253

253
Emilia’s POV
The house was quiet, save for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. Alaric had retreated to his office after our argument, leaving me alone in the living room to stew in my thoughts. I sat on the edge of the couch, my knees pulled up to my chest, staring at nothing in particular. Everything that had happened today -the dinner, the argument, my father’s words-pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket.
How had it come to this?
I pressed my palms to my temples, willing myself to think clearly. The truth was, I felt torn in two. On one side was Alaric, unwavering in his conviction that my father was a threat, a man undeserving of forgiveness. On the other was my father, whose disapproval of Alaric hung over us like a storm cloud. I couldn’t deny the pain in his eyes when he’d told me Alaric would only bring danger into my life. It wasn’t just disapproval; it was fear.
But fear of what?
I’d spent the better part of my life believing Alonso Cruz was untouchable-a man who commanded respect and wielded power with an iron fist. Seeing him vulnerable, even for a fleeting moment, had shaken me. Yet, how could I reconcile that image with the man who had ordered my kidnapping, who had done nothing but undermine Alaric at every turn?
I sighed, my head dropping into my hands. “What am I supposed to do?” I muttered to the empty room.
“Talking to yourself now?”
I flinched, looking up to see Alaric leaning in the doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable.
“Didn’t hear you come in,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.
“You’ve been in your head since we got back,” he said, stepping further into the room. “Figured I’d check to see if you were still breathing.”
I frowned, annoyed by his tone, but too tired to argue. “I’m fine,” I said.
“Fine,” he echoed, his voice laced with skepticism. “Is that what you call sitting here in silence, looking like you’ve just lost a war?”
I stood, unable to stay seated while he towered over me. “What do you want me to say, Alaric? That I’m confused? That I feel like I’m being pulled in two different directions and I don’t know what’s right anymore?”
His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “This isn’t about what’s right, Emilia. It’s about what’s safe.”
“Safe,” I repeated, crossing my arms. “Do you even hear yourself? You talk about safety like it’s the only thing that matters, but what about everything else? What about family? Relationships? Forgiveness?”
“Forgiveness doesn’t keep people alive,” he snapped.
“And bitterness doesn’t make life worth living,” I shot back.
We stared at each other, the tension suffocating and cutting my breath off.
“I’m not asking you to choose between me and your father,” he said after a moment, his voice calmer but no less firm. “But I need you to understand that Alonso isn’t just some overprotective dad who doesn’t like his daughter’s boyfriend. He’s dangerous, Emilia. You know that.”
I shook my head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I know what he’s done, Alaric. I’m not excusing it. But he’s still my father. And maybe, just maybe, he’s trying to change.”
Alaric’s laugh was bitter, his eyes darkening. “Change? Men like Alonso don’t change. They adapt, they manipulate, but they don’t change.”
“You don’t know that,” I argued.
“And you’re willing to gamble your life on it?”
His words were a slap to the face, and I took a step back, my arms dropping to my sides. “This isn’t just about me,” I said quietly. “It’s about us. About what kind of life we’re going to have.”
He took a step closer, his voice softening just enough to make me listen. “The kind of life I want with you doesn’t include Alonso looming over us, waiting for an opportunity to rip us apart.”
“And the kind of life I want,” I said, my voice trembling, “doesn’t include cutting my father out forever. Can’t you see how unfair that is?”
His gaze softened for a fraction of a second before hardening again. “What’s unfair is asking me to sit at a table with a man who would destroy us if given the chance.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. “Why does it always have to be so black and white with you? Why can’t there be a middle ground?”
“Because middle ground gets people killed,” he said bluntly.
I turned away, unable to look at him anymore. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t take a full breath. How could two people who loved each other so much see things so differently?
“I just…” I paused, my voice barely above a whisper. “I just want peace, Alaric. I want to stop feeling like I’m being torn apart.”
He moved closer, his hand brushing my arm. “I know,” he said, his voice softer now. “I don’t want you to feel that way either. But I can’t stand by and watch you get hurt because you’re trying to hold on to something that’s already broken.”
His words cut deep, but I couldn’t deny the truth in them. Still, the idea of letting go completely felt impossible.
“I don’t know how to fix this,” I admitted, my voice cracking.
“You don’t have to fix it,” he said. “You just have to trust me.”
I turned to face him, searching his eyes for some kind of reassurance. “And if I can’t? If trusting you means losing my father?”
He didn’t answer right away, his silence speaking volumes. When he finally spoke, his voice was steady but filled with pain. “Then you have to decide what matters more: holding on to someone who’s already let you down, or building a life with someone who never will.”
The tears I’d been holding back finally spilled over, and I wiped them away angrily. “That’s not fair,” I whispered.
“Life’s not fair,” he said, his tone gentler this time. “But I’ll do everything I can to make it better for you. That’s all I want, Emilia.”
I looked at him, his eyes filled with an intensity that was both comforting and terrifying. How could I love someone so much and still feel so lost?
“I need time,” I said finally, my voice barely audible.
He nodded, stepping back to give me space. “Take all the time you need,” he said. “But just remember one thing: I’m not your enemy. I never will be.”
I watched as he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone once again.
I sank back onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. I didn’t know how to reconcile the two parts of my life that seemed determined to tear each other apart. All I knew was that something had to give. But at what cost?
And who would I lose in the process?
I finally stopped holding back my tears, and let them pour instead.