YOU CAN'T ESCAPE

YOU CAN'T ESCAPE

Chapter 004#

...The ride in the black car was silent, save for the soft hum of the engine. Bella sat stiffly in the back seat, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She kept her gaze fixed on the city lights streaking past the window, refusing to meet the driver’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Her thoughts raced, a storm of fear, anger, and confusion churning within her....

...What did Oliver want now? She had already told him she needed space, and yet here she was, being whisked away at his command. Her chest tightened at the thought of facing him again, but a small part of her, buried beneath the layers of fear, longed to see him – to understand why he couldn’t let her go....

...The car slowed as they approached a grand estate on the outskirts of the city. The iron gates creaked open, revealing a sprawling mansion bathed in soft, golden light. Bella’s heart sank further. This wasn’t just a meeting; this was Oliver’s domain, the heart of his world....

...The driver parked in front of the entrance and stepped out to open her door. She hesitated for a moment before stepping out, her legs feeling like lead. The grand doors swung open before she reached them, revealing Oliver standing in the doorway. His dark suit was impeccably tailored, and his eyes burned with an intensity that made her stomach twist....

...“You came,” he said, his voice low and steady....

...“I didn’t have much of a choice,” she replied, her tone colder than she intended....

...His jaw tightened, but he stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. She hesitated before crossing the threshold, the weight of his gaze following her every step. The foyer was opulent, with marble floors and a grand chandelier casting shimmering light across the space. Yet the beauty of it all felt hollow, overshadowed by the tension between them....

...He led her into a dimly lit study, the air thick with the scent of leather and whiskey. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Oliver gestured for her to sit, but she remained standing, her arms crossed tightly over her chest....

...“Why am I here, Oliver?” she asked, her voice sharper now. “What do you want from me?”...

...He leaned against the edge of the desk, his arms crossed casually, but his eyes betrayed the turmoil within him. “I want you to stop running,” he said simply. “To stop pretending that we can live without each other.”...

...“We can,” she shot back. “We have to. Your life, your world – it’s not something I can be a part of. Don’t you see that?”...

...He pushed off the desk, closing the distance between them in a few strides. She took an instinctive step back, but he reached out, gently grasping her arms....

...“I see it,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “But I don’t accept it. Bella, I’ve spent my entire life in darkness. You’re the only light I’ve ever known. How can you ask me to let that go?”...

...Her resolve wavered at the raw emotion in his words, but she shook her head, trying to hold her ground. “And what about me, Oliver? What about my life, my safety? You say you love me, but you’re dragging me into a world where love can’t survive.”...

...“It can survive,” he insisted, his grip tightening slightly. “It has to. Because without you, there’s nothing left for me.”...

...Tears stung her eyes as she looked up at him, seeing the desperation etched into his features. She wanted to believe him, to believe that their love could withstand the storm of his life. But deep down, she knew the truth: love alone wasn’t enough to save them....

...“I can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I’m sorry, Oliver, but I can’t.”...

...His hands dropped to his sides, and for a moment, she saw something in his eyes that she’d never seen before: defeat. But it was quickly replaced by a steely determination....

...“You think you can walk away from this,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “From me. But you can’t. Because no matter how far you run, Bella, I’ll always find you.”...

...Her breath caught in her throat as his words sank in. She backed away, her heart pounding in her chest. “You don’t own me, Oliver. You can’t control me.”...

...“I’m not trying to control you,” he said, stepping closer. “I’m trying to protect you. From my enemies, from this world, from yourself. Don’t you see? You’re safer with me than without me.”...

...She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t live like this. I can’t live in fear, wondering when the next threat will come. This isn’t love, Oliver. It’s a prison.”...

...His face hardened, and she saw the walls go up again, the vulnerability replaced by the cold, unyielding mask of the mafia boss. “Then I’ll make you see,” he said, his tone final. “You belong with me, Bella. Whether you like it or not.”...

...With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving her standing alone in the suffocating silence. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she sank to the floor, her sobs echoing in the empty study. She had tried to escape him, but now she realized the truth: Oliver Deveron wasn’t just a man she loved. He was a force she couldn’t outrun....

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