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How does Silvano know? Quinn wouldn’t tell him herself, would she?
It irks me to no end that I cannot even ask her, since she’s been avoiding all of my calls.
When I enter the house, I find Alessio in the kitchen, lounging against the counter with his attention buried in his phone.
“What’s up, father of mine.” The glassy look in his eyes tells me he's been drinking more than he should.
“Alessio, it’s early afternoon.” I sigh, frustrated. “You’ve already been drinking?”
He shrugs half-heartedly. “It’s not technically “already” if I’ve been doing it since last night.”
“Alessio,” I start, my tone gentler than I feel. “This isn’t right. You should really consider putting more effort into your studies rather than spending your nights out chasing after booze and girls.”
“I’m just trying to live my life, Dad. Weren’t you young once?” He rolls his eyes, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, probably expecting another lecture.
Disciplining my children has always been something that fell on me. When Valentina was around, it was easier. I’d reprimand them as needed, and she’d take on the role of the gentle parent, so I knew they had someone to hold them if they needed.
Together, we’d work well as a team. But now that she was no longer around, I struggled with it.
They’d lost enough already.
“The least you could do is not look at your phone when I’m talking to you.” I sigh, taking a seat beside the breakfast counter.
Something changes in his expression, and he straightens, and then with a bewildered expression, shoves the phone at me.
"Dad, what's this? You need to see it now."
I barely register the images flickering across the screen, but it's enough for me to realize its not something that my son should be seeing. I snatch the phone from his hands.
“That’s…” I try and keep my tone as calm as I possibly can. “Where did you find that?”
“TikTok. It’s gotten so many views already. Is that really you?” The shock seems to have sobered him up rather quickly.
It occurs to me then that this is where Silvano must have found out about Quinn and me as well. My mind is spinning, and I don’t understand how these apps work well enough to know justhowsomething like this could have gotten leaked.
“It was just a one-time thing, Alessio,” I say, dismissively, to make it seem smaller than it is. “You don't have to worry about it anymore. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
He nods, not entirely convinced. “I guess I’m not the only one chasing after girls,” he mumbles under his breath as an afterthought.
“That’s enough. You should learn a thing or two from you brother and be more responsible.”
“Can I get my phone back at least?”
I slide it back to him. There’s not much I can do at this point. The video is already out there, and there’s no taking things back from the internet.
What I need now is a strategy moving forward. This whole thing with Quinn has been a mess.
As I leave the kitchen, the weight of my own advice settles on me.
Don’t waste your time chasing after girls.
Chasing after…Quinn.
Quinn—vibrant, beautiful, intoxicatingly young Quinn.
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QUINN