A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera

Chapter Alena

67

"What are they doing here?" I frowned, looking up at Matteo.

He hadn't released my hand or loosened his grip as he looked at me. There was something in those eyes but I couldn't understand the meaning behind them but I could tell, Papa and Alexei being here tonight was not a surprise for him.

"Alena.." He started to speak but the loud knock on the door interrupted him.

"Matteo, what's going on? Tell me." I tried to pull my hand away to grab his face but he didn't let me-as if he was afraid if he loosened the grip, I was going to be pulled away. "You'll understand. I hope you can forgive me when you do," he replied.

"What? What do you mean by that?"

Both of his hands went up to cup my face before he lessened the distance between us. We were only inches apart as he leaned in to kiss my lips a few times, each kiss felt more desperate and needy; it was as if we were having our last few kisses. I wrapped my hand around his waist, trying to pull him in for a hug. "Please, please, try to understand. I swear I never wanted to," he continued to say a few times as he stared into my eyes, deeply.

My eyebrows furrowed at this sight of him, helpless and hopeless.

The tears in his eyes were visible, the shakiness of his hands and the desperation in his voice. For someone as powerful as Matteo, it was an odd sight to see-I had never saw him this way except for when I was hurt by Sofia. Matteo was afraid to lose me. He was terrified.

"Open the door. We know you're inside!" Alexei shouted from outside, ringing the doorbell a few more times.

I had a feeling to never let go of Matteo, to hold him tight and to not let him open the door but when he stepped away from me, I went blank. When he walked towards the door to pull it open, I just stared at him as if I couldn't move my body.

I stood still at the same spot as I watched Alexei and Papa stepped in, along with their other men.

Matteo made his way back towards me before grabbing my hand, wanting me close. His grip was tight, as if he knew what was going to happen and he didn't want it to. While he stared at the two powerful men in front of me, I kept staring at my husband in confusion. Did it have anything to do with my disappearance? What did he suffer when I was gone?

"Took you long enough to open the door'"" Alexei spoke.

I turned to look at my brother, "Why are you here?"

smirk appeared on his face before inserting his hand

as I felt myself

reason I hadn't punched my brother in the face. He had no right to come into our home and call him a coward-he had disrespected his own brother-in-law when I knew for sure, Matteo had never disrespected my family. He did it all for

stand by your husband when you know the truth." Alexei replied, shrugging

glanced at Matteo, feeling confused but I knew where I had to stand. It was by my husband's side regardless of being left in the dark; he was

to shift the attention to him because he had been quiet ever

to keep it away from us, Matteo?"

What does you

looked at Papa. He hadn't glanced at my direction ever since they came in and I continued to

bother to tell us

spoke and everything began to make sense-one of the reasons why Papa and Alexei weren't there when I was at the clinic. Matteo

with us.

exclaimed,

you're to comply. Enough rebelling,"

me away from him. Are you out of your

at you. You're like that because of him!"

asked me to tell him whenever I left the house

because you only listen to Papa. You're just scared

me-I had fought for my own freedom ever since I was a teenager and I was always going to fight for it, no matter what it

home with us. Matteo knows it," Papa was the one who spoke this time and I knew he had threatened him in

Matteo, tightly

did they threatened you with?" I asked,

pressured and stressed by

at me, cupping onto my face. "But, baby, it's

what they said to

my men. They'd

his men, he had always prioritised them. His men had families, wives and children-they were like any other men out there. My eyes closed at the