The Dominants Game

Chapter 85

Lucius and Rosetta stood in their opulent living room, the tension between them almost palpable. Rosetta's eyes were filled with pain and frustration, her voice barely holding back the storm of emotions she felt inside.

"I can't take it anymore, Lucius," she said, her voice trembling. "The pain that Mattheo has caused me... it's unbearable. I want to ask Astaroth to take it away from me."

Lucius's expression hardened, his own frustration bubbling to the surface. "Wouldn't it be easier to ask Mattheo to fiddle with your mind a little and change your feelings for him?" he suggested, his tone sharp.

Rosetta's eyes blazed with anger. "I will never ask him for anything since he betrayed the queen. He chose to leave, Lucius. He turned his back on us."

Lucius sighed, rubbing his temples. "Rosetta, Mattheo is allowed to step back and figure out what he wants. He's not our prisoner."

"And I am also allowed to change the locks so he no longer has a key," Rosetta shot back, her voice rising. "I refuse to be at the mercy of his indecision. It's an unhealthy way of dealing with my feelings, but it's the only way I know how to protect myself right now."

Lucius took a step closer, his eyes softening slightly. "You're hurting, I get that. But running to Astaroth or shutting Mattheo out completely isn't going to solve anything. We need to deal with this together, not by isolating ourselves."

Rosetta shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "You don't understand, Lucius. Every time I think about him, it feels like a knife twisting in my heart. I trusted him, and he walked away. How am I supposed to just... move on from that?"

Lucius reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. "I do understand, Rosetta. But we can't let this tear us apart. We have to find a way to heal, together. And if that means confronting Mattheo or finding another solution, then that's what we'll do. But please, don't let this destroy you."

Rosetta looked into his eyes, her anger slowly melting into sorrow. "I don't know how to heal from this, Lucius. I feel so lost."

A few days later, during her therapy session with Dr. Vale, Rosetta found herself opening up about her decision. "I've made up my mind, Dr. Vale. I'm going to ask Astaroth to take the pain away. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks."

Dr. Vale's brow furrowed with concern. "Rosetta, that's an incredibly unhealthy way to deal with your pain. Using magic to erase your emotions won't address the root cause of your suffering. It's a temporary solution that could have lasting consequences."

She met his gaze with steely determination. "It doesn't matter. I need this pain to stop, and I don't need Lucius to complete the ritual. I can do it on my own."

Dr. Vale leaned forward, his eyes searching hers for a glimmer of doubt. "Rosetta, talk to me. Why does this hurt so much? What is it about Mattheo's departure that has left you feeling this way?"

Rosetta's facade of strength began to crumble. Her voice wavered as she spoke. "Because I knew he would do this eventually. Deep down, I always knew. And yet, I let him in, against my better judgment. Mattheo was always a wounded animal, lashing out when hurt. And I let myself believe that I could tame him, heal him. But all he did was hurt me."

Dr. Vale nodded, encouraging her to continue. "Why did you allow him in, knowing he could cause you pain?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Because I wanted to believe in the power of love, of redemption. I thought that if I gave enough of myself, if I loved him enough, he would change. But he didn't. And now, I'm left with this unbearable pain."