Book 2: Chapter 81

Martina's breath caught in her throat as Antonio’s words hung in the air between them. She had always suspected that his feelings for her went beyond friendship, but hearing him confess it so directly was overwhelming.

“I’ve liked you since before Ares was even in the picture,” Antonio continued, his voice soft but filled with an intensity that made her heart race. “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, Martina, I knew you were special. But I saw how you looked at Ares, how much you loved him, and I didn’t want to come between you two. So, I stepped back, kept my feelings to myself, and watched from the sidelines.”

Martina felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t know what to say, how to respond to something so unexpected, so monumental. A part of her wanted to reject his feelings outright—she had loved Ares deeply, and even now, the thought of moving on felt like a betrayal. But another part of her, the part that was lonely, vulnerable, and exhausted from fighting