Page 25 of Chains of Obsession

His words send a shiver down my spine, and I realize with a sinking feeling that he’s right. We’ve been broken, scarred, and shattered—but we’re still standing. Still fighting and as I look at the ruins around me, I can’t help but wonder if that’s what ittakes to survive in Matteo’s world: destruction and rebirth, over and over again, until there’s nothing left but fire and ash.

One night, as we sit in his office, pouring over the latest reports on Luca’s movements, I glance at him. The sharp angles of his face are softened by the dim light, and for a moment, he doesn’t look like the man who has made my life a living hell. He looks… human.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask, breaking the silence.

He looks up, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Because I can’t lose you.”

The simplicity of his words make my heart skip a beat. Matteo Moretti, the man who thrives on control, power, and fear, just admitted that he’s afraid—of losing me.

“You don’t mean that,” I say, my voice trembling. “You care about control, not me. This is just another way to keep me under your thumb.”

He leans back in his chair, his gaze never wavering. “If that’s what you believe, then you don’t understand me at all.”

I cross my arms, forcing myself to meet his intensity head-on. “Then explain it to me. Help me understand why I should believe a single word that comes out of your mouth.”

He exhales slowly, pushing his chair back and standing. The tension in the room thickens as he closes the distance between us, his movements deliberate, almost predatory.

“You think I planned this?” he asks, his voice low and measured. “You think I wanted to feel this… this madness every time I look at you?”

I take a step back, but he follows, his presence overwhelming. “Matteo…”

“No,” he says, his voice sharpening. “You need to hear this, Amelia. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to care about you, to crave you in ways that make no damn sense. But I do.”

His words hang in the air, and for a moment, I don’t know how to respond. The possessiveness in his tone should anger me, but instead, it sends a shiver down my spine. I hate that he has this effect on me, that no matter how much I resist, I can’t seem to escape the pull between us.

“Matteo…” I whisper, my voice faltering as his gaze softens, the anger giving way to something deeper.

“Let me in,” he says, his forehead resting against mine. “Stop fighting me, just this once.”

The vulnerability in his voice undoes me. Against every instinct, I nod, the walls I’ve so carefully built around myself crumbling in the face of his relentless determination. He kisses me but not with the usual fire and dominance, but with a tenderness that leaves me breathless.

His hands slide down to my waist, pulling me closer, and I find myself clinging to him as if he’s the only thing keeping me grounded. This isn’t just passion, it’s something more. Something I don’t know how to name, and it terrifies me. When we finally pull apart, his eyes search mine, as if looking for answers I can’t give him.

“You don’t have to trust me completely,” he says. “But trust that I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

For better or worse, I’m tied to Matteo. Despite everything, I can’t bring myself to let go. But in the back of my mind, a small voice whispers a warning: love and betrayal often walk hand in hand, and in Matteo’s world, nothing is ever as it seems.

The air between us remains heavy after Matteo's confession, his dark eyes still locked onto mine as if he’s searching forsomething, maybe my forgiveness, maybe my trust. But I’m not sure I can give him either, just yet.

“I’ll prove it to you,” he says, breaking the silence. His voice is steady, but there’s an edge of desperation I’ve never heard from him before. “I’ll show you that you matter more than all of this.”

“All of what?” I ask, my tone laced with disbelief. “Your power? Your empire? Matteo, those things are your life.”

“They were my life,” he corrects, stepping closer. “But you… you’ve changed everything.”

I shake my head, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “You can’t just say things like that and expect me to believe you. You’ve built an entire world on secrets and lies.”

“And I’m willing to tear it all down for you,” he replies, his voice fierce.

The gravity of his statement sends a chill through me. The man who thrives on control and power, is willing to risk it all—for me.

“How?” I whisper, my voice trembling.

“By helping you get justice,” he says. “Luca’s betrayal ends now. I’ll gather the proof we need, and I’ll deliver him to you myself. But it’ll come at a cost.”

“What cost?”

“My standing,” he admits, his jaw tightening. “My alliances, my family’s reputation. If I do this, I’ll be making enemies—powerful ones.”

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