Shadows of Affection (GxG)

Alessia sat behind her desk, a heavy silence settling in the large office as the dim light of evening filtered through the window. Papers and reports littered the surface, each one more urgent than the last. The weight of the Sorento empire pressed down on her shoulders, and lately, it had only grown heavier. Every decision felt like a chess move, a balance between power and danger, allies and enemies.

Across the house, Lily sat in the art room, staring at a half-finished canvas. Her brush moved slowly, absentmindedly stroking the colors together, but her mind wasn't focused on the painting. It was somewhere far away—thinking about Alessia, their life, and how things had begun to shift between them. The moments they spent together had become fewer, their conversations more fleeting, often interrupted by calls, meetings, or the latest crisis to be handled in the underworld.

It wasn't long ago that Alessia would come home and they'd lose themselves in each other's arms. Now, Alessia's late nights stretched longer, and her mornings started earlier, leaving little time for the quiet intimacy they once cherished.

Lily sighed softly, setting down her brush as the familiar ache of loneliness settled in her chest. It wasn't that Alessia didn't love her—Lily knew that deep in her heart. But it felt like the world Alessia had fought so hard to protect her from was slowly pulling her away, a little more each day.

Alessia, too, had felt the strain. She had noticed how the late-night talks had turned into brief exchanges, how their once passionate moments were now interrupted by her phone ringing with urgent business. But what choice did she have? The Sorento mafia wasn't just her legacy; it was a beast she had to tame, and the more powerful she became, the more dangerous it was to lose control.

Tonight, after another endless meeting with her allies, Alessia was finally free to return to their bedroom. But when she entered the room, she found it empty, the bed neatly made. Her eyes flickered with guilt. She hadn't even realised how late it was. It wasn't the first time Lily had gone to bed without her. With a heavy heart, she rubbed her temples, a quiet exhaustion settling in.

Alessia walked down the hall to the art room, knowing exactly where she'd find Lily. Sure enough, there she was, sitting in front of her canvas, lost in thought. Alessia stood in the doorway for a moment, watching the woman she loved more than anything. The weight of her responsibility had become a wall between them, and she could feel the distance growing like an ever-widening chasm.

"Amore," Alessia finally called out softly.

Lily turned to look at her, a small smile on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes the way it used to. "Hey," she replied, her voice gentle but distant.

Alessia crossed the room, kneeling beside her. She reached out, taking Lily's hand in hers, but even that small gesture felt fragile, like a connection that was slowly fraying at the edges.

"I miss you," Alessia admitted, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Lily looked down, her fingers curling around Alessia's hand. "I miss you too," she whispered. "But I feel like I'm losing you to something I can't compete with."

Alessia's heart clenched at the words. She wanted to say it wasn't true, that nothing could ever come between them, but the truth lingered like a bitter taste on her tongue. She was more consumed by the mafia than she'd ever been before, and the consequences were unfolding in front of her, threatening to push Lily away.

"I don't want to lose you," Alessia said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You won't," Lily replied, but her voice wavered, betraying her own doubts. "But I'm afraid that maybe we're losing... us."

They sat there, the silence heavy and charged, both of them knowing that something had shifted. The world they'd fought so hard to create together was slowly slipping through their fingers, and neither of them knew how to hold on tighter.