Dominic was beside me, holding me gently, his face pale with worry. The signet ring on his right hand was perfectly still against my wrist.
"Bianca," he said softly, his voice hoarse, "come back to Seattle with me."
This time, I slowly closed my eyes.
Then I whispered, "Okay."
It was only then that I finally understood something.
A person's hope could burn out in an instant.
Not gradually.
Not after endless disappointment.
Sometimes, all it took was one final moment.
One final abandonment.
One final unanswered cry for help.
Adrian did not realize I had left without saying goodbye until the third day.
After that, he called me frantically.
Again and again.
But I was only irritated.
Without hesitation, I blocked his number.
If he cared about Viviana so much, then he should stay by her side.
Why keep dragging me into his unfinished guilt and affection?
Back in Seattle, I curled up on the leather sofa in Dominic's estate, my gaze resting on the wedding dresses he had sent over. The windows behind me looked out onto Moretti port territory, the distant cranes standing like sentinels over the water, and even the quiet of this room felt guarded.
Each gown was exquisite, the fabric shimmering softly beneath the light.
They were so beautiful that they almost felt unreal.
Dominic sat beside me and gently placed an arm around my shoulders.
His voice was warm and patient.
"Which style do you like?"
I studied the dresses one by one.
Finally, my eyes stopped on a strapless fishtail gown made of soft tulle. It was elegant, graceful, and quietly dazzling.
"This one," I said. "I think it's perfect."
Dominic smiled, then raised his hand and rubbed my head affectionately.
"Alright," he said. "Then we'll choose this one."
After the wedding dress was decided, he went to meet with the ceremony planner to discuss the details of the family-sanctioned union.
Meanwhile, Gia called and updated me on Adrian's frantic search.
Apparently, he had been asking everyone about my whereabouts. Only after contacting his parents did he finally learn that I had returned to Seattle.
Gia sounded both amused and angry.
"Bianca, what do you think he'll do when he finds out you're getting married?"
Before I could answer, the doorbell rang.
I assumed it was another planner Dominic had arranged.
So I walked over and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, I met a pair of bloodshot eyes.
Adrian stood outside, looking exhausted and disheveled. The lighter was in his hand, and I heard it snap shut once, twice, three times in quick succession before he shoved it into his pocket. The second he saw me, disbelief flooded his face.
"Bianca…"
His voice cracked.
"You're really here."
He stared at me as if he had finally found something he had lost, yet still could not believe it was real.
"Why did you leave without saying anything?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion. "Were you trying to hurt me on purpose?"
He reached out toward me, desperation written all over his face.
"Come back with me," he said urgently. "We'll get married right away."
Before I could respond, Dominic stepped forward and stood firmly between us.
Two soldiers materialized behind him in the doorway, silent as stone. Dominic did not look at them. He did not need to.
His voice was calm, but every word carried unmistakable warning.
"Adrian," he said, "please stay away from my wife."
Adrian froze.
He took a step back, as if the words had struck him across the face.
His face turned pale, and his voice shook as he asked, "What did you just say?"
