Matteo
The clink of our glasses echoed through the dimly lit room as I stared out at the view of the city skyline.
Quite crazy how it took me less than two hours to leave my house and meet up with Ethan.
A retreat. An escape from everything that had spiralled out of control. One day turned to two, two days turned to three, and now I’ve been away from the estate for four days.
I hadn’t meant to leave things this long.
Hell, I had no idea why I was still here, sitting in a bar in another state, avoiding my wife.
My wife.
The woman I swore to protect, yet I couldn’t face her.
I hadn’t told her the truth.
“You look ridiculous, you know that?” Ethan’s voice broke through the haze of my thoughts, annoying as always with his half amused, half exasperated tone. “Matteo Nevarro, hiding out like a scared boy because he can’t face his wife.”
I scowled, nursing my drink without looking at him.
Ethan was a parasite, cutting through my defense and getting under my skin. He was still my best friend, but damn did a day ever pass without him pushing my buttons.
“I’m not hiding,” I muttered, my voice hoarse.
Ethan raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Oh, no? Then what do you call this little rendezvous at my city? Valerie says you’re hiding, and I agree.”
“I needed time to think,” I replied, setting my glass down a little too hard. “Things are complicated.”
“Complicated?” Ethan let out a snort, shaking his head like he stumbled on the world’s biggest joke. “You made things complicated the moment you decided to marry Valentina instead of searching for Isabella. You made it complicated the moment you ran away from home instead of just saying the truth.”
“I couldn’t tell her,” I snapped, turning to face him. “She was dealing with enough…”
“And you decided to add your own baggage?” Ethan interrupted, his gaze on me piercing. “You can’t control everything, Matteo. You may think you can, but you can’t. Especially not with her.”
Not Valentina. And definitely not my loud mouthed half sister, Sophia.
I clenched my jaw hard, trying to rein in my frustration. Ethan didn’t get it. He didn’t understand what it was like, the weight of the responsibility I carried.
The weight of everything I did to get here. Get her.
“She’s strong, Matteo,” Ethan continued, his tone more serious now. “Stronger than anyone would give her credit for. But she’s not going to wait around forever. She would ask even more questions, no matter how much you keep it a secret.”
“I know that,” The words came out harsher than I intended. “I just…..”
“What?” Ethan leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “You just what? Don’t want her to know you’re human? That you made a mistake?”
He seemed to enjoy this torture of giving me advice.
I fell silent, my hands tightening into fists. It wasn’t as simple as he thought. Telling Valentina the whole truth meant exposing her to the darkness that was me. It meant admitting that I had taken her into this life under false pretense, that she had agreed to join something she would have never agreed to.
“It’s not about being human,” I finally said, my voice low. “It’s about keeping what’s mine.”
“You’re not keeping what’s yours by hiding the truth from her. If anything, you’re making her doubt if she can trust you,” Ethan took a huge gulp from the drink in his glass. “She’s not stupid, Matteo. She’ll figure things out on her own, and when she does, it’s going to be a lot worse than this.”
I knew he was right.
Deep down, I knew keeping Valentina in the dark would hurt both of us in the long run. Especially after she started falling in love with me.
But i couldn’t shake the fear. The fear that if she knew the truth, she’d never look at me the same way again.
Ethan sighed, leaning back once more. “You love her.”
It wasn’t a question. Just facts.
I froze at his words, the weight of it sinking into my chest like lead.
Love.
I hadn’t allowed myself to fully acknowledge it before, but the truth was staring at me in the face. And I knew when it started.
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the table. I glanced down, expecting another business notification, but the moment I saw the name on the screen, my blood ran cold.
“Matteo.”
It was one of the men I had stationed back at the estate. A burly, scowling man named Jackson who I had trusted with Valentina’s safety.
He was never to call me unless that safety was compromised.
“Matteo,” the voice on the other end was strained, breathless. “The estate was attacked. Valentina…. she was attacked.”
Everything seemed to stop around me. “What?” I demanded, my voice sharp. “Is she…?”
“She’s alive,” Jackson interrupted quickly, sensing the panic in my voice. “But barely. There was an ambush…. it was bad. She’s hurt, Matteo. Really hurt.”
My blood turned to ice, a cold fury rising within me. “Who did this?”
“We don’t know yet,” he replied, frustration lacing his tone. “We’ve locked down the estate, and we’re working on identifying the attackers. But Matteo, you need to come back. Now.”
I didn’t need any further prompting since I was already on my feet, grabbing my jacket and keys, barely registering Ethan’s concerned expression as I made my way towards the door.
My mind was a blank canvas with just a single pinpoint in one direction. Valentina.
Nothing could happen to her.
“Matteo, wait,” Ethan called after me, rising from his seat. “What’s going on?”
I turned to him, my eyes hard. “She was attacked. I’m going back.”
Ethan’s expression shifted instantly, any trace of amusement gone. “I’m coming with you.”
“No.” My voice was firm. “I need you to stay here and handle things. I can’t leave everything unattended.”
“But…”
“I need you to do this, Ethan,” I said, cutting him off. “Trust me. I’ll handle it.”
Ethan hesitated for a moment, then nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. “Be careful, Matteo.”
It took two hours for me to make it back to my state. And another thirty minutes to drive back to the estate.
The drive back felt like it lasted for an eternity, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as I pushed the car to its limits.
Every second that passed felt like a lifetime, and all I could think about was her.
How had I let this happen? I should have been there. I should have protected her.
When I finally arrived at the estate, the sight of the armed guards and the increased security measures only fueled my anger. I barely acknowledged them as I stormed inside, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Where is she?” I demanded, my voice rough as I addressed Jackson, who stood close to the entrance.
“In her room,” he replied, his expression grim. “The doctor is with her now.”
I didn’t waste another second. I rushed through the halls, my footsteps echoing loudly in the silence. When I reached her room, I paused for a moment, my hand hovering over the door handle.
I wasn’t prepared for this. I wasn’t prepared to see her like this.
But I had no choice.
I pushed open the door, my breath catching in my throat as I saw her. Valentina was lying on the bed, her face pale, her body covered in bandages. Her breathing was shallow, and she looked so fragile, so unlike the strong, determined woman I had come to know.
The doctor glanced up at me, nodding in acknowledgement. “She’s stable for now, but it was close.”
I swallowed hard, my throat tight as I moved closer to the bed, my eyes never leaving Valentina’s face. I reached out, my hand trembling slightly as I brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I should have been here.”
But I hadn’t been.
And now, all I could do was hope that it wasn’t too late.