His sharp tongue became even sharper than before, and his endless demands kept everyone around him busy. Somehow, instead of being annoyed, Matteo seemed to love him even more for it.

With Adrian finally back to his old self, one of the first serious conversations they had was about security. With Matteo’s line of work, danger was always lurking in the background, and he wanted Adrian surrounded by bodyguards whenever he went out, especially when Matteo had to travel.

In the past, Adrian would have shut down the conversation immediately. The very idea of having bodyguards follow him everywhere was enough to spark an argument. He valued his independence too much and hated feeling like someone was constantly watching over him.

But this time, he didn’t fight it. He leaned back, a calculating gleam in his eyes, and smiled. "Fine. But I want a male personal assistant. And I want four bodyguards."

Matteo raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised, and immediately compiled a list of his strongest and most trusted men.

But Adrian wasn’t passive. He took the list and personally vetted every candidate. He set strict boundaries, laid down his own rules, and made it clear exactly what he expected from them.

If he was going to be guarded, it would be entirely on his own terms.

Matteo agreed to every one of Adrian’s conditions and even added a few of his own. With that settled, Adrian’s security was finally locked down. Whether Matteo was home or away on business, he could rest assured knowing Adrian was safe.

Meanwhile, back at Matteo’s main estate, the fallout from everything that had happened was slowly being dealt with.

Kelly was the first of the two brothers to be released. From the beginning, he had fully cooperated with Tony, confessing everything he knew and holding nothing back.

He repeatedly begged for his freedom, clinging to the hope that if he could get proper surgery, he might still be able to return to work one day, though even he wasn’t certain if that was possible. It was a desperate hope, especially considering the extent of his injuries.

When Tony informed Matteo about Kelly’s confession and request for medical treatment, Matteo chose not to make the decision alone.

He brought the matter straight to Adrian.

"Should we let him go?" Matteo asked, watching Adrian’s expression closely.

Adrian took a sip of his drink, completely unbothered.

"I’m done with Kelly," he said. "Let him go. But Kevin? Kevin needs to stay a little longer. He’s the one who hurt me the most."

Matteo nodded. "Alright, baby."

He picked up his phone and called Tony. After giving him his instructions, he ended the call and set the phone aside.

And just like that, Kelly became the first of the two brothers to be released.

After leaving Matteo’s estate, he checked himself into a hospital. The injuries he had suffered were too severe to ignore, and he needed proper medical treatment if he wanted any chance of rebuilding his life.

Most days, he lay awake in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling with nothing but his thoughts for company.

For the first time in years, he was forced to look back on everything he had done.

From the way he bullied Matteo during their school days to the way he pushed Mark down the stairs, one memory after another came rushing back.

The more he thought about it, the harder it became to avoid the truth.

He had spent years blaming other people for the consequences of his own actions.

His pride.

His hatred.

His need to hurt others whenever things didn’t go his way.

One mistake after another had led him here.

In the end, Kelly realized that nobody had destroyed his life for him.

He had done that himself.

Desperate to make amends and save what was left of his family, Kelly picked up his phone and began typing a long message to Matteo.

To: Matteo

Matteo, I don’t know if you’ll read this, but I need to say it anyway. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for the way my friends and I treated you back in school. I’m sorry for bullying you, for pushing Mark down the stairs, and for every cruel thing I did over the years. I’m sorry for trying to hurt Adrian, not once but twice.

For a long time, I convinced myself that I was the victim. I told myself I had every right to hate you because you slept with my boyfriend, and I used that anger as an excuse for everything I did. But lying in this hospital bed has given me a lot of time to think. The truth is that I was wrong from the very beginning. I was wrong when I bullied you. I was wrong when I hurt Mark. I was wrong when I let my hatred control me. For years, I blamed other people for everything that went wrong in my life. Now I realize most of it was the result of my own actions, and I’m finally paying the price for those mistakes.

I wish I could go back and change the past, but I can’t. I know I don’t deserve forgiveness, and I’m not asking you to forget what I’ve done. I just wanted you to know that I’m truly sorry.

There is one last thing I want to ask. Please show my brother mercy. I know neither of us deserves it. I know Kevin has done terrible things, and I know I have no right to ask anything from you. But he’s still my brother. If you let him go, I promise I’ll personally make sure he leaves the country and returns abroad. He will never cross your path again. Please, Matteo. This is the last favor I will ever ask of you.

Matteo’s phone buzzed on the coffee table.

He reached for it and opened the message. His eyes scanned the lengthy text, but his face gave nothing away.

Beside him on the living room sofa, Adrian was curled up comfortably, a bowl of popcorn resting between them as a movie played softly in the background.

Once he finished reading the message, Matteo turned to Adrian. "Baby."

Adrian looked up from the television. "Yes, babe?"

Without a word, Matteo handed him the phone.

Adrian took it and started reading. The room fell quiet except for the sound of the movie playing in the background.

A few moments later, he lowered the phone and handed it back.

Matteo set it on the coffee table before turning to look at him.

"What do you think?"

Adrian’s expression hardened as memories of his confinement flashed through his mind.

"I’m not God, Matteo. I wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with Kevin if he hadn’t done all of that to me. But the fact that he lied and kept insisting that he slept with me, even when he knew it wasn’t true, made me hate him even more.

"That lie hurt me more than anything else. He wanted people to believe it. He wanted me to carry that humiliation for the rest of my life."

A cold look settled in his eyes. "He deserved to be punished for what he did. He deserved to understand the pain he put me through."

Matteo didn’t hesitate, his loyalty absolute. "Then let him remain there."

Adrian paused, looking into Matteo’s fierce, protective eyes.

The anger in his chest slowly faded, replaced by a deep sense of exhaustion. He was tired of carrying the hatred. Tired of letting the past take up space in his life.

No, baby," Adrian sighed, leaning his head back onto Matteo’s shoulder. "Since he has experienced what I went through—honestly, probably worse than what I went through, it’s better to just let him go. I want to move into the next Chapter of our lives."

Matteo looked at him for a long moment before his expression softened. He wrapped an arm around Adrian’s waist and pulled him closer.

"You’re right, baby. It’s over. We’ve been dealing with this for three weeks now, and Kevin has already paid the price for what he did."

His fingers slid through Adrian’s hair.

"Their family doesn’t have the power or connections to fight back anyway. Their mother has been calling... nonstop, crying and begging for mercy. It means nothing to me because her sons brought this on themselves. But if you’re ready to move on, then so am I. I’ll tell Tony to release him."

Adrian closed his eyes, a final, definitive sense of peace settling over him as he rested against Matteo’s chest. "Good. Then it’s done." He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the TV screen, though his voice carried a chilling weight. "I just hope that in this life, and whatever life comes next, he never tries to touch me again."

Matteo tightened his grip around him, his voice low and certain. "He wouldn’t dare cross that line again."

"Let him go," Adrian said softly.

Matteo didn’t waste another second. He pulled out his phone and typed a brief, commanding text to Tony.

To: Tony

Release Kevin. It’s over.

Back at Matteo’s estate, Tony and Mark were having a conversation at the dining table when Tony’s phone buzzed.

He picked it up, read the Matteo message, then immediately handed the phone to Mark.

Mark read the message in silence before giving it back.

He scoffed and shook his head.

"I know Matteo. He’ll always go along with whatever Adrian wants, and I’m sure this decision came from Adrian, not him. Matteo would never make this kind of decision. But that’s their choice. This is mine."

Mark straightened up, his expression turning cold and stubborn.

"As far as I’m concerned, the only way Kevin walks out of here is if he’s ready to apologize to Adrian. He needs to face him, own up to everything he did, and prove he finally understands the damage he caused..."