Chapter 96 His Return
AYRA’S POV
Enzo stormed into my room before dawn, his face was scrunched in anger.
"Because of you," he hissed, "three more of our men are in the hospital. Two might not make it and our security has been compromised again."
Of course. Once more, I was being blamed for something I had no hand in. But I knew my explanations wouldn’t do anything.
I was only going to make my case worse by saying anything. And I had no idea if they knew that Marco was among the men who broke in last night and that he had come to me.
So I lowered my head instead, all the energy already drained from my soul.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "I didn't know-“
"You're moving." He cut me off. "I don’t trust what you’ve done or kept here.”
Two guards appeared behind him, grabbing each of my arms and I was marched down the hallway to a different guest room.
It was smaller with windows that were already barred from the outside, this time they were reinforced with thick metal grates.
I didn't complain or fight. What was the point?
They left me there with nothing but the clothes I was wearing. Even the pregnancy tests were gone, left behind in my old room. I couldn't bring myself to care.
Enzo lingered in the doorway, watching me with those hard eyes.
"Anything to say for yourself?"
"I'm sorry," I repeated. It was all I had left. "I'm so sorry."
He stared at me for a long moment, like he was waiting for more.
But I had nothing.
Finally, he made a sound of disgust and left, the lock clicking shut while I stood in the center of the room, surrounded by silence.
I was trying to understand why I refused Marco last night.
He has offered me a way out of this nightmare and I had said no.
Why?
I sank onto the bare mattress, wrapping my arms around myself.
But I knew the answer already, still it felt like I was only fooling myself. Although I was holding on to the fragile hope that somehow, Giovanni might believe me again.
I wasn’t sure he wouldn’t. And a part knew that even if he didn’t, my heart was already with him.
“Oh.” I whispered, pressing my hand against my aching chest.
That was it. The truth I had been trying to ignore all this while.
I loved Giovanni De Santis.
The man who thought I betrayed him and locked me up like a criminal. But I loved him anyway, even if he hated me.
I doubled over, pressing my fist harder against my mouth to keep from screaming. My heart felt like it was tearing apart, piece by piece.
How had I let this happen? How had I fallen for someone who could believe the worst of me so easily?
But I knew the answer. I had seen glimpses of the man beneath the hate and anger. He was the one who made pancakes and risked his life just to save me.
He was the one who looked at me with devotion, and even if he would never admit it, Giovanni surely felt something for me.
But I had no idea how to reach him again and I wondered if this was all we could have.
Our relationship was doomed from the start anyways. It was only a matter of time before one of us destroyed the other.
I just never expected it would come from someone I trusted so much. Marco seemed very different last night and it made me wonder if my father had found out about him.
And if he had… was he safe from Marco?
Time passed in a blur and I barely noticed when Claire came with a tray of food.
"Miss Arya," she said softly, kneeling beside where I sat on the floor. "You have to eat something."
I shook my head.
"Please." She touched my hand, and I flinched. "Don't give up. I know it seems impossible right now, but-"
"He's gone, Claire." My voice was barely audible. "He's gone, and he thinks I destroyed him, and I can't fix it."
She gripped my hand tighter. "But you have to stay strong. You have to keep fighting."
She pulled me into a hug, and I let her, too exhausted to resist. When she finally left, the food sat untouched on the floor.
I didn't remember falling asleep, but suddenly I was somewhere else.
It was a beautiful garden with sunlight streaming through the trees. And there, standing in the distance was Giovanni.
He looked like he had that morning before everything shattered, and he was looking at me with warmth instead of hatred.
I started running toward him, my heart soaring.
"Giovanni!"
He smiled and started to reach for me but it seemed like he was fading away.
"No!" I ran faster, desperate. "No, please don't go!"
But he dissolved like mist until there was nothing left but empty air and the echo of his voice saying my name.
“Arya.”
I woke with tears streaming down my face, my hand outstretched toward nothing.
The room was dark and cold. I lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, feeling my heart squeeze painfully.
Finally, I forced myself to stand and shuffled to the small bathroom attached to this prison.
I turned on the shower, letting the water run hot. As steam filled the small space, I stripped off my clothes and stepped under the spray.
The water was scalding, but I welcomed the pain. It was something to feel besides the constant ache in my chest.
I washed monotonously, not really seeing what I was doing. When I finally stepped out, I caught sight of myself in the foggy mirror.
“Shit.” Left my lips in a breathless whisper.
I barely recognized the girl looking back at me. There were bags under my eyes so dark they looked like bruises.
And when had I gotten so thin?
“No.” I muttered, turning away from the mirror before I dissolved into self hate.
When I got to the room, I pulled on fresh clothes. Claire had brought them in earlier and I was grateful that they were my usual sweatshirt and pants.
I was toweling my hair when I heard the lock clicking and stiffened.
Slowly, I turned, expecting Enzo with more accusation but it wasn't Enzo standing in the doorway.
It was Giovanni.