Daniel’s POV.
I couldn’t let her leave like that. Not after everything. Not with the uncertainty hanging between us like a storm cloud, ready to burst at any second. As Aria closed the door behind her, her silhouette disappearing into the night, I felt the weight of it all pressing down on me. My fists clenched at my sides, my jaw tightening as I silently cursed Elena for her theatrics. I didn’t believe for a second that Aria would just shrug this off. Doubt was a poison, and Elena had expertly slipped it into her mind.
I followed her out to her car, keeping my steps measured, calm, even though my insides were anything but. Aria moved with purpose, her shoulders stiff as she hurried toward her car. She didn’t turn around when she heard my footsteps crunching against the gravel. She didn’t look at me. That small act of avoidance stung more than I wanted to admit.
“Aria,” I called after her, my voice steady but low. She paused, her hand on the door handle, but she didn’t turn around. “Can we just talk for a second?”
She exhaled, shoulders rising and falling, before she finally turned to face me. Her eyes were shadowed by the dim light of the driveway, but I could still see the wariness in them. “Daniel, I can’t do this right now,” she said quietly, her voice strained. “I just need… space.”
“Space?” I repeated, taking a step closer. I kept my tone soft, careful not to push her further. “I get that you’re upset, but you know Elena’s full of it, right? She came here to cause damage, and you’re letting her win.”
“I’m not letting her win,” she snapped, her voice sharpening as her grip tightened on the car door. “I just… I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to believe.”
Her words stung, though I kept my expression neutral. “You can believe me,” I said firmly, stepping closer. “You know me, Aria. You know I’d never hurt you. I-”
“Do I?” she interrupted, her voice trembling. “Do I really know you, Daniel? The truth is, I barely know anything about you.”
That hit harder than I expected. I opened my mouth to respond, to say something, anything, to fix this, but she shook her head, cutting me off before I could even start.
“I just need to go,” she said, her voice softening again. “Please, Daniel. Let me go.”
I swallowed hard, the words catching in my throat. I wanted to argue, to push her, to make her see reason, but something in her eyes stopped me. She wasn’t just upset-she was scared. Not of me, but of the situation, of the confusion Elena had planted in her mind. Forcing her to talk now would only push her further away.
“Alright,” I said finally, my voice tight. I stepped back, giving her the space she so clearly needed. “But this isn’t over, Aria. You know where to find me when you’re ready to talk.”
She didn’t respond. She simply nodded, climbed into her car, and drove off, leaving me standing there in the cold night air, watching her taillights fade into the distance.
I stood there for a long moment, my hands shoved into my pockets, the frustration coiling tighter and tighter in my chest. I didn’t know if it was anger or desperation or some twisted mix of both, but it was suffocating. I needed to do something, anything, to release the pressure building inside me.
And I knew exactly where to go.
—
The fluorescent lights of the supermarket were harsh and clinical, a stark contrast to the dim, intimate glow of my villa just an hour ago. I spotted Elena immediately, her back to me as she stocked a shelf near the frozen foods section. She looked so small, so insignificant, in her oversized uniform and cheap sneakers.
But as I approached, my anger flared hotter, blinding me to all reason.
“Elena,” I said, my voice sharp and cold as I came to a stop behind her.
She turned, startled at first, but then her lips curled into that smug smirk that made my blood boil. “Well, well,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “If it isn’t the great Daniel, gracing us peasants with his presence. What brings you here? More lies to tell?”
I didn’t respond, not immediately. My hands twitched at my sides, and I took a step closer, my shadow falling over her. Her smirk faltered slightly as she registered the look in my eyes.
“You think this is funny?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous. “You think you can just waltz into my life, ruin my night, and walk away without consequences?”
Her confidence wavered, but she quickly covered it with a scoff. “Oh, please. Don’t act like the victim here, Daniel. You brought this on yourself. Maybe you should’ve thought twice before treating me like garbage.”
Before I could stop myself, I reached out and swiped the nearest rack of snacks off the shelf, sending packets of chips and granola bars crashing to the floor. The sound echoed through the empty aisle, and Elena jumped back, her eyes widening in shock.
“Are you insane?” she hissed, glancing around nervously. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
I stepped closer, my fists clenching at my sides. “Listen to me, and listen carefully,” I said, my voice barely above a growl. “If you ever come near me again-if you so much as look at Aria-I will ruin you. Do you hear me? I will destroy your life in ways you can’t even imagine.”
Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. I could see the fear in her eyes now, the realization that she’d pushed me too far.
“You think you’re untouchable?” I continued, my voice deadly calm. “You’re nothing, Elena. Nothing. And if you ever try to pull a stunt like that again, you’ll regret it for the rest of your miserable life.”
For a moment, we just stood there, the tension crackling between us like a live wire. Then, without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and walked away, my footsteps echoing down the aisle.
As I stepped out into the cold night air, the adrenaline started to fade, leaving a hollow ache in its place. I’d silenced Elena, sure, but it didn’t make me feel any better.
Because at the end of the day, the damage was already done.
And I was starting to realize that no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t control everything.
Not Aria.
Not this situation.
Not even myself.