The door opened slowly; his gaze softened as soon as he looked at her on the ground.
The dark and angry glow was gone from his eyes.
Lying down on that cold, dirty floor, her gaze was fixed on the tinted glass window.
Arthav’s eyes fell on her yellow sleeve, which was covered with dried blood.
The creaking sound of the door made her head turn instantly towards the sound.
Arthav stood at the door, his hand fixed on the doorknob; his chest was rising and falling heavily.
He swallowed hard before stepping towards her.
She pushed herself up slowly and sat straight on the ground; a sharp pain shot through her shoulder.
She winced, her fingers brushing lightly on the wound on her shoulder.
“Aah–”
Arthav moved closer in three steps and fell onto his knees beside her, the fabric of his expensive suit dragged against the grime of the dirty floor.
His hands hovered over her injured arm.
“Who dared–”
His jaw clenched tightly, already cutting off the question, as he already knew the answer: who dared to hurt her?
His mother’s ghost lingers between them.
His eyes narrowed towards her, but not with a teasing look or irritation.
The curtain of cold eyes and straight face has fallen, and it revealed the pure concern filled in his eyes, and regret could be seen clearly in his face—regret for her being in this state.
“Let me see,” he said, touching her shoulder in a low, whispering voice.
Reiha looked at him, her eyes filled with confusion mixed with disdain.
Although he wasn’t mocking her, the way he was showing that he cared for her was.
It made her stomach churn.
Until now, she was in sorrow and believing that all her pain, all her misery, was written in her fate.
But as soon as he came, in his presence her anger awoke like a volcano erupting after being calm for too many years.
She threw his hand off her shoulder and swore.
“Don’t touch me.”
She stood up.
“All this is because of you. And now you are acting like you care.”
She narrowed her eyes in anger.
“How could you stand before me with a face cloaked in fake concern, only to mock my suffering?”
Arthav’s eyes froze on her.
He sighed softly, looking at the ground.
His lips parted for a mere fraction of a second and then pressed back again tightly.
“No, that’s not–”
She cut in, “I am done,” her voice echoing in the room.
“Arthav. I am fucking done. Done with you and your games.”
“I am tired, Arthav,” she said, her voice breaking in every word as she spoke.
“I…I tried.”
I… I really did.
But I can’t do it anymore.
” Reiha crouched down on the floor.
The tear blurred her vision like a veil of fog settling over the night.
She pressed her fingers hard on her eyes to hold the tears captive inside, but they escaped anyway like a soft rain before the heavy downpour.
Her broken voice and her tears, which didn’t stop falling from the corners of her eyes, landed harder than any punch he had ever taken.
Seeing her helpless and scared like this shot him like a bullet in his heart.
Arthav sat beside her and touched her arms lightly.
Cupping her cheek, he gently wiped the tears that carved a path on her cheeks down to her throat.
“Forgive me,” he whispered.
“I pulled it too far.”
Her brows tightened immediately.
Forgive him?
The thought didn’t settle; it burned inside her head.
Is he asking for forgiveness?
But why… does he really want it, or is it his other game again, like he did on our wedding night?
“No.” She pushed him away, putting distance between him and her.
Her hand shoved against his chest.
She stood up and pointed a trembling finger at him.
Arthav looked up at her.
“No,” she repeated, shaking her head like she could shake the confusion out of her own mind.
“What is this? Another one of your revenge games?”
Her gaze shifted to the side, and she inhaled deeply.
When she spoke again, she managed to make her voice steady.
“I am leaving.”
Something in him snapped.
“…What?”
“No, you can’t,” Arthav growled, pushing himself up in an instant.
He caught her wrist and pulled her back toward him, his grip tightening against her wrist, unyielding, as he was afraid that if he let go, she’d vanish.
His eyes darkened again, that familiar storm returning.
“Not even in your thoughts.”
She didn’t flinch this time.
She looked straight into him, fearless in a way that didn’t match how much she was shaking inside.
Grabbing her hand, he growled.
“I shan’t let you leave.”
She stepped closer.
Close enough that there was no air left between them.
“Oh, make me,” she said softly, dangerously calm.
“There’s only one way I stay.”
She paused, looking dead into his eyes.
“And that is death.”
A ferocious lightning strike occurred outside on the stormy sky; its light filled the room with vibrant colors filtered from the tinted glass window and scattered on the floor.
Arthav loosed his grasp on her wrist.
“Death,” he whispered.
“To make you stay,” he looked down at her lips and brushed his finger lightly.
“I have to kill you.”
“Yes, that is the only way.” She retorted, taking a step back from him.
Arthav’s finger curled to a fist on his side; he breathed slowly, forcing the air into his lungs along with every harsh word she had thrown at him.
“Isn’t this all you and your mother wanted,” she continued, “to kill me?”
“So come on,” she said bitterly.
“This is your chance. Take it, take your enormous vengeance, and get over it at once.” Her lips shivered with anger and fear.
Arthav’s jaw tightened.
“I know you are scared, kitten. But let me fix this.”
“I assure you that. I shan’t let her hurt you ever again. She will not breathe the same air that you breathe.”
“I’ll send her away.” His words echoed in her ear; her steps came to a halt, and with her hand hanging on the doorframe, she looked past her shoulder.
“As this will, do any better,” she breathed and lifted her foot to walk.
But Arthav blocked her way in two long steps.
Arthav’s big broad shoulders blocked the view of the corridor.
The beastly look in his eyes returned; his pupils widened as he grabbed her by the back of the neck and growled over her lips.
“You will not leave; I won’t allow it.” His breath was shallowed, his heart against his ribs beating wildly.
He bit his lower lip and took a deep breath, and then his fingers loosened the grip on her neck, and his eyes softened again as his pupils searched his face.
A minute ago he was standing on the edge of the dark pit, one step away from surrendering to the beast within.
Somehow he managed to come up again into the human world.
His gaze never left Reiha’s face, as though she were the only thing tethering him to his humanity.
He whispered slowly, “If you leave, I shall be dragged by the shadow of death and hunted by the beastly ghost inside me.”
“Can’t you see?” his other hand rubbed over her lips tenderly.
“You are the only thing keeping me to the ground.”
Reiha swallowed hard as the truth was too heavy to take in.
The words of confession hit her rock bottom and shuddered through her body to the reality of his feelings.
Her lips parted as the words crawled to her throat but refused to get out from her mouth.
Her eyes locked into his; she was too stunned to speak.
But Reiha was still in a state of perplexity; her mind was telling her that what she heard was not the very truth; indeed, it was another false word that came from his tongue just to make her stay, but her heart said the opposite.
Reiha stood there enfolded in his embrace; she took a slow breath and licked her lips.
“I…I…” Arthav’s voice broke when he spoke.
“I wan–”
“Sir, there is a serious problem.” Leon interrupted the conversation, panting heavily.
Arthav closed his eyes and inhaled deeply; Reiha looked down, scratching her neck.
“Not now,” Arthav grumbled at him.
“It is important.”
“I said leave,” he barked.
Leon shuddered and closed his eyes for a second, but he found his courage again to speak before him.
“Santelvo is here, at the gate. And he is not alone; he came with more than fifty men.”
Reiha’s eyes widened.
“Papa.”
Arthav tilted his head back, pressing his lips tightly, and then he let out a slow, irritated breath.
The moment he fought so hard just lasted only a second.
“Tsk… you have no idea what you have just ruined.”
He looked back at Reiha.
“Forgive him, kitten. He has no idea of the depth of the conversation that we are having.”
Leon’s eyes fell on Reiha’s sleeves.
“Mrs. Advani, you are bleeding.”
Reiha’s gaze fell to her sleeves.
“Ohh … no, that is dried blood.”
He touched her cheek slightly with his finger.
“Let’s treat your wound first. Then we go meet your papa.”
“W…w…what about Salveto?” Leon’s voice stumbled when he asked.
“Well, he is my father-by-law.” he said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes.
“After all, he is family. It would be rude to keep family waiting at the gate. Send him in.”
Reiha’s stomach dropped.
Something told her that the meeting between her father and Arthav was not going to end peacefully.