To Be By His Side

I had already wiped away my makeup and hung the gown I was supposed to wear by his side back in the closet.

When Dario pushed the door open and saw me sitting there, a faint flicker of guilt crossed his face. "You're still up?"

"Today is our anniversary," I replied with no expression.

Dario fell silent for a long moment before setting a velvet jewelry box on the vanity table, revealing a striking emerald necklace inside.

"I saw it at the auction and thought it would look beautiful on you," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me from behind and brushing a soft kiss against my neck. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow night. I've already reserved the entire restaurant, so it can be just the two of us."

A familiar ache tightened in my chest, yet I didn't push him away. For ten years, whenever Dario made the effort to coax me, I had always chosen to forgive him.

But before his lips could touch my skin again, his private phone rang.

It was Scarlett again.

The moment Dario answered and heard the few frantic words on the other end, his face turned dark, and the hand resting on my waist instantly slipped away.

"Lock the doors and stay away from the windows. I'm on my way."

My heart sank. "What's wrong with her?"

"There's a suspicious vehicle idling outside her building, and someone tried to force the security keypad three times," he explained, already pulling on his coat.

"Where are her men?"

"I reassigned them to the docks tonight."

"Do you really have to go personally?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"If someone is scouting her location, I need to verify it myself."

"But today is our anniversary," I reminded him.

Dario frowned. "You have a full team protecting you at the estate. She has no one right now."

Without waiting for my reply, he left. I sat in the silent bedroom for hours, losing all track of time, until my phone finally buzzed with a short text from him. [Don't wait up.]

I stared at the screen and let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh.

It was nearly three in the morning when the heavy crunch of gravel signaled his return. Dario had come back, with Scarlett right beside him.

She was still in her evening dress, his suit jacket draped over her shivering shoulders, while two bodyguards carried her luggage into the foyer.

My face hardened. "What is she doing here?"

Dario tossed his car keys to the butler. "She's staying here tonight."

"The camera feeds at my apartment went down, and the backup generator failed," Scarlett quickly explained. "I was going to check into one of the family hotels—"

"Then go to the hotel," I interrupted coldly.

Silence fell over the hallway as Dario fixed me with a harsh, warning glare. But I refused to yield. "This is our home, Dario. She can go to a hotel or another safe house, but I will not allow her to stay here."

Scarlett's eyes welled with tears. "It's alright... I'll just go to the hotel."

She reached for her bag, but Dario's icy command instantly cut her off. "Put it down."

He turned his gaze back to me, his tone dropping to a dangerous whisper. "There is nowhere safer than this estate tonight. Eliana, you know exactly what she just went through. At a time like this, I expect you to show at least a bit of empathy."

Refusing to argue any further, he turned to the butler. "Prepare the guest suite on the east wing."

My chest constricted. "Not there!"

That wing housed my father's original logbooks, nautical maps, and private archives, which I treasured ‌above all else. Because of their sentimental value, it was the most heavily secured room in the mansion.

Years ago, when Dario personally upgraded the locks, he had promised me, "This space is yours alone. No one will ever touch it."

Scarlett spoke up. "Is that where your father's things are kept?"

I froze, wondering how she knew. Noticing my sharp glance, she hastily added, "Dario mentioned it to me before."

Dario, having completely lost his temper, cut in. "It's only for one night. Nobody is going to touch your things."

Ignoring my stance, he signaled the guard to unlock the door. As Scarlett brushed past me, a smile flashed across her lips. "Thank you, Eliana. I'll be very careful."

I stood frozen as the sanctuary that was supposed to be mine alone opened for another woman. A dull, hollow numbness washed over me.

It doesn't matter anymore.

Just four more days, and I would never have to endure this again.