Chapter 33 Just This One Word
 
 
 
 
 
 
Why was he feeling so irritated with himself?
“But... you might find it annoying,” Lyla murmured.
“Did I ever say that?” Rossi replied, his tone firm and tinged with irritation.
Lyla shook her head. “No, but—”
“No buts. Sit down and eat together with me,” he commanded flatly before taking his seat at the table.
Lyla hesitated, standing frozen for a moment, before retreating to the kitchen to fetch her dinner plate. She placed it on the table and quietly sat across from him, her head bowed, avoiding his gaze as she began to eat.
Rossi felt an unfamiliar tension in the air. Though he’d shared meals with women before, this felt different. It unsettled him, left him uneasy in a way he couldn’t understand.
By the time his plate was empty, it was clear how hungry he’d been. Lyla, on the other hand, had barely touched her meal. Rising from the table, she carried her plate to the kitchen and returned to wipe down the table. Rossi followed soon after, holding his own plate.
Lyla glanced at him as he stood by the sink. “I can handle this. Please, go and rest.”
Rossi said nothing, continuing to wash the dishes. His silence puzzled her—he wasn’t one to involve himself in chores. Usually, he maintained a deliberate distance, leaving her to create her own boundaries. She thought doing so might protect her from further heartbreak, but it never seemed to work.
Once the dishes were done, Lyla quietly excused herself, retreating to her room. As the door clicked shut, she sank to the floor, her emotions overwhelming her at last. She had held back tears all evening, refusing to let them show, but now they spilled freely.
Why did staying close to him have to hurt so much?
For now, all she could do was endure the pain and cherish the fleeting moments beside him.
Just for a little while longer… that was all she could ask.
 
Antonio returned to the mansion just as Martha finished setting the table for dinner. Striding into the dining room, he scanned the room, his eyes searching for Rose.
Martha stepped forward to double-check everything. “Miss Rose is in the kitchen. She should be on her way shortly. Is there anything else you need, sir?”
Before Antonio could reply, Rose entered the room. Martha, recognizing her cue, discreetly left.
“I didn’t think you’d make it back,” Rose said with a warm smile.
“I finished work early,” Antonio replied as he stepped forward to pull out her chair for her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, sitting down.
Antonio gave a small smile before taking his seat. The meal was quiet, with Antonio saying little. Once dinner was over, he followed Rose upstairs, his footsteps quiet but deliberate.
“Are you still not going to move me back to my old room?” Rose asked as they reached the hallway.
Antonio stopped and looked at her. He had gone to great lengths to bring her closer, and letting her return to her previous room would be unthinkable. Truthfully, he had even considered installing a connecting door between their rooms.
“Don’t you want to stay here?” he asked.
“Well, Martha mentioned that this wing is normally your private space,” Rose replied hesitantly. “I don’t want to impose on you any more than I already have.”
Her words carried a subtle tinge of sadness, though she tried to mask it. Rose was bracing herself for the possibility that she was just a fleeting amusement to him.
But for Antonio, things had changed. What was once his private sanctuary was now a shared space—because he wanted her there.
He stepped closer, his hand gently cupping her cheek. “I don’t want this space to be mine alone anymore. I want it to be ours.”
His deep voice resonated with sincerity, and his fingers tipped her chin upward to meet his gaze.
“Is that okay?”
“Are you sure?” Rose asked, her voice trembling.
Antonio smiled, leaning in closer. “Anywhere you are is where I find my happiness.”
His words were firm, each one weighted with meaning. In the short time he’d known her, she had become his everything.
“Stay here, in the room next to mine.”
Rose nodded, her lips curling into a soft smile.
In that moment, she could no longer deny what her heart felt for him.
“Close your eyes,” Antonio whispered.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“Close your eyes,” he repeated, and she complied, though curiosity flickered in her expression.
Reaching into his jacket, Antonio pulled out a small navy-blue velvet box. He opened it to reveal a delicate necklace with two intertwined hearts of sapphire blue. Moving behind her, he carefully draped the necklace around her neck, securing it. His breath brushed against her nape as he leaned in close.
“You can open your eyes now,” he whispered.
Rose’s fingers instinctively touched the pendant. She turned to face him, her eyes wide with wonder. “I… I don’t know if I can—”
“Shh,” Antonio interrupted, raising a finger to his lips. “Don’t refuse. I chose this for you.”
“But…” she began.
“Please,” he murmured. “Keep it. Keep it as you’ve kept my heart.”
He tilted her chin up, his gaze locking onto hers.
“My heart belongs to you, for as long as you’ll have it.”
Rose’s breath caught, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. Antonio’s fingers brushed her lips gently as his face inched closer to hers. Their eyes met, unblinking, and the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in the stillness of the moment.