Twisted Obsession

48 - Reckoning

Athena Luciana Bianchi

I knew better than to trust Federico—knew it with every fiber of my being. But here I was, standing on the precipice of the very thing I'd sworn never to do again, letting him in. The warnings from Valentin and Elliot had echoed in my mind for days, their voices rising louder each time I even thought about it. They knew him better than anyone. They knew he was dangerous, that his charm was nothing more than a well-worn mask for something much darker.

But still, I ignored them. I told myself I had to. Revenge clouded my judgment like a thick fog, and I let it. I let myself be consumed by the desire for payback, until every rational thought was drowned out by the noise in my head. What was I really after? Justice? Vindication? Or was it just the satisfaction of seeing him squirm, watching him fall from whatever pedestal I'd placed him on?

Somewhere in all that noise, I gaslighted myself into believing that he wouldn't do it again. That he wouldn't betray me like he had so many times before. That somehow, this time, it would be different. I convinced myself that the man who'd caused so much harm, who'd built his empire on lies and manipulation, had changed—that he was trustworthy now.

It was easier to tell myself those lies than to confront the cold, hard truth. The truth that Federico would always be Federico. And I was only fooling myself by thinking otherwise. My heart pounded in my chest as the truth began to settle in, sinking in like lead. I had trusted him. I had been foolish enough to think he wouldn't do the one thing I feared most. And now, I was going to have to face the consequences. Again.

This time, there was no hesitation, no second-guessing. The fog of revenge that clouded my mind was sharp, clear, and sharp-edged. I wasn't going to let him get away. Not this time.

Federico had played me once again, his twisted game dragging me back into the chaos. But I was done. I wasn't going to be the puppet anymore, the one who danced on his strings, the one who let him manipulate every move, every breath. Not this time.

My fingers curled into fists, nails digging into my palms as the heat of fury surged through me, burning hotter with every passing second. The betrayal, the lies—it wasn't just him anymore. It was Lorenzo, too. Both of them had taken so much from me, from us. They had built their empire on my pain, on my sacrifice. And now, it was my turn to tear it all down.

I'm going to kill that bastard.

The words tasted like steel in my mouth. Cold. Hard. I wasn't going to be the girl who stood by while they destroyed everything I had left. It was time to take back what was mine. All of it. My freedom, my dignity, my right to live on my terms.

Lorenzo had to pay. The smug bastard had no idea what was coming for him. He thought he could control me. But now, I know the game. I knew how to play it better than anyone. And I would win.

The darkness that had clouded my judgment before now felt like the perfect cloak, wrapping around me, shielding me from the guilt that would have once stopped me in my tracks. No more doubt. No more hesitation. I had a plan, and it was time to execute it—flawlessly.

As the weight of the decision settled over me, I felt something shift deep inside me—a kind of peace. It wasn't fear anymore. It wasn't confusing. It was determined, cold and relentless. This was my fight now, and I wasn't going to lose.

I stood up straighter, my resolve crystallizing. Lorenzo would fall. Federico would pay. And I would walk away victorious, taking back everything I'd lost, with blood on my hands if I had to. The storm that had been brewing inside me for so long was about to break, and when it did, nothing would be left standing. Nothing but ashes.