Chapter 102
Antonio sat in his chair, staring at the spotless desk in front of him, and he sighed.
He clenched his fists, the tension in his chest refusing to subside. Alejandro’s words still lingered in the air, mocking him as much as his own thoughts.
He needed a distraction. Something to make him forget the feelings inside his head, and there was nothing more effective than working.
Turning to his laptop, he opened his email and began to scan through the unread messages.
He had taken a day off the previous day and so there was already a pile of work waiting for him as he saw reports and contracts he had to go through.
‘Just what I needed, he muttered under his breath. These were more than enough tasks to keep him busy.
Without wasting time, he started working on them. But even as he immersed himself, the memory of Zabelle kept sneaking in from time to time.
on
Her broken expression, her trembling voice, the way her pain had hit him, leaving a pain he couldn’t explain or ignore. “Shit!” He growled under his breath, slamming his laptop shut as he realized no amount of work could erase her from his mind.
He leaned back, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, when he heard a soft knock on the door.
“Come in,” he said curtly, not bothering to look up.
The door opened, and a familiar voice broke the tense silence. “Hey, I brought you some food. You really shouldn’t skip meals, Antonio.”
His head snapped up, and there she was, the one who had plagued his thoughts and refused to leave.
Zabelle, stood in the doorway and in her hands was a bag which definitely contained food as the aroma wafted into the room, but Antonio barely cared about that. All he could see was her.
Here he was, trying to forget her, and she decided to show up.
Zabelle stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Her expression was calm, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes. “Are you okay? You skipped breakfast, so I thought I’d bring you something before you collapse from starvation,” she said. Antonio stood, his gaze not leaving her as she approached his desk. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know,” she responded simply, setting the bag down. “But someone has to look out for you, and you’re not exactly great at doing it yourself.”
Her words were light, and they appeared to be casual, but they struck a chord deep within him, and they evoked those feelings he had been trying to figure out.
When was the last time someone other than his mother cared for him?
It had never happened, as he didn’t give any woman the chance to get close to him the way he had given Zabelle.
He watched as she removed the food and opened it.
It was a simple but thoughtful meal of pasta and salad. He liked pasta, and he was sure Martha hadn’t prepared it for
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Chapter 102
breakfast.
“Thank you,” he said, a smile appearing on his face.
She looked up at him and gave him a small smile. “You don’t have to thank
thank me. Just eat before it gets cold.”
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Antonio’s throat tightened. The sight of her standing there, her concern evident in every gesture, was more than he could handle.
“Zabelle…” he began, his voice barely above a whisper.
She tilted her head, her smile fading slightly when she saw the serious look on his face. “What is it?”
He didn’t know how to answer. The words were trapped in his throat.
Before he could think his action through and stop himself, he closed the distance between them in two strides.
His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing against her skin as
e stared into her wide, surprised eyes.
“Antonio, what are you…” Zabelle started, but he didn’t let her finish her question as he silenced her with a kiss, his lips capturing hers.
It wasn’t calculated or controlled–it was raw, driven by the emotions he’d been fighting for days.
For a second, he felt her freeze, her breath hitching in surprise. But then, she melted into the kiss, her hands reaching up to rest against his chest.
Time seemed to stop as they stood there, the world outside fading away.
Antonio poured everything he couldn’t say into that kiss–his frustration, his protectiveness, his confusion, and the undeniable pull she had on him, while Zabelle was so overwhelmed that all she could do was to let him lead.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathless. Zabelle looked up at him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes searching for his.
“Antonio…” she whispered, her voice trembling.
He rested his forehead against hers, his hand still stroking her face.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, though he wasn’t entirely sure what he was apologizing for.
Zabelle shook her head, her fingers crumbling his shirt.
For a moment, neither of them moved, the air between them filled with unspoken words and unacknowledged feelings.
But then Antonio stepped back, his expression conflicted as he realized what he had just done. “This…. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why not?” she asked softly, her gaze steady despite the rapid beat of her heart. Did he regret the kiss because she sure as hell didn’t.
“Because it complicates things,” he said, his voice low.
Zabelle took a step closer, her eyes not leaving his. “You think things aren
Antonio’s lips twitched, almost forming a smile. She had a point
already complicated?”
“I brought you lunch,” she then changed the subject, and he was grateful for her doing so. “You should eat so you won’t
starve.”
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Chapter 102
“Thank you, I was indeed starving,” he said as he sat down to eat.
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As he ate, he couldn’t help but glance at Zabelle, her presence as comforting and unsettling as the meal she had brought him.
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And for the first time in years, Antonio wasn’t sure what terrified him more–the chaos of his life or the calm she seemed to bring with her.
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