Page 85 of Bound in Ruin

Helena relaxes slightly, letting out a soft sigh. "For what it’s worth... Dominic really cares about you."

I keep my mouth shut, not wanting to dive into the messy reality of whatever Dominic and I are doing right now.

Noticing my silence, Helena steps forward with a gentle look and gently scoops Yapper out of my arms. "I'll feed him and take him for a quick walk so he can relieve himself in the backyard."

I nod, grateful for the distraction, and watch quietly as the two of them head outside.

A few minutes later, I decide to take a walk myself.

Staying in the kitchen feels like a ticking clock—at any moment, Dominic could wander downstairs, and I am determined to avoid him today. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I just can’t face him right now. I really can’t. If I look at him, if I let him look at me with those intense eyes, I’ll fall all over again.

And I meant what I said yesterday. I can’t just forgive him that easily, no matter how much my body betrays me when he’s near.

I wander out into the quiet air of the garden and sit down on one of the wooden benches, wrapping my arms around myself against the morning chill.

Sitting here in the silence, my mind spirals back through everything. Every lie, every secret, every moment where I thought we were building something real, only to find out there were missing pieces he kept hidden from me. And then there's last night. The heat of it, the desperation. The way he held me afterward like I was the only thing keeping him grounded.

It terrifies me how easily he slips past my defenses. One look, one touch, and the anger I'm supposed to hold onto melts into pure need. But physical surrender isn't trust, and a passionate night doesn't erase the hurt.

If I give in completely now, if I just sweep his actions under the rug because he apologized and kissed my forehead, I lose myself. I can't afford to do that. I need space to breathe, space to figure out where the line between my heart and my head actually lies.

But despite the fortress I'm trying so hard to build around my heart, a stubborn, persistent voice in the back of my head whispers the truth.

Dominic does care.

As much as I want to lump him in with the monsters from my past, he isn't Luciano. He isn't my father. He didn't hide behind excuses, and when I confronted him, he didn't twist the narrative or try to intimidate me. He offered me the weapon to destroy him, handed me his own execution order, and begged for my forgiveness on his knees. That has to mean something. Maybe... maybe I should cut him a little slack.

My phone vibrates in my hand with a sharp beep, breaking my spiral.

I tap the screen. It's an email notification from Dante’s legal firm.

Opening the document, my eyes widen slightly. It’s the formal breakdown of everything Judge Sterling ordered Dante to surrender—the property deeds, the asset transfers, and the full restoration of Luciano's business documents under my name. A small, victorious smile touches my lips. We won. It's over.

Yet a strange, uneasy knot tightens in my stomach. It feels... too easy. Dante isn't the kind of man to hand over an empire without a fight.

My first instinct is to find Dominic, to show him the email and ask what he thinks. But I instantly squash the urge. No. I'm not running to him every time I need reassurance. I’m supposed to be keeping my distance today.

Before I can dwell on it further, a new text message pops up on my screen.

Eleonora: "We’re on our way. Dominic invited us over yesterday. Be there in five."

My heart instantly leaps into my throat, a surge of pure, uncontrollable joy soaring through my chest.

Dominic did what?

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to force back the sudden, betraying smile threatening to break across my face. He knew I was hurting. He knew how much I needed my sisters right now, so he arranged this for me.

No. Stay strong, Rosalia. Don't let a sweet gesture erase everything. But God, my sisters mean the absolute world to me. No matter how many times I see them, I will never, ever get tired of having them near.

About ten minutes later, the back terrace doors swing open.

Helena steps out into the morning sunlight, ushering Eleonora, Sienna, Daniela, and Camilla into the garden. Behind them, two members of the estate staff carry a large woven picnic blanket and a basket of freshly prepared breakfast spreads, heading toward the shaded grass near my bench to lay everything out.

The moment my sisters spot me sitting by the hedges, their faces light up.

"Rosalia!" Camilla cries out first, breaking into a run across the manicured grass.

Within seconds, I am completely engulfed in a tangle of arms, warm hugs, and the comforting, familiar scents of my sisters. The heavy dark cloud that has been hanging over my chest since yesterday morning finally begins to dissipate.