Chapter 10: Broken Trust

The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the city as Aaravi sat on the edge of Matteo’s bed, staring out of the window. The battle with Dominic Volkov had been swift, brutal, and decisive. The Russians had been wiped out — their operations shut down in a matter of hours. But despite the victory, there was no joy, no satisfaction. Only a deep, gnawing emptiness.

Aaravi could still feel the weight of the night pressing down on her. The violence, the bloodshed, the darkness that had swallowed everything she once believed in. She had known, on some level, that Matteo was capable of great things. But she hadn’t known just how deep his involvement in the underworld went. She hadn’t known how much blood was on his hands.

And now, as the morning light filtered into the room, she was left to face the consequences of the choices they had made.

She could hear the soft tread of footsteps behind her, and before she could turn, Matteo’s presence filled the room. His silhouette was dark against the light, his broad shoulders tense, his jaw tight with the weight of everything that had happened.

“Aaravi,” he said, his voice thick with a mixture of exhaustion and something deeper — something he hadn’t yet allowed himself to feel. “We need to talk.”

She didn’t turn to face him. She didn’t have the energy to pretend anymore. “About what?” she asked softly, her voice carrying the weight of the past few days.

“About us,” Matteo said, stepping closer. “About everything. What happened last night… it changes things.”

Aaravi felt her chest tighten at his words, and she turned slowly to face him. There was a rawness in his eyes, something she hadn’t seen before. He was always in control, always the man who held everything together, but now, in the aftermath of the battle, there was a crack in his armor.

“You said you would protect me,” she said quietly, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. “You promised me that I would be safe. But I’m not. I never was.”

Matteo’s gaze softened, and he took a step forward, his hand reaching out as if to comfort her. But she pulled away before he could touch her.

“I’ve kept you alive, Aaravi,” he said, his voice a low rasp. “I did what I had to do to make sure Volkov wouldn’t touch you. But I can’t keep you in a bubble forever. This world is dangerous. And you’re in it now, whether you like it or not.”

Aaravi felt her heart break at the truth in his words. She had never wanted this. She had never wanted to be a part of his world, to be a part of the violence, the betrayal, the darkness. And yet here she was, caught in the middle of it all.

“I didn’t choose this,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t choose any of this, Matteo. And now, I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know what I’ve become.”

Matteo closed the distance between them, his hand gently cupping her chin, lifting her face to meet his. His touch was tender, but there was an intensity in his gaze that made her heart skip a beat. “I never wanted this for you. I never wanted to drag you into this world. But you’re here now. And I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Aaravi’s breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes. There was something vulnerable in his gaze, something that made her want to believe him. But she couldn’t ignore the reality of what was happening around them. She couldn’t ignore the fear gnawing at her, the fear that, no matter how hard Matteo tried to protect her, she would always be a pawn in his game.

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” Aaravi whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t know if I can keep living in this world, Matteo. I don’t know if I can be with you.”

Matteo’s face hardened, but there was a flicker of pain in his eyes that he quickly masked. “You can’t leave. Not now. Not after everything that’s happened.”

Aaravi pulled away from him, her eyes filled with frustration. “I’m not leaving because of what’s happened, Matteo. I’m leaving because of what’s coming. I can’t be a part of your world. I can’t live like this.”

There was silence between them, heavy and suffocating. Matteo stood frozen, his jaw clenched, his hands at his sides as if he didn’t know how to react. And in that silence, Aaravi knew that no matter what she said, no matter how much she tried to distance herself from him, their connection had already been made. They were bound to each other, for better or for worse.

“I’m not asking you to stay, Aaravi,” Matteo said quietly. “I’m asking you to trust me. Trust that I can protect you. Trust that I can give you a future. If you walk away from me now, there’s no going back. And I don’t want to lose you.”

Aaravi’s heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. She had seen the power, the danger, the darkness in him, but this — this was different. This was the man who had been willing to tear down anyone who threatened her. This was the man who had promised to keep her safe, no matter what.

But promises could be broken. And trust, once shattered, could never truly be rebuilt.

“I don’t know if I can trust you anymore,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’ve kept too many secrets. You’ve lied to me, Matteo. And now I don’t know who you really are.”

Matteo’s eyes darkened, and he stepped forward, his presence once again overwhelming her. “You don’t know what I’ve had to do to survive. You don’t know what it costs to protect people like you. But I’ve never lied to you about my feelings. I’ve never lied about what I want from you.”

Aaravi shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. “I don’t want this. I don’t want your world. I don’t want the violence, the lies, the danger.”

Matteo reached for her again, his hands gentle this time, his voice soft and pleading. “Then come with me. Leave it all behind. We’ll go somewhere else. Somewhere safe.”

She looked into his eyes, her heart torn. She had never wanted this life. She had never wanted to be a part of his world. But the man in front of her — the man who had risked everything to keep her safe — was the only one who understood the darkness she had been pulled into.

“I can’t,” she whispered, the words breaking her.

Matteo stepped back, his expression hardening, but there was a trace of something deep in his eyes — regret, pain, something that made Aaravi’s heart ache. “Then there’s nothing left to say.”

And just like that, the distance between them grew, an unspoken chasm of trust, love, and fear.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***