Darling, You Lose

Chapter 23: The Ultimatum

“You’re lying,” Elena hisses, her voice shaking with fury and fear, her hands clutching the marriage certificate like a lifeline. “This isn’t real. This can’t be real.”

But Rafael just stands there, looking almost bored, his arms folded across his chest. There’s no anger in his eyes, just a cold, calculating calmness that chills her to the bone. He’s not flinching. He’s not backing down.

“It’s real, Elena,” he says smoothly, his voice soft but full of certainty. “You’re my wife—on paper, in law, and soon enough, in reality.”

Elena stares at him, her throat tightening with disbelief. She wants to scream. She wants to throw the papers in his face and run out of the room. But she’s trapped. Every part of her is screaming for freedom, but the walls are closing in, and she feels like she’s suffocating.

“This… this is illegal,” she whispers, trying to hold onto any shred of hope, any excuse that might explain away the nightmare she’s in. “You can’t just marry someone without their consent. You forged my signature! That’s a crime!”

Rafael doesn’t flinch at the accusation. Instead, he steps closer, his shoes tapping lightly against the wooden floor, each step sending a shiver down her spine. “The law is just a tool, Elena,” he says, his voice low and dark. “A tool for those who don’t have control. And I have control. Over you. Over everything.”

She steps back, her chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. “No. I won’t be your prisoner. I won’t let you control me.”

Rafael raises an eyebrow, a small, almost amused smile playing on his lips. “You already are, sweetheart. You just don’t realize it yet.”

Elena shakes her head, her pulse pounding in her ears. She can’t believe this. She can’t believe he’s actually doing this, cornering her like this. But the reality is sinking in, every word he says cutting deeper into her heart. She’s stuck. There’s no escape. Not anymore.

“Then what do you want from me?” Elena demands, her voice trembling but full of defiance. “What’s the point of all this? What do you expect from me?”

Rafael steps even closer now, so close that she can feel the heat of his presence. His eyes are dark, his expression unreadable. “Two things, Elena,” he says quietly. “You have two choices. And I’m giving you the freedom to choose, just like I promised.”

Her stomach twists. She doesn’t want to hear this. She doesn’t want to know what his twisted mind has planned for her.

“Option one,” he continues, his voice smooth, too smooth. “You accept this marriage. You accept me. You become my obedient wife, the way things are supposed to be. No more running, no more fighting. Just peace.”

Elena can’t help the bitter laugh that escapes her lips. “Obedient wife?” she repeats, as if the words taste like poison. “You want me to just... surrender to you? To your control?”

Rafael’s eyes flash, but his smile remains. “That’s what I want. That’s what you’re going to give me. Whether you like it or not.”

She shakes her head again, her mind screaming. “I’ll never be your slave.”

But Rafael doesn’t seem affected by her words at all. “And then there’s option two,” he says, his voice turning colder, darker. “You run. You try to escape. But if you do that…” His gaze locks onto hers, intense and unyielding. “You’ll watch Alexander pay the price.”

Her heart stops.

Alexander.

The name hits her like a physical blow, making her knees buckle. She can’t breathe. She can’t think. “What... what do you mean?” she whispers, her voice barely above a breath.

Rafael steps back, enjoying the shock in her eyes, the fear that’s starting to spread across her face. “I’ve already told you. You’re mine. And if you decide to leave me, if you decide to run, then I’ll make sure Alexander suffers. I’ll make sure he knows what it means to defy me. To defy us.”

Elena feels the blood drain from her face. The weight of his words crushes her chest. He’s threatening Alexander. He’s threatening the only person who’s ever cared about her.

“Don’t... don’t hurt him,” Elena begs, her voice breaking, her hands trembling as she grips the edge of the desk. “Please. He hasn’t done anything. He’s just... he’s just trying to help me.”

Rafael watches her, his expression unreadable, but there’s a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “That’s his choice, Elena. I’m not the one who’s pushing him into this. He’s the one who made the choice to get involved. And now, he’ll pay the price for it.”

Tears prick the corners of her eyes, but she blinks them away. She can’t show weakness. Not now. Not when Rafael is holding all the cards.

“You don’t have to do this,” she says, her voice shaking with raw emotion. “Please. There’s always another way. We can fix this. I can leave without hurting anyone. I’ll disappear. Just don’t hurt him.”

Rafael smiles, but it’s a smile that sends a chill down her spine. “You really think I’ll let you go that easily?” he asks softly. “No, Elena. You’re not going anywhere. You’re mine. And if you think you can just walk away without consequences, then you don’t know me at all.”

Elena clenches her fists at her sides, tears threatening to spill over, but she forces them back. She won’t let him see her break. She won’t give him the satisfaction.

“You’re nothing but a monster,” she spits, her voice filled with disgust and fury. “I’ll never be yours. You hear me? Never.”

Rafael’s smile fades, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he doesn’t seem angry. No, he seems... entertained. Like he’s enjoying this—enjoying watching her struggle.

“You will, Elena,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ll come around. Eventually. And when you do, we’ll be together. Forever.”

In one swift motion, Elena slaps him across the face. The sound of her hand connecting with his cheek echoes through the room like a gunshot. Her hand stings from the impact, but she doesn’t care. She wants to feel something. Anything.

Rafael doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t even seem surprised. He just laughs, a low, dark chuckle that makes her skin crawl.

“You’ll come around, mi amor,” he says, his words dripping with amusement. “I promise you.”