Chapter 60 

I had faced a lot of terrifying things in my life. 

Watching my mother waste away in a hospital bed, unable to do anything about it. 

Finding out I had cancer at 24. 

Losing everything, becoming nothing. 

Being sold off like a possession. 

And yet, sitting in this chair, staring at the IV drip, my heart was pounding so hard I thought it might explode. 

My first chemotherapy in a long time. 

The last time had nearly killed me. 

And now, I was doing it again. 

I clenched my fists, my breath uneven, forcing myself to keep still. I didn’t want Dominic to see how badly my hands were shaking. 

“Aria.” 

I looked up. 

Dominic was watching me, his gaze sharp, assessing. He was trying to hide it, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his fingers curled slightly on his knee. 

He was worried. 

For me. 

It was stupid. I didn’t want him to be. 

“Yeah?” My voice came out quieter than I intended. 

He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. “Are you scared?” 

I forced a smirk. “Terrified.” 

His jaw ticked. 

“Then why are you trying so hard to pretend you’re not?” 

I exhaled, looking away. “Because if I pretend long enough, maybe it’ll become real.” 

A beat of silence. 

Then- 

“Come here.” 

I frowned. “I am here.” 

“Aria.” 

There was something about the way he said my name that made me react before I could think. 

Slowly, carefully, I shifted toward him. 

And then, to my absolute shock- 

Dominic reached out and took my hand. 

Just held it. 

Not rough. Not possessive. Not the usual dominance that came with his touch. 

Just warmth. 

And for some reason, that was what finally broke me. 

My throat tightened. My eyes burned. 

I swallowed hard, blinking rapidly. 

His thumb brushed over my knuckles, a slow, steady motion, like he was trying to ground me. 

“You don’t have to do this alone, he murmured 

I let out a choked laugh. “That’s rich, coming fr 

His lips twitched. “And yet, I’m here.” 

That shut me up. 

Because… he was. 

1/4 

Successfully unlocked! 

ailable man I’ve ever met.” 

Chapter 60 

I had expected him to order someone to take me. To stay busy with work. 

But no. 

Dominic De Luca was here. 

With me. 

And I hated how much that mattered. 

The nurse came in, clearing her throat softly. 

“Are we ready?” she asked gently. 

No. I wasn’t. 

But I nodded anyway. 

Dominic didn’t let go of my hand. 

Not when they inserted the IV. 

Not when the cold liquid started flowing through my veins, making my stomach twist with nausea almost instantly. 

Not when I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the familiar, awful sickness to settle in. 

And when I opened my eyes, my vision slightly blurred from the sting of unshed tears- 

He was still looking at me. 

Still holding my hand. 

Still here. 

And somehow, that made it just a little bit easier. 

But not easy enough. 

The cold burn in my veins was a slow, cruel thing. It curled through me, making my stomach churn, my head feel too heavy, my limbs too weak. I remembered this feeling. Hated it. Hated how helpless it made me feel. 

I swallowed, trying to keep the nausea at bay. 

“Do you think I’m going to die?” 

Dominic’s expression hardened instantly. His grip on my hand tightened–not enough to hurt, just enough to make sure I felt him. 

“Don’t talk like that.” 

I huffed out a weak breath. “It’s a valid question.” 

“It’s a stupid question.” 

I blinked at him, surprised by the sharpness in his tone. 

His jaw was tight, his whole body rigid. 

“You’re not dying,” he said firmly. “I won’t let you.” 

A small, tired smile tugged at my lips. “Didn’t know you had control over death, too.” 

His fingers twitched against mine. “I control more than you think, gattina.” 

My chest tightened. “Good to know. I am glad that I know the grim reaper in flesh.” 

I believed him though. Not the fact that he was a grin reaper. That was impossible. 

But I know one thing is sure. 

He would try to control this, the same way he controlled everything in his world. The only problem? Cancer didn’t play by mafia rules. 

I sighed, staring at the ceiling. “You know, I used to think about it a lot.” 

His brows furrowed. “Think about what?” 

“Dying.” 

The air between us grew heavier. 

I swallowed. “Not in a I want to die way. Just… preparing myself. Like if I accepted it, it wouldn’t scare me as much. But my family, I was worried about them. Still am. But it asked my mind that they are okay with Carmen, I wonder if my mum… if she is still sick though..” 

Dominic was silent. 

But I could feel his stare. 

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Chapter 60 

Then, his voice–low and sharp. “That’s not going to happen. Your parents are fine. I put your mum up for proper care. Carmen doesn’t have to stress much because I hired a house care..” 

I looked at him with widened eyes. “Really?” 

He didn’t reply 

I smiled. “Thanks. That that means a lot to me.“I smiled widely, but there was no humor in it. “It’s not really up to you, Dominic. You can help me with allt his but you can’t…ever control cancer. I would like to see you try though.” 

The muscle in his jaw ticked. His free hand clenched into a fist. “Like hell it isn’t.” 

The sheer conviction in his voice sent something strange through me. 

I turned my head, looking at him fully. “You can’t fix this. Accept that.” 

He exhaled sharply through his nose. “Watch me.” 

The words were dangerous. A threat. A promise. 

And for the first time in a long time- 

I wanted to believe it. 

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. 

Before I could say anything, the nurse walked back in, checking my IV and the machines surrounding me. She barely spared Dominic a glance before making a tsk sound. 

“You two act like a newly married couple,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head with an amused smile. 

I choked. 

Dominic barely blinked. 

“No, we-” I started, but then- 

“Actually, we do.” 

My head snapped toward him so fast I nearly dislocated something. 

“What?” 

He shrugged, completely unbothered. “It’s not a lie.” 

I gaped at him. “Yes, it is.” 

His lips twitched like he was holding back a smirk. 

The nurse chuckled. “Well, whatever it is, keep each other strong. That’s what matters.” She gave me a reassuring pat on the arm before stepping out again. 

I sighed, rubbing my temple. “You cannot just say things like that, Dominic.” 

His voice was smooth, calm. “Why not?” 

I rolled my eyes. “Because it’s insane.” 

He tilted his head slightly. “Insane?” 

“Yes! I mean, can you imagine us actually married?” I let out a laugh. “That would be the most dysfunctional relationship-* 

“Marry me, Aria.” 

I froze 

My breath hitched, my stomach tightening. 

I turned my head slowly, expecting to see some kind of smirk, some kind of joke written all over his stupidly handsome face. 

But Dominic wasn’t smirking. 

He wasn’t joking. 

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were dark, intense–so damn serious that I suddenly forgot how to breathe. 

“Excuse me?” I managed 

“You heard me.” 

“Dominic.” My voice was sharp, breathless. “Are you insane?” 

*I’ve been called worse.” 

I gawked at him. “This isn’t-” I stopped, swallowing hard. “You can’t just say things like that.” 

His gaze burned into mine. “Why not?* 

I clenched my fists. “Because marriage isn’t some business deal. It’s not something you can control.” 

Chapter 60 

His jaw ticked slightly. “Everything can be controlled.” 

I scoffed. “Not this. Gosh.” 

A beat of silence. 

Then- 

He leaned in 

Close. 

Too close. I stiffened, my breath catching. 

He reached up, his fingers brushing the side of my face, barely a whisper of a touch. I should have pulled away I should have smacked his hand away, told him to get lost, reminded him that I hated him- 

But my body betrayed me. 

I melted into it. 

He noticed. 

His lips twitched slightly. 

Then, his voice, low, rough. “You can hate me, gattina.” 

His thumb brushed over my jaw, a slow, lazy stroke that sent a shiver down my spine. 

“But you’ll never deny me.” 

Heat flooded through me. 

I shoved him back, my heart slamming against my ribs, my breathing erratic. “You’re such a stubborn brute.” 

He laughed. 

That infuriating smirk tugging at his lips as he leaned back, completely unaffected while I was still trying to remember how to function. 

“When are we going?” I asked trying to change the conversation. 

His eyebrows dipped into a frown. “Going where?” 

“Home.” It sounded strange but….true I wanted to know. 

His eyes gleamed. “Do you want to go home now?” 

I nodded without thinking. 

Anywhere but here. I hated hospitals–the beeping machines, the sterile smell, the way they made me feel like I was waiting for something to happen. 

Dominic took out his phone, pressing a number. “We’re leaving.” 

I sighed, leaning back into the pillows. “You can’t just-” 

Before I could finish, the doctor walked in, clipboard in hand, looking very unimpressed. 

“She can’t leave yet.” 

Dominic’s jaw ticked. “Why not?”