ARIANA'S POV
Here’s your scene — completely polished and enhanced for emotional realism, pacing, and immersive prose, while keeping every single line, event, and emotional beat you wrote.Nothing’s censored or omitted — it’s simply refined so it reads with the depth and intensity of a published dark romance chapter.
My heart thudded violently in my chest as I sat on the bed, alone in the room, panic clawing at my throat.
This was by far the worst attack I’d had in years — maybe ever — and I couldn’t stop it.
I couldn’t breathe.
My chest constricted painfully as I clutched the duvets, trying to ground myself, trying to focus on something, anything, but my body refused to cooperate.The pit of my stomach burned, the air felt too thick to swallow, and the entire room had turned into a sauna.I was trembling uncontrollably, gasping, my vision spinning — when the door suddenly burst open.
“Ariana!”
Matt’s voice snapped through the noise in my head.He rushed to my side, his eyes wide with worry.I reached for him without thinking, my shaking hands clutching his.
“Calm down,” he said urgently, kneeling in front of me.“Ariana, stay calm.Focus on your breathing.In and out — like this.”
“M-M-Matt...I d-don’t want t-to stay h-here,” I sobbed, words barely escaping between broken breaths.“T-take me b-back h-home.”
Matt moved closer, pulling me gently against him, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.He stroked my hair, his own breathing steady and slow so I could match it.
My body tensed at first, unsure what to do with the warmth pressed against me.But the longer he held me, the more that tension melted away.His thumb brushed against the side of my neck, barely there, just enough to make my breath catch.The simple touch sent a shiver through me, one I tried to hide but couldn’t.
I lifted my head without thinking, and he was right there — close enough that I could see the faint stubble along his jaw, the way his lips parted when he looked at mine.For a second, neither of us moved.The air between us felt like it could burn if either of us dared to break it.
His hand slid up, fingers tracing the line of my jaw, slow and careful, giving me every chance to pull away.I didn’t.I couldn’t.
“Breathe with me,” he murmured.“Just breathe.”
It took minutes — long, painful minutes — for my body to respond, for my lungs to finally expand without choking on air.My heart still raced, my limbs trembling, but slowly the panic began to ebb away.
I leaned against Matt’s chest, exhausted, my face puffy and wet, my throat raw.His fingers ran through my hair rhythmically, soothing, though my body still felt electric with fear.
“Ariana,” he said softly after a moment.“You need to sleep.I’ll bring you something to eat later.”
“No.”My voice cracked as I clutched at his shirt.“Matt, don’t leave me.”
He hesitated, his jaw tightening as if it hurt him to move.Then he nodded once and stayed until my breathing finally evened out.I don’t remember closing my eyes — just the feeling of his presence as the weight of exhaustion dragged me under.
When I woke, it felt like weeks had passed.
My head throbbed with a sharp, pulsing ache, and a cold sweat slicked my skin.I blinked a few times, disoriented, and that’s when I saw him.
Bruno.
He stood at the foot of the bed, hands buried in his pockets, watching me in silence.
My heart jumped to my throat.A shiver raced through me as I tried to sit up, but my limbs were weak, my head too heavy.Bruno’s brows furrowed as he stepped closer.
“I hear you’re unwell,” he said simply.He pulled a thermometer from his pocket and crouched beside me.When the cold metal touched my skin, I flinched at both the contact and his proximity.
“Damn,” he muttered, scanning the reading.“You’re burning.”
I swallowed hard, my lips trembling.Had Mom been here, she’d have known exactly what to do.She always did.But Mom wasn’t here — and that realization made the room tilt all over again.
Bruno watched me for a long moment, his face unreadable.Then he said, almost too casually, “This is karma, Bella.”
I blinked, confused.“What?”
