16. Hacker

ALEXANDRA'S POV

It was half past eight in the morning and I hadn't managed to fall asleep during the rest of the night. I hate the days when I can't sleep, it's usually because of the nightmares, but tonight it hadn't been because of that. Dimitri's words were going through my head. I don't know if I trust him. A part of me told me that he was telling the truth that he wanted to help us, but another part of me didn't trust him. He could be saying all that to get us to let him go, which wasn't going to happen.

By the time I realized it, an hour had passed, and I was going to get up to go wake Alison up, but she appears through the office door, closes it, and walks over to me. She stretches out her arms and I pick her up to sit her on my lap.

-Hello princess, how did you sleep?

-Well, you didn't sleep?

-I wasn't sleepy.

-But you say that it is necessary to sleep even though you are not sleepy.

-And it's true, but I just can't.

- Did you have one of your nightmares?

-No.

- So what was not letting you sleep?

-One thing someone told me.

-I'm sure everything will be fine, don't worry mommy.

-Everything will be fine. Why don't you tell me who picked you up?

- Didn't you hear Aunt Megan screaming all over the house?

-The truth is that no, why was she screaming?

-Apparently there was someone at home at night, and the bodyguards don't know anything about it.

- And why does she say that?

-There is a jacket that does not belong to anyone.

-Then let's go before she gets angry with them. She doesn't have to get angry with and so you can have breakfast.

-Mommy, are we going to be able to play today?

-Of course we can, I have nothing to do in the afternoon, and I'll have to spend time with my princess, don't you think?

-Yessss.

-Let's go then before your aunt keeps screaming around the house.

I got up from my chair to leave the office. I no longer put Alison down, not that she was too heavy and she loved being carried in me arms. Once we were in the living room, I could hear Megan yelling, and she's overreacting I must say. As soon as I enter the living room, she turns in my direction, since the bodyguards don't understand anything, and with good reason, because I had made sure they didn't know that I came home.

-Luckily you decides to go down at once. We have some useless bodyguards.

-They're not useless.

-Of course they are. Just to think that we had someone inside the house without realizing it. It could have been the Russians!!!!

-Princess, why don't you go to the kitchen with grandma while I calm down your crazy aunt? I won't be long in coming to breakfast with you.

She nodded and I set her down to go to the kitchen, where Analissa is probably making breakfast. I waited for her to leave and then turned to the direction they were all looking at me.

-Get back to your work, guys.

- What are you doing Alexandra?

-They are not to blame for anything, so they are going back to their jobs. You can go, in a while I'll go talk to you.

With that they all left the room to do their work, while Megan was angrier than she was a couple of minutes ago.

- Are you crazy or what's wrong? Don't you realize that someone entered the house without them noticing?

-The one who entered the house without them noticing was me.

- Oh yeah? And how do you explain that her jacket is here? And don't pretend to tell me that it's yours, because it's a man jacket and it doesn't even smell like you.

-I know it's a man's, and no, it's not mine, but don't worry, because whoever came into the house was with me.

- What? Are you now bringing people home?

-I bring whoever I want, I don't have to give you explanations Megan.

-No, of course you don't have to give them to me, but I don't know if you realize that the Russian must be looking for us at this time, why I don't know if you remember that we have his brother locked up.

-I know our situation very well, and we will only have to take care of the restaurants and little else.

-Yes, of course, the mafia takes care of itself.

-It doesn't take care of alone, but I was thinking about it and someone told me that we could get everything we needed without the mafia.

- And do you believe what that person tells you?

-I know that person would not lie to me, and don't worry, we will continue to have security and everything we have now.

-Without the mafia...

-Exactly.

-Sometimes I don't understand you, Alexandra, first we need the mafia to get everything we want, and now it turns out that we don't need it.

-We don't need it, I'll explain it to you at another time when you're less angry and you understand what I mean, meanwhile, I'm going to have breakfast with my daughter and Analissa, you can come or not, that's something yours. Oh, and before I forget…you bring up the Russians or anything in front of Alison again and we'll have a problem, got it?

-Wow, are you threatening me?

-I'm not doing it, you know I wouldn't do something like that to you, but you know that I have my limits and which ones are better than anyone else, and I'm not going to allow Alison to worry about anything because of your anger that she doesn't have to.

-Then you leave the mafia for her, don't you?

-A large part of the reason is because of that, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have breakfast with my daughter.

And with that I left the living room to go have breakfast with Alison and Analissa. I was a little cross with Megan, but I felt calmer after talking to Fabio last night. I don't know, it kind of took a weight off my shoulders, it helped me a little to get all that off my back. In the end it will turn out that Francesco and Analissa were right. When we finished breakfast, I stayed behind to help Analissa wash the dishes and clean up a bit.

-You looks happier today. Has something happened that I need to know about?

-I'm not happier than other days, and as far as I know, there's nothing you have to know.

-So the boy you entered the house with yesterday is nothing to you?

-Did you see us?

-I saw you, and I don't know why, he gives me the feeling that this boy means something to you.

-No, he's the DEA agent who called me to tell me about dad.

-You can't fool me Ale, I know that look.

- What look?

-That of a girl in love.

- In love? Me? I doubt it... do you think so?

-I don't believe it, I know it.

As I continued to wash the dishes, she put her napkin down on the counter and leaned against it, looking at me. Even though I wasn't looking at her, I could feel her gaze on me.

-Alexandra, I know it's hard for you to trust people because of everything you had to go through a long time ago... but you should open up more to others. That boy loves you that he is willing to throw his career away just to help you...

- What are you talking about?

-I know you want to stay with your father's mafia, and before you tell me anything, let me tell you that it is not a good thing. Your father hated the mafia for something…because of that, we lost our son. I don't want anything to happen to any of you.

-You always knew that dad had a mafia, right?

-Your father thinks I didn't know, but he himself told me one day when he got drunk. Luckily for everyone he forgot that he told me. What I'm getting at is that I don't think this is something you and your sister should be getting into. I want that stage of my life of being afraid that something will happen to you to end.

-Don't worry about that anymore mom, I've thought it through and I think I don't need the mafia to do what I want.

-That's excellent news. But in case you change your mind, I want you to know that I will support you as much as I don't like the idea.

-I'm not going to change my mind. I don't want to risk the family I have now for the world.

-You won't lose us, let alone that boy.

- Do you think he loves me?

-I would say that more than anything, not everyone would risk his or her career for someone like he wants to do. And you wouldn't have told him anything if you didn't want him too.

- Were you listening?

-I could not avoid it. But I think you should take a chance on that boy. I'm sure he can make you happy.

-And if after a while he doesn't like me because he finds me boring, or he realizes that I'm not enough for him?

-That won't happen, but if it does, I'll take care of making four things clear to you. And you're not boring Ale. You have to discover yourself and overcome all your traumas. I'm sure that will help a lot in being able to not push people away so much. I think it wouldn't hurt for you to talk about what you went through with those Russians.

-If I tell you something, won't you tell anyone?

-Of course not.

-In the security of the house, there is a boy, Fabio, who is practically the one who is attached to me, it turns out that he studied psychology before getting into security. The point is that last night we were training and when we stopped, I told him something that nobody knows, well, more like a few.

- And did you feel better?

-At the time I felt like shit, because I hate talking about it, but now it's like I have a less weight on my shoulders.

-I'm glad it's at least of some use. We just had to find the right psychologist.

-You can say yes, but we appreciate everything you did for us, seriously. Even if we don't show it too much, we love you.

-Your father loved you too, and I do. You are my daughters, after all.

-I love you mom.

-And I love you too Ale. Now do me a favor and give the boy a chance, I know he won't do anything to hurt you.

- How are you so sure?

-Because I can see it, and because when I met him, it was clear that he wouldn't be able to hurt the person he loved.

- Did you meet him?

-Yes, at one of the charity parties your father gave.

-But people with a lot of money and power went to those parties.

-And it is so. He comes from a family with a lot of money. His father was a mafia boss who ended up going to jail.

-Did he put his own father in jail?

-Yes, that's why he is recognized by the mafias as the incorruptible agent.

-I had no idea, but putting that aside. How is Jennifer?

-I think she's adjusting faster than you and Megan adjusted.

-That's good I guess.

-If it is, I think she hadn't been there long.

-I hope so, she seems like a nice girl.

-And she is, but I have to ask you a favor.

-Whatever you want mom.

-In a couple of months the classes will start and she should go and do something with her life I think.

-If it's what she wants, we'll help her with that, but first I'd like to talk to her about a couple of things.

- What happened in there?

-No, I don't want to remind her of that, it's something else, but it's related to that.

- What then?

- Do you remember that when I came here, I spent a long time without anyone being able to hug me, let alone get close to me?

-Yes, I remember that your father cried because after four years you hugged him. What's up with that?

-I just want to make sure that she can face a group of people without getting sick.

- And how do you plan to do that?

-I don't know yet, I'll see what I do. First of all, I'll talk to her, and it depends on what she tells me, I'll see what I do.

-You are a great girl Ale, I really tell you.

-Alexandra, the computer scientist has arrived.

-Thank you, now I'm going Fabio.

With that he walked out of the kitchen leaving me and Analissa alone again. I couldn't believe that Hugo had imprisoned his own father. He had lied to me when he told me that he would not do anything against me? At this moment I was most confused.

-Go with see your guest. I'll keep an eye on Alison.

-You can keep an eye on Megan too?. I don't want her coming around the office.

- Something she can't know? That's weird.

-I don't like to hide something from Megan, but if that really helps us, she's not going to like what we have to do.

-Don't worry about her, she won't come near the office at all.

-Thank you mom, I love you.

-I love you too.

I left the kitchen to go to the hall where both Fabio and his friend were. We headed upstairs to go to the office. We went inside and I sat in the chair that belonged to my father, while the other two sat across from me.

- What am I good for, miss?

-I need the information that is inside a phone, but it has a GPS and as soon as I turn it on it will give my exact location.

-And you don't want that to happen.

-Exactly. The safety of my family depends on that.

-And I must assume that they are looking for that phone or the owner.

-It's possible, I really don't have the slightest idea. Was there a way to get the information on the phone without raising suspicion?

-There would be. It is possible that this GPS also works with the phone turned off.

-And that's why I don't want to risk it. Is there anything you can do to get me that?

-Sure, I can copy the data from that phone to a card. Obviously, I'll make sure before you bring anything that could trace your phone.

- It is safe?

-Yes, I'll make sure it's safe, you shouldn't worry about that, miss.

- And would you take a long time to do it?

-No, maybe an hour and a half. That depends on the amount of information it have inside.

-Great, get to work as soon as possible. Don't worry about money, I'll give you everything you want.

- I'll get to it right now. Will I be able to stay here?

-Feel as if it were your own home.

-Thank you.

-We left you alone, if you need anything you just have to call me or Fabio.

I got up to leave the office. I wanted to leave him alone so as not to bother him, and I also had to talk to the bodyguards to tell them the places they also had to watch. I couldn't afford to have unoccupied areas in case Stefan decided to show up here.

Fabio didn't take long to follow me and we went to the garden, where most of the bodyguards were, the rest must have been training or something.

-Guys, we need to talk.

-You're going to kill us for leaving that man, aren't you?

-Of course not. That man came in with me. Before I tell you what I'm here to do, I need someone to go after the others.

-As you order, Miss D'angelo.

With that, one of the bodyguards went out to find the missing ones while I was thinking about the conversation I had with Analissa a few minutes ago, and she may be right that Hugo loves me, but I'm afraid it'll end up being like almost. all the men who came into my life, and I didn't want Alison to see that part of humanity or mine.

- What is it that has you so thoughtful at this time of the morning?

-The conversation I had with my mother.

- What did you talk about if I may know?

-Hugo.

- Did you tell him how you feel about him?

-Of course not. I don't even know if I have feelings for him.

-You know, but you don't want to admit it.

-I have no idea.

- What exactly are you afraid of?

-To fall in love.

I don't see why...

-For life. Every man in my life, apart from a couple of people, is shit, and I don't want my daughter to see that part of humanity or mine. At that time she was not a person.

-Your daughter won't have to see you like this again, you have a lot of people taking care of you and your family, and I can assure you that we won't let anything happen to you.

-For something I'm paying you, but that is not the issue.

-Then which one?

-That whenever something reminds me of what happened to me in there, I get sick. I'm sure that at some point Alison will ask again who her father is and I'm not able to tell her… I just get so bad that I end up crying like crazy and don't speak for a couple of hours. I know she wants a father, but I just don't think I'm capable of giving her that, and I feel like a shitty mother about it.

-First of all, you're not. She'll eventually understand that you just can't answer those questions and she'll be fine with that, I assure you. And second, I know that this guy will really do anything for you, and that means loving your daughter.

-But I don't know...

-Let things flow by themselves Alexandra, I'm sure that will help you trust him and solve your doubts.

-I hope so.

-Miss D'angelo, I already have it ready. You can see what's on that mobile whenever you wants.

-Thank you very much, could you wait a moment in the office? I'm going right now.

-No problem.

With that the boy left the way he came and I faced all the bodyguards, most of whom had worried faces. It took me about half an hour to tell them the points in the house that were not covered and to tell them that nothing would happen to them, that I was the one who entered the house at that time of the morning. When I was done, I headed upstairs to check Dimitri's phone. At least I hope he can help us with something.

When I entered the office I saw the boy taking his computer, but he stopped doing it as soon as I entered the office.

- Do you need me for something else, miss?

-Not at the moment, but I can offer you something in exchange.

- The fact that?

- You have work?

-Taking into account that the interpol persecutes me, no. I can't afford to get caught.

-I didn't mean that kind of work, but if you already work for someone.

-Nope

- Would you like to work for me?

-That depends on the price you pay for that work.

- Put a number.

-Five thousand.

-You got it.

- That easy? I could have asked for more.

-I'll give you that for now. After I review this we will talk about your new price, do you think?

-It seems to me. Now can I go?

-Sure, I'll call you in case I need anything.

-I'll be waiting for that. Until another miss.

-Until another day.

With that he left the office to leave and I began to look at the cell phone that he had left on the desk and as soon as I entered the mail, I see something that catches my attention. Derek's name sounds familiar to me, but I still don't know what, but another name I see, or at least the one he's wearing leaves me shocked, it couldn't be.

-Fabio, let's go.

- Where to? I understood that you were not going out.

- I have to do it.

- And where are we going if I can know?

-I'll tell you on the way, now let's go and stop asking so many questions.

-Alexandra, I have to talk to you for a moment.

- Did something happen to Alison?

- Are you going out again?

- That doesn't matter to you, and now please answer the question.

-She says that she is ill and…

I didn't even wait for him to finish speaking. I left the office running to her room and as soon as I entered the room I look everywhere to look for Alison, but I don't see her anywhere until I notice that there is a lump in her bed. I approach slowly, lift a little the sheets that soon fall, letting me see the tips of her fingers.

-Princess, are you alright?

- Mommy?

-I'm here princess, don't worry. Now tell mommy what hurts you.

- My stomach and head hurt.

I sat on the bed and put my hand on her forehead, and with a simple touch, I could tell that she was a little hotter than usual. I got under the covers so I could hug her so that she was covered, because she had started to shake a little and I stayed there until she fell asleep a short time later. I was going to go downstairs to prepare something for her stomach, but I didn't want to leave her alone in the room either, so I got up, took her in her arms and covered us with the sheet. Even though she was hot, I didn't want her to catch cold and get worse than she was.

- Are you really so cold that you have to cover yourself?

-Diego, I'm not kidding at this very moment.

-Sorry, how is she?

-She's ill. I'm going to prepare something for her stomach and find some syrup to bring down her fever.

-Poor little princess, don't worry, you and I will make sure that she gets well at nothing. In agreement?

-Okay, now find a way to support the sheet so it doesn't fall on the way.

-I keep saying, aren't you hot?

-I have it, but I don't want her to catch cold, so I have no choice but to endure.

-If you want, I can stay with her while you go for her medicines, or you can stay while I go for them.

-No, I'm going to look for them and I'll take her with me.

-As you like.

When Diego finished hooking the sheet on me. I carefully went down the stairs with Diego and Fabio behind. I went to the kitchen to make her a chamomile and while it was heating up, I looked for the syrup, but it was nowhere to be found.

-Fabio, can you do me a favor?

-Of course.

- Can you go to the pharmacy and buy a fever syrup?

-No problem.

-Take the money.

-It is not necessary that you give it to me, I can afford to buy one.

-Take it please, I don't want to discuss this now.

-Okay, I'll be back soon.

-Thank you.

He left the kitchen leaving me and Diego alone. I sat rocking a little so Alison wouldn't wake up, and I turned off the hob, because if Alison hated something, it was syrups, she'd rather take four chamomiles than a spoonful of syrup, that's why I was going to heat it up for her when Fabio arrived with the syrup.

-So the guy in the elevator...

- What's the matter with him?

-I must assume that it was him you brought yesterday or today in the morning.

- Do you care?

-No, I just want you to be happy, and if that boy does it, then let him into your life. Don't wonder what can happen, just let yourself go.

-You all tell me practically the same thing.

-I don't know how many we all are, but if we tell you more than one person, it will be for a reason.

-I'll really think about it.

-That's the least you should do, just let yourself be carried away by your heart.

-As if that were easy.

-Nobody said it was easy, but with everything you've been through in your life, you'll back down, and once I saw the boy, I know he's in love with you.

-I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything. Then you have to come with me to a place.

- Are you going to leave Alison alone?

-As much as I hate the idea, I have to.

- And what place is so important to have to go that Fabio can't go?

-It's not that Fabio can't go, but I need him for something else and since I know I won't be able to leave the house without anyone, I need you to come. Also, we need to talk about a couple of things.

- About what?

-About something Megan can't know or she'll kill me.

- Are you telling me that I should hide something from Megan?

-I know you're in cahoots to find out what makes me happy since that night, but seriously, she can't find out about this and I hope you don't tell her.

-You know that I don't release a single word that is said between us.

-I hope so, you know that I quickly lose trust in people.

-You won't do it with me, beauty, I promise I won't say anything to anyone. But I get the feeling that it's something serious.

-It is, I can't sleep because of it.

- Are these your nightmares?

-No, something much worse.