The following days passed in a blur for Kleia. She remained locked in the luxurious room, with Vito visiting her occasionally. Each time., each time he tried to talk to her, but she refused to engage. Her anger burned fiercely and she clung to the hope of escape.
Vito , however, remained patient. He seemed confident that, in time, she would understand why he had done this.
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One day, kleia sad by the window, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The soft hues of orange and pink painted the sky, but she couldn't enjoy the view. She felt trapped, suffocated by her circumstances.
The door openend, and she didn't bother turning around. She knew it was him.
" dinner is ready" Vito said, his voice calm as ever.
"I'm not hungry" she replied curtly, keeping her eyes on the fading sunset.
" you haven't eaten all day"
" I said I'm not hungry" she snapped, finally turning to face him.
Vito studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. " you can't keep this up forever."
" watch me" she retarded, her eyes blazing.
Instead of responding, Vito stepped closer, his movements, slow, and deliberate. Kleia stiffened as he approached., but she refused to back down.
" why are you doing this to me?" She demanded., her voice cracking slightly. " what do you even want from me?"
" I want you to understand" Vito said, his tone Softening. " I don't intend to hurt you, kleia. I just—" he paused, searching for the right words. " I've spent my whole life in the world of power and violence. People fear me, respect me... but no one sees me. Not the real me. And then I saw you."
Kleia's breath caught in her throat. His words were unexpected, vulnerable.
" your insane" she said, her voice is barely a whisper.
" maybe" he admitted, a small smirk tugging at his lips. " But i know what I want and Right now, that's you."
His honesty was disarming , and for a brief moment, kleia felt her resolve waver. She quickly pushed the feeling aside. " you can't just take what you want, Vito. That's not how the world works."
" in my world, it does" he replied simply.
Kleia shook her head, frustration, bubbling inside her. " this isn't your world. This is my life. You don't get to decide what happens to me."
Vito's jaw thightends, but he didn't respond. Instead, he turned and walked towards the door. Before leaving, glanced back at her.
" I'll give you time" he said quietly. "But kleia you'll see. This isn't just one-sided"
The door closed behind him, and kleia sank into the chair by the window. Her heart was pounding, and she hated herself for a small part over that couldn't completely dismiss his words.
