Chapter 37: The Price of Desire

I couldn’t breathe.

His words hung in the air between us, thick with meaning. You’re the only thing I’ve ever wanted. I had spent so much time building walls, convincing myself that Dominic Caldwell was nothing but a ruthless CEO—an enemy, a manipulator, someone to hate with every fiber of my being.

But now, standing there in the middle of the street, his words felt like a punch to the gut. I wanted to scream at him, to demand answers, but instead, I found myself frozen—caught between the need to understand and the desire to run as far away as possible.

“Why?” I managed to whisper, my voice hoarse, a tremor I couldn’t hide slipping through. “After everything, after all of it, why the hell would you say something like that?”

Dominic didn’t flinch. He didn’t come closer, didn’t make any move to close the gap between us. His gaze never wavered, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes—a kind of pain, raw and jagged, as though he was carrying a burden that was far heavier than the one I had been bearing.

“You think you know everything, Elena,” he said, his voice low and rough. “You think you understand the game I’ve been playing, but you have no idea what it costs.”

I shook my head, feeling a cold wave of disbelief wash over me. The game he’s been playing? What was he talking about? What kind of game had I been dragged into?

“Don’t act like you’re some victim here,” I shot back, my anger flaring up again. “You’ve been using me, manipulating me, every step of the way. You’re not some tragic hero in this story, Dominic.”

His jaw clenched, and I saw the muscles in his neck tighten as he fought to keep his cool. “I never wanted to hurt you, Elena,” he said, his voice barely a whisper now, but the weight of his words crushed into me. “But I’ve made choices… horrible choices. And it’s too late to go back now.”

A bitter laugh escaped me, as much out of frustration as disbelief. “Too late?” I echoed. “Too late for what? To make amends? To make things right? Is that what you’re telling me?”

He took a step forward then, closing the distance between us, his eyes never leaving mine. And in that moment, I felt the pull of his presence—stronger than any reason or logic, stronger than anything I had been holding onto.

His voice was barely audible as he spoke. “I didn’t want this. I didn’t want any of this, Elena. But everything that’s happened, everything that you think you understand about my family, about yours—it’s all been part of something bigger. Something none of us could control.”

I took a step back, my heart hammering in my chest. Bigger? The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave, sweeping away the last remnants of certainty I had held onto. My mind raced, but I couldn’t make sense of it.

“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaking despite myself. “What are you talking about?”

Dominic ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “It’s not just about revenge, Elena. It never was. It was always about power—the kind of power that your father and mine were too blind to see. The kind of power that’s been pulling the strings for decades.”

I could feel my pulse quicken. Power. Strings. What was he saying?

I couldn’t think straight. There was a burning need to know more, to understand the depths of this game that had ensnared us both. But at the same time, I wanted to run. I wanted to leave this twisted world of lies and manipulation behind and never look back.

But Dominic wasn’t letting me go.

He reached for me then—slowly, deliberately, as if afraid I might bolt. And for a moment, I was torn. I could feel the pull, the undeniable attraction that had been building between us all this time, despite everything.

“Elena, you’re not just a pawn in this game,” he murmured, his voice soft but firm. “You never were. You’ve always been more than that. But I couldn’t protect you. I couldn’t protect you from the truth… or from myself.”

I took another step back, my chest tightening. His words were like a jigsaw puzzle, and I couldn’t quite put the pieces together. “I don’t understand,” I whispered, my breath coming faster now. “What are you trying to say?”

Dominic’s expression softened, the hardness in his features faltering for the briefest moment. “I’m saying that this is bigger than just us,” he said quietly, his eyes locking with mine, as if trying to convey some unspoken truth. “And I’m saying… I’m sorry. For everything.”

I recoiled, the shock of his apology hitting me harder than I expected. Sorry? He had destroyed my life, torn apart everything I cared about, and now he was telling me he was sorry? It didn’t make sense. None of it did.

Before I could say anything, there was a sudden movement behind us—footsteps, too fast, too heavy to be ignored. My heart leapt into my throat as I whipped around, my eyes scanning the darkness.

Two men emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured by hoods. I could tell they were dangerous, the way they moved, the way they carried themselves. And in that moment, I knew—this was it. This was the reason Dominic had been so distant, so detached. He had known this was coming.

“Get down!” Dominic shouted, his voice urgent.

But it was too late.

The sound of gunshots rang out in the night air, echoing through the street like thunder.

I didn’t even have time to react before I felt a sharp pain tear through my side.

Everything went black.