Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Jasmine opened the door to find Antonio standing there, his figure framed by the dim light from the hallway. His eyes swept over her, assessing, calculating, before they landed on her face, softening just slightly.

"You didn't call me," he said, his voice quiet but firm, the words holding an unspoken question. "Instead, you called Konrad. Why?"

Jasmine's pulse quickened, but she refused to let him see her anxiety. She crossed her arms, standing taller. "Why would I call you?" Her voice was sharp, edged with frustration. "You've barely even spoken to me since that night at the event. So why would I go running to you when things get dangerous?"

Antonio's jaw clenched, but he didn't respond right away. His eyes darkened as he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. The space between them felt charged with tension.

Jasmine didn't back down. She'd made her decision, and nothing about the situation was going to change that.

"Maybe you think I owe you something," she continued, her voice rising slightly. "But I don't. I didn't ask for any of this, Antonio. The danger, the threats—none of it has anything to do with me. I don't want to be involved in your world."

Antonio took a deep breath, but there was a flicker of something unreadable in his expression. He didn't seem surprised by her words. "I never asked you to be involved, Jasmine. But now you are, whether you like it or not."

She shook her head, frustration and confusion mixing inside her. "You don't get it. I don't want to be involved with you, Antonio. I don't want any of this. I just want to go back to my life. A life that's peaceful, that's quiet, where I can focus on my work and live the way I want to. I've been through enough already. And now you're pulling me back into this mess."

Antonio's lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out at first. He studied her, his gaze unyielding.

"You think it's that simple?" he asked, his tone shifting, the steel beneath his voice more pronounced now. "You think you can just walk away from this? Walk away from me?"

Jasmine exhaled sharply, trying to hold onto her composure. "Yes," she said, the conviction in her voice clear. "I don't need you, Antonio. I don't need this life. I've worked too hard to build my own to let it all fall apart because of some mess you're tangled in."

Antonio stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. His eyes searched hers, and for a fleeting moment, there was something in them that almost seemed… vulnerable.

"Jasmine," he said softly, his voice dropping in tone. "I'm not asking you to be part of my world. I'm asking you to trust me. There's something bigger happening, and I need to keep you safe."

Jasmine swallowed, her chest tightening. "I don't trust you, Antonio," she said, her voice low and resolute. "I don't trust the world you're part of. And I don't want to be pulled into it anymore. I'm done."

She turned to walk away, but he reached out, his hand brushing against her arm gently, his fingers warm and insistent. "Please don't walk away, Jasmine. I'm trying to protect you, even if you don't understand why."

She pulled her arm back, taking a step away from him. "You don't get to decide what's best for me," she snapped. "I don't need you to protect me. I've been doing just fine on my own."

Antonio stood frozen for a moment, his hand still in the air as if he'd wanted to reach for her. But he lowered it slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. His expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something there—something that made Jasmine's heart flutter and her stomach churn.

"I'm not asking you to be part of my world," he repeated, his voice a bit softer now. "But I can't let you walk away from this. Not now. Not when they're watching you."

Jasmine met his gaze, her chest tightening with a mix of anger and confusion. "I'm not asking for your protection. I'm asking for my life back."

Antonio's eyes searched hers, the intensity there, as if weighing her words. He didn't speak for a moment, and in that silence, something passed between them. A connection. A flicker of understanding, though it was buried under layers of distrust and tension.

Jasmine took a step back, her resolve strengthening. "I don't need this," she whispered, turning away from him. "And I don't need you."

Without another word, she walked toward the hallway, her heart hammering in her chest. She couldn't go back to that world. Not now. Not ever.

Antonio stood in the doorway, watching her, but saying nothing.

She would go on alone, even if it meant facing the storm that was coming.

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