THE WEIGHT OF BEING CHOSEN
1204 Words
Chapter Five: The Weight of Being Chosen
Aurelia did not sleep that night.
She lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling above her bed. A small c***k ran through it, thin and uneven, like someone had tried to fix it once and failed. She kept staring at it, counting the seconds between each breath, hoping exhaustion would pull her under.
It didn’t.
Her mind refused to rest.
Dominic’s voice replayed again and again in her head, clear and calm, as if he were standing right beside her.
She’s not a weakness. She’s protected.
Protected.
From what?
Her chest tightened as another part of the call surfaced in her memory.
I won’t lose her.
The word 'lose' sent a chill down her spine.
Lose her to whom? To what kind of danger made a man like Dominic Vale speak with that much certainty? He wasn’t dramatic. He wasn’t careless with words. If he said something was dangerous, then it already was.
By the time morning light crept through the curtains, fear had settled deep inside her, heavy and unmoving.
She got out of bed quietly, moving as if the apartment itself might be listening. She dressed slowly, her thoughts scattered, her hands trembling just enough to notice. When she stepped into the kitchen, Dominic was already there.
He looked exactly the same as always.
Perfectly dressed. Calm. Controlled.
His tie was neatly knotted. His sleeves crisp. His face unreadable.
“Morning,” he said casually.
She studied him closely, searching his expression for something—guilt, concern, recognition. Anything to tell her he knew she had overheard him.
There was nothing.
“Morning,” she replied, her voice softer than usual.
They stood near the counter, the coffee machine filling the silence with a low hum. It felt strange, standing so close to him after everything she had heard. Like she was suddenly standing too near the edge of something she didn’t understand.
“Are you coming home tonight?” she asked suddenly, the words leaving her mouth before she had time to think.
Dominic looked up, surprised by the question. “Yes. Earlier than usual.”
“Oh.” She nodded quickly. “Okay.”
He watched her for a moment longer than necessary. “Is everything alright?”
She almost laughed.
Nothing was alright.
But she didn’t say that. She simply nodded. “Fine.”
She grabbed her bag and left before he could ask anything else.
At work, Nina noticed immediately.
“You look like someone just told you a secret you weren’t meant to hear,” Nina said as they stocked shelves together.
Aurelia froze for half a second. “Why would you say that?”
“You’re quiet,” Nina shrugged. “And you keep checking your phone like it’s about to bite you.”
Aurelia forced a smile. “Didn’t sleep well.”
But it wasn’t tiredness pulling at her chest.
It was fear.
That evening, Dominic came home early—just like he said he would. The sound of the door opening made Aurelia’s heart jump in a way that surprised her. Somewhere along the line, she had started noticing his presence more than she realized.
They ate dinner together for the first time.
Not standing. Not distracted. Not on opposite sides of the room.
At the same table.
“So,” Dominic said, setting his fork down, “your friend Nina. She seems important to you.”
Aurelia looked up sharply. “Why are you asking about her?”
“I’m not asking,” he replied calmly. “I’m making sure she’s safe.”
Her stomach tightened. “You talk like danger is normal.”
“It is,” he said simply.
She put her fork down. “I heard your phone call last night.”
The change in him was instant.
He went completely still.
“How much did you hear?” he asked quietly.
“Enough,” she said. “You said you wouldn’t lose me. You said I was protected.”
Dominic exhaled slowly and rubbed his jaw. “I didn’t want you to hear that.”
“But I did,” she said firmly. “So tell me what I’m being protected from.”
He looked at her for a long time, as if deciding how much truth she deserved.
“My world isn’t gentle,” he said finally. “People don’t attack me directly. They look for leverage.”
“And I’m leverage,” she said softly.
“No,” he corrected. “You’re a strength. And that makes you a target.”
Her heart sank.
She stood and began pacing the room. “This marriage was supposed to be fake. Temporary. Safe.”
“It still is,” he said, standing too. “Safer than the alternative.”
She turned to face him. “You don’t get to decide my safety for me.”
“I know,” he said quietly. “But I won’t apologize for keeping you alive.”
The word hit her hard.
Alive.
She had lived her whole life without needing protection like this. Without thinking about survival. And yet, deep down, she believed him.
“Why me?” she asked. “You could’ve chosen anyone. Someone who understands your world.”
“I didn’t choose you because you fit,” he said. “I chose you because you didn’t.”
She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does,” he replied. “You didn’t want anything from me. That mattered.”
Something warm and frightening stirred inside her chest.
Days passed quietly after that.
Too quietly.
Then one evening, Aurelia came home and noticed something wrong immediately.
The apartment door was slightly open.
Her heart raced.
“Dominic?” she called.
No answer.
She stepped inside carefully. Everything looked untouched. No broken locks. No signs of struggle.
But something was wrong.
On the kitchen counter sat a black envelope.
Her name was written on it.
Aurelia.
Her hands shook as she opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed her and Nina walking out of the supermarket together.
Below it were four simple words:
*Every queen has a weakness.*
Her knees gave out.
She dropped into a chair, nausea rising fast.
The door opened behind her.
Dominic froze when he saw her face.
“What happened?” he asked sharply.
She slid the photo across the counter.
His expression darkened instantly.
“They’ve found you,” he said.
Her voice trembled. “You said I was protected.”
“I said I wouldn’t lose you,” he replied, his voice cold with anger. “And I won’t.”
He pulled out his phone, issuing orders rapidly. His calm mask fell away, replaced by something powerful and dangerous.
Aurelia watched him, understanding finally settling in.
This marriage wasn’t just protection.
It was a warning.
And by choosing him—whether she meant to or not—she had stepped into a world where love and danger lived side by side.
As Dominic turned back to her, eyes filled with resolve, only one question burned in her mind:
How do you escape a man who can protect you… from everyone else?
- Writer
