ed piece of paper in her hand, he

y do

her after working her as

joking, right? There was no way he thought this was a fair wage. Not after she had bar

d on his office door, the metal

face appeared. "What now?" he grumbl

e trembling with restrained anger. "This

is wide chest. "You think I didn't notice? You barely did shit today, Alessia. I'm not pay

was here, wasn't I? I served tables, cleaned, even dealt

wanna keep your job or not? 'Cause I can find a doz

to scream. "It's not fair," she muttered, bu

Life's not fair, Alessia. Now get out of my

down the narrow hallway, leaving Alessia standing there, fuming. Her blood boiled as s

of shit," she mutte

and Tony glared at her. "Yo

lowing her anger. "Nope! Nothing at all." She quickly turned

at a loose stone on the sidewalk as she headed home. The streets of Velancia were quiet at thi

with the usual mix of

ould she ke

ent was overdue, her mother's medication was running out, and she ha

rn, the soles almost paper-thin from years of overuse. Every step felt heavier th

t the dark sky. Her breath puffed in the cool air as she trudged through t

on her house, her heart skipp

e, her pulse

much after dark, and she hadn't been expecting Leo... but then again, i

hands shaking as she unloc

g there, sprawled out on the couch like nothing had happened. He looked up laz

smirk, stretching his arms

een?" she yelled, her voice shaking with fury. "You just disappear for weeks,

f the couch. "Relax, Alessia. I've been b

god-knows-what while I'm busting my ass trying to keep a roof over our h

"Oh, don't start with this crap, Ales

bills, the food! And now-" She choked on her words as her eyes darted to the foam cushion on the couch, which had bee

. All

laring at Leo. "Yo

t meeting her ga

belief. "That was all the money I had left! That

his face twisting with frustration. "I'v

hat could possibly be more important than keeping this family toge

you're better than me because you've got a shitty job and you pay the bills? You're not. You're just lik

s family together. You're out there, running around, probably g

as she shuffled into the room, her body leaning heavily on the doorframe. "Please,

is," Leo growled, tu

Leo. We need to stick toge

ands rougher than he intend

d, her body hitting

!" Her hands shook as she helped her up, glaring.

anger. "She's the one who put us in this mess. If she'd married someone rich,

ou act like you're the only one who's suffered, like you're the only one who deserves a better

ress is some kind of noble sacrifice? You think that'll cha

float, and you-you're out there, running with who-knows-who, throwing your

n't understand the world I'm dealing with. You think you can save us by waiti

ck, stepping closer, her face inches from his. "Who are you mixed up with, Leo? What

risking everything, Leo. And for what? You're go

d. "I don't need a lec

ken everything I have. Do you even care about Mom? About me? Explain it to me.

clenched at his sides. "I d

"Because you don't have one. You're just a selfish coward, runnin

n. Without another word, he grabbed his jacke

ded, following him. "You can't just

thering to look back at her. "I

ou dare walk out on us again! Do

hrough the apartment like a final blow. Alessia stood there, staring at

ut a soft sob. "Why... why can't he just

ainst the wall, her frail body trembling from the fall and the stress.

red, even though she didn't beli

left her lips, th