His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 45

nth of being beautifully but

1. ts. “You must

to them.

nded,

expectations.

My fingers tightened around my glass.

“I left.” I said quietly

She tilted her head. “Yes. Very suddenly, if I remember correctly. And some of us stayed.”

The words hit harder than I had expected.

Some of us stayed.

Loyal. Present. Strong enough for this life.

My throat tightened.

For a brief, humiliating moment, I believed her.

Maybe I had run. Maybe I hadn’t been strong enough. Maybe I was out of place here, playing dress–up in never truly been mine.

I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Alessia must have taken my silence as permission to continue. So she carried on, twisting the knife a little words.

“This world can be unforgiving,” she added. “It takes a certain temperament. Not everyone is suited for it.”

I felt small then. Exposed.

And the worst part?

Somewhere deep inside, an old, familiar voice agreed with her.

You never belonged. You were always temporary.

I swallowed hard, blinking back the sudden sting behind my eyes.

I didn’t notice Dominic approaching until his voice cut cleanly through the air.

“That’s enough.”

I turned sharply.

He stood beside me now, tall and unyielding, his expression unreadable, but his presence unmistakable.

Alessia stiffened.

“Dominic, I- she began, clearly startled. She hadn’t meant for him to hear that. I could see it in the quick behind her eyes. Honestly, I hadn’t noticed he’d been listening in, or how much of what she said had he act wasn’t implying-”

“She doesn’t find this overwhelming,” he said calmly. “And she doesn’t need your assessment of where she

Alessia flushed. “I was only saying-

He cut her off with a single look.

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My fingers tightened around my glass.

“I left,” I said quietly.

She tilted her head. “Yes. Very suddenly, if I remember correctly. And some of us stayed”

The words hit harder than I had expected.

Some of us stayed.

Loyal. Present. Strong enough for this life.

My throat tightened.

For a brief, humiliating moment, I believed her.

I had run. Maybe I hadn’t been strong enough. Maybe I was out of place here, playing dress–up in a world that had truly been mine.

ened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Alessia must have taken my silence as permission to continue. So she carried on, twisting the knife a little deeper with her words.

“This world can be unforgiving,” she added. “It takes a certain temperament. Not everyone is suited for it.”

I felt small then. Exposed.

And the worst part?

Somewhere deep inside, an old, fam

greed with her.

You never belonged. You were al

1. ry.

I swallowed hard, blinking

I didn’t notice Domini

“That’s enough

I turned

He

sting behind my eyes.

til his voice cut cleanly through the air.

nd unyielding, his expression unreadable, but his presence unmistakable.

clearly startled. She hadn’t meant for him to hear that. I could see it in the quick calculation dy, I hadn’t noticed he’d been listening in, or how much of what she said had he actually listened. “I

is overwhelming,” he said calmly. “And she doesn’t need your assessment of where she belongs.”

I was only saying-”

with a single look.

“Isabella belongs wherever she chouses torbe be continued had tough on wha

The words rang louder than the my

The room didn’t go silent, but it felt like it had

I stood frozen, heart pounding, struggling to process what was happening

Alessia opened her mouth again, dearly flustered now. “Dominic you know I didn’t me After everything that happened after she left-

“She left because she had to” Dominic said, his voice lower now, sharper “And that’s vo to judge

Alessia’s face went pale.

I stared at Dominic, disbelief crashing over me in waves.

how it usually went.

it had always been Alessia first. Her counsel. Her presence. Her voice.

I had expected him to smoothings over. To dismiss it. To tell me not to take it personally.

1 had expected to be second

Instead, he stood firmly at

side.

You’re misinterpreting Alessia tried again, her composure cracking

I’m not,” Dominiced coolly. “And this conversation is over”

the finality in h

left no room for argument.

alessia look

us, humiliation flickering across her features before she masked it with a tight smile.

stiffly. “Excuse me.”

thout another word,

ned, my pulse roaring in my ears.

ment, neither Dominic nor I spoke.

take her side,” I admitted quietly, the truth slipping out before I could stop myself.

then. “Why would I do that?” he asked.

always have, I almost said.

History taught me to expect it.

words stayed lodged in my throat.

eve stepped in sooner.”

da vouchera

made my ched ache.

in for hure words to get to me.” I said softly. “But they did. And I hate that they did.”

newdest 1 understand. But that doesn’t make you weak, it only makes you human,” he said, his voice much softer than

I waerhed his face for doubt. For regret.

There was none

ching fragile inside me shifted.

Not healed. Not whole

And that felt like the beginning of something dangerous.

Because being chosen hurt more than being ignored.

It gave me hope.

And hope had always been the thing that had ruined me most.

That was when we heard a loud crash followed by the sound of a little kid crying.

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