Page 43 of Rejected By My Shifter Billionaire
“We have asked her to issue an apology, but in light of her refusal, we are left with no choice but to subject her to a week’s suspension.”
When Esmeralda didn’t even flinch at the announcement, Alessandro knew not to bother asking his sister to apologize. She was dead set against it, and once a Moretti made up his – or in this case her – mind, there was no swaying it.
Ten minutes later, Alessandro and his sister were alone in the limousine. “Care to tell me what the fight was about?”
Esmeralda swallowed. “It was over Domenico.” When Alessandro stiffened, she knew the anger wasn’t directed at her, and she quickly added, “Don’t blame him!”
Unfortunately, her words only seemed to make Alessandro more furious, with the way his lips tightened.
“I mean it,” she said fiercely. “It’s not his fault.”
Alessandro still didn’t speak, but his gaze on her was completely unimpressed.
“I know you and Alejandro don’t see it, but Domenico’snotbeing weak. It’s his penance, can’t you see? For all the time he chose power over Misty—-”
He shook his head. “You’re young, Esme. You know nothing—-”
Esme flared up. “Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I’m stupid!” She stopped speaking when she realized she had raised her voice at Alessandro. She had never done that before, hadn’t ever shouted at any of her siblings, older or younger. Shame engulfed her, and she shrank back against the seat. “I’m sorry, Alessandro.” She bit her lip as the urge to cry suddenly struck her. “I didn’t mean to shout at you,” she whispered.
Alessandro wordlessly pulled his sister into his arms. “It’s fine, sweetheart. We’ve all been living under stress for some time now.”And that, he thought grimly,was a fucking understatement if he ever heard one.
When Esmeralda only nodded against his chest, he asked carefully, “Can you truly not tell me what the fight was about or even just what it was you’ve done?”
With her eyes closed, she could easily replay the entire incident in her mind. “It was a girl in class.”Rica,the blonde beauty who almost every guy in school had or once had a crush on. “She came up to me and asked how much was Domenico selling for since she wanted a pet.” She lifted her head so Alessandro would see how much shedidn’tregret what she had done. “I slapped her.” She bit her lip. “She slapped me back, and well, that was that. We didn’t stop fighting until some of the teachers came to break it off.”
“As a teacher, I’d like you to remember that violence isneverthe answer. But as a Moretti...” An ominous light glinted in his eyes. “I’d have to say you did good, little sister.”
She grinned.
“Is that all then?”
Esmeralda forced herself to keep her grin in place. “Yup.” But it wasn’t. Her fight with Rica wasnothingcompared to seeing Rica’s older stepbrother looking so grimly disappointed at her afterwards. It had crushed her so much that she had found herself taking refuge in her temper flaring up. Remembering the words she had so rashly thrown at him made her wince now, and she was miserably certain he wouldn’t talk to her after today.
Alessandro noted the way his sister started biting her nails. “Are you sure there’s nothing else that’s troubling you?”
Esmeralda stopped biting her nails. “Nothing.”
They had reached their home by then and as he helped her out of the limousine, Alessandro said, “I shall let Domenico know about this.”
She froze. “Can’t I be the one to do it instead?” She looked at him pleadingly. “I don’t want you and Domenico to keep fighting. It’s not right.”
“There’s nothing to worry about, Esme. Nothing I say can hurt Domenico.” He smiled mockingly. “I’m sure you know about how he wiped the floor with me in the fighting hall.”
Esmeralda shook her head. “You know I don’t mean it that way. Let me please—-”
“No.” His voice was final.
“Just please don’t blame him for this. Everything’smyfault.”
Alessandro frowned at the unhappy expression on his sister’s face as she turned away to head up to her room. He reminded her dryly, “You do remember he’s the eldest among us and that he doesn’t need your protection? No one dies of hurt feelings—-”
Pausing mid-step, she swung around to look at him and said, “Then either you’ve never been in love or you’re deliberately blinding yourself to it.”
She marched off after that, and Alessandro had to admit that her last words made a grand exit. He mentally shook his head.Teenagers.
Alessandro was on his way to Domenico’s property within their compound when he belatedly remembered to check his phone. He swore when he saw several unopened messages, all of them from Kassia.
Kassia:Can you tell me more about how you grew up?
