In the heart of a modern city, two rival families hold the power. Valentina, a fiercely loyal daughter, and Matteo, a cunning and determined son, find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous feud. But when their paths unexpectedly intertwine, th...
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Jackson storms into the room Matteo's best friend and mine and Sabrina's close friend, his voice like a thunderclap. "What the hell, Valentina? Are you out of your mind?"
The sheer force of his anger makes me flinch, and I take an instinctive step back. "Jackson, I didn't mean for any of this to happen. You have to understand, I—"
He cuts me off, his voice dripping with disdain. "Didn't mean to? Do you even have a clue what you've done? Do you even think before you act? Or are you just that selfish?" His words hit me like knives, each one sharper than the last.
I try to explain, but Jackson's fury drowns out my voice. "You think this is just about you? Do you even care about the damage you've caused, Valentina? You're so damn reckless. You don't care who gets hurt as long as you get what you want!"
"Jackson, stop it!" Sabrina tries to intervene, her voice pleading as she steps between us. "This isn't helping anything. You don't even know the whole story!"
"Back off, Sabrina!" Jackson snaps without even looking at her. "This has nothing to do with you. She brought this on herself." His eyes are burning into me, filled with an anger that leaves no room for understanding.
I feel my chest tighten, the words I want to say stuck in my throat. I try to speak again, but the words fail me. Jackson is relentless, his voice rising even higher. "I don't know why I even bother. Every time you get involved in something, it turns into a disaster! You think anyone cares about your excuses? Grow up, Valentina! You're nothing but a walking mess!"
His words crush me, each one a heavy blow that leaves me gasping for air. I try to stand my ground, but it feels impossible under the weight of his rage.
I try to respond, to tell him he doesn't understand, but Jackson just barrels over my attempt. "No one cares about your sob stories, Valentina. You always play the victim like it's everyone else's fault but yours. But guess what? This is on you. You did this. You screwed up, like you always do!"
My chest tightens with every word, his voice ringing in my ears. I can feel tears stinging the back of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him.
Jackson takes another step toward me, his expression so furious that for a split second, I think he's going to hit me.
Panic flares in my chest, and before I even realize what I'm doing, I move behind Matteo, seeking some kind of protection.
I don't care how it looks.
Matteo stiffens as I press against his back. He turns around sharply, his eyes landing on Jackson with a fierce glare. He doesn't hesitate, doesn't even try to figure out what's going on.
He just explodes. "Who the fuck do you think you are, talking to her like that?" His voice is deadly calm, laced with venom. "Back the fuck right off."
Jackson's face contorts with rage, his eyes narrowing as he sizes Matteo up. "Who the hell am I? You have no idea what kind of mess she's made, and you're too damn stupid to see it! So, stay out of this!"
Matteo steps forward, positioning himself between Jackson and me, his shoulders squared and ready for a fight. "I don't care who you are or what your problem is. You're not gonna talk to her like that."
Jackson scoffs, but there's a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes as he realizes Matteo isn't backing down. Still, his anger overrides his common sense, and he takes another aggressive step forward. "Oh, I'm not? And what the hell are you gonna do about it? You think you're tough, huh? You think you can just step in and fix her mess? You're an idiot if you believe that. She's toxic. She ruins everything she touches."
Matteo's expression darkens, his fists clenching at his sides. "Last warning. Get the fuck out before I make you."
For a moment, the room feels like it's on the verge of exploding. The tension is suffocating, the air thick with hostility. I can barely breathe, trapped between Jackson's fury and Matteo's protective stance.
Sabrina tries to step in again, but it's like she's invisible. Neither of them is listening, too locked into their confrontation to care about anything else.
Jackson's sneer deepens. "You don't know the first thing about her, man. She's a walking disaster, and you're just too whipped to see it."
Matteo doesn't even flinch. His voice is low and steady, dripping with barely restrained anger. "You don't know a damn thing about me. So I'm gonna say this one last time. Get the fuck out, or I'll throw you out."
Jackson's face twists in fury, and for a moment, I'm sure he's going to lunge at Matteo. My heart pounds in my chest as I brace myself for the inevitable fight, the fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins like fire.
But then Sabrina grabs Jackson's arm, pulling him back. "Stop it, Jackson! Just stop!"
He shakes her off, glaring at Matteo one last time before finally turning to leave. His parting words are sharp and bitter, laced with venom. "Fuck you Valentina. I can't believe I ever actually dealt with your shit."
AUTHORS NOTEEE Y'all Valentina is really going through it😭 This poor girl can't catch a break Please follow my TikTok @heartss4bookss for more updates and content!!
