Dance With Death

Chapter 3

Aurora's POV

Tears streamed down my face.

My heart raced, pounding against my chest, as fear gripped me once again.

I could sense someone's presence behind me, and desperation filled my voice as I begged,

"Please, don't hurt me..."

The man didn't respond; instead, he removed the blindfold that had masked my vision.

As my eyes adjusted to the sudden flood of light, I saw Gio standing in front of me. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips upon seeing him. Relief washed over me, and I finally felt safe.

"Gio," I called out weakly, my voice barely audible.

But Gio's gaze was cold and emotionless. His piercing green eyes bore into mine, devoid of any trace of pity or fear.

My smile faltered, replaced by confusion and a surge of questions.

Gio had changed. He appeared taller, more muscular as if he had been working out relentlessly.

His entire demeanour had transformed, including the way he looked at me.

The warmth that used to fill his eyes upon seeing me had disappeared. I couldn't recognize him anymore, but deep down, I clung to the hope that the Gio I had loved still existed within him.

"Let's just get this over with, Antonio," Gio spoke, addressing the man who had taken me captive.

Antonio grinned and playfully tapped Gio's shoulder.

"Why so impatient, Giovanni? Aren't you happy to see me again?" he taunted, his lips curling into a smile.

Gio shrugged off Antonio's hand, his expression turning dark.

Antonio laughed, trying to mask the fear I saw flicker in his eyes. The sound of his laughter reverberated through the abandoned building, filling the air with tension.

"Fine, let's get this over with," Antonio said, pulling out a gun and pointing it at Gio's head but Gio didn't seem to care.

They stood face to face looking at each other intently, having no plan of backing down, while I remained frozen in place, my eyes locked on them.

"Don't hurt Gio, please," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face, my voice filled with anguish.

Antonio laughed, his gaze still fixed on Gio.

"I can't promise you that, Aurora," he replied, and then I heard the click of his trigger.

"No! Please!" I begged, closing my eyes, unable to witness Gio being shot before me.

After a moment, a painful groan reached my ears, and when I dared to open my eyes, I saw Gio's arms wrapped around Antonio's neck, holding him hostage.

Gio turned his gaze towards Antonio's men, holding a gun pressed against Antonio's head.

"Untie her," he commanded, his voice cold and unwavering.

"f*****g untie her!" he shouted, his words echoing through the entire building.

Fear etched across Antonio's face, he reluctantly gave the order, and his men moved to release me.

My knees trembled, but I summoned all my strength to walk towards Gio. With each step, fear coursed through my veins.

I stood behind him, overwhelmed by a sense of dread.

"Cover your ears and close your eyes, Aurora," he instructed.

Without question, I followed his command, shutting my eyes tightly and covering my ears with my hands.

In an instant, the sound of gunshots filled the air, causing me to flinch. The sound of gunfire continued for what felt like an eternity, my tears flowing freely from a mix of fear and helplessness.

When the deafening noise subsided, I slowly opened my eyes, curiosity getting the better of me. But Gio's hand still shielded my vision, guiding me out of the building, leaving me to wonder about the aftermath of his actions.

After a while, we stopped.

Gio removed his hand from my eyes, and I found myself staring into his gaze, searching for answers. Yet, all I saw was a coldness I had never witnessed before.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, his eyes locked onto mine, devoid of any warmth.

I couldn't see any concern, only an icy detachment.

Shaking my head in response, I whispered, "I'm fine."

Gio studied my face for a few seconds as if searching for something. Eventually, he exhaled deeply and nodded.

"Let's go," he said, walking towards his car.

Limping from the earlier fall, I followed him, my movements shaky.

I climbed into the car, turning my gaze towards Gio. His furrowed eyebrows caught my attention as he engaged in a phone conversation, but he did not explain what had happened.

Suddenly, an explosion rang out, and I turned my head to witness the abandoned building burning down.

"What about those men..." I trailed off, staring at the inferno before shifting my gaze back to Gio.

"You killed them?" I asked, my voice trembling as I voiced the question.

Gio looked at me in silence for what seemed like an eternity before nodding.

"I did, Aurora," he confessed, using my full name without a trace of familiarity.

Confusion consumed me as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. Gio remained silent, his gaze fixed upon me.

After a while, the car raced forward at full speed, as though Gio was eager to drop me off and be rid of me.

In a matter of minutes, we arrived at my house. Gio stepped out of the car and opened the door for me.

"Thank you," I whispered weakly as I get off from his car.

I whimpered as my knees ached from the scratch I got when I fell earlier.

Gio was about to leave when my parents appeared, looking at us with puzzled expressions.

"What happened to you, Aurora?" my mom asked, her face filled with worry.

I couldn't find the words to answer her question because, like them, I had no idea what had happened.

"You didn't tell us you were coming home?" my dad said, his eyes filled with concern. Then, their attention shifted to Gio, who stood behind me.

"Gio, I've been meaning to talk to you," my dad uttered, his gaze fixed on Gio.

"Why are you calling off the engagement?" my dad asked, sounding angry. It was the first time I had heard him speak to Gio in such a way.

"Alfred, let's discuss this inside," my mom intervened, calming my dad down.

Taking a deep breath, my dad stepped inside the house. I glanced at Gio before following my parents indoors.

We settled in the living room.

I sat across from my parents, while Gio sat beside me, but there was a noticeable distance between us, as if he were disgusted by me or something.

"What is happening to both of you?" my dad asked, looking at me and then at Gio.

I remained silent, unable to provide an answer to their question because I was just as confused as they were about why Gio was calling off the engagement.

"I want to cut my ties with your family, Mr Valencia," Gio said, looking directly into my father's eyes.

His words shattered my heart into pieces. I tried reaching for his hand, hoping to hold it, but he brushed away my touch and turned his head to me.

"I don't want to marry you, Aurora," he said.

Hearing those words slip from his lips, my mouth gaped open as hot tears streamed down my face.