Chereads / VOWS OF BETRAYAL / Chapter 10 - Lines in the Sand

Chapter 10 - Lines in the Sand

The next morning came with a flood of emotions I couldn't quite control. I woke up later than usual, sunlight streaming through my curtains as if mocking my restless night. Memories of the gala—of Dante—were still fresh in my mind, replaying on a loop like a cruel melody.

I slid out of bed and padded to the kitchen, hoping that coffee would drown out the unease gripping my chest. As the machine sputtered to life, I leaned against the counter and stared out the window. The city was already bustling, alive with energy I could barely muster.

What was Dante's game? Why now, after all these years?

The shrill buzz of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen to see Lily's name flashing. My best friend and business partner, Lily Evans, had been my anchor through every storm.

"Morning, Lily," I answered, my voice still groggy.

"Don't 'morning' me," she scolded. "Why didn't you tell me Dante showed up at the gala last night?"

I groaned, rubbing my temple. "Because I didn't want to talk about it."

"Well, too bad. Spill. What did he say? Did he grovel? Cry? Offer you half his fortune?"

I laughed despite myself. "None of the above. He said he regrets everything, that he wants me back."

Lily snorted. "Of course, he does. You're a catch now. Successful, gorgeous, and completely out of his reach."

"That's what I thought too," I admitted. "But... it still threw me off. Seeing him again, hearing his voice—it's like all the progress I've made just vanished."

There was a pause on the line before Lily spoke again, her tone softer. "That's because you're human, Elizabeth. You can't erase years of love and pain overnight. But don't let him manipulate you. You deserve better than a man who treated you like an afterthought."

"I know," I said quietly. "I know."

---

The day at the office was uneventful, save for the occasional thought of Dante that crept into my mind when I wasn't paying attention. I buried myself in work, determined to stay productive.

It wasn't until late afternoon that something unusual happened. My assistant, Mia, knocked on my door, looking uncharacteristically nervous.

"There's a man here to see you," she said.

I frowned. "Did he say who he is?"

She hesitated, then said, "He didn't give his name, but he's... intense. And very insistent."

I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly who it was.

"Send him in," I said with a sigh, bracing myself for what was to come.

The door opened, and Dante stepped inside, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. He was dressed impeccably, as always, but there was a tension in his posture that betrayed his confidence.

"Elizabeth," he said, his voice low and familiar.

I stood, keeping the desk between us as a barrier. "Dante, you can't just show up at my office unannounced."

"I had to see you," he said, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "You walked away last night before I could explain."

I crossed my arms, trying to maintain a semblance of control. "Explain what? That you suddenly care after years of neglect? That you regret the choices you made while I was suffering?"

He winced, but his resolve didn't falter. "Yes. I regret it, Elizabeth. More than you can imagine. And I'm not asking for forgiveness—I know I don't deserve it. But I need you to know that I'm not the same man I was back then."

I laughed bitterly. "You're not? Because from where I'm standing, you're still the same manipulative, selfish man who thinks he can control everything and everyone around him."

"I've changed," he insisted, stepping closer. "Losing you changed me."

"You didn't lose me, Dante," I snapped. "You threw me away."

The silence that followed was deafening. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air.

Finally, he broke the silence. "I know I have no right to ask this, but please—give me a chance to prove myself. Let me show you that I can be better, that I can be the man you deserve."

I stared at him, my heart warring with my mind. Part of me wanted to believe him, to give him the chance he was begging for. But the scars he had left were too deep, the wounds still too fresh.

"I can't do this, Dante," I said, my voice trembling. "I can't go back to that place. To you."

His expression crumbled, and for the first time, I saw real pain in his eyes. But he didn't argue, didn't push. He simply nodded and said, "I understand."

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the office, leaving me alone with the chaos he had stirred.

---

That evening, I found myself at Lily's apartment, nursing a glass of wine as I recounted the encounter.

"He showed up at your office?" she exclaimed, pacing the room. "The nerve of that man!"

"I don't know what he's trying to accomplish," I said, swirling the wine in my glass. "Does he think a few apologies will erase everything he did?"

Lily sat beside me, her expression serious. "Men like Dante don't give up easily. He's used to getting what he wants, and right now, he wants you."

"Too bad for him," I said with a dry laugh. "I'm not the same woman he walked all over. I'm stronger now."

"Damn right, you are," she said, raising her glass. "To new beginnings."

"To new beginnings," I echoed, clinking my glass against hers.

But as I lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't shake the feeling that Dante's reappearance was only the beginning.

---

The following week brought more surprises. I was at a charity auction, another high-profile event that Lily had convinced me to attend when I saw him again.

Dante was standing across the room, surrounded by a group of people, his presence commanding as always. But his eyes weren't on them. They were on me.

I ignored him, focusing instead on the auctioneer's voice as he announced the next item up for bid. But when the item turned out to be a private yacht trip along the Amalfi Coast, I felt a familiar tension in the air.

Dante raised his paddle, his gaze never wavering from mine.

I clenched my jaw, determined not to let him get under my skin. But then, on impulse, I raised my paddle as well.

The crowd murmured in surprise, the tension in the room palpable as the bids climbed higher and higher.

"Two hundred thousand," Dante said calmly, his voice cutting through the noise.

"Two hundred fifty," I countered, my heart racing.

His lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "Three hundred."

I hesitated, then raised my paddle again. "Three fifty."

The room was silent now, all eyes on us as the bidding war continued.

Dante raised his paddle one last time. "Five hundred thousand."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

I lowered my paddle, conceding defeat.

The auctioneer declared Dante the winner, and as he signed the paperwork, he glanced at me, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

The battle was over, but the war had only just begun.