The 99th Game Was Mine All Along novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

A heavy silence fell over the hospital room, as if time Itself had stopped. 

Luigi, who’d been in the middle of ripping into his friends, froze at Derek’s words echoing through the 

“Holy shit, man. Tell me you haven’t actually fallen for her.” 

Tall for Ariana? What the fuck? 

He rejected the thought with almost violent immediacy, as if the speed of his denial could erase the strange emotion crawling through his chest. 

He had always been in love with Leila–what was Ariana in comparison? Nothing but collateral damage in his revenge scheme. A means to an end. 

But the logic didn’t track. If she meant nothing, why had he lost his goddamn mind when he saw those men on top of her? 

Even when drunk frat boys hit on Leila at parties, he’d never gone nuclear like that. 

His mental wrestling match cast the room into uncomfortable silence. 

His friends exchanged knowing glances, visibly relieved by his reaction. 

Tyler clapped him on the shoulder, his tone lightening: “Jesus, you had us worried for a second. I thought you’d gone and caught feelings or something. Getting played by your own revenge game would be such a fucking waste. Leila would lose her shit if she thought you’d fallen for that girl.” 

Luigi didn’t respond verbally, just tamped down whatever the hell was happening in his chest and stated. coldly: “I will never have feelings for Ariana Collins. Not in this lifetime.” 

His friends finally relaxed, laughing as they headed for the door. “She’s probably gonna wake up soon anyway. We’ll bounce.” 

Once they’d cleared out, Luigi slowly approached the bed, staring down at the unconscious Ariana. 

Her face was ghost–white, her brows slightly furrowed as if even in unconsciousness she couldn’t escape the nightmare, 

His fingers moved of their own accord toward her cheek, but the moment they made contact, he yanked back as if her skin had shocked him. 

He turned abruptly and stalked to the window, lighting a cigarette and taking a desperate drag, hoping the nicotine might quiet whatever the hell was happening in his head. 

When Ariana finally opened her eyes, Luigi was alone with her. 

He sat beside her bed, holding a cup of water. Seeing her awake, he leaned forward: “How’re you feeling? Still hurting?” 

Ariana didn’t answer, just turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes. 

For the next few days, Larigi barely left the hospital, taking care of her with an attentiveness that surprised even himself. 

Occasionally, he’d step out to take calls, and she noticed how his face softened when he returned, a gentleness in his expression that she’d once mistakenly thought was for her. 

Ariana knew now–those calls were to Lella. 

Looking back with clear eyes, she realized this pattern had existed throughout their entire relationship. The mysterious calls he’d always step away to take, claiming “business” or “family stuff.” 

She’d never questioned it, blinded by her devotion. Now she understood that Leila had been on the other end all along. 

A different doctor came in to change her bandages. 

Ariana looked up and noticed a young, GQ worthy resident she hadn’t seen before.