Chapter 5 THE BREAKING POINT

The door rattled again, harder this time, and Marissa's pulse shot through her chest like a bullet. The sound echoed through the apartment, making her feel trapped, cornered, like a wild animal backed into a cage.

Caleb's hand on her arm was the only thing anchoring her to the present. The tight grip felt reassuring, a lifeline she didn't want to let go of. But as much as she wanted to cling to it, a terrible truth gnawed at her: no matter how much Caleb wanted to protect her, he couldn't shield her from the man who was outside, the man who had the power to destroy everything she had worked to build.

"I'm not afraid of him," Caleb repeated, his voice low but resolute.

Marissa swallowed hard, shaking her head. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that Caleb could stand against the storm Alessandro represented. But the fear was so deep, so rooted in her bones, that it was impossible to ignore.

Alessandro would never back down. He would tear apart anyone who got in his way.

"We can't just stand here," Marissa whispered, her voice shaking as she looked toward the door, feeling the oppressive weight of Alessandro's presence just on the other side. The minutes stretched into eternity. Every second felt like a lifetime as the knock grew more insistent, louder.

"What do we do?" Caleb asked, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. There was no hesitation in his gaze, no fear. His focus was completely on her.

"I don't know." The words tasted like a failure. She was supposed to be the strong one. She was supposed to be the one in control. But instead, she felt like a frightened little girl who couldn't face the man she had once called her lover. The man who had bought her, owned her, broke her.

"I can handle this," Caleb said, his voice firm. "We'll get through this together. We'll figure it out."

But even as the words left his lips, Marissa felt a deep ache in her chest. Together. She wanted to believe him, but the weight of her past kept pulling her back. The truth was, she wasn't just running from Alessandro. She was running from herself-from the things she had done, from the person she had become under his control. And the more Caleb fought for her, the more she feared that, in the end, he would hate her.

What if she dragged him down with her?

The door shook again, louder this time, and the reality of the situation hit her hard.

"We don't have much time," Caleb said, his voice turning into a low growl. "I won't let him hurt you, Marissa. Not now, not ever."

Marissa's breath hitched as she looked up at him. His words, the conviction in his eyes, pierced through her, but they also terrified her. This man-this stranger who had shown her kindness, who had become the anchor in the storm-was about to face Alessandro, a man who had no mercy.

The weight of what was at stake crashed down on her. If Caleb stood in that doorway, Alessandro wouldn't hesitate to hurt him. And as much as she wanted to deny it, she couldn't protect him from that. She couldn't protect anyone from Alessandro's wrath.

"I can't let you do this," Marissa whispered, panic rising in her chest. "You don't understand. You don't know who he is, Caleb."

"I know enough," he said, stepping closer, his face hardening with resolve. "I know that you need me. You need someone to stand by you. And I'm not going anywhere."

A sudden movement at the door snapped Marissa out of her panic. The lock turned, the handle rattled once more, and then the door burst open with such force that it knocked against the wall.

Standing in the doorway was Alessandro.

The sight of him hit her like a punch to the gut. It had only been a few months since she'd fled, but the memories of his cold gaze, his commanding presence, flooded her in an instant. His dark hair was combed back neatly, his black suit impeccably tailored, but it didn't matter how well he dressed or how much he smiled. There was no hiding the menace in his eyes.

Alessandro looked from Marissa to Caleb, his lips curling into a thin smile. "Well, well," he drawled, his voice smooth like silk, but there was an edge to it that made Marissa's blood run cold. "I see you've moved on, Marissa. How cute.

Caleb didn't flinch. His jaw was set, his stance unyielding as he stepped in front of Marissa, positioning himself between her and Alessandro. "She's not yours anymore, DeLuca," Caleb said, his voice steady. "And you're not welcome here."

Alessandro's smile widened, but the glint in his eyes was cold, and calculating. "Is that so?" He stepped into the apartment, brushing past Caleb as if he were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "I've been looking for you, Marissa. Do you think you can just run away and forget everything? Forget me?"

Marissa's heart pounded in her chest, but she stayed silent, her breath shallow. She couldn't speak. She couldn't make a sound.

"I didn't run from you," she said, finally breaking her silence. "I ran from the person you made me into. And I'm not going back. Not now, not ever."

Alessandro's gaze turned to ice. He moved closer to her, his eyes boring into hers with such intensity that it made her shiver. "You think you can just throw me away like trash? You think you can leave me behind with all the money, the business, everything?" His voice was quiet now, but the anger simmering beneath the surface was palpable. "You took from me, Marissa. And I don't forget. Ever."

He took a step forward, and Caleb immediately moved to intercept him, but Alessandro raised a hand. "Stay out of this, Caleb." His voice was laced with a dangerous calm that made Marissa's stomach twist.

Alessandro's attention was fully on her now. "You were always so obedient, Marissa. So eager to please. What happened to that girl? What happened to the one who couldn't wait to fall into my arms?"

Marissa's throat closed. She took a step back, but Alessandro was already too close. His eyes never left hers, the weight of his presence suffocating.

"You think I'm just going to walk away from all of this?" Alessandro said softly, but the threat was clear in his words. "You belong to me. You always will."

Caleb stepped forward again, his stance firm. "I won't let you hurt her, Alessandro. Not again."

Alessandro's eyes flicked toward Caleb, and the briefest flicker of amusement passed over his face. "You think you can protect her from me? You think you can play hero? I own her, Caleb. I always have."

Marissa felt the sharp sting of Alessandro's words like a dagger to her heart. His words were designed to break her, to remind her of the woman she had once been-submissive, terrified, powerless.

But she wasn't that woman anymore. And she wouldn't let Alessandro tear apart everything she had fought for, not even if it meant standing up to him in the most defiant way she knew how.

"Get out," she said, her voice steady despite the storm brewing in her chest. "Get out of my life. And never come back."

Alessandro's eyes narrowed, his face a mask of fury. For a long moment, the room was silent. Then, with a slow and deliberate motion, he turned on his heel and walked toward the door.

"You'll regret this, Marissa," he called over his shoulder. "You can't run forever. You're mine. Always."

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving an eerie silence in his wake.

Marissa stood there, trembling, but not from fear. This time, it was something else-something stronger, something that surged through her like fire.

She had taken the first step toward freedom.

Caleb stood behind her, watching her, waiting for her to speak.

"I didn't think I could do it," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I didn't think I could stand up to him."

"You did," Caleb said softly. "You're stronger than you think, Marissa."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Marissa allowed herself to breathe. But she knew this wasn't over. Alessandro wouldn't give up. Not easily. But for now, at this moment, she has won. And that was enough.