33. Annalise

33

ANNALISE

M y heart races, a wild animal trapped in my chest, as I watch the confrontation between Cassius and Damian escalate before me. The air is thick with tension, and I feel helplessly caught in the middle of their fiery exchange, my emerald eyes darting back and forth between them. My mind struggles to keep up with the rapidly unfolding events, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind that mirrors the storm raging between the two men.

“Damian, you bastard!” Cassius roars, his voice laced with bitter betrayal. He lunges forward, throwing another punch at Damian with all the force he can muster. His striking blue eyes blaze with fury, reflecting the intensity of his anger and frustration. “How could you sleep with Annalise?” he accuses, his words a slap across my face, leaving me reeling. It’s clear that Cassius’s protective nature toward me has reached its boiling point, and I’m both touched and terrified by it.

“Enough, Cassius!” Damian shouts, ducking just in time to avoid the blow. His muscular frame, tense and coiled like a predator ready to strike, clashes with the reluctance that flickers in his piercing blue eyes. “I don’t want to fight you, especially not over Annalise.”

My breath catches in my throat as I watch the scene unfold, feeling as though I’m trapped in a whirlwind of emotions. Confusion and disbelief war within me, fueled by Cassius’s accusations and Damian’s responses. My heart thuds painfully against my ribs, each beat echoing the hurt I can’t escape.

“Damian, you have no right,” Cassius spits venomously, his anger still palpable. “You were engaged to someone else when you slept with her. How can you expect me to stand by and accept that?”

“Engaged?” The word slips from my lips before I can stop it, the shock and hurt crashing through me like a tidal wave. In all our encounters, Damian has never mentioned an engagement. How could he keep something so significant hidden from me?

“Betrayal, Damian? That’s what this feels like,” Cassius growls, his blue eyes filled with hurt and anger. His fists clench at his sides, the veins in his forearms bulging with tension. “How could you do this to me? To us?”

“Listen, Cassius—” Damian starts, his voice low, but his brother cuts him off.

“Shut up!” Cassius snaps, stepping closer, his face inches from Damian’s. “I’ve always been in your shadow, always had to follow in your footsteps. And now, when I find someone who makes me feel alive, someone who’s mine, you just swoop in and take her too?” The pain in his voice is palpable, and it twists my stomach into knots.

“Annalise isn’t a possession,” Damian argues, his expression conflicted. “You know that’s not how I see her.”

“Then why did you sleep with her?” Cassius demands, his voice breaking under the weight of his emotions.

“Because…because I couldn’t help myself,” Damian admits, his gaze flickering to me for a moment before returning to Cassius. “I didn’t plan on it. It just happened.” He swallows hard, struggling with his own turmoil.

“Enough!” a third voice suddenly booms through the room, commanding attention. Nikhil strides into the scene, his icy blue eyes locked on his brothers as he steps between them. With one arm, he pushes Damian back while gripping Cassius’s shoulder with the other hand, effectively separating them.

“Both of you need to calm down,” Nikhil orders, his voice cold and controlled. His eyes dart between the two men, assessing the situation. “Damian, step away. Cassius, take a breath. We’re not going to solve anything by tearing each other apart.”

Cassius glares at Damian, his chest heaving with the effort of controlling his emotions. He looks like a wounded animal, cornered and desperate. And it’s all because of me.

“Thank you, Nikhil,” I whisper, my heart pounding in my throat as I watch the tension between the brothers dissipate under his intervention. The weight of their conflict bears down on me, pressing against my chest, making it difficult to breathe.

Nikhil turns his attention to me, his eyes softening with concern. “Are you alright, Annalise?” he asks gently, his voice barely audible above the heavy silence that has settled over the room.

“I…I don’t know,” I admit, shaking my head as I try to process everything that has just happened. My world has been turned upside down, and I’m left reeling from the revelations and the raw emotions that have been unleashed.

The air is thick with tension as I feel the weight of their conflict crushing me. Nikhil’s intervention has stopped the fight, but the room still buzzes with the electricity of their unresolved emotions. Nikhil leads Cassius out of the room, and I take a deep breath and find my voice.

“Damian,” I say, my tone firm and resolute. “Why did you sleep with me if you were engaged to someone else?”

My question hangs in the air like a live wire, crackling with the energy of the hurt and anger that fuels it. Damian’s piercing blue eyes lock onto mine, the intensity of his gaze making me feel exposed and vulnerable.

“Annalise, it’s not that simple—” he begins, but I cut him off.

“Isn’t it?” I ask, my voice edged with bitterness. “You made your choice when you decided to be with her. Didn’t you think about how this would affect everyone involved? How it would affect me?”

“Of course I did!” Damian snaps, his frustration boiling over. “But things aren’t always black and white, Annalise. You should know that better than anyone.”

“Then explain it to me,” I demand, my eyes narrowing as I stare him down. “Because right now, all I see is betrayal.”

“Annalise, I…” Damian hesitates, his usually unwavering confidence faltering under the weight of my anger. “I can’t explain it. All I know is that I felt something for you, something I’ve never felt before.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” I scoff, my chest tightening as the full magnitude of his actions sinks in. “You chose to be with her, Damian. And now, I’m left to pick up the pieces of the mess you created.”

I watch Damian struggle to find the right words, his eyes clouded with regret and confusion. “Annalise, I…I don’t have an explanation that could make any of this right,” he admits, his voice heavy with emotion. “But I need you to know that what happened between us wasn’t just about your sister. I felt a connection to you—something deep and undeniable.”

“Connection?” I scoff, my heart pounding in my chest as I stare at him, disbelief etched across my face. “You betrayed me, Damian. You betrayed your brother. How could there ever be anything real between us after that?”

His jaw tightens, and I can see the pain in his eyes, but I refuse to be swayed by his emotions. I’ve given him too much of myself already, and I won’t allow him to drag me down any further.

“Anna—” he starts, but I cut him off with a sharp wave of my hand.

“Goodbye, Damian,” I say, my voice laced with finality. With that, I turn on my heel and walk away from him, ignoring his calls after me. My resolve strengthens with each step, and I’m determined not to let the weight of our shared past define me.

I walk out of the dimly lit room, leaving Damian behind, and my heart aches with a mix of bitterness and deep sorrow. It feels as if the floor beneath me is crumbling, taking away any sense of stability I had left. I swallow hard, fighting the tears that threaten to spill over, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here, not now.

As I step out of the building, the bright sunlight momentarily blinds me, making me squint in surprise. I blink, adjusting to the sudden change, and when I look around, my shock turns into utter disbelief.

“Annalise! Annalise, over here!” The chaos of the media and reporters surrounds me like a swarm of bees, their cameras flashing relentlessly, blinding me even more. Microphones are shoved into my face, each reporter demanding an answer or a comment on recent events. I feel disoriented and exposed, as though I have just walked into the eye of a storm.

“Ms. Tryst, what can you tell us about your relationship with Damian Volkov?” one reporter shouts, as others barrage me with questions I can’t even begin to process.

“Is it true that he’s engaged to someone else?”

“Did you know about his engagement before today?”

“Is there any truth to the rumors of your involvement with all three of the Volkov brothers?”

“Annalise, are you afraid for your life?”

“Please, give us something!”

My mind races, trying to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding before me. How did they find out? How do they know about Damian’s engagement? How much do they really know?

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I push through the sea of reporters. Their voices blend into a cacophony of noise, both invasive and suffocating. My pulse quickens, and I struggle to maintain my composure, desperately searching for an escape from the chaos.

“Annalise!” a familiar voice calls out, barely audible over the commotion. My heart leaps in my chest—it’s Sienna, reaching out to me through the madness. I know she’ll help me make sense of this nightmare and protect me from the relentless onslaught of questions.

“Sienna!” I shout back, searching for her face in the crowd. I need her now more than ever—her strength, her wisdom, and her unwavering support. But most of all, I need a friend who can help me navigate this storm and find my way back to calmer waters.

When I finally spot her, relief washes over me like a soothing balm. Together, we’ll face whatever comes our way, and I’ll find the answers I need. This is just the beginning of a dangerous journey, but with Sienna by my side, I am ready to face the unknown.

The moment I step outside the building, my newfound freedom dissolves into chaos. Reporters swarm around me like frenzied sharks, their cameras flashing and questions firing off like bullets. I blink away the harsh light, feeling disoriented and overwhelmed as my heart races in my chest.

“Annalise! Over here!” one of them shouts, thrusting a microphone in my face. “What’s your relationship with Damian Volkov?”

“Did you know about his engagement?” another one presses, desperation lacing their voice.

I try to push through the crowd, keeping my head down and ignoring their relentless questions. The weight of Damian’s betrayal, Cassius’s anger, and Nikhil’s concern all press down on me, threatening to suffocate me beneath their crushing intensity.

Just as I feel I can’t take anymore, a sleek black car pulls up beside me, its tinted windows hiding whoever’s inside. The passenger door swings open, revealing Sienna’s familiar face. Relief floods my veins as I slide into the car, shutting out the cacophony of voices and camera flashes.

“Thank God you’re here,” I breathe, clutching at the soft leather seat for support.

“Of course,” Sienna replies, her warm brown eyes filled with concern. “I saw everything unfolding on the news and figured you could use an escape.”

As the car glides away from the chaos, I lean back against the headrest, finally able to think clearly. “I don’t know what’s happening, Sienna. Everything’s falling apart.”

“Hey, it’ll be okay.” Her hand finds mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll figure this out together. But first, you need to fill me in on what happened before the media frenzy.”

My gaze drops to our entwined fingers, guilt twisting in my stomach. “I’m so sorry, Sienna. I should’ve reached out to you earlier. I just didn’t know what to say, or where to begin.”

“Start with the truth,” she says gently, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m here for you, Annalise. Don’t shut me out.”

Taking a deep breath, I tell her everything—Damian’s betrayal, the explosive confrontation with his brothers, and my shattered trust. As I speak, Sienna listens carefully, absorbing every word and offering quiet support.

“Annalise, I can’t believe this happened to you,” she murmurs, shaking her head in disbelief. “But we’ll figure it out, together. We always do.”

Her unwavering faith in me strengthens my resolve, reminding me that I am not alone in this fight. And with Sienna by my side, I know I can conquer anything—even the darkness that threatens to consume me.

“Annalise, let’s do something else tonight. Let’s have a girls’ night. We can watch a movie and just forget about all of this for a while,” Sienna suggests, her eyes full of empathy and understanding.

I’m surprised by the suggestion, but find myself nodding in agreement. “That sounds nice, actually. A distraction would be good right now.”

“Perfect,” she says with a warm smile, reaching over to squeeze my hand again. “We both need it.”

As we drive through the city, I can’t help but notice the way the lights reflect off the rain-slicked streets, creating a strangely beautiful mosaic of colors. It’s moments like these that remind me there is still beauty to be found, even amidst the chaos.

“Any preferences on what we should watch?” Sienna asks, dragging my thoughts back to our impromptu girls’ night.

“Something light and funny, maybe?” I suggest, knowing that laughter has always been one of the best remedies for pain.

“Perfect. I’ve got just the thing,” she replies, her voice full of certainty. I trust her taste implicitly, knowing that she always manages to find the perfect balance between humor and heart.

When we finally arrive at Sienna’s apartment, the contrast between the chaotic world outside and the comforting warmth of her living room is striking. She wastes no time setting up the movie and preparing snacks, her efficiency a testament to the strong bond between us—a bond that has weathered countless storms and emerged stronger each time.

“Here we go,” she announces, pressing play on the remote and settling down next to me on the couch. As the opening credits roll, I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my lips. Sienna’s choice of film is perfect, featuring a cast of quirky characters that never fails to make me laugh.

Throughout the movie, Sienna and I laugh together, our shared amusement a balm for the wounds that still ache within me. The weight of the revelations and confrontations earlier in the day begins to lift, if only slightly, replaced by a growing sense of resolve.

As we reach the end of the film, I find myself grateful for Sienna’s presence—her unwavering support and understanding is something I know I can always rely on. In this moment, surrounded by laughter and friendship, I feel stronger than ever before. And with Sienna by my side, I know that I’m ready to face whatever challenges the future holds.