Chapter 63

Chapter 63

The ride away from Hector’s mansion was silent, uncomfortably so. Dominic didn’t say a word, and I didn’t have the energy to force one. The tension from dinner still clung to my skin like a second layer. My father sat in the backseat with me, quiet, just like the rest of us. I could tell he was still shaken from everything, being surrounded by powerful people, Hector’s smug attitude, the way Dominic stood next to me like we were really… together.

No one even commented on the fact that the wedding had been approved. It hung in the air, heavy and undeniable, yet no one dared say it aloud.

We arrived at the hospital late in the evening. The sky was already turning a dark shade of navy, stars barely peeking through. The streetlights cast a dim glow across the hospital’s front entrance, making the building look both sterile and tired.

Dominic stepped out first. I followed, helping my father out of the back seat carefully, my hands lightly supporting his arm.

“I’ll be okay,” Dad whispered, offering me a tired smile. “You don’t have to fuss.”

“I’m not fussing,” I replied softly. “Just making sure you don’t trip over your ego.”

He chuckled lightly. At least his sense of humor was still intact.

Dominic didn’t say much as he opened the door and stood aside for us to pass through. The hospital’s lobby was quiet, a nurse or two walking by, giving us quick glances. Their eyes flicked to Dominic immediately, their steps slowing just a little. His presence always did that—shifted the atmosphere without effort.

Once I got my father settled into his room and made sure the nurse on duty had his medications sorted out, I stood by the edge of the bed, unsure of what to say next. There was too much I couldn't tell him.

“You… really love him, don’t you?” Dad asked, his voice low and almost ashamed.

I blinked at him. I could feel Dominic’s presence behind me, just outside the door.

“Yes,” I said, the word leaving my lips before I even thought it through. I met my father’s tired eyes. “I do.”

A lie. Or maybe not a complete one. I didn’t know anymore. I just knew that Dominic had kept his end of the bargain so far.

He nodded slowly. “He’s… different from what I expected. Intense. Quiet. But maybe that’s good for you.”

I didn’t respond.

He pulled the blanket over his chest and looked away. “Thank you, Eva. For everything. I know I’ve put you through hell…”

“You’re my dad,” I said simply. “That’s what family does.”

He didn’t speak after that, and I leaned over to kiss his forehead lightly before turning and walking out. Dominic was waiting down the hall, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded.

We walked back to the car in silence again, and I sank into the passenger seat while he started the engine. The streetlights blurred past us as we drove home, the silence stretching longer and heavier with every passing second.

When we got back to the penthouse, the elevator ride up was just as quiet. I kept my arms folded, lost in thought. As soon as the doors slid open and we stepped into the wide living room, I dropped my purse on the couch and turned toward him.

“So,” I said, finally breaking the silence, “he agreed.”

Dominic walked over to the window, hands in his pockets, staring out at the city skyline.

“Yes,” he said simply. “The wedding is this weekend.”

I let the words settle in.

“That’s fast,” I said, my voice low.

“He doesn’t want it dragged out,” he replied. “He wants the world to see I made a choice. That I didn’t let him control it.”

“Even if the choice is fake.”

Dominic turned then, his eyes sharp. “To him, it’s real. That’s all that matters.”

I let out a tired sigh and walked into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water. My hand shook slightly as I lifted the glass to my lips. Maybe it was the nerves. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Or maybe it was the realization that I was about to become a bride in five days—to someone who didn’t love me, in a world I barely belonged in.

“I’ll have the planner call you tomorrow,” Dominic said from the living room. “She’ll handle the dress, arrangements, venue.”

“Of course she will,” I mumbled, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

I walked back to the living room, feeling the weight of the day settle in my bones. Dominic was still standing by the window, distant, like he was watching the world from a place too far for me to reach.

“I need to get some rest,” I said softly. “Wake me if something explodes.”

He didn’t laugh, but his lips twitched just slightly. “Goodnight, Eva.”

I turned toward my room but paused halfway.

“Dominic?”

He glanced over.

“Thanks… for earlier."