BETWEEN LOVE AND RUIN

019

(Maria's POV)

I stood in my room, staring at the open suitcase on my bed. My hands trembled as I folded a black dress and placed it inside, the fabric soft against my fingers. The mission Gerald had given me loomed over me like a dark cloud, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled in my chest. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to be a part of this world. But I had no choice. Not if I wanted to survive.

The door creaked open, and I turned to see Alexander standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Packing already?” he asked, his tone casual but with an undercurrent of something I couldn’t quite place.

I nodded, my gaze returning to the suitcase. “I leave tonight.”

He was silent for a moment, and I could feel the weight of his gaze on me. “You don’t have to do this, Maria. You can say no.”

I shook my head, my jaw tightening. “You know I can’t. Your father made that very clear.”

Alexander took a step closer, his voice low and urgent. “He doesn’t control you, Maria. You’re stronger than that.”

I turned to face him, my chest heaving with a mix of anger and frustration. “Am I? Because it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like I’m just a pawn in your family’s games, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

He didn’t respond, his gaze softening slightly. He took another step closer, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face. “You’re not a pawn, Maria. You’re… you’re more than that.”

I flinched at his touch, my heart racing. “Don’t.”

He frowned, his hand dropping to his side. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t act like you care,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “You’re just like the rest of them. You don’t care about me. You just care about what I can do for your family.”

Alexander’s expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. “That’s not true, Maria. I care about you. More than you know.”

I shook my head, my chest tightening. “You don’t get to say that. Not after everything you’ve done.”

He didn’t respond, his gaze locked onto mine. For a moment, the room was silent, the tension between us thick and suffocating. Then, without warning, he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, I was tempted to give in, to let myself feel something other than anger and fear. But then I remembered where I was, who I was, and what I was about to do.

I pushed him away, my hands trembling as I took a step back. “Don’t.”

Alexander stared at me, his expression a mix of hurt and frustration. “Maria—”

“No,” I said, my voice firm despite the tears stinging my eyes. “I can’t do this. Not with you. Not now.”

He didn’t respond, his jaw tightening as he took a step back. “Fine. But just… be careful, Maria. This mission… it’s dangerous.”

I nodded, my chest burning with a mix of emotions I couldn’t quite name. “I know.”

With that I turned and slammed the door against him