Chapter 40: Burning Bridges

The day after the kiss, the world felt as if it had shifted on its axis, making everything I had ever known—everything I had fought to safeguard—slowly dissolve. Dominic’s words from the night before echoed in my thoughts, intertwined with the kiss that ignited something deep within me. 

I hated it, yet I couldn’t deny its truth. 

I resented my longing for it. I was bitter that, in that fleeting moment, I had allowed myself to be vulnerable with him. Given all that had happened, all the lies and manipulation, how could I let him penetrate my defenses? 

The most painful part was my inability to push him away. The way he looked at me, the fire burning in his eyes, the intensity of his touch—everything about him was utterly captivating.

I wanted to run. I wanted to escape from this tangled mess that had somehow become my life. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t. The pull between us was too strong.

I stood in front of the mirror, examining the reflection staring back at me. My hair was still disheveled from the night, my eyes darker than usual from the lack of sleep. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to force some semblance of order into the chaos that had taken over my life. But no matter how much I tried to force the pieces together, they refused to fit.

The knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. I wasn’t alone anymore. Dominic had made sure of that.

“Come in,” I called, my voice sounding more tired than I intended.

The door slowly swung open, revealing him—tall, dark, and as formidable as ever. Dominic's gaze locked onto mine instantly, his face a mask of mystery, yet I noticed how his eyes softened when they met mine. There was no more pretense. He was being genuine, just as I was. 

The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, wrapping around me like a thick fog with each breath I took. My heart raced, a relentless rhythm that pulsed in my ears. 

"Good morning," he greeted, his voice gravelly and deep, as if he had been awake for hours, fighting his own inner demons. 

I hesitated to respond. What could I possibly say? Good morning? How are you coping after our kiss last night, which shattered everything we knew? How do you feel knowing I’m just as adrift as you?

But Dominic didn’t wait for me to speak. He took a step forward, his eyes locked on mine, and then, in the silence, he spoke again, quieter this time.

“I’m not going to force you into anything, Elena. But I need you to know this—I won’t back down. Not now, not ever.” His voice was a low, gravelly promise. “I’m not going anywhere.”

I took a step back, the words hitting me like a punch to the stomach. “What are you saying? What do you want from me, Dominic?”

His expression grew serious, a fleeting emotion flickering in his eyes that I couldn't decipher. 'What I desire,' he said, his tone low and steady, 'is you. Every part of you.' 

My heart raced. 'You don’t truly want me, Dominic. Not in this way.' 

His jaw clenched, yet he stood his ground. 'I’ve spent far too long pretending I don’t. Pretending that my feelings for you are insignificant. But they are not. They never have been.' 

I took a deep breath, my heart racing as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. 'You don’t understand. You’ve caused me pain that I can never overlook. You can’t just come in here and claim me after everything you’ve done.' 

Dominic’s gaze darkened, but instead of fury, I noticed something different—something raw and genuine. It caught me off guard. He was no longer the cold CEO. In that instant, he was simply a man. A man who had been as shattered as I had.

“I know I hurt you,” he said softly. “And I’ll never ask for your forgiveness. I don’t expect it. But I need you to understand something—what I did, I did because I thought it was the only way. I thought it was the only way to make you see the truth. To make you understand the stakes of everything we’re involved in.”

I shook my head, the weight of his words hitting me in ways I couldn’t quite process. “I’m not a pawn in your game, Dominic. You can’t just use me to get what you want.”

“You’re not a pawn,” he said firmly, his voice unwavering. “You’re everything. And I’m not letting go.”

The fervor in his voice sent chills through me. I felt an urge to distance myself, to accuse him of deceit, to assert that he was merely playing with my emotions once more. Yet, a part of me—the part that had always been wary, always questioning—started to crumble. He was telling the truth. At least, in this moment. 

"Why?" I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. "Why me? Why this?" 

He stepped closer, narrowing the gap between us. His expression softened, and for a brief instant, I glimpsed the fragility he had concealed. The man behind the ruthless, strategic CEO. The man who had been shattered by the same forces that had left me in pieces. 

"Because I can’t imagine my life without you," he confessed, his voice trembling with sincerity. "For years, I’ve constructed barriers around myself, pushing everyone away. But you… you’ve changed my perspective. You’ve made me believe in something beyond mere business and vengeance. You’ve made me believe in us.

My heart raced at his words. They crashed over me like a powerful wave, leaving me breathless. He couldn’t mean it. It was impossible.

But the look in his eyes told me otherwise.

I swallowed, my throat tight. “And if I can’t love you? If I can’t forgive you?”

Dominic’s expression darkened slightly, but he didn’t falter. “Then I’ll keep fighting for you. Until you see that I’m not the man you think I am. Until you see that I’m not your enemy. I’m your partner, Elena.”

His words cut deep, and even amidst the anger and pain, a small part of me—one I despised for existing—started to soften. 

I stepped back, my thoughts racing. 'I’m not sure I can trust you.' 

Dominic’s eyes remained steady. 'I’m not asking for your trust in me. I’m asking you to trust in us.' 

The simplicity of his words belied their profound significance. 

In that instant, despite everything—the past, the animosity, the deceit—I yearned to believe him. 

But was I truly ready to gamble everything once more?