Chapter 136
Zabelle heaved a sigh of relief as they drove past the gates of the mansion, as she was itching to be far from Antonio and being in the car wasn’t doing that
As soon as he brought the car to a halt in front of the mansion, Zabelle unbuckled her seatbelt and flung the door open.
She then stepped out quickly, as she stormed toward the front entrance. Her plan was the same as always, lock herself in the bathroom and then go
To bed
“Zabelle.” Antonio called after her as he got out of the cat.
She however didn’t stop. If anything, her pace quickened as she neared the grand doors, her heart thudding loudly in her chest. She didn’t want to deal with him not now, not tonight.
Antonio, however, was faster as he ran after her. Zabelle wasn’t a fast runner, but he was, and he caught up to her just as she reached for the door
handle.
Before she could react, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
“Antonio!” she snapped struggling against his hold, but it was no use, they both knew that.
He then lifted her effortlessly and tossed her over his shoulder as though she weighed nothing more than a sack of flour.
- e. She w
was eating more then why wasn’t it showing in
in her b
Maybe that was because it was true.
‘r body? He wondered.
“Put me down!” she yelled, pounding her fists against his back, her voice ringing out in the quiet night.
“Not until you listen to me.” Antonio replied firmly, his grip unyielding as he carried her into the mansion.
Knowing her, she was about to go lock herself up in the bathroom, and he wasn’t going to allow that to happen, or he would go crazy.
The fact that he had waited for hours before going to Nivera’s house to pick her up had already driven him mad, any more and he would lose it.
302
“Antonio Garcia. I swear to God
“Swear all you want. Zabelle!” he interrupted, his tone sharp, “but we’re having this conversation.”
She didn’t give him a break as she struggled to get off him, but despite her protests, he made his way past the living room and straight to the stairs, and up to their bedroom.
Zabelle continued her futile attempts to wriggle free, her anger mounting with every step he took
When they reached their room, Antonio pushed the door open with his foot and carried her inside.
He finally set her down on her fe
feet, but before she could bolt out of the room, he locked the door with a click.
“Don’t you even dare,” he warned her when he noticed her staring at the bathroom door
“Lock yourself in, and I swear I’ll break it down,” he declared
Zabelle glared at him, her chest heaving with frustration.
“You had no right to drag me up here like that, and you have no right to tell me what to do” she hissed, crossing her arms defensively.
However, she didn’t go against him, as she could tell he was serious about breaking the bathroom door.
Antonio ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his expression softening. “You were going to avoid me all night, Zabelle. I couldn’t let that happen”
“Maybe I had a reason to avoid you!” she shot back, her voice trembling as all the emotions she thought she had gotten under control came rushing
back
“Zabelle,” he said softly, stepping closer, his eyes staring deeply into hers. “I’m sorry.
sorry. I know I messed up, and I’m sorry
Her lip shook, but she quickly masked it with a scoff, as she didn’t want him to see how much he affected her.
“Sorry!” she repeated, her tone laced with anger.
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Chapter 136
“Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? The way I had to find out in front of your parents, just right after you told them not to say
anything to mer
Antonio closed his eyes in regret, her words cutting deeper than he’d anticipated, especially as he could hear how hurt she was despite her trying to
hide it.
He had studied her to the point where he knew her like the back of his hand.
“I know,” he admitted quietly, his voice heavy with regret.
“No, you don’t know?” she snapped, her emotions spilling over as she advanced toward him.
She pressed her palms against his chest and pushed lightly, her anger boiling over,
“You always have so much to say, Antonio. Always. But now! All you’re doing is apologizing!”
Maybe if he was arguing with her, it would help her emotions, but the fact that he was apologizing over and Just made her emotions a mess. Th
was not the Antonio she knew.
He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, apart from another apology.
There was nothing he could say that would justify what had happened.
The silence streiched between them, and Zabelle felt her frustration reach its peak once more.
She hit his chest lightly, once, then again, as her voice cracked.
over
ragain while in his disheveled state
“Will you never see me as your wife? Will you always see me as your property? The woman you married to teach a lesson?”
Antonio caught her wrists gently, his gaze steady as he looked down at her. “Don’t hurt yourself while trying to hit me,” he said softly as he rubbed her hands, which were red.
He could tell her hands were hurting as she was hitting him, and he didn’t like that.
“Let go of me,” Zabelle quickly drew her hands back. Even in the middle of their fight, he still found a way to warm her heart with his words.
“You’re wrong, Zabelle” he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. “You’re my wife, Zabelle. My equal in every way. Don’t you dare think otherwise
She scoffed, and it was her turn to run her fingers through her hair roughly.
“You say that now, but your actions speak differently. You didn’t tell me about Natasha, Antonio. You didn’t think I deserved to know.”
“I was going to tell you,” he argued sofily. Truly he was.
“When?” the demanded, her eyes burning into his.
“When it was convenient for you? When you thought I could handle it? You don’t trust me, Antonio. And how can I trust you when you keep things
Antonio’s jaw tightened, and he took a step closer. “I had just found out that I hated my dad for two years for a wrong reason, Zabelle. I just needed some time to process it,” he said.
The
emotions in his voice melted a bit of Zabelle’s anger
r away.
She had just been thinking about herself and not about the fact that Antonio had found out that his father wasn’t the villain he thought he was and that the woman, whom he had thought was his friend and wife, hated him and tried to kill him.
“I should have told you abour it sooner. I was wrong You’re everything to me, Zabelle. Everything.”
g and I’m sorry. But don’t you ever think, even for a second, that I see you as less than my wife.
Her chest ached at his words, but the bitterness still lingered.
She swallowed hard, her voice softening but filled with pain. “Did you love her?” she asked, the question slipping out before she could stop herself.
chose to answer
It was something she wanted to know, and she didn’t know what she would do when she got the answer from him. That was if he ch
Antonio froze, his expression unreadable. “Did I love Natasha!” he repeated, and Zabelle nodded, her heart in her throat
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Chapter 136
He stepped even closer, his blue eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
Those blue eyes of his always managed to pull her in every time.
“I cared for Natasha,” he said slowly, his voice steady and honest,
Zabelle clenched her fists and she felt the tears rushing to her eyes as she waited for Antonio to confirm it.
“That’s a fact. But love? The only woman I’ve ever developed feelings for the only woman I’ve ever truly wanted is the one standing right in front
of me.”
It took a few seconds for Antonio’s words to sink in and when it did Zabelle’s breath caught, and her eyes widened as she searched his face for any trace of dishonesty. She found none.
“Antonio..” she whispered, her emotions threatening to overwhelm her.
“I mean it. Zabelle.” he said, his hands coming up to cradle her face gently.
“I know I’ve made mistakes, and I know I’ve hurt you. But I love you. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you if I have to
Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back, unwilling to let herself crumble just yet.
“You’re just saying it. Remember, you said you don’t love,” she reminded him, her voice trembling
“Well, that was before you came and crumbled all of my resolve, Zabelle, I’m madly in love with you.”
