The door slammed behind Maria, the sound reverberating through the room like a gunshot. I stared at it, the weight of her departure settling heavily on my shoulders.
Leonardo stood across from me, arms folded, his expression unreadable. The faint glow of the fire cast long shadows across his face, making him seem even colder.
"You handled that well," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I didn't have the energy to argue. I sank into the chair Maria had just vacated, dragging a hand down my face.
"She wasn't supposed to find out," I muttered, my voice barely audible.
Leonardo scoffed, pacing slowly across the room. "She wasn't supposed to do a lot of things. But now she knows, and it's your fault."
My jaw tightened, but I didn't respond. He wasn't wrong.
Leonardo stopped in front of the fireplace, his gaze fixed on the flames. "You're getting sloppy, Alexander," he said, his tone sharper now. "You've let this… infatuation cloud your judgment."
"It's not—" I started, but he cut me off with a glare.
"Don't lie to me," he said coldly. "I see it all over your face. You care about her."
The accusation hung in the air, heavy and unspoken.
I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "What do you want me to do?"
"Focus," he said simply. "We've secured the alliance. Now it's time to prove your worth to the family. To Father."
I frowned, the unease in my chest growing. "What are you talking about?"
Leonardo turned, his expression unreadable. "You've been summoned for a mission."
The words sent a chill down my spine. "When?"
"Tonight."
I stood abruptly, my fists clenching at my sides. "You expect me to leave? Now? After everything—"
"This isn't a request," Leonardo interrupted, his tone final. "It's an order. Father wants you gone before dawn."
I stared at him, my heart pounding. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, but one rose above the rest: Maria.
"What do I tell her?" I asked, my voice low.
Leonardo smirked, the expression cruel. "You tell her nothing."
Maria POV
The house was too quiet.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door as if willing Alexander to walk through it. But he didn't.
The clock on the wall ticked loudly, each second stretching longer than the last. My thoughts raced, replaying every moment since the revelation.
Why had he lied? Why had he played this role so convincingly, knowing it would all come crashing down eventually?
The silence outside my room felt wrong—too heavy, too deliberate.
I stood slowly, wrapping a shawl around my shoulders before stepping into the hallway. The air was cold, the faint scent of candle wax lingering from the evening's dinner.
I walked carefully, my bare feet silent against the stone floors, heading toward his room. The door was ajar, and the faint glow of light spilled into the hallway.
I pushed it open cautiously, my breath catching in my throat.
The room was empty.
The bed was untouched, the wardrobe open slightly, clothes missing. A single suitcase sat by the door, packed but abandoned.
My heart sank.
Something was wrong.
Alexander POV
The night air bit at my skin as I stepped into the waiting car, my suitcase shoved into the backseat. The estate loomed behind me, its dark silhouette stark against the moonlit sky.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself not to look back.
This was necessary. That's what I kept telling myself. This mission was more than an order—it was a reminder of who I was, of where my loyalties were supposed to lie.
And yet, as the car pulled away, I couldn't shake the image of Maria's face—the anger, the betrayal, the pain.
She deserved an explanation. She deserved the truth. But truth had no place in this world, and neither did what I felt for her.
I stared out the window, my fists clenching tightly in my lap.
This was for the family. For the alliance. For survival.
But as the estate disappeared into the distance, I realized that leaving her behind felt more like a betrayal than any lie I'd ever told.