Dance With Death

Chapter 4

Giovanni's POV

Aurora knelt on the floor, disregarding the wounds on her knees.

Tears streamed down her face as she desperately clutched my hand, but I kept my gaze cold, refusing to show any emotion.

"You can't be serious. You didn't mean those words, did you?" Her voice was filled with desperation.

"Are you angry at me for leaving? I won't leave again, Gio. I'll stay here in Italy. I'll be a good wife, I promise. I'll give up ballet. I'll just stay with you. Please, don't do this," she pleaded, her words interrupted by sobs.

She appeared desperate, and it was the first time I had seen her beg.

I looked away, unwilling to witness her misery.

"Gio, please," she begged, but I stood up and turned my head toward her parents.

"I have to go, Mr. and Mrs. Valencia," I said.

They remained silent, but anger flashed in their eyes.

"Aurora, stand up!" Mr. Valencia uttered firmly, addressing his daughter who still knelt on the floor.

"Stand up, Aurora!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the entire house. However, Aurora ignored him and continued kneeling, prompting her mother to walk toward her and force her to stand.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble," I said, then stepped out of the house.

Aurora kept calling out to me, but I acted as if I hadn't heard anything.

I never looked back because I knew that if I turned around, I might do something I would regret.

When I reached my car, I quickly got inside and drove to my condominium.

Upon arrival, I headed straight to my unit, ignoring everyone's greetings.

Making my way to the kitchen, I grabbed a bottled beer before settling on the couch in the living room, staring blankly at the wall.

After a while, my phone rang, displaying my secretary's name on the screen.

"Sir, you have a meeting with Mr. Salvatore. Should I reschedule it?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied before ending the call.

I remained seated on the couch, drinking my beer.

After consuming five bottles, I decided to lie down on the couch and take a brief rest.

I had no idea how long I slept, but I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing.

When I saw my father's name flashing on the screen, I debated whether to answer the call or not. After a moment, I decided to answer.

"Valencia's called me, telling me they will withdraw their investment from our company, and your fiancée, she's all over the news, making out with some random man. Everything is a mess because of your f*****g decision," I could sense my dad's anger, but instead of responding, I ended the call and switched on the TV. Just as he said, Aurora filled the news.

Footage of her passionately kissing a stranger in a club played on the TV screen.

I clenched my fist tightly, unable to bear it any longer. I turned off the TV and stormed out of my unit.

Overflowing with anger and feeling my blood boil, I got into my car and drove at full speed.

After a few minutes, I arrived at Red Light Nightclub, where Aurora was spotted making out with a random man.

Entering the club, I scanned the crowd to find her. After a while, I spotted her amid the crowd, enthusiastically downing a shot while everyone cheered her on.

I stared at her darkly as she consumed the drink and then grabbed a random man, engaging in a passionate kiss.

I lost control. Witnessing her kissing that man so fervently triggered something inside me.

Pushing through the crowd, I brushed past everyone to reach Aurora.

I pulled her forcefully, shielding her behind me, and then glared at the man who was still dazed by Aurora's kisses.

Before he could even recover, I punched him in the face, causing him to collapse onto the floor.

"Gio!" Aurora shouted, attempting to help the man, but I held her firmly.

The music quieted as the commotion erupted. All eyes were on us, curious about what had happened.

The bouncer came to the man's aid and escorted him away, while I led Aurora out of the club, still gripping her tightly.

She slapped my hand, trying to break free, but I held her firmly.

"Gio, it hurts," she complained, as I continued to drag her until we reached the car.

I opened the door for her and looked at her with cold eyes.

"Get inside," I commanded, but she didn't move.

"Get inside, Aurora!" I shouted, causing her to flinch.

Reluctantly, Aurora stepped into my car, and I shut the door, walking to the other side.

Before starting the engine, I looked at her and firmly held her chin, making her meet my gaze.

I reached for a tissue and wiped her lips.

"How many men have you kissed?" I asked, still wiping her lips.

Aurora brushed my hands away and glared at me, her eyes filled with anger.

"Why do you care?" she snapped, her voice laced with annoyance.

"And why are you even here?" she questioned, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Is this what you've been doing in New York? Kissing random men?" I asked.

We continued to exchange questions, refusing to answer one another.

Aurora didn't respond to my question; instead, she slapped me across the face.

"f**k you, Gio!" she shouted, consumed by anger and frustration. Tears streamed down her face, and her cries filled my ears once again.

"Why is it so easy for you to throw everything away? Are you mad at me for leaving and choosing to pursue ballet instead of staying here in Italy with you? Are you punishing me for leaving you?" she asked, her voice filled with pain.

I stared at her face, observing her tears cascading down her cheeks.

I'm not punishing you, Aurora. I'm doing this to protect you.

"You ignored my calls for years. You cut off our communication. I tried to understand, thinking you were upset with me for choosing my dreams over you. But Gio, it was you who encouraged me to pursue my dreams, to become a great ballerina. It was you who pushed me to pursue ballet because you said I looked the happiest when I danced on stage. So I can't understand why you shut me out from pursuing my dream. I can't understand why you're cutting me off," she said in between her sobs.

Her sobs felt like countless daggers piercing my chest.

"Please, help me understand. Why are you calling off the engagement? Don't you love me anymore?" Her voice oozed desperation, pleading for an answer.

I averted my gaze, unwilling to witness the pain etched on her face.

"Yes," I replied without looking at her.

"Look at me, Gio," she commanded, her voice laced with authority.

"Look at me while telling me you don't love me anymore, so I can believe you," she insisted.

I swallowed hard and turned my head back to face her.

"Look at me and tell me that you don't love me anymore, and I will try to forget you," she said.

Silence enveloped us, and I stared at her face, lacking the courage to utter those words, knowing she could see through my lie.

"I am no longer the same Gio you once knew, Aurora. I have changed," I finally spoke, and she simply nodded.

"I can see that," she acknowledged.

"But I still love you. Regardless of what happens, my love for you will never waver. So don't feed me that bullshit, Gio. If that's your reason for calling off the engagement, then I won't accept it," she stubbornly asserted.

She was still the same, the same stubborn Aurora.

"Tell me the truth, Gio. Why are you calling off the engagement?" she probed, refusing to break our intense gaze.

"Who were those men who abducted me?" she added.

"Why did you kill them?"

She bombarded me with questions, her eagerness evident in her quest for answers.

"Our family is entangled in a Mafia organization. I only discovered this when my father passed down our family business to me. Those men who kidnapped you were among my enemies," I revealed.

Aurora didn't flinch or divert her gaze; she appeared shocked, but fear was absent from her eyes.

"I take lives, Aurora. I engage in heinous activities. There are people out there trying to hunt me down and end my life. That's why I'm cutting ties with your family, to protect you," I explained, revealing everything to her.

Aurora continued to gaze at me intently as if attempting to process the weight of my words.

After a while, a smile graced her lips. She cupped my face and stared into my eyes.

Leaning in, Aurora claimed my lips, and as she broke the kiss, she uttered words that made me tremble.

"You will always be mine," she declared, her voice infused with unwavering courage.

"I won't let you leave me, Gio. Even if it means dancing with death to stay by your side, I will dance with f*****g death," she asserted firmly, her unwavering gaze never faltering.