Chapter 46

Ava’s POV

I blinked my eyes open, the sterile white of the hospital room coming into focus. My shoulder throbbed, the pain making me gasp—a stark reminder that none of this was a bad dream. I tried to sit up, but a sharp ache shot through my arm.

“The doctor said you shouldn’t sit up just yet,” Grayson’s voice came from my left. I turned, seeing him sitting in a chair, legs crossed, eyes glued to his phone. His expression was unreadable, as if he were made of stone. For a second, I wondered why I hadn’t felt his presence immediately; his energy usually filled any room.

I leaned back, fighting the discomfort, and let out a breath, hoping he’d return to ignoring me. But then he spoke again, his voice steady, almost clinical. “How do you feel?”

“Like I just got shot,” I muttered, the words escaping before I could stop them. I saw the corner of his mouth twitch, but his face remained impassive.

His next words were swift and cold. “I’m ending the contract.”

My head snapped up, and I pushed myself up in bed despite the pain, a strangled curse escaping my lips. “You’re what?”

Grayson finally looked up, his gaze ice-cold. “I just told you not to sit up. Lie back down before you do more damage.” I glared at him, ignoring the pain pulsing through my shoulder. “What do you mean, you’re ending the contract?” He opened his mouth, probably to deliver some measured, unfeeling response, but I wasn’t about to give him the chance. “No. I’m not finished. I know you hate interruptions, but I just got shot, so I’m going to talk, and you’re going to listen. You’re not ending this contract. When I came to you and asked for a way out, you said no. So now it’s my turn to say no. End of discussion.”

My tone was sharp, bordering on desperate, but I didn’t care. “And if you bring it up again, I swear I’ll start screaming, and when the doctors rush in, I’ll tell them you’re stressing me out. They’ll kick you out. Don’t think I won’t do it.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly masked it, his gaze returning to that cool, controlled look. “You got kidnapped and shot because of your association with me, and I can’t guarantee this won’t be the worst thing that happens.”

“And if I want to go through worse, that’s my decision to make.”

The words spilled out before I fully understood why I was pushing back. He was offering me an exit, the very thing I’d once wanted—a way out, with my dignity and, hopefully, my life intact. I would still get the money and could disappear, leave the mess behind, and finally prove to my parents that I could handle my own life.

But deep down, I knew that wasn’t what I wanted anymore. Since I’d met Grayson, my life had been a rollercoaster, but it was a life I was actually living—not just existing. Before him, I was a ghost in my own world, never taking risks, never feeling anything real. And now, even with all the danger, I felt more alive than ever.

“Ava,” he said, my name an order, snapping me back to the present.

I shook my head. “No. The contract will end when the year is up. Like we agreed from the start.”

For a moment, silence stretched between us, a standoff of wills. Finally, he spoke, his voice even colder than before. “Fine.”

I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, thinking it was over. But he continued, his tone flat. “I’ll speak with the doctor and have you discharged. We’re leaving Italy.”

With that, he got up, not sparing me another glance as he strode to the door and slammed it shut. I let myself collapse back against the bed, the wave of pain only adding to the bitterness of his exit.

So much for a wishful, almost-romantic getaway. And to make it worse, I hadn’t even gotten to taste the gelato.

The entire flight back was a blur of pain and frustration. Grayson barely spoke two words to me, reverting to his icy, unfeeling self. I’d seen the walls around him before, but now it felt like he’d added several layers to make sure no one—especially me—could get close.

By the time we arrived back at the mansion, I was both physically and mentally drained. Grayson disappeared the moment we arrived, leaving me alone to replay every infuriating interaction, every half-spoken word. I spent the night tossing and turning, wrestling with memories and half-formed thoughts until the early morning light finally crept through the window.

The door suddenly burst open, and I flinched, only to see Isabella bounding into the room.

“Where’s my sneaky little best friend who just disappeared to Italy without a word?”

I groaned, grabbing a pillow and pulling it over my head. Isabella yanked it away almost immediately, her eyes widening when she noticed the bandage on my shoulder. “Lilian, what the hell happened to you?”

I forced a weak smile. “I got shot. Well, kidnapped, then shot—two separate incidents, same trip.”

She gasped, her eyes filling with shock and concern, then flicked my forehead. “Why are you acting like it’s no big deal? Why didn’t you tell me you were going to Italy? Or that you were, you know, planning to get kidnapped and shot?”

I rubbed my forehead, feeling a twinge of guilt. “You know I hate it when you do that,” I grumbled. “And I didn’t know I was going to Italy. All I said was that I wanted pizza, and the next thing I knew, I was on a plane with him.”

“Are you serious?” Isabella looked like she was trying to decide if I was joking. “And you didn’t think to text me, call me, something? I only found out you were in Italy from a message from his assistant, and I had to take over the wedding plans until Saturday. Seriously, what’s going on with you?”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Bels. Everything happened so fast. I just got back three hours ago. Before that, I was busy, you know, fighting for my life and being unconscious.”

She smacked my arm gently. “You’re impossible, you know that. And here I thought you were off having some romantic European adventure.”

I couldn’t hold back the bitter laugh. “Romantic? Please. I’ve never met anyone as cold and closed off as him. And yet…” My voice trailed off, unsure if I wanted to admit it, to tell her everything he had said—how he called me his, how he had mercilessly killed Luca because he went after me.

Isabella’s eyes softened, reading between the lines. “Are you okay?”

I paused, feeling the weight of the question settle over me. “Honestly? I don’t even know. I thought I wanted out, but then… I don’t know. It’s like every time I’m around him, I get pulled in deeper, no matter how many times he tries to shut me out.”

She sat beside me, her expression shifting to one of deep concern. “Maybe you need to talk about all of this before you two fully cement yourselves as Alpha King and Luna to the world.”

I shook my head, torn between laughter and frustration. “Oh, believe me, I tried to talk about—” I air-quoted with one hand —“feelings,” and his walls went up even more, then he told me he was ending the contract.”

Isabella looked shocked. “Ending the contract? Just like that?”

“Yeah. He said it would be safer for me to leave, to avoid more… complications, after he all but yelled that he’d burn the world down before he let anything happen to me.”

Isabella’s eyebrows shot up. “He said that? Lilian, that’s like…”

“The most romantic thing any girl in a book would want to hear, right?” I cut in, smiling sadly. “The all-powerful man who would do anything to protect her. But this isn’t a book, Bels. It’s real life. Grayson Blackwood isn’t the male lead in my story, and I’m not the woman who thinks she’ll break down his walls and have an epic romance in the end. That’s not real.”

Silence hung between us for a few seconds before Isabella reached out and squeezed my hand. “I know, and I’m really sorry. But if it were, it would be a story I’d love to read.”

I smiled. “Me too, Bels. Me too.”

She shifted, breaking the moment, and I asked, “How’d you even know I was back?”

“I’ve been tracking your phone since I found out you were in Italy. I’ve just been waiting for you to come back so I could show up and yell at you.”

“You put a—” I waved my hand, laughing. “You know what, never mind.”

I pushed myself up. “I need a shower. I feel disgusting. Want to grab something to eat afterward, or are you just going to ignore the words I am saying?” I asked as she drifted over to the window.

“What’s going on out there? Why is there a moving truck?”

I moved to the window, but my view was blocked. Isabella turned back to me. “Let’s go outside. I can’t see from here.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. Just let me take a—”

“Now, Lilian.”

“Sorry, coming.”

I followed her outside to find three moving trucks near the estate entrance. Isabella glanced at me. “Any idea who’s moving in?”

Just then, Elaine’s voice chimed in. “Do you two need a marriage certificate to make this official?”

Isabella started to turn, but I held her hand to stop her. I turned to face Elaine, forcing a small smile. “Nice to see you too, Elaine. Do you know what’s going on? Why the moving trucks?”

Her smile widened, and I instantly regretted asking. “I was so shaken after almost losing Grayson, so I asked if I could move back in, spend more time with him. He said yes. The movers are bringing in my things to the mansion. That’s the apartment Grayson set aside for me.”

“You need three large moving trucks?” Isabella deadpanned.

Elaine’s smile only grew. “Oh no, sweetheart, they’re not all for me. Monica is moving into my apartment. She will be staying with us in the estate from now on.”

The extraneous numbering and notations have been removed as they appear to be related to a document formatting system rather than the narrative itself. I also corrected several minor inconsistencies in spelling and word choice.