King of Ruin

moving in slow motion, as though the world was pressing in on her from all sides. Enzo's presence loomed over her, like a dark cloud, casting a shadow on everyt

approached. His eyes never left hers, studying her with a mix of longing and something darker. There was no mistaking the fact that he was waiting for something-for her to speak, to acknowledge the distance between them that still existed. Isla stopped just a few feet from him, her chest tightening. She wanted to hate him. She wanted to push him away with every ounce of strength she had. But there was something in his gaze that kept her rooted to the spot, unable to tear her eyes away. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Enzo took a step closer, his presence looming like a storm ready to break. "I didn't want to show up like this," he said, his voice low but steady. "But I can't leave it like this, Isla. I need to talk to you." Isla's breath caught in her throat. The sincerity in his voice, the desperation, was undeniable. She had heard it all before, hadn't she? His promises, his apologies, his claims that he had changed. How could she trust any of it now? How could she believe that the man standing before her, the man who had destroyed her heart, was the one who wanted to make things right? She crossed her arms over her chest, her defenses rising. "I don't need to talk to you, Enzo. I don't owe you anything." His expression hardened, the hint of frustration flickering in his eyes. "You owe it to yourself, Isla. You owe it to the woman you used to be. The woman who loved me. The woman who... who still does." Her pulse spiked at his words, a sharp pang of something-hope? Longing?-flickering inside her. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself not to give in to it. "That woman doesn't exist anymore, Enzo. She died the day you chose your empire over me." The words hit him like a physical blow. He flinched, but quickly recovered, his jaw setting with determination. "I know I screwed up," he said, the words coming slowly as if it physically pained him to admit it. "But I've spent the last five years regretting it. I've spent every day trying to understand h