Alessandro finally leaned back slightly, still holding Celia at his waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"And I'm curious," he added, voice calm again.
"Which one are those?"
The man didn't move at first, his boot remained on the table.
A slow smile formed on his lips—amused, not intimidated.
"Stupid?" he repeated lightly, as if tasting the word.
He finally leaned forward, lowering his foot but only slightly, not fully removing it.
"Brother," he said, eyes flicking briefly to Alessandro before sliding back to Celia,
"I came here after hearing the news. I didn't come to be lectured over furniture."
His tone was casual. But the air in the room shifted anyway.
Alessandro took another slow sip of wine, unbothered.
Still holding Celia at his waist like he belonged there.
"Then leave," Alessandro said simply. The man's smile tightened slightly.
"So that's it?" he asked. "You drag in a boy, sit him on your lap, and now you're pretending I'm the problem?"
His eyes flicked down to Celia again. "And what is he exactly? A pet? A replacement? Or just entertainment while you get bored?"
That last word landed sharper than the others.
Celia stiffened, his stomach twisted.
He didn't move, but everything inside him did. His jaw tightened as heat crawled up his neck.
He suddenly became aware of Alessandro's hand still resting firmly on his waist. Celia's fingers curled slightly against his own thigh.
He hated that he was sitting there.
Hated that he couldn't stand up. Hated that he didn't know what he was in this man's and what the bastard really wanted from him.
His eyes flicked briefly toward Alessandro but Alessandro didn't look at him.
That was worse. Because it meant Alessandro already had an answer.
Alessandro finally set his glass down. Then he turned his head slightly toward Celia not fully, just enough for his voice to reach him privately.
"Stay still," he said calmly, breathing into his ear. And Celia obeyed without complaining.
The man across the table noticed that. His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh…" he muttered under his breath.
A faint smirk returned. "So that's how it is."
He leaned back in his chair again, eyes sharp now.
"Interesting. And here I was trying to have fun and give you information."