“You asked for it,” Amara shot back, her own voice trembling with rage.
Alessandro let out a bitter laugh, his lips curling into a sneer. “I asked for it? Tell me, Amara, how the fuck did I ask for it? Because I’m dying to know.”
Amara’s fury boiled over. She shoved him again, this time harder, and he barely stepped back.
Her breath came fast and uneven, her heart pounding in her chest like a war drum.
“Vaughn nearly got hit by a bullet that day, Alessandro!” she shouted, her voice cracking with the weight of the memory. “He was this close to being killed, and you fucking disappeared. I waited for you! I stood there with Vaughn in my arms, waiting for you to come back, and you were gone!”
The force of her words struck him like a blow, and for a moment, Alessandro’s eyes flickered with something.. regret, guilt, maybe even shame. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the hard mask he always wore. “You don’t understand…”
“I don’t understand?” Amara cut him off, her voice rising in pitch. “You left us, Alessandro! You disappeared when I needed you the most. I had to get Vaughn to safety by myself, not knowing if you were dead or alive. You vanished, and you expect me to just let that go?”
Her fists clenched at her sides as she struggled to contain the torrent of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
Alessandro’s jaw tightened, and he took a step closer to her, his hands gripping her arms as if to keep her from running away. “I didn’t leave because I wanted to, Amara. There were things happening that you don’t understand. You think I wanted Vaughn in danger? You think I didn’t care?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” she spat, her eyes blazing. “All I know is that you weren’t there when it mattered.”
He stared at her, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. The raw anger in his gaze softened, just a little, as he looked down at her, his grip on her arms loosening.
“I did it to protect you,” he said quietly, his voice losing some of its edge. “There were people after us, people who would have killed you and Vaughn if I hadn’t dealt with them.”
Amara shook her head, her throat tight with emotion. “You just say that.”
Alessandro’s gaze darkened again, his hand cupping her face with an unexpected gentleness. His thumb brushed against her cheek, and for a moment, she saw something in his eyes that made her heart ache… something vulnerable.. something real..
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “I didn’t want you to get hurt.”
Amara’s chest constricted with conflicting emotions… anger, frustration, and a small part of her that still, after everything, wanted to believe him.
She wanted to scream, to tell him that his apologies meant nothing, that she couldn’t trust him anymore. But the words wouldn’t come.
Instead, she turned her head away from his touch, swallowing hard. “It’s too late for that, Alessandro.”
His hand dropped from her face, and he took a step back, his expression hardening once more.
The vulnerability she had glimpsed was gone, replaced by the cold, ruthless man she had come to know all too well.
“Maybe,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “But don’t think for a second that I’m done. Not with you. Not with Vaughn. I’ll always be there, Amara, whether you like it or not.”
Her heart clenched at the threat underlying his words, but she refused to let him see her fear. She straightened her shoulders, meeting his gaze head-on.
“You can’t control me, Alessandro,” she said, her voice firm. “Not Ever..!!”
His lips twisted into a cold smile, one that sent a shiver down her spine. “We’ll see about that.”
Without another word, Alessandro turned and walked away, leaving Amara standing there, her heart racing and her mind spinning. She leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to steady herself.
The cold night air bit at her skin, but it wasn’t enough to chase away the darkness that lingered between them. She knew this wasn’t over.
Alessandro wasn’t the type to give up, and as much as she hated to admit it, part of her was terrified of what he might do next.
But she couldn’t let him win. She couldn’t let him control her life, her decisions…
She needed to complete her mission as soon as possible if she wanted her life on her terms.
With a deep breath, Amara pushed away from the wall and began walking back toward the estate. The war between them was far from over, but she was ready to fight…
As she entered back in house, her eyes immediately caught sight of Vincent, her father, standing near the window with his back to her. His posture was rigid, his hand gripping the phone tightly as he spoke in hushed but urgent tones.
The seriousness in his expression sent a chill down her spine.
She started to walk towards him, her heart heavy with concern, but before she could get too close, Vincent raised his hand, signaling for her to stop.
Amara hesitated, her instincts telling her that something was terribly wrong. She could feel the tension in the room.
Before she could dwell on it further, a small voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Mommy, play with me,” Vaughn’s innocent voice broke through the tension.
Amara looked down to see her son standing at her side, holding his favorite board game in his hands, his eyes wide with hope. For a brief moment, the darkness that had settled in her chest lightened.
She forced a smile, bending down to his level. “Of course, baby,” she whispered softly, brushing her fingers through his hair. “Let’s play.”
They moved to the table, and Amara sat down, setting up the board game with Vaughn. He giggled, eagerly placing the pieces, his little hands fumbling with excitement.
But as much as she tried to focus on the game, her mind kept drifting back to her father, whose conversation continued in low, intense tones.