Nights Burn With Regret — by Nathan Perez 178
Chapter 178
Matthew
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The silence was suffocating. It was the kind of silence where you were painfully aware of every heartbeat in your chest, every shallow breath you didn’t dare take. No one spoke or moved. It felt as though if someone dropped a pin, the sound alone would echo loudly in the room.
Everyone was staring at my father, Hades Sinclair.
Faces had drained of color, lips slightly parted in shock, bodies instinctively stepping back as if distance alone could save them. Hands trembled uselessly at people’s sides, unsure whether to clasp together or hide behind their backs. This wasn’t admiration or respect anymore. This was fear.
And I wasn’t exempt from it.
I stared at the man standing before us, the man who held the entire world in his palm as if it were nothing more than a toy. Hades Sinclair didn’t need to raise his voice or lift a finger. He controlled everything the way a grandmaster controlled a chessboard, knowing exactly when to move a piece, when to sacrifice one, and when to wipe the board clean entirely.
And the most terrifying thing about him was that the pieces on his chessboard weren’t objects.
They were people.
Human lives that he could use, discard, or destroy without hesitation if they stood in his way. He didn’t feel guilt. He didn’t need justification. If someone became an obstacle, they were removed. Simple as that. The world wasn’t just his battlefield, it was his game.
And now those soulless blue eyes were locked onto me.
It felt like I had stepped somewhere forbidden, as though I had crossed an invisible line I hadn’t even known existed. My body refused to obey my mind. I wanted to move, to speak, to do something but I couldn’t. I stood rooted to the spot, my limbs heavy, my throat dry, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Just as I began searching for a way out of this, his gaze flicked down to my hand, where my fingers were still wrapped around Violet’s wrist, and something inside me snapped.
I released her immediately, jerking my hand back as if her skin had burned me. My chest tightened painfully, dread sinking deep into my bones. I didn’t understand why my father looked like he was about to kill me for touching her, but one thing was painfully clear, touching Violet again would be a death sentence.
And knowing Hades Sinclair, death wouldn’t be quick.
It would be slow, and endless. The kind of suffering that made you beg for the mercy of dying.
He studied me for another long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, as if I had already been deemed insignificant, his attention shifted to Violet. And that was when my breath caught in my throat.
The change was subtle, but I saw it. His gaze softened in a way I had never seen before. Not once in my entire life had I seen my father look at someone like that, with this much restraint, and care. It was
15:57 Wed, Jan 21
Chapter 178
dangerously close to tenderness.
It didn’t make sense.
:
My hand clenched at my side, nails digging into my palm.
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Why was he looking at her like that? Why Violet? My father had never looked at anyone that way. He had always been cold, distant, and untouchable. Yet now, his eyes held warmth meant only for her.
Something twisted violently in my chest.
It felt wrong, and deeply disturbing.
Without thinking, driven by a surge of instinct and jealousy I didn’t even try to understand, I stepped forward, and positioned myself directly in front of Violet, blocking his line of sight.
The moment I did, the air seemed to drop another ten degrees. And in that instant, I realized I might have just made the biggest mistake of my life.
My father’s eyebrow lifted slowly, and my throat tightened. I forced a nervous smile onto my face, my lips stiff as I bowed my head slightly, instinctively lowering myself.
“F-Father,” I said, my voice coming out tighter than I intended. “You’re here… I didn’t realize you’d already arrived. If I had known, I would have come to welcome you myself.”
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I had said something wrong.
Hades tilted his head, studying me like an interesting, but ultimately disposable object. His eyes were calm, and amused, and that was far worse than anger.
“Are you saying,” he drawled, “that I should inform you when I arrive at my own wedding party?”
A faint, humorless smile tugged at his lips. “How amusing. I wonder who you think you are, to believe I should report my movements to you.”
Cold sweat broke out across my back.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs, the sound so loud in my ears I was sure everyone could hear it.
Oh, shit. I had really lost my mind. Did I just tell this demon to report to me? Was I trying to get myself killed?
“I-I wouldn’t dare,” I said quickly, bowing my head lower, my voice rushed. “I’m sorry, father. That’s not what I meant. I just didn’t want you to walk in and see something like this. I know this must be disappointing, and I apologize for causing a scene on your wedding day. This is all just a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?” he repeated, his tone flat.
I nodded immediately, latching onto that word like it could save me. “Yes, sir. Violet is my girlfriend. We just had a small argument, and I wanted to talk to her. That’s all. I hope you can forgive me for the disturbance. I’ll take her and leave right away. We won’t bother you or your wife any further today.”
15:57 Wed, Jan 21
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