جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Vincent's POV.I had to drive myself.Normally, I never went anywhere alone. There was always a driver. Always security. Always eyes watching, reporting and questioning but tonight, I couldn’t afford that.My grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel as I drove through the quiet streets. The city lights blurred past me, but I barely noticed them. My mind was somewhere else entirely.At the hospital. With Adriana. With my father.Then… with her.Stella.My jaw clenched.Everything had started falling apart the moment I slept with her to get back at Adriana. I shouldn't have let it happen again. I should have cut her off completely after the first time. I should have never let it get this far but I did. Now I was here fixing a problem I created or at least I was trying to.The thought of Adriana crossed my mind again.The look on her face earlier. The disappointment. The hurt.The worst part?She had no idea.A bitter breath left my lips.“Just handle this,” I muttered to myself. “

Adriana’s POVThe ride back to the mansion felt endless.I didn’t speak.I didn’t look at Luca.I didn’t even trust my voice enough to try.Everything inside me felt… heavy.Like my chest was carrying too much at once.The moment the car came to a stop, I opened the door immediately and stepped out without waiting.I just needed to be alone.I walked straight into the mansion, my steps quick, almost rushed.“Welcome back, Mrs...” Lisa’s voice barely reached me before I raised my hand, stopping her.“I’m not in the mood,” I said quietly.My voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough.She went silent immediately.I didn’t even look at her.“Adriana… will you be okay?” Luca’s voice came from behind me.I paused for a second, then I kept walking.I didn’t answer.I couldn’t.Because if I did… I might break.The moment I stepped into my room, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it.My eyes shut tightly.For a second, everything hit me all over again.Stella.The way she smiled at me.

Luca's POV.As I walked down the hallway toward my father’s private room, my steps were steady, controlled. Then I saw them.Vincent. Adriana.At first, it didn’t register properly.My eyes caught the movement… the way they stood too close… the tension in the air. Then I saw his hand around her neck.Tight.Too tight.Her feet were barely touching the ground.Everything inside me went still for half a second. Then it exploded.Rage.Pure. Violent. Uncontrolled.I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate.I moved fast. Before Vincent could even react, my fist connected with his face.Hard.The impact echoed in the hallway as his body staggered back and hit the ground.For a second, everything froze. Then Adriana moved. She ran straight into me. Her hands grabbed onto my shirt, her body shaking as she buried her face into my chest.She was crying and that… that did something to me.Something deeper than anger.Instinctively, my arms wrapped around her.Tight. Protective.“It’s okay,” I said, my

Vincent's POV.I had just stormed out of the hospital, and the anger inside me refused to settle.Each step I took down the hallway felt heavier, sharper. The sound of my shoes against the floor echoed louder than usual, almost like the building itself could feel the tension rolling off me.My jaw was clenched so tight it hurt.Luca.The name alone made something twist violently inside my chest.Who the hell did he think he was?The image replayed in my mind again.My hand around Adriana’s neck. Her struggling. Then—Him.Running in like some hero and punching me, like I was nothing.My hands curled into fists as I stepped outside, the cold air hitting my face. It did nothing to calm me down.Nothing.Because that wasn’t even the part that bothered me the most.No.It was the way she ran to him. The way she held onto him like she needed him. Like he was the one she trusted. Like he was the one who could protect her and the way he held her back…Tight. Possessive.My stomach turned.Co

Luca's POV.I had no idea where Adriana was and that alone was enough to make my chest feel tight.Something that didn’t sit right in my stomach.I had been trying to tell myself she was fine. That she just needed space. My hand tightened around my phone as I tried her number again.Once. Twice. Three times.No answer.Not even a ring.Just that cold automated voice telling me the number could not be reached.She had switched it off.That made my jaw clench harder.I stood in the middle of the room, phone still in my hand, staring at nothing.My mind kept running through possibilities I didn’t want to consider.What if Vincent pushed her too far?What if she finally broke?What if she left the mansion in anger and something happened on the way?There was another thought too.One I didn’t like at all.The past.The fact that she