[7x Featured]
Valentina has special skills that endanger her. Sandro belongs to an unfairly treated community. In 15th century Venice, happiness seems impossible for them to find. Religious differences restrict interactions between the two, so their...
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My heart was beating so quickly I thought I had stopped breathing. If Ettore had fallen for me, why did he tie me to a chair? How could he say those cruel things? My head hurt as I tried to think. Ettore wouldn't stop staring. Surprisingly, he neither shot me an angry stare nor smiled evilly. It was as if my childhood friend had returned. It seemed the man I used to love was back. However, I was skeptical. The KHW leader needed more than words to convince me. If Ettore lied once, nothing stopped him from doing it again.
"I don't understand," I laughed nervously. "How can you have feelings for me?"
"Honestly, I've had them since the day we met," Ettore sighed. "After joining the Knights, I wanted to make them disappear, but I couldn't."
"Why didn't you tell me the truth earlier?" I scowled. "You knew how I felt about you!"
"Because I thought it'd go away," he glanced at the wall. "I underestimated the power of my stupid feelings."
Is this a hallucination?
I gawked, unsure of what to say next. My life wouldn't stop becoming crazier. Could Ettore be fooling me? I didn't know if I should believe him. Especially after he attempted to kill the people I cared about. Regardless of his emotions, it didn't seem he wanted redemption. If he kept showing no regret for being a Knight, I would never be his friend again.
"Ettore, if this is a mean joke, I swear I'll smash you like a bug! With or without the Tenebris!" I ground my teeth. "As you know, I always find a way."
"I'm sorry for saying those horrible things to you," the KHW leader rubbed his neck. "I didn't mean any of them."
I narrowed my eyes. "What about the offensive things you told my friends?"
He shot me a confused gaze. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Do you regret attacking Sandro, Isabella, and Guido?" I breathed quicker than before. "It's a simple question."
Ettore froze. I chuckled softly. My enemy could say whatever he wanted, and I'd still think of him as a crazy murderer. If Ettore had confessed his feelings a few months ago, perhaps I would've become his lover. However, I'd never be with a man who hated people because they were different. Besides, it was too late. My heart belonged to someone else. Somebody that was above Ettore in every aspect.
Ettore doesn't deserve a second chance. Liking me won't change a thing.
"Why does it matter?" he laughed nervously. "I just confessed I love someone I was supposed to hate! Isn't that enough?"
"You're out of your mind!" I decreased my tone of voice. "This makes no sense."
"Listen, Val, you don't need those three idiots to be happy," Ettore touched my hands. "You have me. The man you've always loved."
I didn't want Ettore to know I had fallen for Sandro. Not because I feared hurting my enemy's feelings. I just didn't want him to freak out and do something terrible. He had shown his unpredictability multiple times. How could I feel good near a guy who wouldn't hesitate to hurt my friends? Besides, I'd lie if I said I wanted to be with Ettore. He lost my heart a long time ago.
