Chapter 30

Zara’s POV

A couple of minutes later, I heard the door before I saw him again.

The faint scrape of his shoes against the marble floor of the stairs. The soft click of keys. Matteo stood at the uppermost floor of the stairs, jacket already on, posture rigid like he’d made up his mind about something long before this moment.

I was halfway up the stairs when I realized he was waiting for me.

I tightened my grip on the railing and continued with my steps, intent on walking straight past him and out of the walkway without a word. I didn’t owe him anything. Not a glance. Not even a breath.

But then—he stopped me. Mid-step.

His hand hovered near the railing, fingers flexing once like he was reconsidering something he didn’t want to. Slowly, deliberately, he turned around fully and his eyes found me immediately.

“Zara,” he called out, but I didn’t slow down.

“Don’t,” I said flatly, walking past him toward the hallway leading to my bedroom.

“I need to say something,” he yelled and that made me stop.

Not because I wanted to. Because something in his tone felt like the prelude to a lecture. Or worse. An apology.

I turned, folding my arms across my chest. “You really don’t.”

He exhaled, with a tightened jaw staring at me. “About the other night.”

My chest burned instantly, and I froze in my steps.

“No,” I said sharply. “We’re not doing this.”

“It won’t take long,” he replied, taking me by the hand.

I laughed, the sound brittle as I bit my lip glaring at him “Funny. It didn’t take long for you to humiliate me either.”

His brows drew together. “I’m not here to argue.”

“Oh, that’s rich,” I snapped. “Because the other night, you seemed very comfortable arguing with your mouth on mine one second and your ego all over me the next.”

His eyes darkened, but his voice remained even and his eyes remained on me as well.

“I was drunk,” he said. “Things happened.”

Things happened?

I took a step toward him, anger crackling through my veins. “Don’t reduce it like that.”

“I’m not reducing anything.”

“Yes, you are,” I shot back. “You kissed me. Then you mocked me for kissing you back.”

His lips pressed into a thin line. I could see it again clear as glass.

‘So much for a smart mouth, huh?’ The smirk. The way his eyes had glittered with amusement instead of regret.

My hands curled into fists at the slightest thought of that and I tried to look away.

“And now,” I continued, my voice shaking despite my effort, “you stand here like nothing happened. Like you didn’t look down at me and make me feel stupid for giving in.”

“That wasn’t my intention.”

I scoffed. “Intentions don’t erase actions.”

He stayed silent, still gripping my wrist. Still staring into my eyes. And then finally, he spoke. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

The words came out clean. Detached. Almost… rehearsed. And my laughter burst out again, this time harsher. “That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“No apology?” I demanded.

“That is the apology.”

I stared at him, disbelief flooding me. “You think saying I shouldn’t have kissed you in that tone fixes anything?”

“I’m acknowledging it,” he said. “That’s enough.”

“Enough for who?” I challenged. “You?”

His gaze hardened. “This doesn’t need to be emotional.”

I stepped back like he’d struck me.

“There it is,” I whispered. “Cold. Clean. No remorse.”

“That’s how I operate.”

“Well, congratulations,” I said bitterly. “You’re doing great.”

He shifted his weight, irritation flashing briefly across his face. “I’m trying to keep things clear between us.”

“Clear?” I repeated. “You kissed me, Matteo. You crossed that line. Then you laughed at me for standing on the other side of it.”

“I stopped,” he countered. “Didn’t I?”

“Yes,” I snapped. “After reminding me exactly where I stood.”

Silence again lingered in the air. He ran a hand through his hair once, exhaling. “I won’t let it happen again.”

That was the moment something in me snapped.

“You don’t get to allow or forbid anything,” I said quietly, fury simmering beneath the calm in my veins. “You don’t get to decide this like it’s a business deal.”

“This house requires boundaries.”

“Then maybe you should have remembered that before pressing me into a chair and kissing me like you wanted me.”

His jaw clenched as he took a step towards me. Breathing into my face. His cologne wafted through my nostrils and filled the space between us.

“You’re twisting this,” he said, still holding on tight to my wrist. Almost like it owned every part of me.

“No,” I replied. “I’m remembering it.”

My voice cracked despite my effort. I hated that. Hated that he could still do that to me without even trying.

He straightened. “I said what I came to say.”

“Good,” I replied instantly. “Now let me say something.”

He waited with an arched brow. As if waiting to hear the worst.

“Don’t ever apologize to me like that again,” I said. “If you don’t feel it, don’t bother.”

His eyes searched mine briefly, with an expression I couldn't quite read flickering there before disappearing.

“I don’t apologize for things I don’t regret,” he said.

The words sliced clean through me, seeing that he had just stated that he never regretted doing that to me.

I nodded slowly, holding back the anger boiling in my veins.

“Then we’re done here.”

I turned away, heading for the stairs.

“Zara.”

I stopped but didn’t turn back.

“For what it’s worth,” he added coolly, “this doesn’t change anything.”

I laughed softly, pain lacing the sound. “It changes everything.”

“Oh yes it does!”

“In fact, it's the beginning of an era for both of us and you're going to regret it!” I said, stamping my feet on the ground as I walked away.

I walked down the hallway to my bedroom without looking back, my steps steady even as my chest felt like it was caving in.

And behind me, a door opened. Then closed. He was gone again…