Kidnapped to love

chapter 29

Dimitri had noticed the shift in Crystal ever since the first time he’d shown his anger. It wasn’t the same between them anymore. She wasn’t the carefree girl who spoke her mind without hesitation. Now, she hesitated before every word, and her eyes darted nervously whenever he got too close. There was a time when she would confidently meet his gaze, but now, he saw the way her body flinched around him.

He hated it.

She used to speak freely, sometimes too freely,  it had been part of what he liked about her. Now, the silence between them was thick and suffocating. She was afraid, and he knew he was the cause, but he couldn’t understand why she didn’t see things from his perspective. Yes, he had been serious with her, but never cruel. He never truly hurt her. Even when she tried to escape, he could’ve punished her severely—but he didn’t. That had to mean something. He loved her. Why couldn’t she see that? All she asked for now was to leave, and every time she did, his frustration grew.

They sat across from each other in the dimly lit room, and Crystal was fidgeting with her fingers. The silence stretched, unbearable. His eyes bore into her, watching every small movement, every anxious gesture. He missed the way she used to ramble, filling the space with her words, but now her silence was louder than anything she could have said.

He couldn’t take it anymore.

“My family is coming,” he finally broke the silence. His voice was firm, trying to sound casual but failing.

Crystal looked up, startled. She blinked a few times before responding. “Okay.”

“My mom and dad, and my little brother. They’ll stay for a week,” he continued, his gaze never leaving her face, trying to gauge her reaction.

Her face remained expressionless, but her voice was tight. “So what?”

“So behave,” he snapped, unable to keep the irritation out of his voice. “Stop being afraid of me like this. I can see it, Crystal.”

She exhaled, her frustration evident, but her words came out soft. “I can’t help it.”

Dimitri clenched his jaw, the tension between them growing thicker by the second. He looked away for a moment, trying to regain control over his rising anger. He didn’t want to be the villain in her eyes, but the way she acted around him lately made it hard to bear.

“And another thing,” he added sharply, his voice lowering into something more dangerous. “Don’t tell them you’re Maria’s daughter.”

Her brows furrowed, confused by his sudden demand. “Why not?” she asked, clearly unaware of her family’s secrets, unaware of the weight her name carried.

His eyes narrowed. “Just don’t, Crystal,” he said, his tone final. “My mom’s going to ask you all kinds of questions. Just keep your answers short, okay?”

Crystal’s confusion deepened. “Why would she ask me anything?”

Dimitri’s gaze flickered with something cold, a smirk playing on his lips as he replied, “Because you’re my girlfriend.”

Her chest tightened at his words. “When did I agree to that?” she asked, her voice barely concealing her frustration.

“The moment you asked me to be your boyfriend,” he said, his voice calm, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I decided then.”

Crystal closed her eyes, fighting the surge of anger rising within her. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but she didn’t. Talking to him about this would only end in disappointment. He never saw things from her point of view.

The tension hung in the air as he watched her struggle, but he said nothing more, leaving the conversation unfinished.

And now, with his family coming, things were about to get even more complicated.