Chapter 113 FEELS HUMAN.
\~~~LUCIANO.
The moment I saw her standing there in the doorway, everything inside me shattered and reformed all at once.
Raina.
My Raina.
Her eyes widened in shock, that soft gasp escaping her lips like a punch to my gut. I didn't think, I couldn't. I just moved, closing the gap between us in two strides. My arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against my chest. So tight, like if I let go, she'd slip away again.
Her body tensed at first, but I didn't care. I buried my face in her hair, inhaling that familiar scent that was uniquely hers. It hit me like a wave, washing over the storm that had been raging in my chest all day.
All day, I'd been a mess. The raging fire inside me, the one that had been burning since I found her gone, and since I stood in her parents’ living room hearing lies spill from their mouths, started to ease. My heartbeat slowed and my breathing steadied.
She was here.
Alive, warm, and safe.
I forgot everything else.
The divorce, the anger, and the mess.
All that mattered was that she was in my arms.
I don't know how long I held on. Seconds? Minutes? Time blurred and it wasn't until I felt her hand tapping my back, light at first, then firmer that I snapped out of it.
Then, I realized my grip might have been too strong.
I pulled away slowly, reluctant, my hands sliding to her arms. Her face was flushed, eyes searching mine. Before I could say anything, movement caught my eye. Alessia rushed over from behind, her face a mix of concern and relief.
I brushed past Raina, my focus shifting to my sister. Anger bubbled up, hot and sharp. In one swift motion, I grabbed Alessia by the neck, not hard enough to choke her, but enough to make my point, and growled, “You lied to me.”
Her eyes didn’t widen and she didn’t flinch either. She remained still, staring at me.
Before she could respond, Raina's voice cut through like a whip. “Let her go! Are you insane?!”
It snapped me back. I blinked, loosening my grip immediately. Alessia rubbed her neck, but her expression stayed calm.
“I told her not to tell you I was here!” Raina snapped, stepping between us. Her eyes blazed, protective. “I made her lie to you!”
I turned to her, stunned. “Y... you did?”
“Yes. I did.” She crossed her arms, chin lifted defiantly. “How did you even know I was here anyway?”
A bitter chuckle escaped my lips. I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the strands in frustration.
How had I known?
It started with a gut feeling, that nagging pull toward Alessia.
But really, it was Viktor. He said something felt off and that Alessia didn’t strike him as someone who would let her wander alone if she knew where she was.
I met Raina's gaze, the words spilling out. “All this while, I thought you were with your parents, but I was there, and you weren't. Do you have any idea what went through my mind since I heard you were missing?!”
My voice cracked on the last word. The hours of torment flashed back and the empty roads I'd imagined her on, the what-ifs that had twisted my insides.
Fear of accidents, of her alone and broken. Regret for signing those papers without fighting harder.
I'd replayed every moment: the way she'd looked at me when the truth finally came out, and the pain in her eyes.
I'd let her go too easily.
“Why would you bother to look for me? Why?” she shot back, her eyes glaring daggers. Hurt and anger swirled there, mirroring my own mess.
I reached for her wrist, needing to ground us. “Let's talk privately.”
She yanked it back immediately and brushed past me. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
Then, my eyes fell on Alessia who watched us with her arms crossed. “Fuck, I'm sorry,” I muttered, the apology tasting bitter.
She nodded once, her voice soft “Just go after her.”
I didn't hesitate. I turned and followed Raina out of the office, ignoring the stunned looks and greetings from staff members.
I caught up as she slipped into her office. The door clicked shut behind me, and I breathed out, leaning against it. “Why are you being stubborn?”
She whirled around, her eyes flashing. “Excuse me?”
“I didn't want to be found!” she added, voice rising. “What does it matter to you if I went missing or not?!”
“It does,” I shot back. “How the fuck do you expect me to remain calm when you might be in danger?”
“Exactly, why?” she fired back. “Why would you care? Who the fuck do you think I am to you?!”
The words lodged in my throat.
“You are my wi—”
I stopped abruptly.
Wife. The word stuck in my throat.
We'd signed the divorce papers just days ago. Was she still my wife?
Or my ex- wife?
The label felt wrong either way. She wasn't just a title. She was… everything.
Her face hardened. “See? We mean nothing to each other. I mean nothing to you, so…”
“You mean the world to me,” The words dropped from my mouth without hesitation, raw and true.
Fuck, she truly does.
“What?” Her brows snapped together, confusion flickering across her features.
I stepped closer, searching her eyes. The room felt smaller, and the air thick with unsaid things. My chest tightened, but not with rage this time but with something deeper.
Love?
Regret?
Hope?
“Fuck, you are the only thing that makes this world feel normal and human. You mean the whole world to me.”
Raina stared at me, stunned.