CHAPTER 19_The Exchange in Germany.

PADRINO

Restless, he tossed and turned in bed that night. She told him that she still loved him. He recognized the telltale signs—her slurred words and unsteady gait—confirming that she was not in her right state of mind. Alcohol had blurred her senses. After she said that, he paused and glanced back at her, but she had drifted off to sleep. He didn’t want her to love him; he was literally the last person in the world she should fall in love with.

He was only going to hurt her feelings, and he knows it. The only thing he could do now was to be nice to her and make up for his past mistakes. He closed his eyes and reopened them; the sleep didn’t seem to come.

The next morning, Alexander was up and, just as he had his bath, dressed in his office clothes. He quietly slipped out of his room and made his way to Yulia's, his footsteps echoing in the silent corridor. He opened the door gently and peeked at her. She had the sheets tousled around the bed and was lying on her back. The cat was l