After few hours Isabella left.... The evening was thick with silence as Amelia sat across from Dante, the soft glow of the dimmed lamps casting gentle shadows across the room. The atmosphere felt different—more intimate, yet heavy with unspoken words. Dante sat by the window, staring out into the dark city streets, his mind somewhere far away. Amelia had grown used to his silence, but tonight it felt more oppressive than usual.
Amelia watched him for a while, the gentle flicker of the candlelight catching in his hair, the faint tension in his shoulders. He was always so strong, so composed, but she could see the strain in his posture, the way his hands fidgeted with the edge of his glass.
Finally, she could no longer stand the quiet. It weighed on her heart, pulling her down into a place of uncertainty. She needed to understand, needed him to talk to her, to share the things he kept locked away in that fortress of his heart.
Amelia rose from her seat and slowly crossed the room, her steps quiet on the polished wood floor. She stood beside him, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, his dark eyes filled with a quiet sadness that seemed to deepen whenever he looked away.
"Dante," Amelia began softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "How am I to you?"
His eyes flickered with surprise at her question. It wasn't something she'd asked before, but she needed to know. She needed to hear it from him how did he see her in this complicated, chaotic relationship? Was she just the wife he was forced to marry? Or was there something more?
For a long moment, Dante didn't answer. His gaze shifted away, focusing on the distance between them, as if searching for the right words. He could tell that she was no longer the same Amelia from the first days of their marriage—the frightened, uncertain woman who barely spoke a word to him. She had grown into someone stronger, someone who could see through the walls he'd built, and it unsettled him.
"I…" Dante's voice was rough, as if the words were stuck in his throat. "You mean everything to me, Amelia."
The simple declaration sent a rush of warmth through her chest, but it also made her heart ache. She could sense that there was more to it, something deeper beneath the surface. And yet, he never spoke of his pain, his struggles, the burdens he carried with him every day.
Amelia took a step closer, her hand gently cupping his face, guiding him to meet her gaze. His eyes were filled with so much—so much he never said aloud. She wanted to understand. She needed him to let her in, to stop hiding from her.
"But why don't you share your pain with me, Dante?" Her voice was soft but steady, filled with the vulnerability that she had only recently learned to embrace. "I know it's hard for you… but I want to be here for you. I want to help carry some of that weight. I'm your wife… Why do you keep it all inside?"
There was no anger in her voice—just a deep, aching concern. Her hands trembled as they rested on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her touch. It was a sound that comforted her, yet now, it only reminded her of the distance that still existed between them.
Dante's expression softened, his face finally breaking free from the hardness he had worn for so long. His eyes darkened with a mixture of frustration and guilt. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but the words didn't come. Instead, he reached up to touch her hand, gently brushing his fingers over her palm as if grounding himself in her presence.
"I'm afraid," Dante admitted in a low voice, his words almost a confession. "I'm afraid that if I let you in… if I show you the pain I carry, you'll leave. You'll see me for what I really am, and you won't be able to look at me the same way again."
Amelia's heart clenched at his words. She had always known that Dante's world was dark, filled with dangers and betrayals, but she had never realized how much he suffered alone, how much he held inside.
Before Amelia could speak, Dante reached for her, pulling her close. His hands cupped her face as he gazed at her with such intensity that it almost took her breath away. He traced the outline of her jaw with his thumb, the roughness of his skin sending a shiver down her spine. His eyes softened, the vulnerability she had longed to see finally emerging.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I've been selfish. I thought I was protecting you from my darkness, but in doing so, I've pushed you away. I never meant to hurt you, Amelia."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed up at him, her heart breaking for him. She could see the guilt in his eyes, the pain he had carried for so long. She had always known he wasn't just a cold, calculating man he was so much more. But now, in this moment, she realized how deeply he had buried his fears, his doubts.
"I'm not going anywhere, Dante," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm here, and I'll stay by your side. Whatever you've been through, we'll face it together."
For a moment, the world seemed to fall away. There was only them standing in the quiet intimacy of the room, their hearts beating in sync, their breaths coming in soft, shared rhythms. Dante leaned down, his forehead resting against hers, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to feel the peace of being held, of being understood.
Without another word, Dante lowered his lips to hers. The kiss was slow, tender, a quiet promise that spoke volumes more than words ever could. Amelia melted into him, her hands wrapping around his neck as she deepened the kiss, her heart swelling with emotions she had long kept hidden. She could feel the weight of his pain, but now, she knew they could carry it together.
When they finally broke apart, their foreheads pressed together, both of them breathing heavily. Dante's hand stroked her hair, his voice a soft whisper in the quiet of the room.
"You have no idea how much you've given me, Amelia," he murmured, his eyes filled with gratitude and love.
"I'll be your strength, Dante," she whispered back, her voice steady and filled with love. "And you'll be mine."