The music faded into the background.

And then...

Matteo leaned in and kissed him.

The kiss deepened. And before they knew it, they stumbled back.

Landing softly on the bed together.

Matteo’s hands began to roam, slipping beneath the waistband of Adrian’s pants as he buried his face in the curve of Adrian’s neck.

Just as the heat between them began to rise, Adrian’s phone rang sharply from the nightstand.

He ignored it at first, choosing the warmth of Matteo’s touch over the interruption. The ringing eventually stopped.

They fell back into the moment, Matteo’s fingers brushing the hem of Adrian’s shirt, about to pull it higher.

When the phone rang again.

Adrian let out a frustrated breath, still refusing to answer.

Then it rang a third time, louder, more insistent, cutting straight through the tension.

Finally, Matteo pulled back, breathless. "Go on," he said. "Pick it up."

Adrian stood up and moved toward the nightstand where his phone lay. He glanced at the screen, and his blood ran cold.

It was his father.

He stared at the name, frozen, unable to move.

Matteo gave a firm nod, silently telling him to answer.

Adrian swallowed, then swiped the screen and placed the phone on speaker.

"Hello, Father," Adrian said, his voice trembling slightly.

His father didn’t return the greeting. He went straight to the point. "Have you made your decision? What will it be?"

Adrian looked at Matteo, searching for strength, but his throat felt tight, like the words were trapped there. He couldn’t speak.

The silence stretched, thin and heavy, weighed down by the ultimatum.

"I assume your silence means you’ve chosen to proceed with the arrangement," his father continued, his voice cold. "You’ve agreed to marry Iris, then?"

Adrian remained frozen, his gaze locked on Matteo’s. He waited for the strength to speak to say no, to scream that he belonged to no one but the man beside him.

But fear held him back. The thought of Matteo facing the law, of old cases being dragged back into the light... kept him silent.

"I will take that as a yes," his father stated.

Matteo watched him, his expression hardening into a mask of disappointment. He had expected Adrian to fight back, to say something, anything, to hold onto the defiance they had shared just hours ago.

But Adrian said nothing.

The silence cut deeper than any threat ever could.

Matteo pushed himself off the bed, leaving its warmth behind, and crossed the room to lie down on the sofa.

His father continued speaking, laying out the next steps of the engagement as if it were already decided, a business deal, nothing more. Adrian’s silence was taken as complete submission.

When the call finally ended, the line going dead, Adrian lowered the phone onto the nightstand.

The room felt suffocatingly quiet.

He stood slowly... then began to walk toward Matteo on the sofa.

As Adrian took a step forward, Matteo’s voice cut through the air, sharp and jagged. "Stay right there."

Adrian flinched but didn’t stop. "Matteo, please—"

"I said stay back!" Matteo snapped, rising so abruptly the movement itself felt like a warning. He pointed at the floor between them, drawing a line Adrian wasn’t allowed to cross.

"Don’t come near me with that look on your face. Not after what I just heard."

"I didn’t say yes!" Adrian cried, his voice cracking as he stayed rooted to the spot. "You heard me, I didn’t say anything!"

"That’s exactly the problem!" Matteo roared, the restraint he’d been holding onto finally snapping.

"Your silence was the answer, Adrian! We talked about this, I told you I would face the law for you. I told you I’d do anything to keep you."

His voice broke with frustration. "And the moment he calls, you just... let him have you? You let him talk about you like a piece of property?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"My father is a dangerous man, Matteo!" Adrian snapped, stepping forward despite the warning. "He wasn’t just talking, he meant it. He said he’d make sure you rot in prison. How was I supposed to say no when I knew it would only make things worse for you?"

"I don’t need a savior, Adrian! I need a partner!" Matteo’s eyes were dark with a mix of fury and betrayal. "By staying silent, you told him he wins. You told him that his threats work. You practically put the ring on your own finger the second you let him assume your ’yes’."

"I was trying to buy time!" Adrian shouted back, moving even closer, his face desperate.

"You weren’t buying time, you were selling us out," Matteo hissed, turning his back on him. "Stay away from me. If you’re so comfortable being his puppet, then go be one. But don’t expect me to sit here and watch you rehearse for a wedding that should never happen."

Adrian reached out, grabbing Matteo’s arm and forcing him to look at him. "I’m not leaving you!" he said, his voice breaking. "I was terrified. Do you have any idea what it’s like to hold the life of the person you love in your hands?"

Matteo yanked his arm back, his expression cold and distant. "I know exactly what it’s like. I’ve been doing it since the moment I met you. The difference is, I’m willing to fight for it. You’re just waiting for the cage to lock."

"That’s not true!" Adrian shot back, shaking his head.

"Then listen to me," Matteo snapped, his voice rising now. "You might think I’m desperate because of how much I love you, but don’t get it twisted."

His eyes locked onto Adrian’s. "There is no way in hell I will sit back and watch you belong to someone else. Not her. Not anyone."

Adrian’s breath caught.

"And understand this clearly," Matteo continued, his voice turning sharp. "The moment that arranged marriage becomes real... we’re done."

Adrian froze.

"I’m not keeping someone who stands weak in front of the world but acts stubborn with me," Matteo said. "If your father gets his way—"

His voice broke into anger. "Then consider us over."

"No... no!" Adrian said quickly, panic rising. "I’m just trying to protect you."

Matteo didn’t spare him another glance. He stormed out, the door slamming behind him with a force that made the walls tremble, leaving Adrian standing in the middle of the room, swallowed by a deafening silence.

Adrian slowly sank onto the sofa, his mind spinning. He couldn’t think straight. Without thinking twice, he grabbed his phone and called his sister.

"Maya..." his voice came out low, strained. "I need to talk to you."

He told her everything, the threat, the silence on the phone, and Matteo’s cold departure.

There was a long pause on the other end before Maya finally spoke. "Adrian... if you’re not willing to fight alongside him, then why did you choose to be with him in the first place?"

Adrian blinked, stunned. "What do you mean? I am willing to fight for him."

"No," Maya cut in gently. "It doesn’t sound like that at all."

Silence.

"We both know our father," she said. "He’s not easy. He’s not someone you can win against with fear."

She exhaled. "But Matteo? He’s not like you. If this were anyone else, he would’ve already handled it. He would’ve stood his ground and made things clear. But it’s because he respects you, and your father, that he’s holding back. That’s why he doesn’t know how to act yet. So why not just trust him?"

Adrian said nothing.

"And that’s exactly the problem," Maya added. "He’s fighting for you... But you’re hesitating for him. When someone you love tells you to trust them... you don’t stay silent. You stand with them."

Adrian’s grip on the phone tightened. "Your silence didn’t protect him, Adrian," Maya said. "It hurt him."

Adrian closed his eyes.

"You didn’t just look scared... You looked like you were giving up," she said. "And to him, that means you didn’t choose him when it mattered the most."

"I was trying to protect him..." Adrian whispered.

"I know," Maya said gently. "But love isn’t just about protection. It’s about standing together, even when it’s hard. You made him feel like he’s fighting alone, like your father has power over both of you. But that’s not true," Maya said. "Father can control you, yes. But someone like Matteo? No."

Her voice dropped slightly.

"And now Matteo thinks... not only are you afraid, but you’ve allowed that fear to weaken both of you. You made him feel like he wasn’t worth fighting for."

The words hit harder than anything else. "So ask yourself this," she finished. "Do you really want to protect him... or do you want to stand beside him?"

For the first time, Adrian truly understood the depth of his mistake. He hadn’t just been afraid, he had hurt the person he loved most by showing a lack of faith in what they had together.

After the call ended, Adrian waited. He sent a flurry of messages, but the screen stayed dark. He called again and again, each attempt going straight to voicemail. He paced the room as the hours slipped into late night, his anxiety tightening with every passing second.

By the time the door swung open, Adrian was already sitting on the bed.

Matteo stepped inside, different from the man who had stormed out hours ago.

He had spent that time drowning his frustration in smoke, alcohol, and drugs.

As Adrian sat up on the bed, Matteo climbed toward him with a focus. Adrian began to speak, his voice trembling with an apology, but Matteo didn’t want words. He grabbed the collar of Adrian’s shirt and ripped it open with one violent move, sending buttons flying across the hardwood floor.

Adrian froze for a second, panic rising in his eyes. Then the smell hit him a sharp, suffocating mix of heavy liquor and acrid smoke.

"Matteo... hey, hey, babe, calm down," he said quickly, trying to steady him. "I’m sorry...