Chapter 9: Into the Abyss

The night had fallen over the city, and the lights of Moretti Holdings reflected off the glass windows in a thousand fractured shards. Aaravi sat in Matteo’s office, her mind still reeling from the conversation earlier that day. Everything was spiraling out of control, and no matter how much she tried to fight it, she knew there was no escape. She had become entangled in this dangerous world, and every step she took seemed to pull her deeper into the abyss.

She had never imagined her life would end up like this. The quiet, peaceful existence she had built in Jaipur felt like a lifetime ago, a distant memory that no longer had a place in her reality.

Matteo had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since their meeting with Alessandro. He had withdrawn into his thoughts, his eyes constantly scanning the room as if he were waiting for something to happen. She didn’t understand his world — not truly. She didn’t understand the weight of the decisions he made, the darkness he carried with him every day. But she was starting to realize that the more she resisted, the harder it became to breathe in this world.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening, and Matteo stepped inside, his eyes dark with determination.

“We need to move,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Volkov’s men are making their move tonight.”

Aaravi felt her heart skip in her chest. “What does that mean? What are you going to do?”

Matteo walked toward her, his gaze never leaving hers. “It means I’m going to protect you, no matter the cost. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

The intensity in his voice sent a chill down her spine, but it was also a reminder of the power he wielded. He had promised her protection, but it felt like a double-edged sword. Every time she allowed herself to trust him, to believe in him, it became more apparent that there was so much she didn’t know about the world he was part of.

“I don’t want to be a part of this,” Aaravi said, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t want to be a pawn in your war, Matteo.”

He stopped in front of her, his eyes softening for a moment, but his hands remained clenched at his sides. “You already are. And I’ll never let you go. No matter how much you fight it.”

Aaravi shook her head, tears threatening to spill. “I never wanted any of this. I didn’t ask for your world, and I sure as hell didn’t ask for you to get involved in my life.”

Matteo’s jaw tightened, and he reached out, his hand gently cupping her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You don’t get to make those choices anymore, Aaravi. You’ve been dragged into this because of who your father was. And now, you’re mine. This is who you are now.”

The words stung, but they were also a reminder of the truth she had been trying to ignore. She was his, in every sense of the word. Her life no longer belonged to her.

“I’m not some prize to be won, Matteo,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “I’m not something you can control.”

Aaravi pulled away from his touch, but Matteo stepped closer, his expression darkening. “I’m not trying to control you. But I can’t let anyone else take you from me. Not Volkov, not anyone.”

His words were both a warning and a promise, and Aaravi wasn’t sure which one scared her more. She couldn’t ignore the pull she felt toward him, the attraction that had started as a slow burn and had now consumed her completely. But she couldn’t allow herself to be blinded by it. She couldn’t lose herself in his world, no matter how much it tempted her.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted the tension in the air, and Matteo’s attention shifted instantly. The door opened to reveal Alessandro, his face grim and serious.

“Everything’s set,” Alessandro said, his voice hard. “We’re ready to move.”

Matteo nodded, his expression hardening as he turned back to Aaravi. “Stay here. Don’t leave the office.”

Aaravi opened her mouth to protest, but Matteo was already walking toward the door, his back to her.

“You can’t keep me locked away like this,” she said, her voice rising.

Matteo paused, his back still turned. “I can and I will, if it means keeping you safe.”

The door closed behind him, and Aaravi was left standing alone in the office, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts and emotions. She wanted to scream, to demand that he let her go, but deep down, she knew it wouldn’t change anything. The more she fought, the more she was drawn into his world.

She walked over to the window, her hands resting on the cool glass as she stared out at the city below. It was so far from the life she had once known — a life filled with peace, with family, with love. Now, it was a battlefield, and she was caught in the middle of a war she didn’t understand.

Her thoughts were interrupted again, this time by the sound of her phone buzzing on the desk. She picked it up, her eyes scanning the screen. It was a message from Matteo.

Matteo: Trust me. This will be over soon.

She stared at the words, her fingers gripping the phone so tightly it almost cracked.

She didn’t know if she could trust him anymore. She didn’t know if she could trust anyone in this world.

But what choice did she have? She was already too far gone.

Hours passed in the suffocating silence of the office. Aaravi couldn’t stop thinking about Matteo, about the man who had promised to protect her but had also dragged her into this chaos. She was still reeling from the intensity of their last conversation, from the coldness in his eyes as he had walked away from her.

And then, the door opened again. Matteo stepped inside, his face unreadable as he surveyed the room. His dark suit was slightly disheveled, a sign of the intensity of what he had been through.

“It’s done,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Volkov is out of the picture.”

Aaravi didn’t know how to feel. Relief, fear, anger — they all twisted inside her, fighting for dominance. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words got stuck in her throat.

Matteo approached her, his eyes softening as he stood in front of her. “I told you I would protect you, Aaravi. And I meant it.”

Aaravi looked up at him, her heart pounding. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to feel safe, to feel that everything would be okay. But the truth was, she didn’t know if it ever could be.

“You’re not keeping me safe, Matteo,” she said softly. “You’re keeping me locked in a cage.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and gently cupped her face, his touch both tender and possessive. “Maybe you don’t understand it yet, but I’m doing this for you. I’m doing this to keep you alive.”

Aaravi closed her eyes, her emotions a tangled mess. She didn’t know if she could keep fighting against this pull between them, against the desire to be with him even as she feared what it might mean for her.

But for now, she had no choice.

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