Fina stayed curled against Alessandro's chest, her fingers absentmindedly gripping the fabric of his shirt. She wasn't ready to move yet, wasn't ready to leave the comfort of his arms and face the rest of the world.

Alessandro let her stay, his hand continuing its slow, soothing strokes along her back. "You know," he murmured after a while, "when you were little, you used to do this all the time."

Fina blinked up at him, surprised. "I did?"

He nodded, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "Whenever you had a bad dream or weren't feeling well, you'd sneak into our room and crawl right onto my chest, just like this. Your mother would try to move you, but you wouldn't budge."

Fina felt a small blush creep up her neck. "I don't remember that."

Alessandro chuckled. "Well, I do. And I never minded it, not then and not now."

Fina bit her lip, hesitating before she whispered, "I'm sorry for last night."

Alessandro's hand stilled for a moment before he gently tipped her chin up so she was looking at him. "You have nothing to apologize for, tesoro."

"I was mean to them," she admitted. "I know they were just trying to help, but... I couldn't handle it. And now, I don't even know how to fix it."

Alessandro sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Your brothers love you, Fina. They're worried, just like your mother and I are. But they also need to understand that pushing you too hard won't help."

Fina nodded, but her chest still felt heavy. "Do you think they hate me now?"

Alessandro gave her a look. "Dio, no. If anything, they hate themselves for upsetting you. Give it time, piccola. You'll find your way back to each other."

She swallowed hard, wanting to believe him. "I don't know if I can... I feel so tired, Papà. It's like... like I'm stuck."

Alessandro's expression softened. He cupped her cheek gently. "Then let us be the ones to pull you out. You don't have to do it alone."

Fina's throat tightened, and she quickly buried her face back in his chest, blinking away the tears threatening to fall. "I don't deserve you guys," she mumbled.

Alessandro kissed the top of her head. "You deserve everything, Fina. And we'll remind you of that every single day until you believe it yourself."

Fina exhaled shakily, sinking further into his embrace.

Alessandro continued to hold Fina, his arms wrapped protectively around her, but something didn't feel right. His thoughts were racing, remembering the signs he had seen when she was younger. She'd always been a sensitive child, but when she was sick, she would retreat even further. Fina never liked showing weakness, never wanted to be a burden. When she was sick as a child, she would curl into herself, barely eating, her energy completely drained, and her pale skin was a telltale sign.

And now, he realized, it was happening again. The way she seemed too tired, the way she clung to him as if seeking comfort, the way she hadn't been eating properly in the past few days. His protective instincts flared up, but this time, it was different. It wasn't just her depression that had been consuming her; there was something physical, too.

He gently moved her back, pulling away slightly to look at her face. Fina's eyes fluttered open, and her lips were dry, pale. Her skin had a sickly pallor, and there was a faint sheen of sweat on her forehead. His hand instinctively went to her forehead, and he felt the warmth there, confirming his suspicion.

She was warm.

"Fina," Alessandro murmured, his voice filled with concern. "You're a little warm. Have you been feeling sick for a while?"

She didn't respond immediately, her eyes half-lidded and unfocused. It was then that he remembered something from her childhood—the way she would hide her sickness from everyone until it became impossible to ignore. She'd always been so stubborn, so unwilling to show weakness. Even as a child, when she had the flu or a stomach bug, she would quietly retreat to her room, pushing herself to get through it on her own.

Alessandro's heart clenched as he watched his daughter, his once vibrant and energetic little girl, now looking so fragile and small. Her usual strength seemed to have vanished, replaced by a deep, overwhelming exhaustion.

"Fina," he said softly, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick?"

She looked up at him, her eyes heavy with fatigue. "I didn't want to worry you, Papà," she whispered. "I thought it would pass... I didn't want to be a burden."

Alessandro's heart broke at her words. She had always been so self-sufficient, so independent, even from a young age. But this... this wasn't something she should have dealt with alone. He should have noticed sooner.

He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing against her skin. "Fina, you're never a burden. Never. You can always come to me, no matter what. And I should have seen this coming. I should have been there for you."

Her eyes welled with tears, and she buried her face against his chest again, her body trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry, Papà," she whispered, her voice muffled. "I didn't want to let you down."

Alessandro sighed softly, tightening his embrace around her. "You haven't let me down. It's me who let you down by not noticing sooner. You're not alone in this, Fina. Not now, not ever. We'll get through this together, okay?"

She nodded weakly against him, though she still seemed too exhausted to say anything more. Alessandro knew there wasn't much he could do right now except offer her the comfort and reassurance she needed.

"Rest, tesoro," he whispered, helping her take a sip of water. "I'll be right here."

Fina's eyes fluttered open for a moment, and she gave him a small, tired smile. "Thank you, Papà," she said softly, her voice weak but grateful.

And as he sat beside her, watching over her, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted inside him. He'd always been her protector, but now, he felt the weight of responsibility more than ever. He would not let her suffer in silence, not anymore. Not while he was here.

She was his daughter, and he would make sure she knew, once and for all, that she wasn't alone.

A deep, pained whimper slipped from Fina's lips as she stirred, her body trembling from the fever burning through her veins. Alessandro held her tightly, feeling the heat radiating off her in waves. Her forehead was damp, her breaths uneven, and her fingers clutched weakly at his shirt as if grounding herself.

Isabella sat beside them, running a cool cloth over Fina's face, but her worry only deepened with every passing second. "She's burning up," she whispered, exchanging a concerned look with Alessandro.

"Shh, piccolina, I'm here," Alessandro murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to the side of her head. "Just rest."

But Fina's body tensed suddenly, a small gasp slipping past her lips before her face twisted in distress. Alessandro felt it instantly—the way her muscles locked up, the way her breathing hitched in a way that sent alarm bells ringing in his head.

"Fina?" Isabella called softly, brushing damp strands of hair from her daughter's face.

Then it happened.

A strangled gag escaped her, and before Alessandro could react, Fina's stomach heaved violently. A choked sob tore from her throat as she vomited all over the bed , the sickly warmth spreading throughout the sheets.

"Fina!" Isabella gasped, immediately reaching for a towel as Fina coughed and retched again, her entire body shuddering in Alessandro's arms.

Alessandro barely flinched. His grip remained firm, steady, protective. "It's okay, piccolina," he murmured, gently rubbing her back as she trembled against him. "I've got you."

Fina whimpered, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes as another wave hit, making her stomach convulse. Isabella worked quickly, cleaning up what she could while Alessandro shifted slightly, adjusting Fina so she wouldn't feel trapped in the mess.

By the time it was over, Fina was completely drained, her body slumping weakly against her father's chest. She let out a soft, shaky breath, her fingers clutching his shirt as silent tears dripped down her flushed cheeks.

"I'm s-sorry," she whimpered, her voice raw and weak.

"Don't you dare apologize," Alessandro said immediately, his voice firm but gentle. He rocked her slightly, his grip unwavering. "You're sick, Fina. This isn't your fault."

Isabella nodded in agreement, wiping her daughter's mouth gently. "You poor thing," she murmured, brushing a tender hand over Fina's hair. "Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"

Fina barely responded, exhaustion weighing her down like bricks. Her eyelids fluttered, her body still trembling from the fever and the sheer effort of being sick.

Alessandro exchanged another glance with Isabella before carefully lifting Fina into his arms. "I'll take her to the bathroom," he said softly. "You clean the bed."

Isabella nodded, already stripping the sheets as Alessandro carried Fina toward the bathroom. She barely stirred in his arms, her head resting limply against his shoulder, her body too drained to do anything but shiver.

Alessandro pressed a kiss to her temple as he whispered, "I've got you, piccolina. I'm not going anywhere."

a/n

im finna end this book, and start a book 2 soon

this is also not read.