Page 110 of Beneath the Shadows

“Then what is it like?” she asks, sitting beside me. “Explain it to me.”

How do I tell her I forced Alessia to marry me? The truth lodges in my throat.

My mother’s always been strong willed. When her father tried to arrange a marriage for her, she refused. She stood up to him, insisting she be allowed to marry for love. And here I am, bound to Alessia in an arrangement that feels like a betrayal of everything my parents taught me.

“This wasn’t something I planned. Hell, I didn’t want to marry her,” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck, a nervous habit I’ve had since I was a kid.

Mom’s eyes search mine, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. “Then why did you do it, Anton? You’ve never been the type to act on impulse, especially not with something this important.”

“It was necessary,” I say, the words tasting bitter. “Draco insisted on it. I didn’t have a choice.”

Her lips press into a tight line. “Draco Moretti insisted, and you just went along with it?”

My frustration flares, but I keep my voice steady. “I didn’t have an option.”

“There’s always an option, Anton,” she says, disappointment lacing her words.

“What’s done is done. We’re staying married.”

“And what about you?” she asks softly. “How do you feel about it?”

How do I feel? Conflicted doesn’t even begin to describe it. “I don’t know,” I admit, staring at the ground. “I didn’t expect to feel…”

“To feel what?” she presses gently.

“I shouldn’t be feeling anything for her, but I do,” I admit. “And it’s confusing as hell.”

Her expression softens. “This is your heart we’re talking about. If you feel something for her, no matter how complicated, you owe it to yourself to figure out what it is.”

“You and Dad made it look easy.”

“I loved your father with all my heart, but it wasn’t always easy,” Mom says, her eyes filling with tears. “There were times when our desires clashed, and I struggled with insecurity and jealousy. But your father never let me carry those burdens alone. He was patient when I faltered, strong when I needed him. Love isn’t only about the easy days, Anton. It’s about standing by each other through the darkest nights.”

She takes my hand, her touch warm and comforting. "We learned to compromise, respect each other’s differences, and never let life’s challenges make us forget why we fell in love in the first place. That’s the secret. It’s not about perfection, but perseverance and trust.”

Mom wipes a tear from her cheek. “Don’t let fear of loss hold you back from love. If you care for Alessia, give yourself a chance to see where it might lead. The journey, though difficult, may be more beautiful than you ever imagined."

“I’ve done terrible things,” I say quietly. “I don’t deserve someone like Alessia.”

Her grip tightens on my hand. “You deserve happiness, Antonio. Don’t let anyone, not even yourself, convince you otherwise.”

“Alessia hates me. She’ll never trust me, no matter what I do.”

“She has every right to be angry and afraid. I saw the bruises. I know what Valentino did to her,” she replies, her tone gentle. “You’re going to have to earn her trust.”

“What if she never loves me back?” I ask before I can stop myself.

Her smile is faint, but there’s a knowing look in her eyes. “Do you want her to love you?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, running a hand through my hair.

“Give yourself time to figure it out. Allow Alessia time, too. Love isn’t something that happens overnight, especially not when she was forced into this marriage. Be patient and kind—the man I know you are in here.” She points to my heart.

I nod, though the knot in my chest doesn’t ease. “I’ll try. But I’m not going to lie, I don’t know if I can be that man.”

“You’re stronger than you know, Antonio,” she says softly. “Don’t let this slip away before you give it a chance.”

Her words stay with me as I leave, echoing in my head like a distant warning.Don’t let it slip away.

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