Trapped by Seven Mafia Wolves novel Chapter 91

**Stars Refuse To Blink** by Asa River Knox

**For Aurora**

The hospital room is an expanse of sterile white, the air thick with the acrid scent of bleach, an unyielding reminder of the pain and sorrow that lingers here. As Leon treads softly behind Matteo down the long, stark corridor, the rhythmic beeping of machines and the hushed conversations of nurses fade into the background, overshadowed by the heavy thumping in his chest. Each step feels like a battle against the weight of despair that hangs in the air.

“Matteo,” Leon calls out, his voice slicing through the silence like a knife.

Matteo continues his relentless march, refusing to pause or glance back. Leon’s frustration mounts, sharp and palpable. “Matteo, stop!”

Finally, Matteo comes to a halt, his body taut with tension, fists clenched so tightly that they tremble slightly. He doesn’t turn to face Leon; instead, he stares blankly at the wall, as if it holds the answers to the turmoil raging within him. Leon steps closer, the silence between them stretching, heavy with unspoken words. Then, he breaks it, his voice low, yet brutally honest.

“You’re an asshole, you know that?”

Matteo’s expression remains unchanged, but Leon presses on. “She called for you.”

Leon doesn’t soften the truth. “Out of everyone in the world, she dialed a random number. It could have been anyone. But it was you.”

“She didn’t mean to call me,” Matteo replies, his voice rough and bitter, as if the words themselves are coated in his pain. “It was an accident. Just random. She doesn’t want me. She hates me.”

Leon scoffs, disbelief etched across his features. “No, she asked for you the moment she opened her eyes. Not even ‘Matteo.’ She called for ‘Matt.’”

Matteo shakes his head, his denial a shield against the truth. “That was just the drugs talking.”

“Bullshit,” Leon snaps, his patience fraying. “You know what I think? I think you’re terrified. Terrified of seeing what they’ve done to her. Terrified that you weren’t there when she needed you the most. And now, it’s easier for you to convince yourself that she hates you than to confront the reality that you failed her.”

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