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The Unwanted Vows

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Chapter 5 : The Breaking point

Victor's Mansion

Natalia went straight to Viktor's study.

She burst through the door, her eyes red and angry.

"I can't do this anymore, Viktor," she said. "I can't watch that boy suffer. He's dying in there. He's wasting away."

Viktor looked up from his papers. "What happened?"

She told him everything. The fight. The accusations. The way Marco had defended Andrei like a fool.

"He's blinded," she said. "He doesn't see the truth. He doesn't see how much he's hurting Leo."

Viktor sighed heavily. "He'll realize it one day. When it's too late."

Natalia sat down. Her face was pale with worry.

"What if we lose him?" she whispered. "What if Leo leaves? What if he dies? What if Marco never wakes up to the truth?"

Viktor was silent.

"I feel so guilty," Natalia continued. "I chose Leo. I thought I was helping. But I only made things worse."

Viktor came over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did what you thought was right. We both did. Now we have to trust that the truth will come out. And when it does, Marco will have to live with his mistakes."

Natalia nodded slowly. "I hope you're right. I really hope you're right."

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Leo went back to his room.

He had a separate room now. He didn't have to share with Marco anymore. But it didn't matter. He still felt trapped. Still felt helpless.

He sat on the floor in the corner. His favorite spot. The spot where he cried himself to sleep every night.

"What can I even do?" he whispered. "I'm weak. I'm powerless. I can't stand up to Marco. I can't fight back. I can't do anything."

He thought about Natalia's words. "If you can't bear this anymore, leave."

But where would he go? He had no money. No family. No friends except Mira, and she couldn't help him.

"I'm stuck," Leo said. "I'm stuck here forever."

He lay down on the floor and closed his eyes. Tears slipped down his cheeks.

"I never asked for this. I never wanted any of this. Why did she choose me? Why couldn't she choose someone stronger? Someone who could handle Marco?"

The answer was obvious. She had chosen him because he was weak. Because he was powerless. Because he could be controlled.

Leo laughed bitterly. "I'm so pathetic. I can't even save myself."

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The door slammed open.

Leo sat up with a jolt. Marco stumbled into the room. He was drunk again. His eyes were glassy and wild.

"Marco?" Leo whispered. "What are you—"

"Shut up!" Marco shouted. He grabbed a glass vase and threw it against the wall. It shattered into a million pieces.

Leo scrambled backward. His heart was pounding.

"Please, Marco, calm down—"

"Calm down?" Marco laughed maniacally. "You want me to calm down? You ruined my life! You and my mother! Everyone wants to control me!"

He picked up a glass bottle from the table and hurled it at the wall. It exploded. Shards of glass flew everywhere.

Leo covered his face. "Please stop! You'll hurt yourself!"

Marco lunged forward. He grabbed Leo by the shoulders and shoved him backward.

Leo crashed into the wall. A sharp pain shot through his head. Something warm trickled down his forehead.

Blood.

Marco froze.

His eyes cleared. He looked down at Leo. Leo was slumped against the wall. Blood was pouring down his face. His eyes were closed.

"Leo?" Marco's voice was shaking. "Leo, wake up!"

Leo didn't move.

Marco dropped to his knees. His hands were trembling. "Leo! Wake up! Please!"

He checked Leo's pulse. It was weak. Fading.

"Gregory!" Marco screamed. "Call an ambulance! Now!"

Servants rushed in. Gregory was on the phone. Marco scooped Leo into his arms.

"Don't you die," Marco whispered. "Please don't die."

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Leo woke up in a hospital bed.

The room was white. Bright. His head was wrapped in bandages. His body ached.

Marco was sitting in a chair beside the bed. His face was pale. His eyes were red. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"You're awake," Marco said softly. His voice was different. Softer.

Leo tried to speak. His throat was dry. "What... what happened?"

"You fainted," Marco said. "I pushed you. You hit your head. You've been unconscious for two days."

Leo looked away. "Why are you here? You hate me."

Marco was silent for a long moment.

"I was wrong," he finally said. "I was so wrong."

Leo laughed weakly. "You were wrong? That's all you have to say?"

Marco winced. "Leo, I—"

"Don't," Leo said. His voice was trembling. But he didn't stop. "Don't you dare say anything. You hurt me. You humiliated me. You made me feel like nothing. You accused me of things I never did. You never even tried to find out the truth. You just believed everything Andrei told you like a blind fool."

Marco's face went white. But Leo kept going.

"Do you even know who I am?" Leo's voice cracked. "Do you know anything about me? I grew up in orphanages. I was bounced from home to home like garbage. No one wanted me. No one ever wanted me. And then I was forced to marry a man who hates me. A man who treats me like trash. A man who never even tried to know me!"

Leo was crying now. Tears streamed down his face.

"You call me a liar. But you never investigated. You never asked. You just believed a man who is using you for your money. And you know what? You deserve each other. You and Andrei deserve each other. Because you're both cruel. You're both selfish. And you're both blind!"

Marco stared at Leo. His mouth was open. He couldn't speak.

Leo continued. His voice was shaking but strong. "I have nothing. I am nothing. I never had anything to give you. I never wanted anything from you. I just wanted to survive. That's all. I just wanted to survive."

He took a shaky breath.

"But you know what? I'm done. I'm done being your punching bag. I'm done letting you hurt me. If you want to hate me, fine. But at least hate me for something I actually did. Not for lies someone else told you."

Leo turned away. His body was shaking with sobs.

Marco sat frozen.

Leo's words echoed in his mind.

You never investigated. You never asked.

Marco felt something crack inside him. Something he had been hiding for so long.

Doubt.

What if he was wrong? What if Leo was telling the truth? What if Andrei had been lying to him all this time?

Marco reached out. His hand hovered over Leo's shoulder. He wanted to touch him. To comfort him. But he didn't know if he had the right.

"Leo," he whispered. "I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Leo didn't respond.

Marco sat there in the silence. For the first time, he let himself wonder.

What if everything he believed was a lie?