Chapter 67 

I spoke with such finality, as if it had already happened. 

As if I would be dying anytime soon. I tried to take in deep breaths to calm my racing heartbeat. My hair falling into my face, damp with sweat, my body trembling from exhaustion. 

Dominic stilled. 

For a moment, he said nothing. Was he realizing how much he had hurt me? How he had made me feel awful and tired? “I’m sorry.” I heard him say. 

I looked at him, his eyes down casted as he took in deep breath. 

The man who had probably never apologize to anyone was apologizing to me. 

Maybe I should feel such greatness at that. I scoffed. 

“I really am.” 

I didn’t say anything. 

“Also you didn’t sign up for your death. It was my fault.” 

He said. His voice was still cold and emotionless. I exhaled shakily, pressing my forehead against the cool rim of the bathtub. “It’s the truth. I did sign up for my death. It happened when I overstrain myself.” 

He let out a harsh breath, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. 

“No,” he repeated, sharper this time. “You’re not going to die, Aria.” 

I scoffed weakly, my eyes fluttering closed. “That’s not really your call, Dominic.” 

Silence. 

Then- 

The sound of movement. 

A rustling of fabric. 

I blinked, forcing my head up just in time to see Dominic pulling out his phone. 

I frowned. “What are you doing?” 

He didn’t answer. 

I tried to sit up, but my limbs felt too heavy. My body was screaming for rest, for the nausea to settle, for the weight of everything to stop crushing me. 

But I wasn’t stupid. 

I knew Dominic. 

And I knew exactly what he was about to do. 

“Dominic.” My voice was weaker than I wanted it to be, my fingers digging into the cold bathroom tiles as I forced myself to sit straighter. 

He still wasn’t looking at me, his thumb swiping across the screen of his phone. 

I grit my teeth. “Don’t.” 

His eyes flicked to me, sharp and unreadable. “You think I’m just going to sit here while you-” He cut himself off, inhaling sharply. 

I glared at him, exhaustion making me dizzy. “I don’t need a doctor.” 

He let out a humorless laugh. “You’re throwing up your fucking lungs, Aria.” His voice was edged with frustration, his fingers tightening around the phone. “You can barely stand.” 

I clenched my jaw. “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.” 

His face hardened. “That’s not the point.” 

I pushed a shaky hand through my hair. “It’s exactly the point.” 

His fingers hovered over the screen, but I saw i 

The slight hesitation. 

The flicker of something undecided in his gaze. 

Like a part of him wanted to listen to me. 

But it wasn’t enough. 

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Chapter 67 

I watched, helpless, as he lifted the phone to his ear. 

I shot forward, gripping his wrist. “Don’t.” 

He froze. 

The weight of my hand against his skin, my fingers trembling but firm, stopped him. 

For a moment, neither of us moved. 

Neither of us spoke. 

Then- 

His jaw clenched. “I’m calling the doctor.” 

I tightened my grip. “I don’t need a doctor, Dominic.” 

He exhaled sharply, his body coiled tight. 

And then- 

He ripped his wrist from my grasp. 

I flinched as he stood up, towering over me, his eyes dark and furious. 

“I don’t give a fuck what you think you need,” he snapped, his voice vibrating with anger. “I am calling the doctor.” 

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. 

He wasn’t budging. 

I knew that. 

I knew there was no arguing with him when he was like this. 

But something inside me ached at the way he was looking at me- 

Like he was trying to fix something that was already broken. 

I swallowed hard, my body sagging back against the wall. 

Dominic pressed the phone to his ear, his gaze never leaving mine. 

And just like that- 

I lost. 

Dominic always got his way, and this time was no different. 

The doctor arrived within the hour, a middle–aged man with sharp eyes and a face that looked like it had never known a smile. He didn’t waste time, pressing the stethoscope to my chest, taking my vitals, and asking a few questions. 

I sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, my arms crossed as Dominic loomed nearby, arms folded, watching every single movement. 

The doctor took a step back, scribbling something in his notepad before glancing up at me. 

“It’s stress,” he finally said. 

I scoffed. “Oh, stress, is that all?” 

The doctor gave me a flat look. “You’ve been through an ordeal, Miss Montel. Your body is reacting the only way it knows how.” 

I pressed my lips together. 

Dominic’s stare burned into the side of my face. 

“She almost collapsed,” Dominic said, voice dangerously calm. 

The doctor nodded. “That’s expected. With her condition, the body is already in survival mode. Adding excessive stress, lack of rest, and poor eating habits only makes it worse.” 

I rolled my eyes. “Wow. Who knew being kidnapped and nearly killed would be bad for my health?” 

The doctor didn’t react to my sarcasm. 

But Dominic? 

His jaw ticked. 

“What about the hair loss?” Dominic asked. 

My stomach dropped. 

The doctor hesitated before turning back to me. “Have you been noticing more than usual?” 

I swallowed. 

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I thought about the strands of hair I’d seen in the shower. The ones on my pillow. The way it felt thinner every time I ran my hands through it. 

I shrugged. “A little.” 

The doctor sighed, rubbing his temple. “That’s not uncommon. The stress alone could cause it. But combined with the cancer…” He hesitated, glancing at Dominic. “It’s to be expected.” 

A heavy silence settled over the room. 

I stared at the floor. 

Expected. 

Like I wasn’t already falling apart. 

I felt Dominic’s presence shift. He was still tense, but he wasn’t speaking, which was somehow worse. 

The doctor cleared his throat. “You need rest, Miss Montel. And food. No more dancing around or pushing yourself past your limits.” 

I glanced up at Dominic, already knowing he was going to use this against me. 

Sure enough- 

His expression was flat, unreadable. But there was something else behind his eyes. Something sharp. 

Possessive. 

Like he was about to make sure I never did anything reckless again. 

I braced myself. 

The doctor handed Dominic a sheet of paper. “This is a list of things she needs to avoid. Certain foods, heavy activities, alcohol.” He looked back at me. “And if you experience dizziness again, you need to let someone know immediately.” 

I huffed. “Yes, sir.” 

The doctor packed up his things, then turned to Dominic. “She needs calm, Mr. De Luca. I suggest making sure she gets it.” 

Dominic nodded once, a silent dismissal. 

The doctor gave me a final glance before heading for the door. 

And then it was just me and him. 

The room felt too quiet. 

I refused to meet his gaze, staring at my hands instead. 

I was fine. 

I had survived worse. 

But the way he was looking at me… 

It made my stomach twist. 

“You’re not going to listen to a damn word of that, are you?” His voice was low, laced with something I couldn’t place. 

I lifted a brow. “What gave it away?” 

His eyes darkened. “Aria-” 

But before he could finish, his phone rang. 

I exhaled in relief. 

Dominic, however, was not relieved. 

He pulled his phone from his pocket, glancing at the screen. 

And in a split second- 

His entire expression changed. 

His jaw went rigid, his eyes flashing with something deadly. 

Whatever it was- 

It wasn’t good. 

He answered. 

His voice was sharp. “What.” 

Silence. 

Then- 

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His grip on the phone tightened. 

And I knew. 

I knew something was wrong. 

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