Page 110 of Divine Obsession

“I didn’t realize your guest list was this generous.”

Natalia set her drink down with a soft clink, her gaze cutting to mine. “You’re here too, no?”

The corner of Gìovanni’s mouth twitched, his satisfaction practically radiating off him. He was enjoying this, feeding off the tension he’d created. “Easy now. Wouldn’t want to cause a scene, would we?”

Natalia’s gaze flicked between us, her expression unreadable. She drained the last of her drink, the glass clinking against the bar as she set it down with deliberate force. Without a word, she turned and strode away, her pink heels clicking against the marble floor.

Gìovanni watched her leave, the smirk never leaving his face. “Looks like the lady’s had enough,” He said smoothly, his eyes shifting back to me. “You should take notes, Trevor. Now,thatis how you make an exit.”

I barely heard him.

My focus was on Natalia’s retreating figure as she disappeared through the side doors leading to the garden terrace.

I followed. The air was sharp and cool against the heat of my skin as I stepped outside, the noise of the party fading behind me.

Natalia stood near the edge of the terrace, her back to me, one hand gripping the glass railing. The city lights reflected off theskyline beyond, casting a soft glow around her. The quiet hum of the city – car honks, construction, people, airplanes – buzzed around us in the quiet night.

She didn’t turn as I approached, but I knew she heard me.

“Not scared of the dark anymore, huh?”

“I’ve changed,” She snarled, over her shoulder, her voice poison.

“You’ve been like this all night,” I said, my tone hardening. “Cold. Distant. It’s childish, Natalia. Whatever you think you’re proving–”

“Childish?” She turned to me, her heels clicking on the stone. She pointed her finger at me. “You’re callingmechildish?”

The anger in her eyes sparked something in me. “What else would you call it? You’ve barely said a word to me, but you’re all too happy to let Gìovanni hang onto your every move.”

“You don’t get to talk about him. You don’t get to talk aboutme. Not after whatyoudid.”

“WhatIdid?” The words came out sharper than I intended, the frustration boiling over. “What about whatyoudid?”

She took another step closer, her eyes locking onto mine. “Youdisappeared. And now, you think you can just walk back into my life and callmechildish?Fuck you.”

“Me staying would’ve made things worse.”

“Worse for who? You? Because it certainly wasn’t for me.”

I shook my head, glancing towards the city. “Stop twisting this.”

Her laugh was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. “Twisting it? No, I’m just finally seeing things clearly. You left because you were acoward.”

That word hit harder than I wanted to admit, and before I could stop myself, I lashed out. “No, Natalia. I left because you were never part of my plan.”

The silence that followed was deafening.

Natalia didn’t flinch. She didn’t break. She stared at me, her expression like ice, her strength unmistakable.

I watched as she glanced back toward the party, and something in me tensed. I didn’t need to follow her gaze to know she was looking at Gìovanni.

“I moved on,” She said, her voice flat, like it was nothing to her.

I hated how that simple sentence felt like a punch to the throat. I tried to swallow it down, but it lingered, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

She turned back to me, her expression colder than I’d ever seen.

Her eyes steady. Unflinching. “You should too.”

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