Broken Promises

The storm outside raged violently, thunder rumbling like a warning from the heavens. I stood in the grand entrance of Dante's estate, the cold marble beneath my feet contrasting sharply with the fire raging in my chest. Every nerve in my body was taut, every instinct screaming at me to walk away. But I couldn't. Not now, not after everything.

Dante stood before me, his imposing figure half-shadowed by the dim lighting. His dark eyes bore into mine, unreadable yet filled with tension I could feel across the room.

"What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" His voice was low, dangerously calm, but it carried the sharpness of a blade.

I straightened my spine, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I came for answers. And I'm not leaving until I get them."

His jaw tightened, the muscle in his cheek twitching as he processed my words. Slowly, he turned away, as if the sight of me was too much to bear. "Answers?" he said bitterly, his voice laced with mockery. "You should've stayed where you were. You don't belong here."

The words hit like a slap, but I refused to let him see the hurt flicker across my face. "Don't belong?" I repeated, my voice rising. "After everything I've endured because of you, Dante, don't you dare tell me where I belong."

His back remained to me, his shoulders rigid as if he were trying to hold himself together. The silence between us stretched, heavy and suffocating.

Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter this time. "You came here for answers? Fine. But you won't like what you hear."

I took a step forward, the sound of my heels clicking against the marble breaking the stillness. "Try me," I said, my tone icy. "You owe me that much."

---

Dante turned to face me then, his expression dark and unreadable. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"You think you can just walk in here and demand answers?" he said, his voice low but sharp. "Do you have any idea what you're asking for, Elizabeth? What you're walking into?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm some naive little girl, Dante," I shot back, my anger rising. "I've been through hell because of you. You broke me. And now, I'm done being your victim."

He flinched at my words, but his expression quickly hardened. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then explain it to me!" I yelled, my voice echoing off the high ceilings. "Tell me why you treated me like I was nothing! Why did you throw me away for—" My voice broke, and I hated myself for the tears that threatened to fall. "Why did you throw me away for her."

Dante's eyes darkened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "You think it was that simple? That it was just about her?"

"Wasn't it?" I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and hurt. "You chose her, Dante. You always chose her. And I... I was nothing more than a stand-in. A substitute for the woman you loved."

His jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with something I couldn't name. "You don't understand, Elizabeth," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Then make me understand," I said, stepping closer to him. "Tell me the truth, Dante. Because if you don't, I swear to God, I will walk out of here and never look back."

---

For a long moment, he didn't speak. The only sounds were the rain pounding against the windows and the distant rumble of thunder. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his dark hair.

"The truth," he said, almost to himself. "You want the truth?"

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.

He stepped closer to me, his dark eyes locking onto mine. "The truth is... I never wanted to hurt you."

I scoffed, the bitterness rising in my throat. "You could've fooled me."

"Damn it, Elizabeth, listen to me!" he snapped, his voice echoing through the room. "You think I don't know what I did to you? You think I don't hate myself for it?"

His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I was speechless.

"You have no idea what it was like," he continued, his voice quieter now. "To want something you can't have. To feel like you're drowning in your guilt, your failures."

"Guilt?" I said, my voice shaking. "What could you possibly have to feel guilty about, Dante? You got everything you wanted. You had her. You had your perfect little life. And I was just the collateral damage."

His eyes burned with intensity as he took another step closer, closing the distance between us. "You think I had everything I wanted?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You think she was what I wanted?"

"Wasn't she?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"No," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "She wasn't. You were."

---

The words hung in the air between us, heavy and suffocating. I stared at him, my mind racing to process what he had just said.

"You're lying," I said, shaking my head. "You don't get to say that now. Not after everything."

"I'm not lying," he said, his voice steady and firm. "I didn't realize it then, but... it was always you, Elizabeth. It's always been you."

I took a step back, the weight of his confession threatening to crush me. "Do you have any idea what you put me through, Dante? Do you have any idea how much you hurt me?"

"I know," he said, his voice breaking. "And I'll never forgive myself for it. But, Elizabeth, I can't lose you. Not again."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I felt the tears spill over. "You already lost me, Dante," I said, my voice trembling. "You lost me the moment you chose her over me. And there's no coming back from that."

"Elizabeth, please," he said, reaching for me, but I stepped out of his reach.

"It's too late," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's too late for us, Dante."

The look in his eyes was one of pure anguish, but I couldn't let myself be swayed. Not this time.

I turned and walked toward the door, my heart breaking with every step. But I didn't look back. I couldn't.

Because if I did, I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk away.