What happens when Valentina no longer wants to be Robby's weekend lover?
Valentina exhaled a plume of vapor that momentarily obscured the frost etched window as she nodded, eyes half closed, to the haunting crescendos of “Purple Rain.” Prince’s raw, ethereal falsetto bounced between the sun faded ceiling and the Corolla’s threadbare upholstery, its once blue fibers now a patchwork of navy and gray.
Her chipped burgundy nails tapped an unconscious counterpoint against the steering wheel’s leather, worn smooth and pale at ten and two from thousands of similar journeys. The furrow between her thick, unplucked brows deepened like a freshly carved riverbed with each green mile marker that smeared into oblivion at the periphery of her vision.
Through the smudged windshield, dawn hemorrhaged across the vast canvas of sky, first the tender lavender of a fresh bruise, then a molten amber that set the world ablaze, transforming the underbellies of wispy cirrus clouds into perfect echoes of the melancholy purple that poured from tinny speakers and seeped into her bones like a familiar ache.
By the time Valentina pulled into the Pitt’s physician lot, the song had dissolved into a hush of static, its final notes clinging to the air like something unfinished. She sat there for a moment, hands resting on the wheel, breath steady but heavy, before reaching for the navy scrub top folded beside her. The fabric was soft from years of washing, familiar in a way that felt almost comforting. She changed quickly, pulled her hair back into a low knot, clipped her badge to her waistband, and stepped out into the cold that snapped her fully awake.
Inside, the emergency department pulsed with early morning life. Monitors chimed in uneven rhythms, stretchers rolled past, and the low murmur of voices filled the space between curtained bays. Valentina moved through it all with quiet authority, scrub sleeves pushed slightly up her forearms, sneakers already marked by long shifts and longer nights. She didn’t need a coat to announce who she was. The way people looked up when she spoke did that for her.
She saw Robby near the trauma desk, leaning one hip against the counter as he scanned a chart. His scrubs were the same familiar dark shade, worn in at the elbows, his badge swinging slightly as he shifted his weight. When he glanced up, their eyes met, and something unspoken passed between them. Not quite a smile, not quite restraint. Just recognition. He lifted his chin in greeting, casual enough for anyone watching, and she returned it with a brief nod before turning back to the patient in front of her.
They worked in close proximity without crossing paths too closely, a careful choreography learned over time. A shared look when a monitor alarmed unnecessarily, a quiet exchange over lab results, the brush of his arm as he passed behind her in a narrow hallway. To anyone else, they were just two doctors navigating another shift. Only Valentina felt how each near miss pulled at something deeper, how the familiarity pressed in on her ribs.
When the department surged, she welcomed the distraction. She focused on orders and assessments, on the sharp clarity that came with doing what she was trained to do. Still, in the brief pauses between patients, the echo of the morning lingered. Purple sorrow. Purple want. It followed her through the halls, settling under her skin as she worked, as if reminding her that some things refused to stay compartmentalized, no matter how practiced she had become at trying.
-
Valentina filled every empty second with motion.
She took over a trauma reassessment that had already been signed off, rewrote notes that were perfectly legible, and volunteered to call consults no one wanted to make. Her tablet never left her hands. If she stopped walking, she felt it immediately, the weight pressing in on her chest, the thoughts waiting for their turn. So she kept moving. Bay to bay. Hallway to hallway. Purpose stacked on purpose.
It almost worked.
The memory caught her while she was pulling on fresh gloves. The snap of latex against her wrists was too close to the sound of the blinds in Robby’s apartment, the way they had shifted when morning came. Two days ago. Sunday. The quiet kind of morning where the world felt paused. She remembered lying there, the warmth of him still lingering, his arm heavy across her waist as if it belonged there. The way he had pressed his forehead to hers for just a second longer than necessary. Not a promise. Not a goodbye. Just enough to blur the line again.
Her breath stuttered.
It was always like that with him. The intimacy was careful and unguarded at the same time. The way he touched her like he knew her. Like he cared. And then the way he pulled back afterward, walls sliding into place so smoothly it almost felt practiced. No talk of more. No future tense. Just weekends borrowed from a life he refused to fully open.
Her chest tightened painfully. She swallowed hard and focused on the sink as she scrubbed her hands, water rushing over her skin, grounding and relentless. She had agreed to this. She had told herself she could keep the feelings separate, that she could live in the in between. Standing there now, she felt the truth crack through her ribs. Wanting more was not the problem. Staying when she knew she would never get it was.
Her eyes burned. She blinked it away.
“Rodriguez.”
Dana’s voice cut through the moment, sharp and familiar.
Valentina straightened instantly, turning as Dana stepped into the room, clipboard tucked under one arm. Dana did not look rushed, which was how Valentina knew she had noticed. She always noticed.
“You’ve been clocking miles today,” Dana said, eyes scanning her once, efficiently. “Extra consults. Extra notes. You running from something or toward it.”
Valentina forced a breath out through her nose. “Just staying ahead.”
Dana hummed, unconvinced. She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You haven’t stopped moving since you got here. That’s not you.”
Valentina looked down at the sink, at the water still running. “It’s a busy day.”
Dana reached out and turned the faucet off herself. The sudden quiet felt too loud.
“Hey,” Dana said, firmer now but not unkind. “Look at me.”
Valentina did. The control she wore like armor cracked just enough.
Dana sighed softly, her expression shifting from sharp assessment to something gentler. “You don’t have to tell me details,” she said. “But you look like someone breaking themselves in half trying to make something work.”
The words landed too close to the truth. Valentina’s throat tightened. “I thought I could handle it,” she admitted quietly. “I thought if I didn’t ask for more, it wouldn’t hurt.”
Dana nodded once, as if that confirmed something she already knew. “That usually hurts the most,” she said. “When you start shrinking your needs to keep someone comfortable.”
She paused, then added, “You can’t keep loving people on terms that erase you.”
The room felt heavy with it.
Dana placed a steady hand on Valentina’s arm, grounding and sure. “Sometimes we need to let go,” she said. “Not because we don’t care. But because staying costs us too much.”
Valentina closed her eyes briefly, the truth settling deep and unavoidable.
When Dana stepped away, the noise of the department rushed back in. But something inside Valentina had gone quiet.
-
The trauma alert cut through the department like a blade.
Valentina was already moving when the gurney burst through the doors, Samira at her side, Whitaker trailing close behind with supplies. The patient was critical, blood pressure unstable, breath shallow and uneven. The room tightened instantly, everyone falling into their places with the kind of instinct that only came from trust built over time.
Robby stepped in across from her.
For a split second, Valentina registered him the way she always did first. The set of his shoulders. The focus sharpening his features. Then the patient pulled her fully back into the present, and there was no room for anything else. She called out orders calmly, clearly. Samira echoed them without hesitation, already moving, already anticipating. They had worked together long enough that words were often unnecessary.
Valentina reached for gauze just as Robby did.
Their hands brushed.
It was barely anything. A fleeting graze of skin, the lightest contact between knuckles. But it detonated inside her. Her breath caught so sharply she almost missed the next vital reading. Her mind betrayed her instantly, flooding with memory. The warmth of his hands against her waist. The way his fingers had traced the same spot two nights ago, slow and familiar. How those same hands had held her like she mattered, even as he refused to let her mean more.
Her chest ached.
She pulled her hand back a fraction too quickly, fingers curling into her palm as if to contain the feeling. She focused on the patient’s face, on the rise and fall of the chest, on the monitor numbers blinking insistently. Anything but the heat lingering where Robby had touched her.
“Pressure’s dropping,” Whitaker said, voice steady but young, eyes flicking between the monitors and Valentina.
“I’ve got it,” Valentina said immediately, gentler with him than she was with most. “You’re doing great. Stay with me.”
Whitaker nodded, grounding himself in her confidence. She caught Samira’s eye across the bed and they shared a brief look, wordless and intimate in its own way. Samira squeezed her arm lightly as she passed behind her, a sisterly touch, reassuring, solid. Samira always knew when Valentina needed that quiet reminder that she was not alone.
Robby moved closer again, passing instruments across the narrow space. Each time he did, Valentina felt it. The brush of his sleeve against her forearm. The warmth of his presence at her back. Every near touch felt like reopening a wound that had not had time to scar.
She could hear his breathing when he leaned in. Calm. Controlled. Professional. As if nothing had ever passed between them beyond this room. As if Sunday morning had not existed.
Her heart twisted painfully.
At one point, his hand steadied hers as she threaded a line, instinctive and automatic. A doctor’s reflex. But the contact lingered a second too long. His thumb pressed lightly against her skin, grounding and devastating all at once. Her hands did not shake, but something inside her did. She pulled away gently, deliberately, reclaiming space she desperately needed to survive the moment.
Samira noticed. She always noticed.
Without saying anything, she stepped closer to Valentina’s side, filling the space Robby had vacated, her presence a quiet shield. Valentina breathed easier with her there. Family did not ask for pieces of you you could not give.
They stabilized the patient together. Teamwork seamless. Professional. Clean.
When it was over, when the room exhaled and people began to step back, Valentina finally let her shoulders drop. She avoided Robby’s eyes, focusing instead on Whitaker.
“Good work,” she told him softly. “You kept your head. That mattered.”
Whitaker smiled, relief bright and genuine. “You taught me.”
Samira bumped Valentina’s shoulder lightly, affectionate. “Come on. I’ll grab you water.”
Valentina nodded, grateful beyond words.
As she walked out of the room, she felt Robby’s gaze on her back. She did not turn around.
Because if she did, she was not sure she would be able to hold herself together.
And loving him like this, in fragments and stolen moments, was already breaking her more than she could afford.
The adrenaline drained from Valentina’s veins in slow, reluctant waves, leaving behind that familiar post trauma emptiness that made the world feel too bright and too sharp. The hallway outside the bay was a corridor of fluorescent glare and stale air, the kind that clung to the back of her throat and made every breath taste faintly of disinfectant and old coffee. She walked with purpose anyway, shoulders squared, hands still slightly damp from scrubbing, the skin along her knuckles raw and pink where she had washed too hard, too long, as if friction could erase memory.
Behind her, the department resumed its endless churn. A call bell rang, someone laughed too loudly at something that was not funny, a monitor alarmed and was silenced with the casual impatience of people who lived inside alarms. The noise blurred into a single living thing, pulsing and indifferent. Valentina kept her eyes forward, focusing on the small practical details that could anchor her. The clipped edge of her badge against her waistband. The weight of her stethoscope tugging at the collar of her scrubs. The faint ache in her calves that reminded her she was still moving, still functioning, still fine.
She almost made it to the workstation before she felt him.
Not his voice, not yet. His presence. The way the air seemed to change when Robby was close, as if the space around him carried its own gravity. She felt it in the tiny lift of her pulse, in the involuntary tightening of her ribs, in the way her mind reached for him before she could stop it. Like a reflex. Like muscle memory.
“Val.”
His voice was low, careful, threaded with something that sounded like concern and could have been guilt if she let herself believe in it.
She stopped, not because she wanted to, but because ignoring him would be too obvious. Too loud. Too much like an accusation. She turned slowly, as if she had all the time in the world, as if her heart was not pressing against her sternum like it was trying to escape.
Robby stood a few feet away, one hand braced on the counter, the other holding a folded piece of paper that might have been labs or discharge notes. His scrubs were wrinkled at the waist where he had leaned over the bed, and there was a faint smear of something dark along the edge of his glove cuff that he must not have noticed yet. His hair had fallen out of place, and his eyes, still sharp from the case, softened when they landed on her face. It was the same look he had given her on Sunday morning when the sunlight had slipped across his sheets and he had blinked at her like she was something he did not quite deserve.
Valentina hated that she noticed.
She hated that the smallest details of him lived in her like a song she could not stop humming.
“You good?” he asked.
The question was simple, almost casual, but it carried too much weight. It was not about the patient. It was not about the shift. It was about the way her hand had flinched when his touched hers. About the way she had stepped back as if he burned. About the way she had walked out without looking at him like she could not trust herself to stay.
Valentina blinked once, slowly, and forced her expression into something smooth. Neutral. Professional. A face that belonged to Dr. Rodriguez, not the girl who had memorized the shape of his mouth in the dark.
“I’m fine,” she said.
Her voice came out steady, almost bored, the way she spoke when she was delivering lab results that did not matter. She watched his eyebrows lift slightly, a small crack in his composure. He was not used to her sounding like this. Not with him.
Robby shifted his weight, the paper in his hand crinkling softly. “You were great in there,” he said, trying again, as if praise could soften whatever he had felt in her distance. “You always are. I just…” He paused, eyes searching hers like he might find a doorway back in. “I don’t know. You seemed off.”
Valentina let the silence stretch just long enough to be uncomfortable, just long enough for him to feel the absence of warmth where it usually lived between them. She looked past him, over his shoulder, to where Samira was talking to a nurse near the supply closet, her hands moving as she explained something with gentle emphasis. Whitaker hovered nearby, listening with the kind of attention that made Valentina’s chest tighten for an entirely different reason, protective and fond. Life kept going. People kept needing things. She could not afford to fall apart in a hallway because Robby had finally noticed the damage.
“I have patients,” she said simply.
It was not untrue. It was just incomplete, the way most truths were when you were trying not to bleed.
Robby’s jaw tightened, the muscle in his cheek flexing as if he was biting back whatever he wanted to say. “Okay,” he said, quieter now. “Yeah. I know. I just wanted to check.”
Valentina nodded once, crisp and polite. The kind of nod you gave a coworker you barely knew. The kind that shut doors.
She turned back to the workstation and pretended to read the screen, the blue glow reflecting faintly in her eyes. Her fingers moved across the keyboard with clinical efficiency, opening charts, scanning names, clicking through orders she had already placed. The cursor blinked like a heartbeat. It felt mocking.
Robby did not leave immediately. She could feel him there, hovering in the space behind her, uncertain, like someone standing outside a locked room with the wrong key. She knew that feeling too well. She had lived in it for months. Waiting for him to choose her in daylight the way he chose her in the dark.
“Valentina,” he said again, softer, closer.
Her name in his mouth was always dangerous. It was never just a sound. It was always an invitation.
She swallowed, keeping her gaze fixed on the screen. “Robby,” she answered, flat.
The dryness in her voice surprised even her. It tasted like metal, like restraint. Like the thin edge of something breaking.
He exhaled, a slow breath that sounded almost like frustration. “Did I do something?” he asked.
There it was. The question he never asked when it mattered. The question that came only when he could sense her slipping out of reach.
Valentina’s fingers paused on the keyboard. For half a second, she saw Sunday again with painful clarity. The way he had kissed her shoulder like an apology. The way he had laughed softly when she stole his hoodie. The way he had looked at her like he wanted to say something real and then swallowed it down, letting the moment pass because commitment was a language he refused to learn.
She could have answered him honestly.
She could have said yes. You did. You do. Every time you hold me like I belong to you and then act like I don’t.
Instead, she lifted her hand and pointed at the screen without turning fully around, the gesture clipped and efficient. “I have a consult in Bay Four,” she said. “Dana asked for me.”
It was a lie, but it was a believable one. It was the kind of lie the Pitt was built for, excuses wrapped in urgency, feelings swallowed under protocol.
Robby’s silence thickened. When she finally turned, his eyes were darker, his expression caught between hurt and resignation. He nodded once, too tight. Too controlled. The same way he always nodded when he did not want to fight for something.
“Right,” he said. “Okay.”
Valentina offered him nothing. No softness. No reassurance. No smile to make it easier for him to walk away.
Because she was tired of making it easy.
She grabbed her tablet, tucked it against her side, and moved past him, close enough that the edge of her scrub sleeve brushed his arm. The contact was accidental, fleeting, cruel in its familiarity. Her skin sparked where it touched him, her body remembering what her mind was trying to forget. She kept walking anyway, eyes forward, spine straight, as if the ache inside her was not widening with every step.
Behind her, she heard him exhale again, a quiet sound that might have been her name swallowed down.
Valentina did not look back.
She told herself she was doing the right thing.
She told herself she could survive the emptiness that followed.
But deep down she knew she'd be in those warm covers next weekend.
-
The room was small and too bright, the kind of exam room that made everything feel exposed. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a pale sheen over the stainless steel tray and the thin paper covering the bed. Valentina stood at the counter, reviewing the chart on her tablet while the patient sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, her injured arm cradled awkwardly against her torso. A makeshift sling kept the limb close, but it did little to soften the way she winced every time she shifted.
“Okay,” Valentina said gently, her voice settling into that calm, reassuring cadence she used when people were scared. “We’re going to take another look at your arm, make sure everything’s aligned properly before we splint it. I’ll go slow.”
The woman nodded, jaw tight. She looked to be in her early thirties, dark hair pulled back too hastily, mascara faintly smudged beneath tired eyes. Pain clung to her posture, but there was something else there too. Something heavier. Valentina had learned to recognize it. The kind of hurt that had nothing to do with bones.
She set the tablet down and approached, hands warm as she gently adjusted the sling. Her fingers were careful, precise, applying just enough pressure to stabilize without causing more pain. The woman sucked in a sharp breath, then let it out in a shaky exhale.
“I’m sorry,” the woman murmured. “I know I’m being dramatic.”
“You’re not,” Valentina replied immediately. “Fractures hurt. You’re allowed to react to that.”
The woman let out a humorless laugh. “That’s not what he says.”
Valentina paused, just for a fraction of a second. Her hands remained steady, but something inside her tightened.
“He’s in the waiting room,” the woman continued, eyes fixed on the wall across from her. “Pacing. Acting like this is the worst inconvenience of his life.”
Valentina adjusted her grip, guiding the woman’s arm slightly higher. “Who is he to you?” she asked softly.
The woman hesitated, then shrugged with one shoulder. “That’s kind of the problem. He doesn’t like labels. Says they make things complicated.”
Valentina felt the words land like a blow to the sternum.
She kept her expression neutral, professional, as she reached for the splinting materials. Her movements were smooth, practiced, but her chest ached suddenly, sharply, like a bruise pressed too hard.
“I fell,” the woman went on. “Slipped on the stairs outside his place. He heard it happen. Came running down like he was terrified.” She swallowed. “Held me the whole way here. Wouldn’t let go. Kept telling me everything was going to be okay.”
Valentina wrapped padding gently around the arm, listening. Always listening. This was part of the job. It was what she did.
“And now?” she asked quietly.
The woman let out a bitter breath. “Now he’s irritated. Because I cried too much in triage. Because it’s taking too long. Because I asked him if he could stay tonight.”
Valentina’s fingers stilled for just a moment before she forced them to move again.
“He said he cares about me,” the woman said, voice trembling now. “Just not in the way I want. He said we should keep things how they are. Easy. Fun. No pressure.”
Valentina felt her throat tighten.
She pressed the splint into place, her hands suddenly feeling heavier, as if gravity had increased in the room. The patient’s words echoed too closely, aligning with memories Valentina had been trying desperately to outrun. Sunday mornings that felt intimate but undefined. Nights that felt like love until daylight stripped them of meaning. The way Robby had held her like she mattered, only to pull away before it became anything real.
“I don’t know why it hurts so much,” the woman whispered. “I knew what I was agreeing to. I told myself I could handle it. But every time he looks at me like I’m everything, and then reminds me I’m not, it feels like something inside me just… caves in.”
Valentina’s vision blurred for a moment.
She focused on the task at hand, on securing the splint properly, on checking circulation and alignment. She could not afford to fall apart here. She was the doctor. She was the steady one.
But her heart broke anyway.
It fractured quietly, the way bones sometimes did, not with a snap but with a dull, devastating pressure that left everything misaligned afterward.
“You deserve care,” Valentina said finally, her voice low and firm. “Not just when it’s convenient.”
The woman looked at her then, really looked at her, eyes shining with unshed tears. “Is it wrong to want more?”
Valentina inhaled slowly through her nose, steadying herself. The question lodged deep in her chest, painful and familiar.
“No,” she said. “It’s not wrong. It’s human.”
She finished securing the splint and stepped back, giving the woman space. The room felt smaller now, thick with shared understanding. Two women standing on opposite sides of the same ache.
“He’s probably going to act like I’m overreacting,” the woman said softly. “Like this is all just a lot.”
Valentina nodded once. “People who don’t want to feel deeply often mistake depth for drama.”
The woman let out a shaky laugh. “That sounds like experience talking.”
Valentina offered a faint, sad smile. “Maybe.”
She helped the woman ease back, checked her vitals one last time, and explained the next steps with practiced clarity. Ice. Elevation. Follow up. All the things that could heal the physical damage.
There was no prescription for the rest.
As Valentina stepped out of the room, she caught sight of the man in the waiting area. He stood with his arms crossed, foot tapping impatiently against the floor, phone clutched loosely in his hand. He did not look worried. He looked inconvenienced.
The sight made her chest ache all over again.
She turned away before he noticed her watching and walked back into the controlled chaos of the department, heart heavy with the weight of recognition.
Because hearing it spoken aloud by someone else made it impossible to ignore anymore.
She could not keep loving someone who only wanted her in pieces.
And for the first time, the thought did not just hurt.
It clarified.
-
The breakroom was a sanctuary of flickering fluorescent light and the stale, burnt scent of coffee that had been sitting far too long. Outside those double doors, the Pitt was a symphony of sirens and shouting, but inside, the silence was heavy enough to choke on. Valentina sat at the scarred laminate table, her fingers tracing the rim of a paper cup, her mind stuck on the woman with the fractured arm, a mirror she hadn't wanted to look into.
The door creaked open, and Santos stepped in. She looked exhausted, her scrub top wrinkled, but there was a softness in her eyes that hadn't been there a few months ago. She moved to the counter, pouring a cup of water, her movements lacking the jagged edge of stress that usually defined a shift at the Pitt.
"Rough one?" Santos asked, her voice low. She slid into the plastic chair across from Valentina, leaning back.
Valentina didn't look up. "Just a lot of breaks today. The kind you can't just set and plaster over."
Santos watched her for a moment, her expression intuitive. "You've been quiet lately, Val. Even for you. If it's the budget meetings or the night shift rotation, I can—"
"It's not the job, Santos," Valentina interrupted, finally lifting her gaze. She forced a small, flickering smile. "I’m fine. Just tired. How are things with you? I saw Garcia bringing you lunch earlier. He looked like he’d crawled through a mile of glass just to make sure you had a sandwich."
At the mention of Garcia, Santos’s entire posture shifted. The tension in her shoulders didn't just vanish; it transformed. A genuine, radiant warmth bloomed across her face, a look of absolute, terrifying security.
"She's a dork," Santos said, though the affection in her tone betrayed her. "She stayed up until two in the morning helping me study those new protocols, and then she still got up early to pack that bag for me. I told him she didn't have to, that we’re both busy, that we don't need to do the 'couple' thing every single second."
Valentina felt a sharp, icy needle prick at the lining of her stomach. "And what did she say?"
"She told me that there’s no such thing as a 'couple thing,'" Santos whispered, her eyes drifting toward the window as if she could see her there. "She said he does it because she wants to make my life easier. Because she’s in it. All the way in. No exit strategy, no fine print. She told me, 'Santos, you’re my person. Why would I be anywhere else?'"
The words hit Valentina with the force of a physical blow. *No exit strategy. No fine print.*
She thought of Robby. She thought of the way he looked at her in the dark of his apartment on a Saturday night , eyes full of a desperate, hungry kind of worship that made her feel like the center of his universe. She thought of the way his hands felt, certain and familiar. But then she thought of Sunday morning. The way he would start talking about "space" and "expectations" before the coffee was even brewed. The way he would pull the curtain shut the moment the light got too bright, as if the sun might expose the fact that they were more than just a temporary arrangement.
"That must be nice," Valentina said, her voice sounding thin and hollow to her own ears. "To know where you stand. To not have to guess if you're invited to the future."
"It’s everything," Santos replied, missing the tremor in Valentina’s hands. "I didn't think it existed, honestly. Especially not here, in this meat grinder of a hospital. I thought everything was just... transactional. You give a little, you get a little, and you keep your heart in a locker so it doesn't get stepped on. But with her? I don't have to hide."
Valentina felt a wave of nausea, not from disgust, but from a profound, agonizing jealousy that tasted like copper. She was happy for Santos; she truly was. But seeing the light in her friend’s eyes was like watching someone bask in the sun while she was trapped behind a wall of thick, reinforced glass.
She wanted what Santos had. She wanted the mundane, boring, public certainty of being loved. She wanted to be the woman who got the lunch brought to her, not the secret "weekend lover" who had to slip out of the back door before the world woke up. She was tired of being the girl who was "too important to lose" but "too complicated to claim."
"She really loves you," Valentina murmured, her chest tightening until it was hard to draw a full breath.
"She does," Santos said softly, finally noticing the way Valentina was staring at her cup. Santos reached across the table, laying her hand over Valentina’s cold fingers. "You’ll find it, Val. You’re too incredible not to have someone see you for exactly who you are and want to stay."
Valentina looked at Santos’s hand, then up at her friend’s pitying, hopeful face. The irony was a jagged pill she couldn't swallow. She had someone who saw her. She had someone who looked at her with more passion than she knew what to do with. But he didn't want to stay. He wanted to visit. He wanted the nectar without the responsibility of the hive.
The churn in her stomach turned into a slow, dull ache that radiated through her limbs. The jealousy was a shameful heat, rising up her neck. She hated that she envied the simplicity of a sandwich. She hated that she was settling for crumbs while Santos was being offered a feast.
"I have to get back to the floor," Valentina said abruptly, pulling her hand away. The movement was sharp, almost violent.
"Val? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she lied, the word tasting like ash. "I just... I realized I left something unfinished. A fracture I didn't quite close."
She stood up, her legs feeling heavy and disconnected. As she walked toward the door, she could feel Santos’s confused gaze on her back. Valentina stepped out into the hallway, the chaotic noise of the Pitt rushing back in to meet her, but all she could hear was the woman’s voice from the exam room.
*Every time he looks at me like I’m everything, and then reminds me I’m not, it feels like something inside me just… caves in.*
Valentina leaned her head against the cool tile of the hallway wall, closing her eyes. When the "weekend" was coming. Robby would call. He would use that low, gravelly tone that made her forget her own name. He would offer her two days of heaven in exchange for five days of hell.
And for the first time in years, Valentina realized she couldn't survive another Monday.
A WEEK LATER -
The Saturday sun was beginning to dip below the horizon and it cast long and bruised shadows of violet and deep amber across the floor of the apartment. The living room was a study in minimalist solitude with its cold industrial windows and the dark hardwood that reflected the flickering light of a single scented candle burning on the mantle. The air inside the room was thick and cloying with the scent of rain from the open window and the expensive cedarwood cologne that Robby always wore. To Valentina that scent was a drug that smelled of midnight and woodsmoke and it usually acted as a heavy sedative to her common sense.
Valentina sat on the edge of the low velvet sofa and she felt the plush fabric beneath her palms while the muffled sounds of the Chicago streets moved like a ghost outside the glass. She was wearing a soft cream knit dress that hugged her curves and left her shoulders bare to the chilled evening air. Her dark curls were a wild and intentional mess cascading over her shoulders in tight spirals that caught the dim light. She felt every second ticking by like a hammer against a nail as the atmosphere in the room shifted from the casual ease of friends to the suffocating tension of something much more dangerous.
Robby moved toward her with that effortless and predatory grace that had always pulled her under his spell. He did not say a word at first because they both knew the script by heart. He reached out and his fingers brushed against the sensitive skin of her neck which sent a violent and traitorous shiver down her spine. His touch was warm and sure and it held the kind of familiarity that only comes from months of secret touches and whispered promises that always seemed to evaporate the moment the sun hit the pavement of the hospital parking lot.
"You have been quiet today," Robby murmured as his voice dropped into that low and gravelly register that always made her feel like she was the only woman left on earth.
He leaned in closer until she could feel the heat radiating from his chest through his thin cotton shirt and the soft huff of his breath against her cheek. Valentina looked at him and she saw the way the fading light caught the sharp line of his jaw and the dark and turbulent depth of his eyes. He looked at her like she was water and he was dying of thirst. It was the look that had kept her trapped in this cycle for so long because it felt like a silent confession of a love he refused to name.
The silence between them stretched and it became a living thing that was heavy and agonizing. Robby reached up and his hand cupped her face while his thumb traced the line of her lower lip with a slow and rhythmic pressure. Valentina felt her heart fracture just a little more as she realized he was waiting for her to melt. He was waiting for her to give up the ghost of her dignity and lose herself in the temporary sanctuary of his bed.
He began to lean down and his eyes slowly fluttered shut as he sought the contact he had been craving all week. Their lips were mere centimeters apart and the electricity between them was a physical force that made the air hum with a desperate and hollow promise. Valentina could smell the faint trace of espresso on his breath and feel the slight rasp of his stubble against her skin as he moved to finally claim her.
Just as their lips were about to collide Valentina stiffened. The warmth of his proximity suddenly felt like a lie and the weight of the secrets they kept felt like a mountain on her chest. She pressed her palms against his chest and pushed back with a sudden and trembling strength that broke the spell. She stood up abruptly and her legs felt heavy and disconnected as she backed away toward the center of the shadow filled room.
"I don't want to be your weekend lover anymore, Robby," she said as the first hot and crystalline tears finally welled in her eyes and spilled over the curve of her cheeks.
The sky outside the industrial windows finally fractured and a torrential downpour began to lash against the glass with a violence that echoed the storm breaking inside the room. The sound was a rhythmic and relentless drumming like a thousand fingers tapping against the pane trying to get in while the cold blue light of the storm washed over the apartment. The shadows of the rain slanted across the hardwood floors and tracked down the walls like tears as the atmosphere turned heavy and thick with the scent of damp pavement and the fading cedarwood of the cologne of Robby.
Robby stood up from the velvet sofa with his movements slow and agonizingly hesitant as if he were walking through deep water. He looked at her with an expression of pure and unadulterated shock as his usual composure disintegrated into something jagged and raw.
"You are not just a weekend love," he said and his voice was a hollow rasp that barely carried over the roar of the rain. He took a small step forward and reached out his hand while his eyes searched hers for any sign of the girl who always gave in. "Val, you know that is not true. You know what we have."
"It feels that way, Robby," Valentina cut him off and the words were a jagged blade of truth that seemed to bleed between them.
She stood there in the center of the room and even in her complete and utter devastation she looked ethereal. The dim and flickering light caught the crystalline trails of tears on her cheeks making her skin look like polished marble and her dark curls were wild and haloed by the blue twilight of the storm. Her eyes were bright and glassed over with a pain so profound it was beautiful in a way that felt like a tragedy. She looked like a masterpiece of grief with her cream dress clinging to her trembling frame and her chest heaving as she fought for air.
"Val, please," he whispered and the soft and intimate use of her name made her flinch as if he had struck her. It was a plea that carried the weight of every night they had spent together but it was no longer enough to bridge the gap.
"Why can't you just love me, Robby?" she cried out and her voice broke in a way that sounded like glass shattering on a stone floor. "You are ruining me. I long for you and I long for us but you only long for these weekends where you sleep with me and that is it. God, I know I agreed to this but I was blinded. I was so blinded by the way you looked at me."
She let out a sob that was a raw and visceral sound of a heart finally giving up. She wiped at her face with the back of her hand but the tears were a relentless flood that would not stop. She looked at him with a mixture of worship and absolute resentment and the honesty in her gaze was more than he could bear to meet.
"I loved—no, I love you, Robby, and you know it, fuck!" she screamed and the profanity felt like a desperate and final exhale of all the air she had been holding in for months.
She stood there shaking with her breath coming in ragged and uneven gasps while the rain outside reached a fever pitch. The silence that followed her outburst was deafening and it was filled only by the sound of her crying and the heavy and suffocating weight of a love that had become a cage. Robby stayed frozen with his hand still hovering in the air between them and his eyes were wide and filled with a terrifying realization that he had finally pushed her too far.
Robby stood there with his hand still suspended in the air and his chest rose and fell in shallow and jagged heaves. The light of the storm outside turned his skin to a cold and ashen grey and for a moment the silence was so absolute that the only sound was the frantic weeping of Valentina and the heavy drum of rain against the glass. He finally let his hand drop to his side and the sound of his palm hitting his thigh was like a gavel coming down on a death sentence.
"I can't give you what you want, Val," he whispered and the words were so low they were almost swallowed by the thunder. "I love you. God, you have to know that I love you. But I can't do the commitment. I can't be the man who promises you a forever when I don't even know if I can make it through tomorrow without feeling like the walls are closing in on me."
Valentina let out a choked and watery laugh that sounded more like a sob. She stepped closer to him and her cream dress swayed around her knees as she moved into his space. She grabbed the lapels of his shirt with fingers that were white knuckled and trembling and she looked up at him with eyes that were searching for a lie she could live with.
"Why not?" she pleaded and her voice was a desperate and ragged thing. "We were best friends, Robby. We used to sit on your floor and talk for hours about nothing. We knew everything about each other before we ever touched. We were the best thing in each other's lives. Why did you have to turn us into this? Why did you make us something that has to be hidden in the dark?"
Robby reached up and wrapped his hands around her wrists but he did not pull her away. He just held her there as if he were trying to steady her or perhaps himself. "Because the friendship was safe, Val. The friendship didn't require me to give up the parts of myself I'm afraid to show. But this? If I say I'm yours then I'm responsible for your heart. And I am terrified of breaking it more than I already have."
"Then fix it!" Valentina screamed as she shook him and more tears spilled onto the fabric of his shirt. "Fix it by staying. Fix it by saying you're mine on a Tuesday morning just as much as you are on a Saturday night. I am right here, Robby. I am standing right in front of you and I am telling you that I would choose you over anything. Why isn't that enough for you?"
Robby looked down at her and his eyes were swimming with a guilt so profound it made him look ancient. He leaned his forehead against hers and for a fleeting and beautiful second Valentina felt a surge of hope. She felt the warmth of his skin and the familiar scent of his cedarwood cologne and she thought that maybe this was the moment he would break. Maybe he would finally say the words that would make the weekends stop and the real life begin. She clung to him with a frantic and desperate strength as she prayed for a miracle in the middle of a storm.
"I wish it was enough," Robby choked out as he finally pulled back and the distance he created was cold and agonizing. "I wish I was the man who could give you the house and the lunches and the public hand-holding. But I am not that person, Val. I'm broken in ways you can't mend and if I try to be that for you I will only end up resenting the very thing I love about you."
Valentina felt the hope inside her chest wither and die like a flower in a frost. She realized then that she had been holding onto a version of him that didn't exist and the realization felt like a physical weight crushing her lungs. She looked at his face, the face of her best friend and her lover and her greatest undoing, and she saw the finality in the set of his jaw.
"So that's it?" she whispered and her voice was barely a breath. "You love me but you'd rather lose me than try?"
"I'd rather lose you than destroy you," he replied and the honesty in his voice was the most painful thing he had ever said.
Valentina let go of his shirt and stepped back and the loss of his warmth felt like being thrown into an icy lake. She realized she couldn't stay in this room for another second without losing the last of her soul.
The heavy oak door felt like a monolith as Valentina stood before it, her fingers hovering inches from the brass handle that felt as cold as ice. The apartment was suffocating, thick with the scent of rain, cedarwood, and the lingering heat of a passion that had just been severed. She turned back one last time, her body trembling so violently that her cream dress seemed to shimmer in the low light. Her face was a landscape of raw, unfiltered devastation, and her eyes , usually so bright and sharp , were now clouded and bloodshot, spilling over with a relentless flood of tears that tracked through the makeup smudged beneath her lashes.
"Please," she whispered, and the word was a fragile, jagged thing that barely carried over the rhythmic, punishing drum of the rain against the windows. "Please just say something, Robby. Give me one reason to stay that isn't just about what happens in the dark. Because if I walk out that door, we are dead. Not just this, not just the weekends, but everything. The years of knowing your favorite coffee, the way we could look at each other across a trauma bay and know exactly what the other was thinking, it all turns to ash. Don't let us become a ghost story just because you're too afraid to be happy."
She stood suspended in the doorway, her heart laid open and bleeding on his hardwood floor. She was begging him to be brave, to finally bridge the gap between "friend" and "forever," to stop her with a word that held the weight of a promise. She looked at him through the haze of her grief, searching for a crack in his armor, a sign that he was about to break.
Robby stood in the center of the room, the blue light of the storm casting his face into sharp, tragic relief. He looked like a man standing at the edge of a cliff, watching the only thing he truly cared about slide into the abyss. His eyes were swimming, the glassiness finally breaking as tears began to track down his face, silent and heavy. He looked at her with a love so profound it was a physical ache, yet he stayed rooted to the spot, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
Slowly, agonizingly, he shook his head.
"I am so sorry, Val," he choked out, his voice thick with the gravel of a man who hated himself. "I don't want to lose you. God, the thought of this world without you in it feels like a death sentence. But I can't be what you need. I can't be your lover. I can't be the man who comes home to you every night because I’m too broken to stay in one place. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry."
The words were a final, brutal execution. Valentina let out a strangled, visceral sob that seemed to tear its way out of her very soul, a sound so full of agony it felt like it should have cracked the windows. She looked at him, her vision blurred by the salt and the sorrow, and she felt the last tether of their years together snap.
"I love you, Robby," she said, and the confession was a scream and a whimper all at once. "I love you so much it’s ruining me. It’s been you since the beginning, and you know it. You’ve always known it."
The silence that followed was deafening, filled only by her ragged breathing and the weeping of the sky outside. Robby’s face crumpled at the weight of her words, a low groan of pain escaping his throat, but he didn't move. He didn't run to her. He didn't take it back.
Valentina turned her back on him, her hand finally gripping the door handle, her knuckles white with the effort of not collapsing. Before she could pull it open, she heard the soft scuff of his feet. He didn't reach for her waist or her hand; instead, he reached for the umbrella resting against the wall. It was a deep, vibrant shade of purple, a color that looked like a fresh bruise against the grey shadows of the hallway. He held it out to her, his hand shaking so much the plastic handle rattled.
"It's pouring," he whispered, his voice a ghost of its former self. "Please. Take it."
Valentina looked at the purple umbrella, and the irony was a jagged blade in her gut. It was a gesture of protection from the man who was currently destroying her. It was a way to keep her dry while he let her walk out into the cold alone. She wanted to scream at him, to slap the umbrella across the room and tell him she didn't want his pity, she wanted his life. She wanted to tell him that she would rather drown in the rain than take a single thing from him ever again.
But the fight had left her. She was empty.
She reached out and took the umbrella, her fingers brushing his for one final, electric, and devastating second. She didn't look at him again. She opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, the sound of the latch clicking shut behind her echoing like a gunshot.
A moment later, Valentina stepped out of the building and into the cold, relentless night. She snapped the purple umbrella open, the fabric blooming like a dark, silk flower against the weeping sky. She began to walk, her cream dress already stained by the splashing puddles, her shoulders heaving as she let the rain mask the sound of her crying. She walked down the neon-streaked sidewalk, a lone figure under a shroud of bruised purple, carrying the only piece of him she had left as she disappeared into the storm.
can you plz plz plz do one where it’s like after liv comes back and like what happens like she hugs don and get mad at everyone else for trying to replace her w Roxy *with a HAPPY ending* PLEASEEEE I love all of your stuff btw you’re amazing
Are you going to write more stories about liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio because they are really good. This is one of the best stories I have ever reader. This is wonderful and I hope you keep writing more.
If anybody does want more livdom stories please let me know! I'd be super excited for return with more stories 🎀!
Liv laid motionless on the mat, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. The roar of the crowd was distant, muffled, like she was underwater. Her vision blurred as her tear-filled eyes locked onto the figure standing tall in the center of the ring. Rhea Ripley. The woman who had once been her everything—the one she trusted, confided in, fought beside—now stood triumphant over her.
The referee’s hand hitting the mat for the third time played over and over in Liv’s mind, a haunting echo that drowned out everything else. She couldn’t register the cheers, the jeers, or even the ringing of the bell. The championship she had clawed and fought for, the symbol of her resilience, was gone. Taken.
By her.
A lump formed in her throat, a suffocating weight she couldn’t swallow down. Her body felt heavy, her limbs useless, as Raquel Rodriguez slid into the ring and knelt beside her.
"Liv," Raquel’s voice was soft yet urgent, but Liv couldn’t respond. She barely felt the strong, calloused hands pulling her up into a seated position. She winced as Raquel’s fingers gently combed through her sweat-drenched hair, a comforting gesture meant to ground her. But it didn’t work. Liv was spiraling, drowning in the crushing weight of her failure.
“She won…” Liv’s lips trembled as she whispered the words to herself, her voice cracking with raw emotion. Her gaze was still locked on Rhea, who now stood on the turnbuckle, raising the championship high above her head with a smug grin that cut Liv to her core.
The memories hit her like a freight train. The laughter they once shared, the bond they thought was unbreakable, the trust shattered the moment Rhea drove a metaphorical knife into her back. All of it had led to this—the ultimate betrayal, the ultimate humiliation.
Raquel’s arm wrapped protectively around Liv’s shoulders, pulling her into a half-embrace. “It’s okay, Liv. We’ll come back from this,” Raquel murmured, her voice tender, trying to offer solace.
But Liv barely heard her. Her lips parted as a shaky breath escaped. “Dom…” she rasped, her voice fragile, like a porcelain doll on the verge of breaking.
Raquel paused, her brows furrowing in concern. “Liv?”
“I need him…” Liv whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her anguish. A tear slipped down her cheek as her trembling fingers reached for Raquel’s arm, seeking something—anything—to anchor her in this storm.
Raquel’s heart broke at the sight of her friend in pieces. She gently cupped Liv’s face, brushing away the tears with her thumb before she carefully carried Liv toward the outside of the ring, her strong arms steady but her movements delicate, as if Liv might shatter completely if she was handled too roughly. Liv was barely coherent, her words coming out in broken, desperate whispers.
“Dom… I need Dom…” Liv’s voice cracked with every syllable, each word scraping from her throat like it physically hurt to speak. Her hands trembled as they clutched at Raquel’s arm, her nails digging in slightly, grounding herself in the only stable thing she had left.
Raquel’s face softened, her heart aching for her friend. “He should be at the other side of the ring,” she said gently, trying to soothe Liv. Her tone was calm, steady, as though the right words might somehow glue Liv’s broken pieces back together.
But it wasn’t working. Liv’s head hung low, her blonde hair clinging to her sweat-drenched face as her breaths came in shallow gasps. It wasn’t just about the match, not about the title slipping from her grasp. It was about Rhea.
The woman who had betrayed her, belittled her, broken her.
The woman who had mocked her pain, who had smiled as she tore apart everything Liv had built. Liv had poured her heart and soul into this fight, into avenging herself, into proving she wasn’t the fragile, broken girl Rhea had left behind. But none of it mattered now. All her hard work, her pain, her vengeance—it felt like it had all been for nothing.
And worse than that—*they* didn’t see it. The crowd, the world, they didn’t understand. They saw Liv as the villain, the bitter one who couldn’t let go, while Rhea, the woman who had shattered her trust and stolen everything, stood tall as the hero.
Liv’s chest tightened as the unfairness of it all hit her like a tidal wave. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, streaking down her cheeks as her lips quivered. Her voice came out in a shaky whisper. “Why… why does she always win?”
Raquel didn’t have an answer. She simply adjusted her grip on Liv, cradling her like she might fall apart completely if she let go.
“Look, there he—” Raquel’s words stopped abruptly, her body tensing.
Liv followed her gaze, her heart lurching as her tear-streaked face turned toward the ring. There he was. Dominik.
He was climbing into the ring, his movements hesitant, his hand nervously running through his hair. Liv’s breath caught in her throat, her chest heaving as she watched him. This was supposed to be the moment he came to her, the moment he helped pick up her broken pieces, the moment he reminded her she wasn’t alone in this.
But then Rhea turned to face him.
The air seemed to shift, the weight of the moment pressing down like a crushing force. Rhea stood in the center of the ring, the championship slung over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto Dominik’s. The smirk she had worn just moments ago softened, replaced by something quieter, something unreadable.
Dominik hesitated. His hand dropped to his side as he stood there, staring at her. There was a flicker in his eyes, something Liv couldn’t place—regret, doubt, hesitation? Whatever it was, it was enough to make Liv’s stomach churn violently.
Raquel’s hand instinctively tightened around Liv’s arm, grounding her as the scene unfolded in front of them. But it wasn’t enough.
Liv’s heart twisted painfully in her chest as she watched them. The silence between Rhea and Dominik spoke louder than any words could. It was like the rest of the world had faded away, leaving just the two of them in their own bubble.
And Liv was on the outside, watching helplessly.
Her breath hitched as her chest tightened further, tears blurring her vision. Her lips parted, but no words came out. She didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to process the storm of emotions tearing through her. All she knew was that in that exact moment, with Rhea’s eyes locked on Dominik’s and Dominik standing frozen in place, Liv’s heart felt like it was breaking all over again.
Raquel's steady hands gripped Liv’s arms as she struggled to steady her, but Liv's trembling frame felt impossibly frail. Her breathing was uneven, a staccato rhythm of anguish and disbelief. The world around her blurred into an indistinguishable mess of roaring cheers and blinding lights. She couldn't take her eyes off the ring, her vision locked on Dominik as he stepped closer to Rhea.
Then he opened his arms wide.
For a fleeting moment, a sliver of hope cracked through Liv's overwhelming despair. Her heart, though battered and bruised, fluttered just slightly. Maybe Dominik had realized what this was all about. Maybe he was trying to make amends, to take back what had been stolen—not just the title, but everything Liv had fought for.
But as her tear-filled eyes lingered on him, something felt wrong.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there. A change in the way he moved, the way he carried himself, the way his eyes met Rhea’s. The Dominik she had known—her Dominik—would have carried a fire in his gaze, a spark of defiance. But this? This was different. His movements lacked certainty, his posture was riddled with hesitation, and his eyes… They didn’t burn with the resolve she needed to see.
Liv’s stomach dropped as the faint glimmer of reassurance evaporated.
Rhea stood across from him, her posture loose, the title slung arrogantly over her shoulder. She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk that made Liv’s skin crawl. Dominik’s outstretched arms might have been an invitation, but Rhea didn’t flinch. She had seen this before, the same old song and dance.
Liv’s nails dug into her palms so hard that the skin threatened to break. She felt the sting, welcomed it even, as a distraction from the ache building in her chest. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, each one more difficult than the last. Her eyes darted between Dominik and Rhea, silently pleading for something, anything, to make this make sense.
But Rhea didn’t care. She didn’t need to care. She had her title. That was all that had ever mattered to her. The way she carried herself, the smug confidence radiating off her—it was a cruel reminder that for Rhea, it had always been the title first. Never him.
Liv’s heart shattered all over again as the realization struck her like a hammer to the chest. Dominik was still blind to it. He still couldn’t see that he was just a pawn in Rhea’s game, a disposable piece in her endless pursuit of dominance.
The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement deafening. To them, this was just another moment of spectacle, another chapter in the ongoing saga of Rhea and Dominik. They cheered as if this was something to celebrate, as if seeing them together again was a good thing.
But to Liv, it was a nightmare.
Her knees buckled slightly, and Raquel tightened her grip on her, murmuring words of comfort that Liv barely heard. The cheers felt like knives in her ears, mocking her pain, amplifying her heartbreak. Her vision blurred further, tears spilling freely down her cheeks as she watched the two figures in the ring.
Then it happened.
Rhea moved with swift, calculated precision, her expression shifting into something far colder. Before Dominik could react, she had him in her grasp. Liv’s breath hitched, her heart leaping into her throat as Rhea hoisted him into the air.
“No,” Liv whispered, her voice trembling, barely audible over the noise.
And then the Riptide.
The impact reverberated through the ring, a sickening crash that echoed in Liv’s ears. Her body tensed, her breath caught in her chest as she watched Dominik crumble to the mat.
“Dom…” she gasped, her voice breaking as her knees threatened to give out entirely.
Beside her, Raquel hissed sharply, her jaw tightening as she shook her head. “Unbelievable,” she muttered, her voice tinged with disgust. She turned to Liv, her expression a mixture of concern and frustration. “Come on, Liv. Let’s get him.”
Dominik rolled out of the ring, his face twisted in pain, his body curling slightly as he landed. His eyes flickered upward, locking onto Liv’s. The raw vulnerability in his gaze was almost too much to bear.
Despite everything—despite the betrayal, the pain, the humiliation—Liv still cared.
Her heart screamed at her to turn away, to let him deal with the consequences of his choices, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t stop herself from caring, from aching for him even when it felt like she was breaking herself in the process.
Raquel helped steady Liv as the two of them made their way toward Dominik. Every step felt like a monumental effort, her body heavy with exhaustion and heartbreak.
When they finally reached him, Liv knelt down beside him, her fingers trembling as they brushed against his arm. His eyes fluttered open, meeting hers, and for a moment, the world felt unbearably still.
Raquel bent down on his other side, helping him to his feet as Liv clung to his arm, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s go, Dom… Let’s get you out of here.”
The three of them slowly made their way backstage, the cheers of the crowd fading into the distance. But the pain lingered, an unrelenting weight pressing down on Liv’s chest.
She couldn’t shake the image of Rhea standing tall in the ring, her smirk etched into Liv’s mind like a scar. She couldn’t erase the way Dominik had looked at her, the way he seemed to hesitate, unsure of where he truly belonged.
Liv's bright blue eyes lingered on Dominik as if they were magnetized, even though every glance felt like a fresh wound being ripped open. She hated this—hated how her gaze kept betraying her, how her heart stubbornly refused to let go. Her eyes searched his face, cataloging every tiny flicker of emotion, every crease of his brow, the way his lips pressed together in thought. She noticed how his hand fidgeted against his leg, how he avoided eye contact with her.
And yet, even in his discomfort, she couldn't stop herself from looking. From wanting.
Liv hated this so much.
Why did it always have to be her? Why was she always the one left in the shadows, always the one aching for someone who didn’t see her the same way? Her mind spun with questions, each one darker and heavier than the last. Was she unlovable? Was she destined to be the one who fought and fought, only to end up alone in the end?
The thought made her stomach churn, her throat tightening as if the air itself had turned to ash. She shook her head silently, trying to rid herself of the toxic spiral, but the weight of it pressed down harder with every passing second.
Raquel’s strong presence beside her was the only thing grounding her, the steady hand on her shoulder a small comfort as she helped guide them to the Judgement Day locker room. Dominik’s steps were slow and uneven, his body still reeling from the Riptide. Raquel bore most of his weight, her brow furrowed in frustration, but she said nothing.
The silence was suffocating.
Once they reached the room, it was as though the air had been sucked out completely. Liv lingered at the doorway for a moment, her feet heavy as if held down by invisible chains. She didn’t want to go in. The thought of being in the same room as him, of being so close yet feeling so far away, made her chest ache unbearably.
But Raquel didn’t let her hesitate. She gently nudged Liv inside, her touch firm but understanding. Liv’s legs moved mechanically, each step feeling like a battle against herself.
Dominik sank into one of the chairs, his body slumped as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. Liv quickly moved to the opposite side of the room, putting as much space between them as she could. She dropped into a seat, her arms crossing over her chest as if to shield herself from the vulnerability threatening to spill out.
The silence was deafening.
Dominik didn’t speak. Neither did Raquel. The tension in the room was palpable, like a storm waiting to break. Liv’s eyes stayed fixed on the floor, her mind racing as she fought to keep her composure. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him anymore. Every time her eyes so much as flickered in his direction, it felt like her heart was being squeezed, cement blocks pressing down on her chest and dragging her into an emotional abyss.
Her hands fidgeted in her lap, her nails biting into her palms as she tried to stop the trembling. The memories of the match played on a loop in her mind—Rhea’s smirk, Dominik’s hesitation, the crowd’s cheers. And now, sitting here in this stifling silence, it all felt so much worse.
Liv swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat didn’t budge. Her breathing was shallow, her chest tight as if the walls of the room were closing in on her. She wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers from him. Why didn’t he come to her first? Why did he let himself get pulled into Rhea’s orbit again? Why did it feel like she was always fighting for scraps of his attention, his care?
But she said nothing.
Because deep down, she was afraid of the answers. Afraid that the truth would confirm her worst fears—that she wasn’t enough. That she never had been.
Her fingers curled tighter into her palms until she felt the sting of her nails digging into her skin. The pain was grounding in a way, a sharp reminder that she was still here, still holding on, even though it felt like she was drowning. Her eyes burned with unshed tears, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop the sob threatening to escape.
Across the room, Dominik shifted in his seat, and the sound made Liv’s heart jolt. She dared a quick glance at him before immediately regretting it. He looked as lost as she felt, his face a mix of confusion, guilt, and something she couldn’t quite place. But it wasn’t enough.
It wasn’t enough to mend the jagged edges of her heart or to pull her out of the dark pit she was sinking into.
Raquel cleared her throat softly, her eyes darting between the two of them. She looked like she wanted to say something, to break the unbearable silence, but even she seemed unsure of how to navigate the tension in the room.
Liv’s lips parted slightly, a shaky breath escaping as she forced herself to look away from Dominik again. Her hands gripped the edge of her chair, her knuckles white as she tried to hold herself together.
But inside, she was crumbling.
Piece by piece, the weight of everything—the match, the betrayal, the love she couldn’t seem to let go of—was tearing her apart. And as the silence stretched on, the pain in her chest grew heavier, threatening to consume her entirely.
Raquel hesitated at the door, her gaze flickering between Liv and Dominik. The tension in the room was suffocating, and even her steady presence wasn’t enough to pierce through it. She sighed softly, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her concern. Finally, she gave Liv a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before stepping out of the room, leaving them alone.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Dominik sat awkwardly in his chair, his hands fidgeting in his lap as if they didn’t know what to do with themselves. Liv remained across the room, her body stiff and her gaze fixed on the floor. Her blonde hair framed her face, casting shadows that obscured her expression, but her silence spoke volumes.
Minutes stretched on, each second heavier than the last. Finally, Dominik broke the stillness.
“Liv,” he began, his voice low and uncertain, “I’m sorry about the title.”
His words hung in the air, brittle and inadequate, like a flimsy bridge attempting to span the chasm between them. He glanced at her, his hands twisting together nervously.
Liv’s head jerked slightly, her breath hitching as if she’d been struck. She shook her head in disbelief, her lips pressing into a thin line as she fought to steady herself.
“That’s all you’re sorry for?” she asked, her voice low but laced with sharpness. Her head hung low, her hair shielding her face as her shoulders tensed.
Dominik’s expression faltered. He blinked, his mouth opening as if to respond, but the weight of her words seemed to knock him off balance. “Liv, it’s not like that—”
“Is it, though, Dominik?” she interrupted, her voice cutting through his like a blade.
Her blue eyes, glassy with unshed tears, finally lifted to meet his. The pain radiating from her gaze was impossible to ignore, and Dominik felt himself freeze under the weight of it. Her vulnerability, her heartbreak, it was all laid bare in those eyes.
Liv’s voice cracked as she spoke again, frustration and despair weaving through her words. “I just don’t understand what I’m doing wrong. It’s always me.”
Her hands gripped the edge of her seat so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and her chest heaved with the effort to keep her emotions contained.
“I gave everything,” she continued, her voice trembling. “Everything, Dominik. I fought so hard—against Rhea, against the way people look at me, against this stupid idea that I’m not enough. And yet here I am, sitting here, feeling like I’ve lost everything. Again.”
Her words tumbled out in a rush, each one heavier than the last, as if years of pent-up pain were finally spilling over. Her shoulders shook slightly, and her hands fell to her lap, her fingers curling into her palms as she tried to hold herself together.
Dominik opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. What could he possibly say to fix this? To undo the damage that had already been done?
Liv didn’t wait for him to find the right words. She let out a shaky breath, her lips quivering as she looked away, unable to meet his gaze any longer. “Do you even see what this is doing to me?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Do you even care?”
Dominik’s heart clenched at her words, but he felt paralyzed, trapped between his own guilt and the depth of her pain. “Liv, I do care,” he finally managed, his voice breaking slightly. “I—”
“Then why does it always feel like I’m the only one fighting for this?” she cut him off, her voice rising slightly. Her tears spilled over now, streaking down her cheeks as her emotions overflowed. “Why do I always feel like I’m second to her? To them? Do you have any idea how much it hurts to see you in that ring with her, to see the way you hesitate? To wonder if I’ll ever come first?”
Liv sat hunched forward, her shoulders trembling as she stared at her trembling hands. Her fingers, which once found solace in Dominik’s, now clutched desperately at her other hand, a pathetic attempt to comfort herself. The absence of his touch was as loud and painful as any scream. A bitter chuckle escaped her lips, low and humorless, the sound weighed down with disbelief and heartbreak.
“Me,” she began, her voice cracking under the strain of her emotions. “Your girlfriend. The woman who has been in your corner through everything —just lost her title. My title, Dominik. To her. To the person who hurt both of us so deeply, and guess what you do?”
Her words cut like a jagged blade, dripping with venom and pain as she spoke. Dominik’s chest tightened, the weight of her anger and disappointment crashing down on him like a tidal wave. His lips parted, instinctively trying to defend himself, but no words came out. He had nothing to offer, no excuse that could justify his actions.
“You go and try to reconcile shit with the woman who prioritized a title over you!” Liv’s voice rose slightly, the pitch of it sharp and trembling as she hiccupped through her tears. Her chest heaved, and the tears she’d been holding back began to spill freely, hot streaks running down her flushed cheeks.
Dominik’s jaw clenched, his heart aching at the sight of her unraveling in front of him. “Liv, I—”
“You what?” she snapped, cutting him off. Her hands fell to her lap, her fingers gripping the fabric of her leggings as if trying to steady herself. Her blue eyes, now glassy and red-rimmed, finally met his, and the intensity in her gaze made him shrink back slightly.
“You don’t know that,” Dominik suddenly muttered, his voice soft but firm.
The room seemed to freeze.
Liv’s breath hitched, her chest stilling for a moment as his words sank in. Her heart, already fragile and shattered, crumbled further like shards of a glass vase thrown to the ground. The soundless destruction echoed in her mind, each piece of her trust and love for him fracturing beyond repair.
“Are you being serious?” she whispered, her voice hollow and trembling.
Dominik shifted uncomfortably, his hand raking through his dark hair as he avoided her gaze. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to take back the words that had just fallen from his lips.
Her laugh was sharp and broken, a sound that was more pain than humor. “You don’t know that?” she repeated, her voice growing louder, more incredulous. Her hands trembled in her lap as she shook her head, the tears spilling faster now, unchecked.
“Dominik, I know that,” she hissed, her voice cracking. “I know it because I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it. Every time she looked at you, every time she put that damn title above anything else, including you. And now, after everything, you still—” Her words faltered as a fresh wave of anguish washed over her.
Her hands flew to her face, pressing against her cheeks as if she could somehow hold herself together. But she was falling apart, piece by piece, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
“You still go to her,” she choked out, her voice muffled by her hands. “You still… You still choose her, Dominik. Even after she left you in the dirt. Even after everything I’ve done for you. After everything I’ve been for you.”
Dominik’s heart sank further into his chest. He wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong, but how could he? She wasn’t wrong. Not entirely.
“I just—” he began, but Liv’s hands dropped from her face, and the look in her eyes silenced him instantly.
“You just what?” she demanded, her voice trembling with a mixture of fury and sorrow. “You just needed closure? You just needed to make peace with the woman who broke both of us? The woman who humiliated me, who stole from me, who used you?”
Her voice cracked again, and she sucked in a shaky breath, her hands gripping the edge of her seat as if to keep herself grounded. “Do you even hear yourself right now?” she whispered, her tone raw. “Do you even realize what you’re saying?”
Dominik’s throat felt dry, his heart pounding as guilt clawed at him. “Liv, it’s not—”
“Don’t,” she interrupted, holding up a trembling hand. “Don’t say it’s not like that. Because it is. It’s exactly like that, Dominik. And the worst part is…”
Her voice trailed off for a moment as her emotions overwhelmed her, her lips quivering as more tears spilled down her cheeks. She wiped at them furiously, as if trying to hide how much she was breaking in front of him.
“The worst part is that I still love you,” she whispered finally, her voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. “Even now. Even when you’ve hurt me like this, I still love you. And I hate myself for it.”
Her confession hung in the air like a dagger, the weight of her words pressing down on both of them. Dominik felt his stomach churn, his guilt swallowing him whole as he watched her crumble.
“I hate that I can’t stop caring about you,” Liv continued, her voice rising slightly as the frustration and pain boiled over. “I hate that I can’t just walk away like she did. I hate that I’m still here, fighting for something that feels so one-sided.”
Her hands fell to her sides, her fingers curling into fists as she looked at him with tear-streaked cheeks and a heartbroken expression. “I hate that I’m not enough for you,” she whispered, her voice breaking completely.
Dominik’s chest tightened, his own eyes stinging with unshed tears as he stared at her. He wanted to reach out, to pull her into his arms and tell her she was wrong. But the damage had already been done. Her pain was too raw, too deep, and he didn’t know if there was anything he could say to fix it.
Liv pushed herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her as though they might give out at any second. Her hands hung limply at her sides, but her fingers twitched as if searching for something—anything—to anchor herself to. Her chest heaved as she struggled to hold back the sob that clawed its way up her throat, but the effort only made her voice crack as she spoke.
“It feels like…” she began, her voice trembling. She paused, sucking in a shaky breath as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. “It feels like I’m broken down and starving for your love.”
Her words were heavy, raw, and they hung in the air between them like a storm cloud. Dominik’s heart clenched at the sight of her unraveling, but before he could speak, she let out a ragged exhale and continued, her voice barely above a whisper.
“But there’s no way to feed it.”
The vulnerability in her words was unbearable. She wrapped her arms around herself, as though trying to hold the pieces of her shattered heart together. Her bright blue eyes were dull with heartbreak as they darted toward him, only to quickly look away again, unable to bear the weight of his presence.
Dominik rose from his seat, his expression a mixture of guilt and frustration. “Liv…” he began, his voice soft but hesitant. He took a cautious step toward her, but she moved back instantly, her body recoiling as though his proximity physically hurt her.
“Don’t,” she whispered, her voice sharp and filled with a quiet desperation.
“I do care for you, Liv,” Dominik said, his tone pleading as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I promise that I do. I just…” His words faltered, and he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his guilt. “I don’t know what I was doing out there,” he finally admitted, his voice filled with regret.
Liv let out a bitter, humorless laugh, the sound hollow and aching. She shook her head, her blonde hair falling into her tear-streaked face as her lips trembled. “You don’t know what you were doing out there?” she repeated, her voice rising slightly as her pain bubbled to the surface.
Her gaze finally locked onto his, and the sheer agony in her expression made Dominik’s stomach churn.
“What does she have that I don’t?” Liv’s voice cracked as she spoke, and the vulnerability in her question felt like a knife to the chest. “Why is it that I’m never anyone’s first choice, Dominik?”
Dominik’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as he saw the raw, unfiltered pain in her eyes. She wasn’t just asking about Rhea; she was asking about every wound, every scar, every moment of rejection that had shaped her into the woman standing before him now.
“I gave you everything,” she continued, her voice breaking with every word. “I’ve fought for you. I’ve stood by you when no one else would. I’ve poured every ounce of my love into you, and still—still—it’s not enough.”
Her hands flew up to wipe at her cheeks, but the tears came faster than she could stop them. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as though the physical pain might distract her from the ache in her chest.
“Do you have any idea what it feels like to constantly be second best?” she demanded, her voice trembling with frustration and sorrow. “To look at the person you love and wonder why you’re never enough for them?”
Dominik opened his mouth to respond, but the lump in his throat made it impossible to speak. He wanted to tell her that she was wrong, that she was everything to him, but the words felt hollow in the face of her heartbreak.
“You don’t know what you were doing out there?” she repeated again, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Well, let me tell you what I was doing, Dominik. I was out there fighting for everything I’ve worked for. For us. For me. And you —” Her voice broke, and she let out a shaky sob, pressing a hand to her chest as if trying to steady the storm raging inside her.
“You were out there with her,” she whispered, her tone soft but filled with anguish. “Looking at her the way I wish you’d look at me. Prioritizing her—again. Even after everything she’s done to both of us.”
Dominik took another hesitant step toward her, his hand reaching out as if to comfort her. “Liv, it’s not like that—”
“Stop,” she said sharply, her voice cutting him off like a blade. Her gaze was fierce, but her tears betrayed the fragility beneath her anger. “Just…stop. Don’t lie to me. Don’t tell me it’s not like that, because I know it is.”
Her voice softened, breaking into a whisper as she looked down at the floor, her shoulders shaking. “I know it is, because I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it. And no matter how much I try, no matter how much I give, I’ll never be her. I’ll never be enough for you.”
Dominik’s chest felt like it was caving in. He stepped closer, desperate to close the distance between them, but Liv stepped back again, her arms wrapping tighter around herself.
“I don’t know how to make you see me,” she said quietly, her voice filled with a sadness so profound it made his throat tighten. “I don’t know how to make you realize that I’ve been here all along. That I’m not just someone who’ll wait around for scraps of your love.”
Dominik sat on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, hands rubbing over his face in frustration. Guilt gnawed at him, but it was overshadowed by a mounting irritation he didn’t know how to suppress. He felt trapped, like no matter what he said, it would never be enough to make things right.
“I don’t know what else to say to make you see that I do care and love you, Liv,” he said finally, his voice tight, the edge of dismissal creeping into his tone. His eyes flicked up to hers, filled with a quiet desperation that he couldn’t quite express. “And I wasn’t looking at Rhea in any type of way. I don’t know what came over me, Liv.”
His words hung in the air, hollow and unconvincing. Liv, sitting across the room, let out a shaky breath. Her fingers moved to smooth her messy hair, a futile attempt to calm herself, to keep her hands busy as her emotions clawed their way to the surface. Her eyes, red-rimmed and glassy, remained fixed on the floor.
“Every time she’s brought up…” Liv began, her voice soft but steady, each word like a dagger aimed at her own heart. “I realized how hesitant you’d get. How you’d avoid admitting that she betrayed you. That she took everything you believed in, everything you hoped for, and plunged it into the ground.”
Her voice cracked slightly, but she pressed on, the weight of her emotions threatening to crush her. “At first, I thought it was because you were hurt. Because you didn’t know how to cope with what she did to you. And I wanted to give you that space. I wanted to be patient, to understand.”
She paused, her hands dropping to her lap as she stared down at them. Her nails were pressing into her palms, the faint sting grounding her, keeping her from falling apart completely. “But then I started to notice it,” she continued, her voice quieter now, almost resigned. “The way your eyes would travel to her. The way they’d linger, just for a moment, with this…this sort of longing.”
Dominik’s breath hitched, but he didn’t interrupt. He couldn’t. He watched as Liv lifted her head, her gaze finally meeting his. The rawness in her eyes made his stomach churn.
“It’s been haunting me for so long,” she confessed, her tone laced with exhaustion. “How everything that she wants, she gets handed to her so easily. No matter who she hurts in the process. She broke you, Dominik.”
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, but he didn’t flinch. He couldn’t deny it, and they both knew it.
“She fully admitted it,” Liv continued, her voice trembling now. “She said it was never about you. That it was always about the title. And you—” Her voice broke, and she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “You still look at her like she’s the one who matters most.”
Tears welled in her eyes again, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away this time. She just let them fall, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.
“But me…” she said, her voice softer now, filled with a sorrow so deep it felt like it might consume her. “I love you with every bone in my body, Dominik. I would and have done everything for you. I’ve stood by you when no one else would. I’ve made it known, over and over again, that you come first for me. Before anything. Even the title.”
Her hands curled into fists in her lap, her knuckles turning white as the tears streamed down her face. “And yet…” she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your heart still seems to yearn for her.”
Dominik’s chest tightened, and he leaned forward as if to reach for her, but the look in her eyes stopped him in his tracks.
“Even after we started dating,” Liv continued, her voice cracking with every word. “Even after everything I’ve done, every time I’ve confessed my love to you, your heart still…” She trailed off, letting out a soft, bitter laugh that was more pain than humor. “I’m a fool, aren’t I?”
Dominik shook his head quickly, his voice breaking as he spoke. “Liv, no. You’re not—”
“But I am,” she interrupted, her tone firm despite the tears streaming down her face. “I’m a fool for thinking I could ever be enough for you. For believing that you might look at me the way you look at her. For hoping that, for once in my life, someone would choose me first.”
Her voice wavered, and she sucked in a shaky breath, her hands trembling in her lap. “But I see it now. I see it every time you hesitate to let her go. Every time you look at her like she’s still got a piece of you that I’ll never have.”
Dominik stood there, paralyzed by the weight of his own regret, the space between them feeling like an abyss that he could never bridge. Every word Liv had said struck him like a blow to the chest, each sentence searing through him like a wound that wouldn’t heal. Her voice echoed in his mind, replaying over and over, each word embedding itself deeper into his soul, leaving behind a trail of guilt that suffocated him.
Dominik felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. He wanted to say something, anything, to take away her pain, but the lump in his throat made it impossible to speak.
The tears that had long been fighting their way to the surface now threatened to spill over, but Dominik could barely find the breath to release them. His heart felt like it was being crushed in his chest, the pain so intense that it made it hard for him to breathe, to think. He had hurt the only person who had ever truly cared for him—who had loved him for who he was, without any strings attached. Liv had never used him, never sought anything from him but love, and yet here he was, standing in the wreckage of their relationship, unable to find a way to fix what he had broken.
“I’m sorry, Liv,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as the weight of his apology crushed him further. His throat tightened, and despite his best efforts, the tears began to fall, tracing down his cheeks like rivers of regret. “I’m so sorry…” His voice cracked as he shook his head, unable to make sense of the mess he had made of everything.
He wiped at his eyes, but it felt useless, the tears coming faster than he could stop them. He had always been the one to find comfort in Liv’s touch, in her small, warm hands that would gently wipe away his tears, pressing soft kisses to his cheeks as if to reassure him that everything would be okay. But now, there was nothing. No gentle touch. No soft whispers to ease his torment. Instead, he had to stand there, helpless, watching the woman he had taken for granted break down in front of him.
He had no words left to offer, nothing to mend the deep wounds he had caused.
Liv sniffled, the sound of her broken sobs slicing through the air, and it felt like a knife in his chest. She slowly lifted her tear-streaked face to meet his eyes, her heart so heavy it looked as if it might shatter with the weight of everything she had been holding in. Her gaze pierced through him, the sadness in her eyes cutting him deeper than any physical pain could.
“I wish that you could’ve found me worth loving,” she whispered, her voice raw, strained from the weight of her sorrow. “And worth changing for.”
Her words hit him like a freight train. Liv, the woman who had done everything for him, who had sacrificed her heart over and over again, was standing before him, utterly broken. And it was all his fault. He had watched her love him with such depth, such devotion, and he had let that love slip through his fingers, ignoring it, taking it for granted, and ultimately shattering it.
“I tried, Dom,” she said, her voice shaking as the tears flowed freely. “I tried so hard to be everything you needed. But… I was never enough, was I? No matter how much I loved you, no matter how much I gave, it was never enough. And now I’m left with nothing.”
Liv’s hands trembled at her sides, the pain evident in every slight movement. She had loved him with everything she had—every piece of her heart—and it still hadn’t been enough. He had failed her. He had failed her in ways that were unforgivable, and now the one person who had ever truly loved him was slipping away.
The silence that followed felt suffocating, the air thick with unspoken words and unbearable hurt. Dominik couldn’t bring himself to move closer to her, couldn’t find the courage to reach out, to try to make things right. He had destroyed the only thing that had ever mattered, and now all he could do was watch as Liv stood before him, her heart breaking in real time.
“I’m sorry, Liv,” he repeated, the words sounding like a hollow, empty promise. He wanted to make it better, wanted to take away her pain, but no amount of apologies could ever undo what he had done.
Liv let out a shuddering breath, and for a brief moment, her eyes softened. But it wasn’t love that reflected back at him; it was sorrow. Resignation. The acceptance of a harsh truth that neither of them could escape.
“I tried, Dom,” she whispered again, her voice barely a breath. “I tried to be what you needed. But I was never what you wanted. Not enough. Not her.”
The words stung, but they were true. He had always tried to convince himself that his actions had been justified, that he had been too lost in his own confusion to see what was right in front of him. But now, as he stood there, watching Liv in her pain, it all became painfully clear.
The silence between them felt like it lasted forever, each second dragging on as if time itself was mourning the loss of something beautiful.
Liv shook her head slowly, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke the final words that tore through him. “I loved you, Dominik. But now... I don’t know if I can keep loving someone who can’t even see me without envisioning another.”
And just like that, the last thread of hope he had for redemption snapped. He had been given so many chances, so many opportunities to be the man Liv deserved. But he had failed. And now, as Liv slowly turned away from him, it was as though the world itself had collapsed into a deep, dark silence.
His heart felt as though it had been ripped out of his chest, and all he could do was watch as the woman who had loved him with every fiber of her being walked away, leaving him in the ruins of his own mistakes.
And in that moment, Dominik knew—truly knew—that he had lost her. And this time, there would be no coming back.
If you want the full experience listen to this song:
-
The crowd buzzed with anticipation, a restless energy rippling through the sea of fans packed into the venue. Most were here for one reason, one person, the name on everyone’s lips. The electric hum of chatter abruptly gave way to an explosion of cheers and deafening screams as Dominik Mysterio stepped onto the stage.
His mullet, a signature look cherished by the fans, was immaculately styled, its smooth layers catching the light as he moved. He wore a tailored suit that accentuated his sharp, confident demeanor, but it was his eyes that truly drew the crowd in—a mixture of intensity and something far more complex simmering beneath the surface.
With a calm poise, he stepped up to the microphone, his presence commanding the room without a word. A soft smile tugged at his lips, and he lifted a hand in a gentle wave to the adoring crowd. The response was immediate, a crescendo of screams and applause washing over him like a tidal wave. He felt their admiration, their unconditional support, and for a moment, allowed himself to bask in it. Yet, despite the love surrounding him, a shadow lingered within—a bitterness and emptiness he couldn’t quite shake. It flickered behind his eyes, a quiet ache hidden beneath the façade of his confident smile.
His fingers curled tightly around the microphone, a subtle tremor betraying the weight of the moment. "Thank you all for coming tonight," Dominik spoke, his voice quiet but deliberate, every word carrying a raw sincerity. The crowd erupted, their screams echoing off the walls, but his soft smile was fleeting, his gaze cast downward as if searching for the right words in the floor beneath him.
"Tonight," he continued, his tone tinged with vulnerability, "I will be performing an unreleased song... one I’ve been working on recently. It means a lot to me." The screams intensified, the fans vibrating with unrestrained excitement. He hesitated for a heartbeat, exhaling slowly before revealing the title. "It’s called The Night We Met."
A hush fell over the crowd, the gravity of the moment silencing even the loudest voices. They would be the first to hear it, the first to feel it. The lights dimmed, and soon, a hauntingly unfamiliar melody filled the space, a stark departure from his usual sound. The music was stripped-down, raw, each note heavy with unspoken emotion. He leaned closer to the microphone, humming softly, the sound resonating deep within the audience like a shared heartbeat.
"I am not the only traveler," he breathed, his voice carrying a fragile, aching beauty, "who has repaid his debt." Each word seemed to spill from a place buried deep within him, and the crowd could feel it—feel him. "I've been searching for a trail to follow again," he continued, his voice trembling slightly, as if each lyric cost him a piece of himself.
"Take me back to the night we met," he sang, the words almost breaking as they left his lips. The crowd felt it—a collective clench of their hearts as his voice, heavy with longing and regret, pierced through them like a knife. Each note carried an unbearable weight, a story of love, loss, and the endless yearning for what could never be reclaimed.
♡-----------FLASHBACK------------♡
The bar smelled of stale beer and aged wood, a faint haze of cigarette smoke clinging to the dim light that filtered through the grimy windows. Dominik sat on the small makeshift stage, strumming his beat-up guitar—its scratches and dents a testament to countless nights like this one. The notes he played echoed through the room, a melodic balm to the handful of patrons slumped over their drinks. This wasn’t a glamorous place, but in the quiet town he called home, it was one of the few escapes he had.
He was a regular here, a familiar figure in the corner of the room where he sang songs that nobody seemed to listen to—except the bartender, who occasionally nodded along. The guitar under his fingers desperately needed repair, its worn strings threatening to snap at any moment, but it didn’t matter. This was his solace, his stage, his space.
The creak of the door opening barely registered at first. People came and went. But then he glanced up—and his fingers faltered, striking the wrong chord with an audible twang that made his cheeks flush. She stepped into the bar like a ray of light breaking through a stormy sky. She was petite, with straight, golden blonde hair that fell gracefully past her shoulders, accented by soft bangs that framed her face. Her eyes were an enchanting shade of blue, so clear and vivid they seemed to reflect the world around her. She scanned the room briefly before her gaze settled on him.
Dominik froze, his hands hovering over the strings of his guitar. She had caught him staring. His heart stumbled in his chest as her lips curved into the warmest smile he’d ever seen. It wasn’t just the smile—it was the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, forming little crescents, and the way the subtle roundness of her cheeks seemed to make the world softer, gentler. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, caught between the desire to look away and the need to keep her in his sight just a moment longer.
She lingered by the bar, her gaze never leaving him. He forced himself to return to the song, but the nerves in his chest made his voice unsteady, the lyrics spilling out like broken glass. Somehow, he finished, and the sparse applause of the patrons barely registered in his ears. All he could focus on was her—the way she watched him with curiosity and something else he couldn’t quite place. He stepped off the stage, clutching his guitar as if it were the only thing tethering him to reality. Their eyes met again, and for a moment, the noise of the bar seemed to fade into silence.
"You were amazing!" she said, her voice as warm as her smile.
Dominik stared at her, his mouth opening to respond but no words coming out. His palms were sweaty, his heart pounding as if he’d just run miles. Finally, he managed to stammer a quiet, “Th-thank you,” his voice barely audible over the beating of his own pulse. She smiled again, standing there in the golden light of the bar, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like maybe he wasn’t invisible after all.
♡----------- END OF FLASHBACK------------♡
Dominik let his eyes flutter closed, his voice trembling as he continued to sing. Each word spilled from his lips with the weight of memories pressing heavily on his chest. "And then I can tell myself," he sang softly, the ache in his heart growing sharper with every syllable. "What the hell I’m supposed to do." His voice wavered, his lips quivering as the pain swirled within him like a storm he couldn’t contain. "And then I can tell myself…" His breath hitched, a slight crack in his voice betraying his restraint. "Not to ride along with you."
The music faded into the background as the memory overtook him, vivid and relentless, pulling him back to the beginning.
♡-----------FLASHBACK------------♡
After fumbling over his words, his cheeks burning with embarrassment, she had laughed—not a mocking laugh, but one so sweet and genuine it melted the tension. “I’m Liv,” she had introduced herself, her voice light and melodic, carrying a faint accent that made his heart flutter. It suited her perfectly, that tiny lilt in her words, a charm that only deepened his admiration. They had exchanged numbers that very night, her enthusiasm infectious as she assured him she’d come back to see him perform again.
And she did. Again and again. Liv became his most loyal supporter, her cheers the loudest in the room, her presence a beacon he always sought out from the stage. They began texting constantly, sharing pieces of themselves through glowing phone screens late into the night. Soon, their connection grew beyond the bar—coffee shop meetings, late-night drives, stolen moments that seemed to stretch into eternity. She had this way of making him feel seen, her laughter a balm to the cracks in his confidence.
From the very first moment, Dominik knew. His heart wasn’t his own anymore; it belonged to her. But that knowledge terrified him. He was too afraid—of rejection, of ruining what they already had, of the vulnerability love demanded. So, he buried it. He dug a deep hole in his heart, shoved those feelings down, and covered them with every excuse he could muster. She deserved the world, and he convinced himself he wasn’t worthy of giving it to her. But no matter how hard he tried to hide his yearning, it always clawed its way back to the surface every time her bright blue eyes met his, every time her smile lit up the room.
♡----------- END OF FLASHBACK------------♡
Dominik's voice trembled as he carried on, the weight of his emotions pressing against his chest like a vice. Each word was a dagger, slicing into the raw, vulnerable parts of him he tried so hard to protect. "I had all and then most of you," he sang, his voice low and heavy with grief, the ache in his heart swelling to an unbearable degree.
The memory overtook him suddenly, dragging him back to a moment that felt like it belonged to someone else—someone happier, someone whole.
♡-----------FLASHBACK------------♡
It had been her idea, of course. Liv was always the bolder one between them, always pulling him out of his shell and into the light. They sat together under a sprawling oak tree at the edge of a small park, the world around them hushed in reverence for the beauty of the moment. The stars above burned brightly, scattered like tiny, defiant flames across an inky sky. Their soft glow illuminated her face as she sat cross-legged in front of him, her hands resting on her knees, her eyes fixed on him like he was the only thing that mattered in the universe.
Dominik had been playing his guitar for her, his fingers strumming a melody he’d poured his soul into. The song was hers—it had always been hers—even if he had never dared to say it out loud. His voice was unsteady as he sang, his eyes tightly closed, as if shielding himself from the vulnerability of the moment. Every word he sang felt like it was being ripped straight from his chest, a confession he wasn’t brave enough to voice without the safety of music. The tension in the air was palpable, his nerves and emotions coiling together like a knot that refused to loosen.
And then she kissed him.
Her lips were soft and warm, brushing against his with a gentleness that held an ocean’s worth of emotion. It wasn’t rushed or desperate—it was steady, meaningful, and filled with everything he’d ever wanted to say but never could. For a heartbeat, the world stopped spinning. The stars above seemed to dim in comparison to the brightness of her presence, and all he could feel was her. Her hands cupping his face, her breath mingling with his, her heart pounding in sync with his own.
When she pulled away, she was smiling—a soft, shy giggle spilling from her lips that made his chest ache in the most beautiful way. His fingers hovered over his lips, his eyes wide in disbelief, the ghost of her kiss still lingering on his skin.
"Oh my…” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. His fingertips brushed against his lips as if to confirm that it had been real, that it wasn’t some cruel trick of his imagination.
And then, before he could stop himself, the words tumbled out: "I like you."
Her laughter bubbled up again, a sound so full of joy it made his stomach flip. Before he could spiral into overthinking, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Her voice was soft but certain when she replied, *"I like you too, silly."
In that moment, under the canopy of stars, with her arms wrapped around him and the taste of her kiss still fresh on his lips, Dominik felt something he’d never felt before—unfiltered, unrestrained happiness. He wanted to freeze time, to live in that perfect, fleeting moment forever.
♡----------- END OF FLASHBACK------------♡
But life wasn’t kind enough to grant him that wish.
Dominik’s voice cracked as he returned to the present, the words of the song spilling from him like a wound reopened. "Some and now none of you," he sang, his tone barely holding together as his emotions threatened to consume him. His hand tightened around the microphone, his knuckles white as the memory clawed at his mind.
"Take me back to the night we met," he whispered, the lyrics carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken regrets. His heart clenched painfully, as if it was trying to remind him of everything he’d lost, of everything he’d failed to hold onto.
The stage lights cast a harsh glow over him, but all he could see in his mind’s eye was her—Liv, with her bright blue eyes and radiant smile. He wanted to reach for that memory, to pull it close and wrap himself in its warmth, but it slipped further away with each passing second, leaving only the cold, bitter ache of reality in its wake.
♡-----------FLASHBACK------------♡
The room was suffocatingly still, the kind of quiet that pressed down on Dominik’s chest and made it hard to breathe. The air between him and Liv crackled with unspoken words and buried emotions, neither of them willing to look the other in the eye for too long. The small apartment they had moved into just months earlier, meant to be a haven, now felt like a cage closing in around them. Boxes still sat unpacked in corners, the remnants of their fresh start mocking the tension that had overtaken them.
They had been together for three years. Three years of shared dreams, whispered promises, and love that had felt unshakable. Liv had been his anchor, his biggest supporter, always cheering him on even when the world seemed indifferent. She worked tirelessly at her own goals, juggling them with endless encouragement for his aspirations. She had believed in him when no one else did, standing by his side as he clawed his way toward the future he’d always dreamed of. And now, after years of struggle, it was happening—a record label, a real one, with promises of fame, success, and everything he’d ever wanted.
Liv had been thrilled when he told her the news. Her face had lit up with pure joy, her laughter filling the space as she hugged him tightly and peppered his face with kisses. “I’m so proud of you, Dom!” she’d exclaimed, her excitement genuine and infectious. But that radiant joy had evaporated the moment he hesitantly revealed the truth.
"But… they said we can’t be together, Liv."
The words hung in the air, cold and unrelenting. Dominik swallowed nervously, his hands fidgeting as he glanced at her. Her expression shifted, the light in her eyes dimming as her brows furrowed, and for the first time, he couldn’t read her. He wished she’d yell at him, scream, cry—anything to break the unbearable silence stretching between them.
"They said if I get caught in a dating scandal at the start of my career, it’d be over for me immediately." His voice wavered, betraying the guilt gnawing at him. He looked down at his hands, his fingers twisting together as if trying to occupy themselves with something other than the crushing weight of what he was saying.
Liv didn’t respond right away. She sat there, her blonde hair falling like a curtain around her face, her blue eyes unfocused as she stared at the floor. Her thoughts swirled, chaotic and overwhelming, drowning out any coherent response she might have given. The lump in her throat tightened, choking her words before she could get them out. Her chest ached, her mind screaming at her to fight, to demand something, anything, that would keep them together. But all she could manage was a shaky, broken sentence.
"There’s no chance we can even… secretly date?" Her voice cracked as she asked the question, her desperation laid bare.
Dominik shook his head, the motion slow and deliberate, as if it physically hurt to say the words. “They’ll find out,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He glanced at her then, and the sight of her shattered him. She wasn’t crying, but the anguish in her expression was worse than any tears. Her lips trembled, her hands gripping the edge of the table as though it were the only thing keeping her grounded.
She nodded slowly, the movement so small it was almost imperceptible. Her silence felt deafening. Liv had always been gentle, always chosen understanding over confrontation, but in that moment, it was her quiet acceptance that gutted him. She wasn’t arguing, wasn’t fighting him on it—and that only made it worse. It was as if she already knew the outcome, as if she’d resigned herself to it the second he’d opened his mouth. He felt a surge of guilt, sharp and consuming, like a knife twisting in his chest. She deserved better than this. She deserved someone who could give her everything, not someone who let their dreams tear her apart.
"I’ll… I’ll talk to you later about this, okay?” Liv’s voice was barely above a whisper, strained and fragile, like she was holding herself together with fraying threads. She reached for her keys on the table, her movements quick and deliberate, not giving herself time to falter. Before he could respond, before he could say anything to stop her, she was out the door.
The sound of it closing behind her echoed in the apartment, leaving Dominik standing there, frozen. His heart felt heavy, weighed down by the guilt etched into every line of his face. His hands fell limply to his sides, and he stared at the door as if willing her to come back, even though he knew she wouldn’t. He had made his choice. And though he told himself it was for the best, for his career, for their future, the emptiness settling into his chest made it hard to believe that lie.
He stood there for what felt like hours, the silence in the room becoming unbearable. The walls seemed to close in, mocking him with memories of laughter and warmth that now felt like a distant dream. The guilt didn’t subside; it only grew, wrapping around him like a vice. He had hurt the one person who had always believed in him, the one person who had always been by his side. And now, standing alone in the space they had once called theirs, Dominik couldn’t shake the feeling that he had already lost her.
♡----------- END OF FLASHBACK------------♡
Dominik's heart felt as though it might shatter, each beat a painful reminder of the ache that had never truly left him. His voice faltered as he sang, the lyrics catching in his throat. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do—" the words came out fragile, almost a whisper, as his emotions swirled and threatened to consume him. He swallowed hard, his hand trembling slightly as it gripped the microphone. "Haunted by the ghost of you."
The crowd’s cheers dulled in his ears, drowned out by the rush of blood pounding in his head. His eyes, which had been tightly shut to block out the overwhelming wave of emotions, opened cautiously. He scanned the crowd like he always did when the nerves got the best of him, trying to ground himself, searching for something—anything—to focus on.
And then, he saw her.
His knees nearly buckled beneath him, a sharp inhale catching in his chest as his gaze locked onto those eyes. Those unmistakable sparkling blue eyes that had once looked at him with such warmth, such love, that he had felt invincible. The crowd around her blurred, fading into nothingness as the world narrowed down to just her. She wasn’t far from the stage, close enough for him to see every detail that had changed, every small difference that twisted the knife in his chest just a little deeper.
Her bangs were gone. Those bangs that she had worn for years, the ones she used to fuss about constantly. He could hear her voice in his mind, whining dramatically about how they were too long and always got in her eyes. He could feel the memory of her sitting in front of him, the scissors trembling slightly in his hands as he carefully trimmed them for her, laughing softly at her exaggerated sighs of relief. Now, her forehead was bare, and though it suited her, it felt wrong. It wasn’t how he remembered her, and the realization stung more than it should have.
Her cheeks, once round and chubby, were gone too. She looked more mature now, sharper somehow, like life had stripped away the softness she once carried. It hurt him to see that change because those cheeks were another thing he had loved about her. He used to tease her about them, poking them playfully just to hear her laugh and swat his hand away. That laughter echoed faintly in his mind, a ghost of what once was.
Her hair was shorter now, falling just past her shoulders, the ends curled delicately. It was nothing like the long, straight strands she used to complain were too plain, the ones he had run his fingers through countless times. And then there was the makeup—a subtle but noticeable difference. She used to hate makeup, calling it too much work and claiming she didn’t need it. He had agreed, always telling her how naturally beautiful she was. Now, her face was framed with careful touches of eyeliner and blush, enhancing her features in a way that made her seem so far removed from the Liv he used to know.
She had changed.
And yet, she was still her. Still Liv. Still the woman who had been his world. And that realization broke him all over again.
“Oh, take me back to the night we met,” he sang, his voice trembling with the weight of everything he couldn’t say, everything he couldn’t take back.
Their eyes locked across the room, and the pain in her gaze mirrored his own. She wasn’t smiling. There was no joy, no trace of the girl who had once looked at him as though he was her entire universe. Instead, there was a heaviness, a sadness that seemed to reach out and grab him by the throat. It was like staring into a mirror, both of them reflecting the damage that time and distance had wrought.
He wanted to look away, to escape the intensity of her stare, but he couldn’t. His feet stayed planted on the stage, his hands frozen around the microphone, his heart unraveling with every second that passed. The memories came rushing back in a flood he couldn’t control—the nights they had spent under the stars, the way her laughter could fill a room, the softness of her lips against his the first time they kissed.
But with those memories came the bitter ones, too. The way her voice had cracked when she asked if they could still secretly date, the defeated look in her eyes when he told her no, the echo of the door slamming as she walked out of their apartment for the last time.
He had chosen his dreams over her. He had made the choice that he thought was best, the choice that would secure his future. But standing here now, staring at her, he wondered if it had all been worth it. The record label, the fame, the screaming fans—they all felt hollow in comparison to what he had lost.
Liv didn’t move, didn’t say anything. She just stood there, her arms crossed loosely over her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line. He wondered if she hated him. He wondered if she missed him. He wondered if she still thought about him late at night when the world was quiet and the memories crept in.
He poured everything into the next line, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. “Take me back to the night we met.”
And for the first time in years, he let himself feel it all—the regret, the sorrow, the love that had never truly gone away. Because no matter how much time had passed, no matter how much they had both changed, one thing remained the same: he had never stopped loving her. And he never would.
Dominik’s hands trembled against the microphone as he sang, his voice raw with emotion, cracking slightly under the weight of the memories flooding back. He didn’t want to tear his gaze away from her, afraid that if he blinked, she would vanish like a ghost, just as she had before. His heart was a battlefield, every beat a painful clash of longing and regret.
"When the night was full of terrors," he crooned, his voice thick with anguish. He could still see her, standing there in the crowd, her eyes locked onto his. Those same blue eyes that had once held so much love for him.
"And your eyes were filled with tears."
♡-----------FLASHBACK------------♡
She had come back two days after that fight. Dominik had been sitting in the quiet apartment, his head in his hands, when the sound of the door opening startled him. His heart leapt with a flicker of hope, thinking maybe—just maybe —they could talk things through, that he could fix this. But when he stood and made his way to the bedroom, his breath caught in his throat at the sight before him.
Liv was packing.
She was on her knees by the bed, hastily shoving her belongings into a suitcase. Her hands moved with a shaky urgency, as though she wanted to get it over with before her heart could convince her otherwise. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and for the first time in their years together, Dominik saw her cry.
Her eyes… they were more vivid, more blue than he’d ever seen them, the color made sharper by the glistening tears threatening to spill over. It was a detail so painfully beautiful that it made his stomach churn. He wanted to reach out, to hold her, to beg her to stay, but his feet felt glued to the floor. The realization of what he had done weighed him down like a thousand bricks.
"Liv," he managed to whisper, his voice soft and broken.
She froze at the sound of her name, her hands halting mid-motion. She closed her eyes tightly, her body trembling as if his voice had physically struck her. She didn’t turn to face him, didn’t even lift her head.
"Were you just going to leave …?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Liv exhaled a shaky, pain-laden sigh, her shoulders slumping forward. "I can’t stay, Dominik." Her voice was quiet but firm, laced with heartbreak she couldn’t fully hide. She forced herself to continue packing, her hands trembling as she folded the last of her clothes. "If I stay any longer, it’ll hurt me more."
Her words cut through him like a blade. He felt the sting in his chest, sharp and unrelenting. She never called him Dominik—not like this. She’d always called him “Dom,” the nickname laced with affection and familiarity. Hearing his full name now, spoken with such detachment, was a cold reminder of what they had become.
"We… we broke up, and you have a future to chase," she continued, her voice cracking as her tears returned. She paused for a moment, gripping the edge of the bed as if she needed it to keep herself from falling apart. She didn’t want to say these things. She didn’t want to face the reality of their situation.
But she had to.
Liv had dreamed of staying by his side, of following him to every show, cheering for him from backstage, and holding him at night when the world became too much. She had imagined them building a life together, sharing dreams and laughter. But those dreams felt like a cruel joke now. She couldn’t stay in this apartment, surrounded by memories of a love that no longer had a place in his world.
Dominik wanted to speak, to tell her that she didn’t have to leave, that they could find a way. But the words wouldn’t come. He stood there, frozen, his fists clenched at his sides as the weight of everything he wanted to say crushed him.
Liv zipped her suitcase closed with finality, the sound ringing through the silence like a gunshot. She finally stood, her back still to him as she wiped her face with trembling hands. She didn’t want to look at him—not because she hated him, but because she loved him too much.
She loved him enough to let him go.
Dominik’s heart screamed at him to move, to do something, to stop her. But all he could do was watch, his throat tightening as she lifted the suitcase off the bed and turned toward the door. She paused for the briefest moment, her hand resting on the doorknob, and Dominik’s breath hitched.
This was it.
He wanted to run to her, to pull her into his arms and beg her to stay, but his pride, his guilt, his fear—they all held him back. He stayed rooted to the spot, helplessly watching as the only person who had ever truly understood him walked out of his life.
And when the door closed behind her, it was as if all the warmth in the apartment went with her. The silence that followed was deafening, and Dominik felt like he couldn’t breathe. The space that had once been filled with her laughter, her presence, her love, now felt cold and empty, as though it had never been a home at all.
He sank to his knees, his head in his hands, as the weight of her absence settled over him. He had lost her. And the worst part was, he knew it was his fault.
♡----------- END OF FLASHBACK------------♡
Dominik’s voice cracked as he returned to the present, forcing out the next line of the song. "Oh, take me back to the night we met." His gaze was still locked on hers, the pain in her eyes reflecting his own.
He had never stopped loving her. And as he stood on that stage, pouring his soul into the lyrics, he knew one thing with gut-wrenching certainty: he would spend the rest of his life haunted by the memory of the girl who had walked out that door, taking his heart with her.
Dominik stood there on the stage, his chest heaving as his voice quivered, the weight of the song pressing down on him like an anchor. Every lyric that escaped his lips felt like shards of glass cutting into his soul, slicing open wounds that had never truly healed. The crowd’s cheers faded into a dull hum, his world narrowing to just him, the stage, and her.
Her.
She stood there, just far enough away to be out of reach but close enough to undo him completely. The years had changed her, but her presence felt the same. It was a magnetism he couldn’t ignore, a pull that dragged him back through time, to the night they met in that small-town bar.
If only he could go back.
Every fiber of his being screamed to rewrite the past, to undo the choices that had led him to this point. He had been so naive, so foolish. He’d thought that sacrificing her for his career was the right thing to do, that it was the only way to succeed. But what was the point of success if it left him hollow, if every song he wrote was just a desperate plea to feel her presence again?
"I had all and then most of you," he sang, his voice breaking as tears welled in his eyes.
The crowd cheered, oblivious to the storm raging inside him, but his focus was entirely on her. Liv. She had always been his muse, his anchor, the light that had guided him through his darkest days. Every hit song, every album, every word he had ever penned—it had all been about her.
The pain on her face was too much to bear. He watched as her eyes, those brilliant blue eyes he had fallen for, shimmered with unshed tears. The sight took his breath away, the realization striking him like a punch to the gut: he was the reason for her pain, again.
The tears spilled over, tracing paths down her cheeks, and his heart shattered. The second time. This was the second time he had made her cry, and the guilt was unbearable.
Liv couldn’t stand it anymore. Her chest heaved as the memories she had buried clawed their way back to the surface, dragging her under. It had been years—years since their breakup, years since he had chosen his career over her. And yet, there she was, standing in the crowd, her heart still tethered to him. She had tried to move on, to build a life without him, but nothing had ever filled the void he left behind.
Dominik’s voice cracked again, trembling with emotion as the next line tore its way out of him. "Some and now none of you."
The words felt like knives, each one cutting deeper than the last. His tears flowed freely now, his vision blurring as he struggled to keep going. He blinked furiously, desperate to see her clearly one last time.
"Take me back to the night we met."
The stage lights dimmed slightly, casting an ethereal glow over the crowd, but Dominik couldn’t see anything beyond her. He blinked again, clearing his vision just in time to notice something that sent his heart plummeting to the floor.
She was gone.
Liv had disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind an emptiness that consumed him whole. It felt as though the ground had given way beneath him, and he was free-falling into a void of regret and despair.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," he sang weakly, his voice barely audible now.
His knees buckled, and he sank to the stage floor, the weight of her absence crushing him. His mind raced, the realization hitting him with brutal clarity: he had lost her. Again. And this time, he wasn’t sure if he would ever recover.
"Haunted by the ghost of you," he rasped, his gaze fixated on the spot where she had stood, as if staring hard enough could will her back into existence.
But she was gone.
And just like before, he had let her slip away. His heart screamed at him to run after her, to drop the microphone and chase her through the crowd, but his body wouldn’t move. He felt paralyzed, frozen in the same torment that had plagued him for years. He had been a fool then, and he was still a fool now.
He didn’t deserve her. He had never deserved her.
"Take me back to the night we met," he choked out one final time, the lights dimming as the last note faded into silence.
Dominik ripped out his earpiece, the cold, harsh silence of the stage surrounding him. His shoulders shook as a sob tore through him, raw and guttural, wrecking his body with its force. He doubled over, his hands clutching his chest as though trying to hold his fractured heart together.
The crowd roared with applause, oblivious to his breakdown, but Dominik didn’t hear them. All he could hear was the echo of her voice, her laughter, her cries. All he could feel was the ache in his chest, the weight of a love he had lost and never let go of.
The lights dimmed completely, and Dominik remained on his knees, tears streaming down his face as he silently begged for a second chance he knew would never come.
It had been almost a year since Liv and Dominik began their fragile, breathless dance of love—a love that felt impossibly new, like touching sunlight after a lifetime in shadow. To Liv, their love was effortless, but for Dominik, it was everything he hadn’t dared to believe he could have. She had woven her way into his life with quiet patience, her presence something warm, soft, something he had longed for but didn’t think he deserved.
Dominik still felt the weight of scars left by his last relationship, a storm that had ravaged him in ways that still bled, wounds he’d convinced himself would never heal. That relationship had been a series of emotional landmines, each step a shattering test of trust, leaving him bruised and hollowed, haunted by the twisted echoes of words meant to comfort but used as knives. There were days when he couldn’t escape the poison of those memories, when he could still feel the suffocating grip around his heart, a vice he thought he’d never free himself from.
But then, there was Liv. She walked into his life as if she belonged there, bringing with her a calmness that seeped into the spaces he had abandoned long ago. She didn’t demand him to be healed, didn’t ask him to forget his scars; instead, she ran her fingers over the wounds, her touch a promise that his brokenness didn’t make him unworthy. With her, love was tender and real, every moment something he wanted to hold onto but feared he might break.
Every time she laughed, it felt like she was stitching him back together, bit by fragile bit. With Liv, he was no longer the fractured, burdened man he’d been. She gave him the strength to believe that maybe he wasn’t destined to bleed forever, that maybe—just maybe—he could let himself be loved without looking over his shoulder for the pain he’d come to expect.
Their meeting felt ripped from a scene they’d both watched countless times on lonely nights, wondering if moments like these ever really happened. Liv was weaving through the crowds, lost in her own world, her headphones plugged in, blocking out the noise of the bustling city around her. Dominik, on the other hand, was darting through the crowd with his mind already at work, his eyes scanning the street for the time, for the next step, always rushing.
Then, without warning, they collided.
Their bags hit the ground, and Liv’s headphones fell to the pavement in a tangled mess. They both froze, mumbling a string of half-formed apologies, each word stumbling over the other’s. But the moment their eyes met, apologies dissolved into awkward, breathless laughter—laughter that filled the space between them and seemed to hush the city noise for a heartbeat.
Dominik knelt to help her, fumbling as he gathered her headphones and bag, handing them back with a shy, crooked smile. And he couldn’t stop staring. Her eyes, a shade of blue he’d never quite seen before, drew him in like the pull of a tide. “You... you have pretty eyes,” he blurted, as though the words had a mind of their own. The color in Liv’s cheeks deepened, her lips curling up as she tried to look away. “I love your hair,” she managed, her own voice soft, almost nervous, as if she’d just shared a secret.
They stood there, grinning like fools, suspended in the warmth of that single, charged moment. But reality tugged at them both, reminding them of places to be, and reluctantly, they pulled apart, each glancing back with smiles lingering long after the other had disappeared into the crowd.
Neither of them realized they were heading to the same place, just from different directions. When Dominik arrived at work, he was still thinking of her, and the memory of her laugh kept him smiling in a way he hadn’t in a long time. But then he glanced up, and his breath caught. There, standing under the spotlight, was the pretty blonde girl who’d just swept into his life, guitar in hand, her eyes shining under the stage lights—the girl he hadn’t known he’d been looking for.
As the final note of Liv’s song drifted into silence, her eyes lifted, scanning the crowd—and then, she saw him. They locked eyes, a spark flickering between them, and it was as if the rest of the room faded away, leaving just the two of them in the warm glow of the stage lights. Dominik’s heart thundered in his chest, each beat a reminder that he was feeling something he thought he’d buried long ago.
For the past year, he’d sworn off romance, his broken heart hardened by the bitterness of betrayal. Love at first sight, he used to think, was just a cheap trick, a fairy tale he’d long outgrown. He’d scoffed at every romantic comedy, every “meant to be” storyline, unwilling to believe in a magic he’d once foolishly chased. But now, here he was, spellbound by the girl on stage, his cynicism melting away like ice under her gaze.
Liv, in contrast, had always believed. Even when she was overlooked, cast aside as an afterthought, she’d never lost faith in the magic of love. She was a hopeless romantic, the kind who believed love could be found in the smallest moments—a soft glance, a shared laugh, the quiet warmth of someone simply being there. She poured her heart into her songs, her lyrics filled with stories of love she’d never known but desperately dreamed of. To her, love was endless, infinite; she held close the belief that everyone deserved it, even if it was fleeting.
Their lives began to intertwine in ways that felt almost like fate. Liv started performing at Dominik’s work regularly, and each time she stepped into the room, his pulse quickened, and the walls he’d built began to crack. She no longer performed just for the crowd; she sang for him, and he felt it in every note. Dominik, who had once drifted through his days with numb indifference, now felt something like hope, a strange warmth blossoming whenever she was near.
And so, they fell into an unspoken rhythm—Liv pouring her heart into each performance, her gaze finding him in the crowd, while Dominik waited, heart racing, for those few precious moments when their worlds collided. He knew she was the only reason he still showed up, and she, in turn, felt the fire she sang about, igniting every time their eyes met. It was as if fate had known all along: they were bound to cross paths, to be each other's light, each other’s reason to believe.
And so, that was how their love story began—a story that felt like it was written in the stars yet grounded in the simplest, sweetest moments. Liv was the spark that reignited Dominik’s belief in love, melting away years of hurt and mistrust, and Dominik was the first person who showed Liv that she was more than someone’s second choice, more than a fleeting thought. Together, they fit like two puzzle pieces finally finding their place, their edges worn but fitting all the more beautifully because of it.
They were inseparable, often seen side by side as if bound by some invisible thread. Their laughter became a familiar melody to anyone who knew them, and they had made a home in each other’s presence. Liv had met his friends, her warmth weaving easily into the group, and Dominik had met hers, his quiet strength endearing him to those closest to her. Even their families had grown close, recognizing that something rare and real had blossomed between them. Dominik’s boss, always quick with a quip, would often say, “This bar’s got magic—it’s where love finds its way.” Dominik would roll his eyes, brushing it off with a smile, but deep down, he knew it was true.
As their one-year anniversary approached, Liv felt her heart swell with the weight of her love for him, a feeling so big it seemed to leave no room to breathe. She wanted to give him something that would show him how he had changed her life. She planned, in secret, to surprise him with a love song, a piece of her heart she’d spent months pouring onto the crumpled pages she kept hidden away. She practiced tirelessly, her voice growing stronger as she sang, every word laced with a tender ache, a reminder of how deeply she loved him. Her tears had fallen on the paper as she wrote, her emotions staining the words, and with each rehearsal, her heart ached a little more with anticipation and hope.
The song was her gift, a piece of her soul offered up in a melody. She imagined his face when he heard it, imagined the way he’d look at her as he finally understood the depth of her feelings. For her, it was the purest way to say everything her words had fallen short of, to show him that he was the one who’d taken her wounded heart and made it whole. And as the days slipped closer to their anniversary, Liv held her secret close, her heart brimming with love, her voice carrying a promise only he would understand.
It was supposed to be a simple surprise, one of the many little gestures she loved to make for Dominik. She had come early to see him, just to spend a few more precious minutes together before his shift, her excitement buzzing beneath her skin. But she’d misread his schedule, arriving hours before he was due in, and found herself alone with his friends, Finn and Damian, the regular workers at the bar who always made her feel welcome. They’d laughed off her mistake, keeping her company while they worked, and she’d slipped off to the restroom, smiling at how everything just felt right, even in these small moments.
But as she was walking back, her steps slowed, her breath catching when she heard her name in their voices, hushed but sharp. She lingered by the doorway, heart beginning to pound, as Finn’s voice rose over the clinking of glasses.
“Don’t you think Liv is a bit…” he started, his voice carrying an edge she’d never heard before.
Damian cut him off, his tone light but cruel. “Clingy? Burdensome?” he sneered, a smirk in his voice that made her chest tighten.
A nervous laugh escaped from Finn, and then they were both laughing, a sound that seemed to echo around her like a haunting. She felt herself freeze, willing it to be some kind of joke, something she’d misunderstood, but the words kept coming, each one striking her harder than the last.
“Can’t believe Dom fell for a chick like her,” Damian said, his tone dismissive, biting. There was a cruelty in his voice that felt like it was slicing through her, word by word.
Finn chuckled darkly, not even hesitating. “I don’t either. Michelle was for sure prettier… and less of a hassle, you know?”
The knot in Liv’s stomach twisted, and she felt her hands clench into fists, her nails biting into her palms as she stood there, hidden but unable to turn away. She felt as though she were peeling back the glossy surface of something beautiful only to reveal something rotted underneath, something she had never wanted to see. These were Dominik’s friends, the people who knew him best, who had accepted her with open arms—or so she’d thought.
They continued, oblivious to the way their words were tearing her apart.
“Honestly,” Damian scoffed, “her coming here all the time? You can tell it has to be a burden for him. Poor Dom, putting up with all that…”
Liv felt her heart shatter, the pieces scattering as their laughter filled the empty spaces. Everything she’d told herself—her confidence, her belief in what she and Dominik shared—now felt like a fragile illusion, breaking under the weight of their words. She wanted to turn around, to flee before they could see the tears that stung her eyes, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe.
All those moments she’d spent with Dominik, every smile, every whispered promise—they now felt tainted, tangled up in the doubt and pain that was tearing through her. Her mind spun, replaying every time she’d come to the bar just to see him, every time she’d caught him watching her with a soft look that had made her heart skip. But now she wondered if she’d been wrong all along. If, behind that gentle smile, he’d really been wishing she would just leave.
Her chest felt hollow, her heart a fragile thing on the verge of breaking, and for the first time, she wondered if she had been nothing but a burden all along.
They had no idea, no idea how every word of theirs clawed at old wounds Liv had tried so hard to bury. Each careless laugh, every cruel, dismissive remark echoed with the voices of her past, bringing them back to life with brutal clarity. She’d heard it before—too clingy, too needy, a burden to anyone who got close. That was what every guy before Dominik had told her, and she’d believed it, even as she’d tried to push those thoughts away, to convince herself that she deserved more, that she wasn’t too much.
But hearing it now, from his friends, the people who knew him best—it was as if they’d ripped the bandages off, exposing wounds she’d never really let heal. Her breath caught, becoming shallow, ragged, and all she could think was, Is that what I am to him? Am I really just a burden?
Every moment she’d spent with Dominik played back in her mind, warped and distorted. She remembered how she’d shown up early, how she’d stayed late, how she’d hung on every word he’d said. She thought of the countless times she’d come to his work, thinking she was making his day a little brighter. But now, all those memories twisted, darkening under the weight of her doubt. Maybe he’d just been tolerating her, too kind to tell her she was suffocating him, just like everyone else had.
She swallowed hard, trying to push down the thick lump in her throat, willing herself not to cry as she walked back into the bar, her hands trembling at her sides. Finn and Damian’s laughter fell silent the second they saw her, their expressions shifting to a casual, feigned innocence, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet their eyes. She forced a smile, her voice quivering despite her best efforts to keep it steady.
“Sorry, guys. I have to go. Work called me in suddenly,” she stammered, the words stumbling out of her as she tried to keep her tone polite, even gentle. “Please… tell Dom for me, thanks.”
Her words were barely out before she turned on her heel, leaving before they could see the hurt in her eyes, before her composure shattered entirely. She stumbled out into the street, feeling the weight of their words pressing down on her, suffocating her. She walked faster, then faster still, until she was running, her feet pounding against the pavement, each step a desperate attempt to escape the ache tightening around her chest. The city blurred around her, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the voices in her head, the ones telling her she was too much, that she’d ruined things all over again, that she’d never be enough.
When Dominik arrived at work that night, his face lit up as he looked around for her, his heart sinking when Finn casually told him, “Liv had to leave early—something about work calling her in.” Dominik’s smile faded, disappointment settling in his chest as he glanced toward the door, wishing he’d gotten there just a bit sooner. He had no idea she’d been there, waiting for him, only to leave with a heart weighed down by the voices of everyone who’d ever made her feel small, everyone who’d made her feel unworthy.
And miles away, Liv sat alone in her room, staring at the crumpled, tear-stained pages of the song she’d written for him, feeling every note turn to ash in her hands.
Weeks passed, and it felt like their relationship had unraveled, thread by fragile thread. Dominik was left standing in the middle of what had once felt like his whole world, only now it felt strangely empty, as though she had been the light keeping it alive. Liv had stopped coming by the bar, her laughter and presence a hollow absence that seemed to echo louder every day. He noticed the subtle changes, the way she stopped sending those chaotic, sweet messages that once had his phone buzzing at all hours, her words brimming with love and excitement. Now, there was nothing but silence—a void that grew bigger every day.
At first, he tried to tell himself it was nothing. She was busy; work was piling up. But every time he asked, her answer felt rehearsed, hollow. “I’ve gotten more shifts at my job,” she’d say, forcing a smile he’d once thought was real. “I’m sorry.” But he could see the walls she was building, the distance growing between them like a chasm he couldn’t cross, no matter how hard he tried.
She didn’t realize how deeply her withdrawal was wounding him, didn’t see the desperation in his eyes as he tried to hold onto her, hold onto the memories of who they’d been. He spent countless shifts staring at the door, his heart lifting with a fleeting hope every time someone walked in, only to fall again when it wasn’t her. Every night, he’d glance at the empty stage, hoping against hope that he’d look up and see her standing there, guitar in hand, her voice weaving magic that only she could create. But the stage stayed empty, the silence louder than any music.
Dominik missed her with a kind of ache he hadn’t known was possible, a constant, gnawing pain that left him feeling hollowed out. He missed her laugh, the way her voice softened when she looked at him, the way her eyes lit up as if he was the only person in the world who mattered. Now, he could barely recognize her. She was distant, a shadow of herself, her once-bright spirit dulled by something he couldn’t understand, something she wouldn’t let him touch. And every time she pulled away, it felt like she was slipping further and further out of reach, taking pieces of his heart with her.
He tried everything he could think of to hold on, to make her stay, to remind her of the love they’d built together, the bond that had once felt unbreakable. But all he had now were memories—of her smile, her laugh, the warmth of her hand in his. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was losing her, one heartbeat at a time, as she drifted further into a silence he couldn’t break, leaving him waiting, helpless, and brokenhearted.
What haunted Dominik the most was the twisted familiarity of it all, a nightmare he thought he’d already escaped. This was exactly how it had ended with Michelle—the slow withdrawal, the distant looks, the way every small interaction began to feel like a chore for her. With Michelle, he’d watched their love decay, piece by piece, and when he’d finally asked her why, her eyes were cold, her heart already long gone. She’d reduced him to someone disposable, someone unworthy, and he had spent months putting himself back together, rebuilding the pieces she’d broken.
Liv had been his safe haven, the one who’d made him believe that love could be gentle and good. She was nothing like Michelle, and he hated himself for even thinking there could be a comparison. But now, as she pulled away, he felt that same raw, gnawing fear in his chest. She was slipping through his fingers, and he was helpless to stop it.
Liv, the girl who’d always told him that communication was everything, the girl who had once stayed up all night just to talk him through his darkest moments, now wouldn’t even look him in the eyes. She was a stranger, her voice an echo of the girl he’d fallen for, and every time he reached for her, it was like his hand fell through air. She was there but not there, present but distant, leaving him grappling with the emptiness she was creating.
Liv’s mind was a mess of hurt and confusion, but she couldn't find it in herself to tell him why. She knew, logically, that his friends’ words were nothing more than careless remarks, echoes of a past that didn’t matter. But logic had nothing to do with how she felt. Their voices had reawakened old insecurities that she’d buried deep, scars that she’d convinced herself were healed. It was like reopening a wound that had barely begun to scar over—every word, every glance, a reminder of every past hurt. She couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe they were right, that maybe Dominik would eventually see her the way his friends did, and she couldn’t bear to watch him pull away.
So, she’d decided to be the one to step back, to give him space, to stop being a “burden.” She thought that maybe, if she faded quietly from his life, she could spare them both the inevitable pain, that her absence would make it easier for him. But what she didn’t realize was that her silence was tearing Dominik apart in ways she couldn’t imagine.
Every time he looked at her, all he saw was the beautiful soul he knew, the girl who had brought light into his life. But now that light was dimming, and with every passing day, she became less like the Liv he knew, more like a shadow. Dominik was left haunted, helpless, clutching onto whatever scraps of their love he could still feel, each one slipping from his grasp like grains of sand.
Liv no longer felt worthy of him; she was convinced she’d destroyed everything good between them. There were nights when, restless and aching, she’d walk past his work just to catch a glimpse of him through the large windows of the bar. She’d watch him, hidden in the shadows, her heart clenching painfully as she saw him laughing with his coworkers, his face lit up in a way she could only interpret as relief. In her mind, he looked freer, happier, as if her absence had lifted some weight from his shoulders. She told herself he was better off, that maybe she’d done him a favor by pulling away.
But she couldn’t have been more wrong. What she didn’t see were the nights Dominik spent in quiet agony, her silence gnawing at him, the ghost of her presence haunting every corner of the bar where they’d once shared moments filled with laughter and warmth. Every time the door swung open, he would look up, his heart racing, hoping she would walk in. And every time it wasn’t her, the emptiness inside him deepened, a hollow ache that no amount of work or laughter with friends could fill. Her absence was like a slow poison, eating away at him, piece by piece.
One week before what would have been their anniversary, Liv gathered the courage to step into his world again. She took a deep breath as she walked into the bar, every instinct in her body screaming at her to turn back, to disappear. But she couldn’t stay away. Dominik’s eyes met hers, and in that moment, his heart both ached and leaped, warmth spreading through him despite the hurt. He’d missed her more than he could ever put into words.
“Liv,” he murmured, his voice soft, laced with a pain he couldn’t hide. Her weak smile barely reached her eyes, and she forced herself to hold his gaze for a moment, before her eyes drifted toward his coworkers, Finn and Damian. Their expressions were indifferent, unreadable, but in her mind, their eyes were filled with silent judgment, their stares cutting her down to nothing. She felt as small as ever, a deep shame settling over her like a heavy blanket, and she could feel herself shrinking under their gaze, unable to shake the memory of the words they’d spoken about her.
Her voice was barely a whisper as she greeted Dominik, every part of her wanting to melt into the floor, to disappear from the weight of her own insecurities. She glanced quickly at his coworkers, her heart sinking as they exchanged a look that, in her mind, was full of disdain. She felt foolish, unworthy, as if she didn’t belong in his life, as if her very presence here was an intrusion. And though she couldn’t bring herself to say it, she wanted nothing more than to tell Dominik how sorry she was—for everything, for the pain she’d caused, for being the burden she’d convinced herself she was.
Dominik saw it all in her eyes, the pain she tried so hard to hide, the sadness that lingered behind her fragile smile. He wanted to reach out, to take her hand, to tell her she was everything to him, that he hadn’t felt whole since she’d started pulling away. But she looked so broken, so distant, he didn’t know if he could reach her. And in that silence, as they stood there together yet worlds apart, he felt the weight of his own helplessness, of watching the woman he loved drift further away, just out of his grasp.
Dominik held Liv tightly in his arms, pulling her close, and for a fleeting moment, the world outside faded away. Her arms instinctively wrapped around him, clinging to the warmth that felt so right yet so wrong. Each heartbeat felt like a reminder of how far they had drifted, how she had convinced herself that she was a burden in his life, a source of irritation rather than the joy she longed to be. She could feel the heaviness of those thoughts pressing against her chest, and no matter how much she wanted to revel in the comfort of his embrace, the shadows of her insecurities loomed large.
“I missed you so much, baby,” Dominik murmured against her hair, the familiar warmth of his breath sending shivers down her spine. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, and the sweet scent of her vanilla shampoo enveloped him like a comforting hug. It was his favorite scent, one that brought back memories of lazy mornings and stolen kisses, and yet it only deepened the ache in Liv’s heart. She wanted to bask in his affection, to let the moment linger, but the gnawing feeling that she was somehow an imposition held her captive.
“I missed you more,” she replied, her voice catching slightly in her throat, as if the weight of unspoken words threatened to spill over. There were so many things she wanted to say, apologies that clawed at her insides, but they remained stuck, lodged in her heart like stones. Just as she opened her mouth to express the depths of her feelings, Finn’s voice boomed across the bar, shattering the moment.
“Dom, you have customers waiting!”
Dominik pulled away, regret flashing in his eyes, and all she could do was watch as he scurried off, his smile lingering just a moment longer before it vanished. Liv sighed heavily, her gaze dropping to the floor. That nagging sensation of being an annoyance swelled within her. She’d come to perform, to share her heart with the very people who’d supported her, but now it felt like a burden all over again.
As she walked towards the stage, her heart pounded in her chest, each step heavier than the last. She could feel the weight of the bar’s atmosphere pressing down on her, the excited chatter of the customers swirling around her. Pulling out her guitar, she reread the lyrics scrawled on the crumpled paper in her hand. The pink ink shone brightly against the backdrop of her inner turmoil, and she hesitated. What had once been a joyful anthem of love now felt tainted by her doubts.
The regulars greeted her with cheers and applause, and though their enthusiasm warmed her, it did little to quell the storm brewing inside. Dominik, standing off to the side, cast glances her way, a smile tugging at his lips, but the look in his eyes was different—conflicted, concerned. He had missed her, she could see that, but would he understand the turmoil that had driven her to this moment?
When she began to sing, the familiar chords felt foreign under her fingertips, and the words, which once flowed effortlessly, now tasted bitter on her tongue. Instead of the usual love song, a haunting melody poured out, a lament that resonated with her pain. It was raw and unfiltered, an anguished expression of everything she’d been holding back. Her voice cracked with emotion, and she poured her heart into every lyric, each note tinged with sorrow.
The regulars exchanged confused glances, and Dominik’s smile faltered as the realization settled in. This wasn’t the song he’d anticipated; it was a breakup ballad, a painful reflection of their fractured connection. As Liv’s voice trembled, she could see the worry etched on his face, the way his brow furrowed in concern. The truth was spilling out with every note, unraveling in a way she hadn’t intended, and in that moment, she felt both liberated and trapped.
As the final chord faded, she looked out at the sea of faces—some sympathetic, others bewildered—and felt the crushing weight of her choices. She had come to share her love, but instead, she had laid bare her broken heart, and now she feared it would all come crashing down around them. Dominik stood frozen, his heart aching as he watched the girl he loved unravel before him, and he felt helpless, desperately wishing he could pull her back from the edge of her pain.
Liv felt like she was walking through a fog as she left the stage, the applause of the crowd fading into a distant echo that barely registered in her mind. The song had torn her open, exposing wounds she had buried deep, and now she felt raw, like she had just committed the most unforgivable mistake. Her fingers fumbled as she scrambled to collect her things, the guitar slipping slightly from her grasp as she stumbled toward the exit, her heart racing with a mixture of panic and regret. She couldn’t bear to face Dominik, to see the confusion and hurt in his eyes after everything she had just revealed.
But just as she pushed through the door, she felt his grip on her wrist, strong and unyielding. He pulled her to the side, away from the laughter and chatter of the bar, into the cool night air that felt heavy with unspoken words. They stood before the big windows, the glow of the bar’s interior illuminating their faces, casting shadows that mirrored the turmoil in her heart.
“Liv, what’s been happening between us?” His voice was soft but strained, his eyes searching for the answers that eluded her. There was a desperation in his gaze, a deep-seated pain that twisted like a knife in her gut. “I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”
She could see it in his eyes—an anguish that mirrored her own—and it made her want to scream, to tell him everything that had been weighing on her heart. But the lump in her throat constricted tighter, suffocating her words before they could escape. She bit the inside of her cheek, willing herself not to cry, forcing her gaze up to the sky, as if the stars could provide her with some clarity.
“Please, talk to me,” he urged, his voice trembling with emotion. “I want to know what’s wrong. I want to be there for you, Liv. I love you so much it makes my heart feel like it’ll explode any moment!” His confession poured out like a flood, raw and unfiltered, and she felt every syllable cut through her like glass. “I’ve never felt like this for anyone ever. You’re the reason I even believe in love, Liv. Please, talk to me.”
His words echoed in her mind, a siren call that both soothed and shattered her. She took a deep breath, knowing that what she was about to say would shatter the fragile connection they had built. She didn’t want to say it; she had fought against the urge, but she felt as though it was the only way to save him from the burden of her pain.
“Let’s break up.” The words slipped out in a whisper, but they struck like lightning, bright and destructive.
Dominik froze, the world around them falling silent as if time itself had stopped. His expression shifted from confusion to heartbreak, a visceral pain crossing his features as if her words had physically wounded him. “You don’t mean that, Liv,” he said, his voice barely a whisper, filled with disbelief and desperation.
“Look at me and say it.” His tone cracked like ice underfoot, and she felt the weight of his gaze piercing into her, demanding the truth.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she forced herself to meet his gaze. But the moment their eyes locked, the reality of her words sank in, wrapping around her heart like a vice. She could see the flicker of hope dimming in his eyes, the light fading away, and it threatened to tear her apart from the inside out.
“Please,” he begged, his voice breaking. “Don’t do this, Liv.”
Every part of her wanted to take it back, to tell him that she was scared, that she didn’t know how to navigate the chasm that had opened between them. But the fear of being a burden loomed larger than her love, and she felt like she was losing herself, losing him, losing everything that mattered in the process.
Liv felt as if the air had been sucked from her lungs, her heart a lead weight in her chest, so heavy that speaking was impossible. The world around them faded, leaving just the two of them locked in this moment of agony. She loved Dominik fiercely, more than she could ever articulate, and the thought of breaking up felt like plunging a knife into her own heart. But what if her very presence was a burden? What if staying only held him back? She was terrified of being the reason for his unhappiness, of him feeling trapped because of her struggles. She couldn't bear the thought of weighing him down with her insecurities, her darkness.
“It’s over between us, Dominik.” The words slipped from her lips like poison, each syllable tasting bitter and acrid. She forced herself to meet his gaze, her blue eyes clashing with his dark brown ones, which shimmered with confusion and hurt. They were glossy, reflecting the pain she was causing him, and it made her heart ache more than she thought possible.
“Why?” His voice broke, a fragile whisper laced with desperation, and Liv felt her soul shatter at the sound. Tears streamed down his face, each droplet a testament to the love they had shared, to the connection that felt so vital just moments before.
“W-we’re just not compatible,” she stammered, the lie hanging in the air between them like a thick fog. She hated herself for it, every word cutting deeper than any blade. Her mind raced with the thoughts of how different they truly were, but not in the way she was saying. “I’m just too different compared to you. I’m a burden, Dominik.” The confession slipped from her lips, each word dripped with a truth she had been fighting against for so long.
He opened his mouth to argue, to protest that she could never be a burden, that she was everything but. But the pain etched on her face silenced him. The sadness that had twisted in his gut coiled tighter, and he felt powerless, unable to reach her, to pull her back from the brink she had thrown herself over.
“I’m sorry. I don’t deserve you.” Her voice was small, barely a whisper above the night’s breeze, and Dominik’s heart broke further at the sight of her withdrawing from him. “May you find someone who is actually worthy and not so… ruined.” Each word was a dagger, thrusting deeper into the already gaping wound in his heart.
With that, she turned on her heel, running away from him, each step echoing the finality of her decision. Dominik felt as though the ground beneath him had shifted, leaving him unmoored and desperate. He wanted to chase after her, to pull her back into his arms, to tell her that she was everything to him and more. But as she fled, something fell from her backpack, landing softly at his feet.
His gaze dropped to the folded and crumpled paper, the sight making his stomach drop. Picking it up, he unfolded it with trembling hands, dread pooling in his gut. The familiar lyrics spilled across the page, a song meant for their one-year anniversary, each line a reminder of all the love they had shared. But as he flipped it over, the words scrawled on the back shattered him anew: “I’m sorry for being a burden.”
The realization crushed him, the weight of her words suffocating. He staggered back, his heart crumbling under the weight of her despair, the hopelessness she had wrapped around herself like a cloak. He stood alone under the stars, tears streaming down his face, the cool night air doing nothing to soothe the fire of anguish burning in his chest. He cried out into the darkness, a sound of pure heartache, unfiltered and raw, unaware of how Liv had come to such a devastating conclusion about herself.
Every moment they had spent together flashed before his eyes—her laughter, the way she lit up a room, the warmth of her touch, and the way she had made him believe in love again. And now, all he could see was the distance she had created, the walls she had built around herself that he had been powerless to breach. The stars twinkled above, indifferent to the heartache unfolding below, and in that moment, Dominik felt more alone than ever, his heart splintering into countless pieces that seemed impossible to put back together.
Liv, the radiant light who had mended the shattered fragments of Dominik's heart, was now the very reason those pieces were fracturing once more. She was the one who had breathed life back into him, reigniting a belief in love that he thought had been extinguished forever. Her laughter had been a balm to his wounds, her touch a gentle promise that happiness was possible. Yet, in a cruel twist of fate, she had become the architect of his heartache, the one to snatch away the fragile hope she had painstakingly built.
Each moment they had shared—the whispered secrets, the tender embraces, the shared dreams—now felt tainted by the bitter reality of her departure. Dominik could hardly reconcile the image of her bright smile with the pain radiating from his chest, the hollow echo of her absence resonating in every corner of his being. It was as if she had not only taken love from him but had also stripped away the very essence of joy, leaving behind a chasm that seemed insurmountable.
His heart ached with the weight of her choice, the knowledge that the person who had once illuminated his world had now cast him into shadow. He could still feel the warmth of her presence lingering in the air, yet it was laced with the coldness of her words—her confessions that she felt unworthy, that she was a burden. Every syllable she had spoken echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder of the love that had transformed into despair.
In those final moments, as she turned to walk away, it was as if a part of his soul had been wrenched from him, leaving an emptiness so profound that it threatened to swallow him whole. Liv, who had healed him, had unwittingly become the knife that carved through his heart once again. And now, as he stood under the vast expanse of the night sky, the stars looked down upon him with indifference, mocking him for believing that love could ever truly be his again.
It had been about four months since Liv and Dominik were paired up for their carefully crafted plan to get revenge on Rhea Ripley—the person who had hurt them both more than anyone else ever had. The idea was risky, but they’d decided that pretending to be lovers would give them the best chance to manipulate her. It was a game of deception and mind games, with every interaction carefully staged.
Finn, ever the skeptic, had voiced his doubts when they first pitched the plan. “This could end up being a bad decision," he’d warned, watching them with narrowed eyes. But even he couldn’t deny the undeniable spark between Liv and Dominik. Their chemistry was palpable—so much so that even the lines between reality and pretense had begun to blur.
In the beginning, Liv had told herself it was all part of the act. She practiced her smiles, her laughs, and the way she let Dominik's hand linger on her waist. But soon, she found herself unable to control the way her heart would flutter whenever he was near. It was like a restless bird trapped inside her chest, beating faster and faster whenever he leaned in too close, whispered something in her ear, or flashed that mischievous smile of his.
Dominik had a way of looking at her that made her feel seen, truly seen. His dark eyes, deep and thoughtful, seemed to reach right into her, making her forget that it was all just a façade. When they trained together in the gym, his laughter would echo against the walls, filling the empty space between them, making her feel lighter than she had in years. She couldn’t quite place the feeling—nervousness or joy, perhaps a tangled mix of both—but it left her breathless all the same.
She told herself it was the thrill of the plan, the rush of adrenaline as they plotted Rhea’s downfall together. But late at night, when she replayed the moments they’d shared, she couldn't ignore how Dominik made her feel. He was the first thought that crossed her mind when she woke up, and the reason she looked forward to going to work every morning. His presence had become like the sun in her life, a warmth that she craved without understanding why.
And she hated how easy it had become to care for him. It made everything feel messier, more real, and more dangerous. Yet, there was a part of her that didn’t mind the risk—that loved how she could be herself around him, without needing to pretend. Sometimes she wondered if he felt it too, in the way his gaze lingered a little too long when he thought she wasn’t looking, or in the way his touch seemed to soften when their eyes met.
But the plan was still the plan. It was a mission they couldn’t afford to fail, a game they couldn’t let slip through their fingers. They both knew it, and yet, somewhere along the way, they had become more than just co-conspirators. They had become something else, something unspoken. And in the quiet moments between plotting revenge and keeping up appearances, Liv found herself wishing, for just a second, that this was real.
But Liv always kept those feelings buried deep inside her, locking them away like a secret she didn't dare speak. Every time she caught herself lingering on the way Dominik's smile made her feel or the warmth of his touch, she quickly shoved those thoughts aside, afraid of what might happen if she let them show. After all, unrequited love had been a painful companion before—its sting still fresh in her memory. She couldn't bear to go through it again. So, she built walls around her heart, hoping that maybe, if she acted convincingly enough, no one would notice the cracks forming beneath the surface.
One afternoon, when the two of them had taken a break from their endless planning, Finn cornered her in the hallway, his expression unreadable. “Liv, you’ve been different lately. What’s going on with you and Dominik?” His voice was low, curious, and she felt her pulse quicken, panic threatening to bubble over.
She forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, and shrugged as casually as she could manage. “Nothing, Finn. We’re just doing what we planned—keeping up appearances, that’s all.” She hoped he couldn’t hear the tremor in her voice or see the way her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of her shirt. Finn studied her for a moment longer, his brow furrowed as if he might press further, but eventually, he let it drop, leaving Liv with a sinking feeling in her chest.
But as the weeks turned into months, hiding her feelings became an impossible task. The love she felt for Dominik seemed to swell with every passing day, growing like a relentless tide that refused to be contained. It washed over her in waves—when he laughed, when he looked at her like she was the only person in the room, when he held her close in those moments they pretended to be a couple. She told herself it was all an act, but each touch, each glance, made her wish it could be real. And she was drowning in it, pulled deeper into the currents of her own emotions.
She thought she could keep it hidden, but the more she tried to hold it back, the more obvious it seemed to become. Her cheeks would flush when he leaned in too close, her voice would waver when he teased her, and she found herself looking at him with a softness that she could no longer disguise. Even Finn had started to notice the way her eyes seemed to follow Dominik across the room, like a moth drawn helplessly to a flame.
Liv knew it was only a matter of time before Dominik realized too. The thought sent a chill of fear through her—a fear that he might look at her with pity, that he might pull away, leaving her heart exposed and aching. But even that fear couldn’t quiet the way her chest fluttered every time he touched her arm or gave her one of those smiles that seemed meant just for her.
She tried to avoid being alone with him, knowing that the closer they got, the more her resolve would crumble. But their plan kept pulling them back together, and each moment they spent alone became another crack in the armor she had tried so hard to maintain. Every word, every touch, was an unspoken promise that she longed to believe in.
Yet, every night when she was alone with her thoughts, she couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like to let herself fall completely—to tell Dominik everything, to risk her heart again. It was a dream she didn’t dare chase, but it haunted her nonetheless, creeping into her thoughts until it was all she could see when she closed her eyes.
And in those quiet moments, she knew that she couldn’t keep this secret forever. One day, it would spill out, whether she wanted it to or not. The truth, like her feelings, had grown too big to stay hidden. And when that day came, she would have to face whatever came next—whether it was heartbreak or something she never dared to hope for.
One night, after wrapping up a segment with Rhea, Liv and Dominik finally had a moment to breathe. The whole thing had gone off without a hitch—Rhea’s expression during their act was priceless, her jealousy and frustration almost palpable. It was clear that she had no idea they were faking it. She still had feelings for Dominik, and seeing him with Liv had gotten under her skin in exactly the way they’d hoped.
Exhausted but pleased, the two of them found themselves sprawled on the couch in The Judgment Day's locker room. Liv’s head rested against Dominik’s shoulder, while his arm draped lazily around her. They both let out tired laughs, their bodies warm from the adrenaline of the successful segment.
“That was so much fun,” Dominik said, a tired grin spreading across his face.
Liv couldn’t help but smile as she nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “The look on her face was amazing,” she replied, recalling Rhea's reaction with a laugh that bubbled up despite her exhaustion.
Dominik chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Can’t believe our acting is this good.”
But something about that word—Acting—landed heavily in Liv’s chest. The sound of it echoed in her mind, bouncing off the walls she’d tried so hard to build. Acting. It hit her like a splash of cold water, pulling her back to the reality she had been trying so hard to ignore. It was all pretend. Everything—the lingering touches, the closeness, the way he’d look at her—was just part of the game. And in that moment, she felt the ache she’d been hiding come rushing to the surface, sharp and undeniable.
Her smile faltered, and before she could stop herself, she shifted her head from his shoulder. The warmth of his body that had been so comforting just a moment ago now felt like a painful reminder of how close he was, yet how far away. Silence settled between them like a thick fog, her heart feeling heavier with each passing second.
Dominik noticed the shift immediately, turning his head to look at her with a puzzled expression. “What’s up? You went quiet all of a sudden,” he asked, his brows furrowed with genuine concern.
Liv’s chest tightened, and she swallowed hard, knowing that what she was about to say would change everything between them. She could hear her own heartbeat, loud and frantic in her ears, and she knew she should laugh it off, brush away the question that was on the tip of her tongue. But the weight of the unspoken truth was too much, and she couldn’t hold it back any longer. Her lips parted, and the words came out before she could think twice. “Just acting, right?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but the vulnerability in it was impossible to miss.
Dominik’s eyebrows furrowed deeper, confusion flashing across his face as he studied her. For a moment, he looked as if he might say something lighthearted, a joke to keep the mood easy, but he caught the serious look in her eyes. He turned fully toward her, his arm slipping from around her shoulders. “Yeah, what else would it be, Liv?” he asked, his voice a bit softer now, but there was a tension there, as if he was trying to figure out what she was really asking. His eyes searched her face, trying to read the emotions she couldn’t quite hide.
Liv felt a painful twist in her chest at his words, and she forced herself to meet his gaze even though it hurt. She could see the confusion in his eyes, the way he was trying to understand what she meant, but she knew that to him, it was simple. It was all part of the plan, a role they played to get under Rhea’s skin. But for her, it had become so much more, and now she was stuck between the fear of losing what little she had with him and the unbearable ache of pretending she felt nothing at all.
She could already feel the regret pooling in her stomach, knowing that she had opened a door she couldn’t close. Her heart was racing, and she struggled to keep her voice steady, even as she forced a small, wavering smile onto her face. “Yeah,” she replied, but the word came out broken, barely more than a breath. Her gaze dropped to the space between them, where her hand rested inches from his, wishing for a moment that she could take it all back.
But the truth was out there now, hanging in the air between them like a thread waiting to snap, and all she could do was brace herself for whatever came next.
Dominik could sense that something wasn’t right. There was a tension in the air, the kind that made his chest feel tight, and he could see the way Liv was shrinking into herself, her shoulders tense. He was about to ask her what was wrong, to press her on the sudden shift in her mood, but before he could even get a word out, she spoke. Her voice was small, barely more than a whisper, and it made his breath catch.
Liv’s eyes were fixed downward, staring at her shoes—those matching sneakers he’d gotten for both of them as a joke, a little reminder of their act. But now, they felt like something more, a symbol of all the time they had spent together. The lump in her throat grew, and she could feel the burn of regret spreading through her chest, making it hard to breathe. She knew she was about to cross a line, one she couldn’t uncross, but the question tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop it.
“You’ve never felt anything for me during these months?” Her voice trembled as she spoke, the vulnerability bleeding into every word.
Dominik’s eyes widened, her question catching him completely off guard. Was she really asking what he thought she was? His heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, he couldn’t find the words. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a soft sigh, his mind racing. He needed to be careful here, to understand exactly what she meant before he answered. He couldn’t afford to misread this moment.
“In what way, Liv?” he asked, his voice low and careful, almost afraid of the answer. He studied her face, trying to find the truth hidden in her downcast eyes. He wanted her to say it—wanted to hear the words clear and direct—so that there would be no room for misunderstanding.
Liv’s teeth dug into her bottom lip, holding back the emotions that threatened to spill over. She could feel her hands trembling in her lap, and every instinct in her screamed at her to take it all back, to laugh it off and pretend she hadn’t meant a thing. But her heart was speaking for her now, louder than the voice in her head that urged her to keep quiet. And so, she let the words slip past her lips, hating how vulnerable they made her feel.
“Romantically,” she whispered, the word feeling fragile in the space between them. “Have you ever liked me? Or felt any genuine spark between us, Dominik?”
The question hung in the air, raw and unguarded. She could feel the weight of it pressing down on her, could feel the tears she was fighting back stinging at the corners of her eyes. She didn’t want to ask it—didn’t want to put herself out there like this—but it was too late. The words were out, and now all she could do was brace herself for whatever answer might come.
This was a confusing situation for Dominik. He opened his mouth to respond but found that he couldn’t quite form the words. There was a lump in his throat, a tightness in his chest, and a dozen thoughts swirling through his mind. He wanted to tell Liv something that wouldn’t hurt her, something that would ease the vulnerability in her voice and the pain in her eyes. But no matter what words he thought of, none of them felt right.
He looked at her, really looked at her—at the way her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, the way her shoulders seemed to slump as if she was bracing herself for a blow. He hated that he was the one putting that look on her face. He hated that this moment, one she had clearly hoped for, was turning into something that hurt her. But he also knew he couldn’t lie to her, couldn’t make promises he wasn’t sure he could keep.
“I’m sorry, Liv,” he finally said, his voice barely more than a breath. It was the only thing he could muster, the only words that felt like they wouldn’t break him or her any more than they already were.
The silence that followed was sharp, slicing through the air between them like a knife. It was the kind of silence that held a weight to it, that pressed down on them both until it was almost suffocating. Liv’s world seemed to come crashing down all at once, those three words echoing in her mind like a bell tolling the end of something she had only just begun to hope for.
She felt her nails dig into the soft flesh of her palms, trying to ground herself against the overwhelming ache that spread through her chest. Her breath came in short, uneven gasps, as if her lungs had forgotten how to work. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat like a sharp pain that made her feel like she might shatter into pieces right there in front of him. It felt like someone had taken a glass vase and thrown it to the ground, shattering it into a million pieces—and she was the one trying desperately to gather them all back together.
Her mind screamed at her to take it back, to laugh and say it was just a joke, just part of their little game. But the words wouldn’t come, her throat too tight, her emotions too raw. All she could do was sit there, the reality of his apology sinking into her like a cold weight.
Across from her, Dominik watched the heartbreak unfold on her face, and it cut through him like a knife. Deep down, he knew the truth: he did like her. He liked her in a way that made his chest ache when she wasn’t around, in a way that made him want to hold her a little longer when they hugged, in a way that made him feel alive when she laughed at something he said. He felt something for her that he couldn’t quite put into words—something that was warm and bright, something that made him want to believe in the possibility of a future that was more than just their game of make-believe.
But as he looked at her now, seeing the pain his answer had caused, all he could feel was the shadow of his past, dark and unyielding. The memory of his relationship with Rhea still lingered inside him like a ghost, haunting him with its bitterness and its failure. He remembered how that relationship had gone wrong, how he’d hurt and been hurt, how love had twisted into something that only left scars behind. It was a part of him he couldn’t seem to shake, no matter how much he wanted to.
He felt like he didn’t deserve Liv’s feelings, didn’t deserve the hope she’d placed in him. He felt like he would only end up hurting her, just like he’d hurt Rhea, just like he’d hurt himself. And that fear held him back, chained him to the silence between them. This confession should have made him happy—it should have been a chance for something real, something new—but instead, all he felt was the weight of his own doubts pressing down on him, keeping him from reaching out to her.
So, he stayed quiet, his hands clenching into fists at his sides, wishing he could find the courage to tell her everything he was feeling. But instead, he watched as her hope crumbled before him, and the silence between them grew colder, more painful. And as much as it tore at him, he couldn’t bring himself to break it.
Liv swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing a smile onto her lips. It was a fragile, broken thing—more a mask than a true expression. Her lips trembled as she held it in place, but it didn’t reach her eyes, which were red and glassy with the tears she refused to let fall in front of him. She slowly stood up from the couch, feeling unsteady on her feet, like the ground beneath her was shifting.
Her back was to him now, and she was grateful for that. She didn’t want him to see the tears that threatened to spill, didn’t want him to see how badly she was crumbling. She took a shaky breath, her chest tightening with every beat of her aching heart, and she forced herself to look over her shoulder, sparing him one last glance. She knew she should just leave without saying another word, but the truth—her truth—had already been spoken, and there was no taking it back now.
“I love you,” she said softly, the words breaking in the air between them like a delicate thing shattering on impact. She didn’t let herself linger on the way his expression changed—how his eyes widened, how a flash of pain crossed his face. Instead, she quickly added, “I’m sorry.” Her voice cracked, and she turned away again, before she could lose what little composure she had left.
She walked out of the locker room, her steps hurried and uneven, and as soon as she was out of sight, the tears began to flow freely, hot and unchecked down her cheeks. Her vision blurred, and she bit down on her lip to keep from sobbing, trying to quiet the noise of her heartbreak that seemed to echo in every step she took. It felt like her chest was being squeezed tight, like there wasn’t enough air in the world to fill her lungs. All she could do was keep walking, even though each step felt like she was dragging a weight behind her.
Back in the room, Dominik watched her go, her words hanging in the air like a ghost he couldn’t escape. He felt his heart twist painfully in his chest, a sharp pang of guilt cutting through him. He wanted to get up, wanted to run after her, to grab her arm and tell her not to go. He wanted to take back his silence, to tell her that maybe—just maybe—he could feel the same way if he could only let himself believe it.
But he stayed rooted in place, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms. The guilt felt like a heavy chain wrapped around his limbs, keeping him from moving. He had already hurt her enough, and he was terrified that if he chased after her, he’d only end up breaking her heart even more. He watched the door she had left through, his throat tight and his heart aching like a wound that wouldn’t heal.
Who knew that one confession could leave two hearts broken? The words she had spoken played over and over in his mind—I love you, I’m sorry—and he could hear the pain in them, the same pain he felt deep inside. It should have been a moment of clarity, a chance to bridge the gap between them, but instead, it had left them both more shattered than before.
Dominik sat there in the silence, feeling the weight of his own regret settle around him like a cold fog, knowing that he had let something precious slip through his fingers. And even though he could feel his heart begging him to make it right, he couldn’t bring himself to move. He just sat there, letting the silence stretch on, while the ache of what he hadn’t said tore at him from the inside.
Dominik's eyebrows furrowed as he hurried to Liv's place, his heart pounding with worry. Her call had been urgent, her voice laced with anxiety, so he had rushed over, expecting some kind of emergency. But now, sitting in her cozy living room with fairy lights casting a soft glow on the walls, he found himself forcibly seated in front of a small, cluttered table. The air smelled faintly of lavender, a scent he associated with Liv, but it did little to calm his confusion.
Liv, with a determined expression, leaned over his arm, carefully filling in the intricate swirls of his tattoo with a glittery marker. Each stroke of the pen shimmered under the light, making his normally dark ink blaze with vibrant colors. She seemed completely engrossed in her work, tongue poking slightly out in concentration as she added silver to the edges.
"So this was the emergency?" he asked, trying to hide the grin threatening to break through his stern expression. Despite himself, a soft chuckle escaped. He watched as the golds, pinks, and blues melded into his skin.
"Mmhmm..." Liv hummed absently, her eyes never leaving her task. She didn't spare him even a glance, her brow furrowed with the same determination she must have imagined he had when he came rushing through her door. She moved the marker with precision, considering each color choice like an artist would a masterpiece, ensuring every line and curve was filled just right.
Dominik couldn't help but feel the tension drain from his shoulders. The absurdity of it all—how he had raced here thinking the worst, only to end up as a canvas for Liv's impromptu art—was too ridiculous not to smile at.
He couldn't help but admire her in that moment. Liv’s face was framed by strands of loose hair, the soft light catching in her eyes, making them glimmer with an ethereal glow. To Dominik, her beauty felt almost unreal—like she had been plucked from a dream and brought into his reality. How did he manage to be with her? Liv was an angel in his eyes, incapable of doing any wrong. She exuded a warmth that soothed his worries and made the world outside of this room fade away.
As her delicate fingers moved across his skin, he began to relax, sinking into the gentle rhythm of her touch. The glide of the markers across his arm was surprisingly calming, even when her long stiletto nails brushed against his skin, sending a ticklish shiver up his spine. Yet, instead of discomfort, it filled him with a peculiar sense of tranquility, like he could stay in this moment forever.
He suddenly noticed how she had shifted from simply coloring in his tattoos to drawing little doodles on the unmarked patches of his arms—tiny stars, hearts, and smiley faces, all in a vibrant, glittery pink. The sight of her focus, the way her brow furrowed as she drew each whimsical design, made him chuckle, a sound that echoed warmly between them.
"You're quite the artist," he teased, his voice light. But then, as the words left his lips, a thought flickered through his mind, his expression shifting from playful to contemplative. An idea took root, and his eyes widened with a sudden excitement.
"You should draw me a tattoo, baby," he said, the suggestion tumbling out before he could second-guess it. His words made Liv pause, the marker hovering just above his skin. She looked up at him, and for a moment, there was a silence between them, filled only with the soft hum of the room. Then her eyes lit up, sparkling with an infectious enthusiasm that made his heart skip a beat.
"Really?" she asked, a grin spreading across her lips, her excitement almost palpable. Dominik felt his own smile deepen in response, the promise of something new and special between them settling in the air.
He cupped her cheeks with his hands, the freshly colored-in tattoos catching the light, making them shimmer with every subtle movement. The glittery designs sparkled against his skin, and Liv couldn't help but giggle at the sight, her laughter soft and warm between them. A rosy flush spread across her cheeks, creeping up to her ears. No matter how long they had been together, Dominik’s touch always had a way of making her heart race, making her feel like she was falling in love with him all over again.
"Mhm, orrr..." he drawled, his voice playful as he let the words hang in the air. He had brought this idea up before, hinting at it with subtle suggestions, but she had never seemed entirely sure. Dominik didn’t want to push her into anything she wasn’t comfortable with—he knew that wasn't the way. But today, with her hands still holding a glittery marker and the air between them humming with unspoken possibilities, he felt a little braver.
"How about we get matching tattoos, and you draw them?" he proposed, his tone softening as he tilted his head slightly, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek. His touch was tender, tracing the heat that lingered there from her blush.
Liv’s eyelashes fluttered, and she bit her lip, her playful demeanor turning thoughtful. She hesitated, the question hanging in the air between them as she pondered his suggestion. Her brow furrowed slightly, uncertainty reflecting in her eyes as she met his gaze. "But where would we even get them, hm?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of genuine curiosity as she considered the idea.
Dominik’s grin widened at her question, a spark of excitement lighting up his face. "How about behind our ears, where it’s a little secret just for us? Or we could put them on our ankles, something small and simple," he suggested, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand never left her cheek, his thumb still tracing slow, soothing circles on her skin as he watched her reaction closely. He could see the wheels turning in her mind, the thought of sharing something so permanent, so uniquely theirs, dancing behind her eyes.
Liv slowly turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she studied both of Dominik’s arms, searching for the perfect spot. She took her time, scanning each line and curve, before gently grabbing his right arm. With a shy smile, she pointed to a bare patch of skin on his right wrist, where the smoothness of his skin was unbroken by ink. "How about here?" she suggested softly, her cheeks still flushed with a lingering warmth that she couldn’t quite hide.
Dominik raised a brow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Somebody wants our matching tattoos to be on display, hm?" he teased, his voice carrying a mischievous lilt. Liv rolled her eyes dramatically, but a smile tugged at her lips, betraying her playful mood.
"I'm going to poke your eyes out with my nails, I swear," she shot back, waving her glittery marker-clad fingers in a mock threat. But her expression softened again, and she let out a small, thoughtful sigh. "Yeah, I’d like for our tattoos to be there for everyone to see. You usually wear long pants for your gear, and behind the ear isn't always visible." Her voice was shy but earnest, as if she was revealing a little piece of her heart with each word.
The sincerity of her words made Dominik’s smirk melt into a wide grin, a rush of affection flooding through him. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around her and began smothering her face in a flurry of playful, enthusiastic kisses. Liv squealed in surprise, dissolving into fits of giggles as she tried to squirm away from his affectionate attack. Her laughter rang through the room, bright and infectious, making his chest feel light and warm.
After what felt like an eternity of kisses, Dominik finally pulled back, leaving her breathless and still giggling in his arms. He met her eyes with a bright, boyish excitement as he spoke up again. "Sooo... I could probably get us an appointment with my artist for today even," he said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. His smile was as wide as ever, his eyes sparkling with anticipation, hoping to see the same excitement mirrored in Liv's expression.
Liv felt her heart flutter, a bundle of nerves twisting in her chest. She was still a bit hesitant, unsure if she was truly ready to commit to something so permanent. But then she looked at Dominik's face—his eyes bright with eagerness, his smile wide and genuine—and her resolve melted like ice in the sun. She couldn't resist that genuine excitement, the way he made everything feel a little less scary and a little more like an adventure.
"Only if I get to color in your other arm," she countered, trying to sound stern but barely hiding the playful smirk tugging at her lips. She crossed her arms over her chest, hoping to keep up the pretense of negotiation, though inside, she was already caving.
Dominik let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes dramatically as if the idea was a burden. "Hmmm..." he dragged out the sound, pretending to ponder her demand, but the glint in his eyes gave him away. When he noticed her narrowing her eyes at him, arms still crossed and her glare pointed right at him, he couldn't hold back a laugh.
"I'm joking, I'm joking!" he said quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender, a wide grin splitting his face. "Whatever makes my pretty girl happy, I'll let you do," he added, his voice softening as he reached out to gently tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Liv’s cheeks burned, and she quickly turned her head, trying to hide the flush that spread across her face. "Whatever," she muttered, but her lips quirked up into a small smile as she reached for another pack of glittery markers, eager to dive back into their playful project.
As she fiddled with the new markers, Dominik leaned closer, his tone growing a little more serious. "Remember to draw our tattoo, mkay?" he reminded her, his words gentle but filled with a hopeful undercurrent. He was trusting her with this, letting her creativity shape the symbol that would connect them.
Liv nodded, her fingers brushing over the colored caps of the markers as she thought. After a moment of quiet, she glanced back up at him, her voice soft as if she were sharing a secret. "How do you feel about yin and yang tattoos?" she asked, her tone gentle, as if she wasn’t sure how he’d react to the idea. The question hung in the air between them, as she hoped he’d see the meaning behind the suggestion—a symbol of balance, of two halves that complemented each other perfectly, just like them.
"I absolutely love that idea!" Dominik replied with a burst of enthusiasm, his smile so wide that it made Liv’s heart swell with warmth. In that moment, she felt like her chest might burst from the rush of affection that flooded her. He made everything feel so easy, so right, and his excitement washed away any lingering doubts she had about their matching tattoos.
A few minutes passed, and Liv had settled back into her artistic rhythm, leaning over his arm with careful concentration. This time, the soft, soothing tunes of Laufey played in the background, filling the room with a gentle melody that helped her focus. It wasn’t too loud, just the right volume to fill the space without distracting her from her work.
“Pass me the silver, baby,” she asked gently, her eyes focused on a delicate detail she was adding to his arm. Dominik grabbed a marker and handed it over, but she didn’t notice right away that he had passed her the gold one instead. As she colored in a small section, her brows suddenly furrowed, realizing the mix-up.
“Babe, I said the silver one...” she giggled, glancing up at him with an amused smile. The realization struck Dominik, and he broke into laughter, the sound rich and warm as it filled the room. He leaned closer to her, his shoulder bumping playfully against hers as he laughed. The warmth of his body against hers made the moment even sweeter.
Liv couldn't help but join in, her own laughter mingling with his. She reached out and interlocked their arms, pulling him closer as they shared in the lighthearted moment. For a second, they just stayed like that, wrapped in each other’s laughter, the air between them filled with a carefree joy that made her heart feel light.
“I didn’t think the silver would really show or look good,” he admitted through his giggles, his eyes crinkling with mirth as he watched her reaction. There was a mischievous glint in his eye, as if he’d known all along what he was doing.
Liv rolled her eyes, but there was no hiding the smile that tugged at her lips. “Well, mister creative direction, let’s see how this turns out then,” she teased back, dipping the gold marker back into its cap before reaching for the silver one herself. Dominik’s laughter softened into a fond smile, his gaze lingering on her as she went back to work, feeling like there was no place in the world he’d rather be than right here, sharing this moment with her.
Liv spent about two hours meticulously coloring in his tattoos, each stroke of her marker applied with care and precision. Dominik sat there patiently, not moving an inch, making sure she had the perfect canvas to work on. He could feel her focus in the way she worked, and he didn’t want to break that concentration, not when she was so absorbed in her little art project. Meanwhile, he managed to get them both an appointment with his tattoo artist for later that day, sealing their plans for the matching tattoos.
By the time Liv was done, she leaned back, taking in the final result with a bright, amused smile. Dominik’s arms were a riot of glittery colors, catching the light with every small movement he made. His skin shimmered with gold, pink, silver, and all the shades in between. Liv couldn’t contain her giggles, her joy bubbling up as she admired her handiwork, while Dominik watched her with a fond smile.
He wasn't even the slightest bit upset about being turned into a human disco ball. Seeing his güerita so happy made everything worth it, and the way her laughter lit up her face made his heart feel full.
"I have no clue how I'm going to explain this to my tattoo artist," he chuckled, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of the situation. His voice held a note of mock exasperation, but there was no hiding the warmth in his eyes as he watched Liv's cheeks flush from her laughter.
After a good hour of Liv diligently helping Dominik wipe all the glittery marker off his skin, he finally drove them both to the tattoo parlor. The car ride was filled with laughter, music blaring from the speakers as they sang along to their favorite songs. The atmosphere was light and carefree, a perfect prelude to the adventure that lay ahead.
Once they arrived, they walked in hand in hand, Liv’s heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves. She stood next to Dominik, fidgeting slightly as he spoke to his tattoo artist, her mind racing with thoughts of the tattoo that was about to become a permanent part of her.
“Mi güerita took almost one hour trying to draw this for us,” Dominik said proudly, handing over the paper with the yin and yang design. The artist took it with a nod, a smile playing on his lips as he examined the artwork.
After about twenty minutes of chatting and preparing, they were finally ushered into the tattooing room. Dominik’s thumb gently caressed Liv’s hand, a soft, reassuring touch that helped her feel a little more at ease. She took a deep breath, focusing on the warmth of his hand in hers, grounding herself amidst the swirling butterflies in her stomach.
Liv had decided to go first, eager to get it done quickly so she could focus on Dominik and support him afterward. As she settled into the chair, she could feel the tension building inside her, her heart racing at the thought of the needle. But throughout it all, Dominik’s gaze never left her. He watched her lovingly, his eyes filled with care and admiration, the way he always looked at her when she was at her most vulnerable.
His hand remained interlocked with hers, providing an anchor in this new experience. The sound of the tattoo machine buzzing filled the room, but Liv found comfort in Dominik’s presence. With every gentle squeeze of his hand, she felt a little more grounded, and soon enough, the nervous energy started to melt away. Being with him made everything feel better, reminding her that they were in this together.
The tattoo didn’t take as long as Liv had anticipated, and before she knew it, she was being led to the mirror to see the final result. The moment she caught sight of her wrist, her eyes widened, and she couldn’t contain her excitement any longer. She squealed with joy, a bright, infectious sound that filled the room.
She wanted the moment to be special, so she turned to Dominik, urging him to look at their tattoos at the same time. "Look at how cute!!" she exclaimed, pressing her wrist against his excitedly, her eyes sparkling with delight. The yin and yang design looked even better than she had imagined, its lines clean and vibrant, the colors representing their unique connection.
Dominik couldn’t help but admire her, a big, warm smile spreading across his face as he took in her reaction. Her excitement was absolutely adorable, a light that made the entire experience even more meaningful. He felt a rush of happiness watching her revel in their shared moment, the love they held for one another shining brightly.
He looked down at his own wrist, where the matching tattoo sat proudly beside hers. He was just as thrilled with how it turned out. While Dominik was used to getting tattoos and had grown accustomed to the sensation of the needle, this experience was different. He had Liv by his side, her hand intertwined with his throughout the entire process. Even though he was familiar with the feeling, her touch ignited a fluttering sensation in his stomach, sending butterflies dancing with each squeeze of her fingers.
In that moment, as they stood side by side, both wearing their new tattoos with pride, the world around them faded away. It was just the two of them, their hearts connected by ink and love, and neither of them could imagine a more perfect way to celebrate their bond.
Dominik’s hands found their way to Liv’s hair, ruffling it gently, a tender gesture that sent a rush of warmth through her. He leaned down slightly, their height difference making his actions even more affectionate as he looked deep into her eyes, searching for that spark of connection they always shared. “You wanna get some tacos?” he asked, his voice low and soft, his gaze unwavering and full of adoration.
Liv’s heart fluttered at his words, a smile blooming on her lips as she stared back into his eyes. “Mhm, sounds good!” she replied, her excitement evident in her voice. The atmosphere around them felt electric, the air thick with an unspoken tension as they held each other’s gaze, lost in the moment. Time seemed to stand still as they leaned closer, both of them caught up in the intimacy of their shared space.
But just as their lips were about to touch, the tattoo artist’s voice suddenly broke the spell. “Can you two get a room?” he teased, and they both pulled away, laughter bubbling up between them at the interruption. It was a lighthearted moment that drew them back to reality, but the warmth of the encounter lingered.
After exchanging playful glances and a few more giggles, they left the tattoo parlor, their hands still intertwined as they walked outside into the bustling afternoon. The sun bathed the street in a warm golden light, casting soft shadows as they made their way to Dominik’s car. The scent of fresh paint and antiseptic lingered in the parlor, but as they stepped into the open air, the rich aroma of food began to envelop them.
The drive to the taco truck was filled with a comfortable silence punctuated by laughter and playful banter. As they approached the truck, the vibrant colors of the painted vehicle caught Liv’s eye—bright greens, yellows, and reds, all blending together to create an inviting atmosphere. The sound of sizzling meats and the chatter of hungry customers filled the air, making her stomach growl in anticipation.
Dominik parked the car and they hopped out, the sun warming their skin as they walked towards the truck. The tantalizing smell of grilled carne asada and fresh tortillas wafted toward them, making Liv’s mouth water. The truck was adorned with colorful murals depicting traditional Mexican sscene.
They joined the line, the excitement palpable as they browsed the menu plastered on the side of the truck. Liv’s eyes lit up at the various options—each one sounding more mouthwatering than the last. She could see the steam rising from the grill, and the sight of perfectly charred meat and freshly chopped cilantro sent her taste buds into a frenzy.
As they stepped up to the taco truck, the warm, rich aroma of freshly grilled meats filled the air. Dominik leaned in with a familiar smile and greeted the vendor with a friendly wave. “¡Hey, Solange, ha sido mucho tiempo, ¿no?” (Hey, Solange, it's been a while, no?) he said, his voice filled with genuine warmth. Liv stood beside him, picking up on the familiar sounds of Spanish she had learned over time, thanks to Dominik. From the easy way he spoke, she could tell that Solange must have been an old friend of his.
Solange, a lively woman with a welcoming smile, looked up from the grill, her eyes brightening at the sight of Dominik. “¡Dom, sí que ha pasado tiempo! Veo que trajiste a tu novia por primera vez,” (Dom, it's been awhile! I see you brought your girlfriend for the first time.) she replied with a playful smirk, her tone carrying a teasing edge that made Dominik chuckle.
Liv, catching enough of the conversation to understand, smiled warmly at Solange, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. The older woman turned her attention to Liv for a moment, her eyes crinkling kindly. “Es una belleza,” (She's a beauty.) Solange added, her voice sincere as she gave Liv an approving nod.
Liv’s blush deepened, but her smile grew even wider, feeling welcomed into this little part of Dominik’s world. Dominik’s smirk softened as he glanced at Liv, then back at Solange, pride shining in his eyes. “Lo sé, toda mía,” (I know, all mine.) he replied confidently, his voice playfully possessive as he wrapped an arm around Liv’s shoulders, pulling her a little closer against him.
Liv leaned into his touch, her heart fluttering as she felt the warmth of his arm around her. Solange watched them, her smile widening at their obvious affection for one another. The moment felt like a snapshot in time—Dominik introducing Liv to a piece of his past, sharing a part of himself that was familiar and meaningful. It was more than just ordering food; it was like blending their lives together, one small but significant gesture at a time.
“Amorcita, ¿te gustan los tacos de birria?” (Love, do you like birria tacos?) Dominik asked Liv, his voice gentle as he spoke the question in Spanish. He watched her closely, a soft smile on his face as he waited for her answer. Liv’s eyes lit up with excitement, sparkling as she eagerly nodded, her enthusiasm clear.
Solange’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, her expression curious. “¿Tu güerita entiende español?” (Your güerita understands spanish?) she asked, clearly taken aback. It was rare for her to see someone outside their community who not only understood but appreciated the language and culture.
Liv gave a gentle smile, her cheeks flushed with pride as she responded, "Y puedo hablarlo,” (And I can speak it) she said smoothly in Spanish, her tone warm as she glanced up at Dominik. “Todo gracias a este hombre guapo que es mío,” (It's all thanks to this handsome man that's mine.) she added with a playful grin, nudging Dominik lightly.
Solange’s surprise melted into delight, her hands coming together in an excited clap. “¡Mira nada más!” she exclaimed, clearly pleased by this unexpected twist. Dominik couldn’t hide the pride that beamed from his face, his grin wide and unrestrained. He loved seeing Liv connect with this part of his life, and her efforts to learn Spanish always made his heart swell.
“Dame dos combos de tacos de birria,” (Give me two combos of birria tacos.) Dominik said, turning back to Solange, his voice carrying the easy confidence of someone who felt right at home. Solange nodded, her smile lingering as she turned to start their order. “Muy bien, sólo siéntense allá y espérenme,” (Alright, just sit over there and wait for me.) she instructed, gesturing to a nearby table where they could wait for their food.
Liv and Dominik nodded in unison, thanking Solange before making their way over to the small picnic table under the shade of a tree. They sat side by side, enjoying the warm afternoon and the hum of life around them, their hands casually brushing against each other. The anticipation of the meal made everything feel even more special.
Soon enough, Solange appeared with their order, balancing two steaming plates of birria tacos, their aroma rich and mouthwatering. She handed over the plates with a warm smile, but before she turned to leave, she leaned in close to Liv, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Le gustas mucho, de verdad,” (he really likes you) she murmured, her eyes twinkling.
Liv felt her heart skip a beat, a warm glow spreading through her chest at Solange’s words. She looked up at the woman, her own smile growing soft and grateful. “Gracias,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible over the bustling sounds around them. As Solange walked away, Liv turned back to Dominik, their eyes meeting in a shared moment of unspoken understanding, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was exactly where she was meant to be.
Dominik had never been the type to take selfies or pictures; he always found himself more comfortable behind the scenes, appreciating life without the lens. But ever since Liv came into his life, something shifted. There was a new warmth in the ordinary moments they shared, a kind of magic he suddenly wanted to capture and hold onto. So, slowly, he grew fond of pulling out his phone to freeze those little memories in time.
As Liv took her first eager bite into one of the birria tacos, her eyes closed in delight, savoring the rich flavor and the warmth of the tortilla against her lips. Dominik couldn’t resist the urge. He pulled out his phone, positioning the camera just right, and snapped a quick picture of her, the taco halfway to her mouth, her expression full of pure, unfiltered joy. A small smear of sauce clung to the corner of her lips, and she looked radiant, glowing in the golden light filtering through the trees.
He took another shot, this time framing their wrists together, their matching yin and yang tattoos catching the sunlight. The contrast between his darker, inked skin and her softer, lighter tone made the design stand out even more, their wrists pressed together in a perfect symbol of their connection. The tattoos shimmered faintly under the sunlight, the freshly inked lines still bold against their skin. He knew that years from now, he would look back at this picture and remember how this simple moment, sitting together at a taco truck, had meant everything.
Liv noticed the click of the camera and turned towards him, her lips curving into a playful smirk. “You’re so obsessed with me,” she teased, her voice light but her eyes holding a knowing warmth. She reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the gesture soft and casual.
Dominik looked up from his phone, catching her gaze, and without missing a beat, he nodded with a grin that reached his eyes. “Always,” he replied, his voice sincere, the word holding a weight that went beyond the joke. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, but not before taking a moment to admire the pictures he had just taken. The sight of her, happy and unguarded, was something he knew he’d cherish long after the tacos were gone and the day had faded into memory.
It officially was October 6, meaning it was Bad Blood day. Weeks ago when her match with Rhea got announced, she was super excited and confident. But ever since last week, when Rhea stated that Dominik would have to be locked in a shark cage and raised high above the ring, Liv had been on edge. She tried to shake the worry away, but it lingered like a dark shadow, growing longer each time she thought about it.
The cold autumn air nipped at her skin as she sat backstage, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her hands, usually steady, trembled slightly as she adjusted her ring gear. The usual pre-match adrenaline was there, but something else coiled in her stomach—a knot of unease she couldn’t untangle. She knew how Dominik was claustrophobic, how the tight space of that cage would close in around him. And the heights—he'd once mentioned how they made his heart race in a way that was anything but thrilling.
Liv never told Dominik this, but in a way, she felt guilty. Guilty that she couldn't shield him from Rhea’s challenge, guilty that her match meant putting him through this ordeal. She forced a smile as she turned toward the door, hearing the distant rumble of the crowd beyond the curtain. But in the back of her mind, the thoughts of Dominik’s fear—being lifted up, trapped alone—made the excitement of the night feel heavier, weighted down by a quiet dread.
Dominik walked up to her, a small, reassuring smile playing on his lips, and gently grasped her hand. He squeezed it for a moment, offering a silent comfort before speaking. “We’re up next, and we have to start standing in the gorilla since the lowrider is getting set up for our entrance,” he softly explained, his voice steady despite the knot of nerves twisting inside him. He masked the fear that gnawed at him, the thought of the shark cage looming like a shadow. He didn’t want to let Liv see any cracks in his facade—didn’t want her to feel guilty or worried—so he kept those thoughts buried deep, far from the surface.
Liv noticed the tension in his shoulders, but she pushed away her own worries, leaning into their familiar banter. “Okay, let’s go, guapo,” she replied with a playful lilt in her voice, bumping his shoulder with hers. The word made his expression soften, and he let out a quiet giggle, ruffling her hair like he always did when she managed to lighten his mood, even for a moment.
Dominik’s touch was gentle as he guided her through the maze of staff and equipment, weaving through the bustling chaos backstage. The air was thick with anticipation, filled with the hum of voices and the distant roar of the crowd beyond the curtains. Each step brought them closer to the gorilla, the pulse of the arena vibrating in the walls and floor beneath their feet. Liv could feel his hand tighten slightly around hers as they reached the edge of the curtain, where the lights were dimmer but the energy was electric, ready to launch them into the chaos of the ring.
Dominik's attention was ripped away for a second as a staff member approached him, rattling off last-minute adjustments for their entrance. He didn’t mean to, but his hand slipped out of Liv’s grasp, leaving her fingers grasping at air. As soon as the warmth of his touch was gone, she felt the creeping coldness of her own thoughts rushing back in. Her heart pounded against her ribs, each beat heavy and uneven, and her chest tightened with the pressure that seemed to build with every passing moment.
Liv’s fingers moved unconsciously, twisting and turning the matching promise ring that Dominik had given her. The cool metal was smooth against her skin, a small comfort, but it wasn’t enough to stop the storm brewing in her mind. Her thoughts swirled, one anxious spiral after another, each worse than the last. 'What if something happens to him?' The idea struck like a flash of lightning, quick and painful. 'I feel so horrible, this is all my fault.' The guilt clawed at her, twisting in her gut like a knife. 'What if he falls out?' Her breath hitched as the image of him plummeting from the cage filled her mind. 'Fuck, fuck,' she thought, the word pulsing with each beat of her racing heart.
Her thoughts scattered wildly, becoming impossible to rein in, and she felt herself slipping further into a spiral she couldn’t control. Her chest tightened, each breath becoming more ragged than the last. She hadn’t even realized what was happening, but her vision blurred, the edges of the world smudging and bending like a dream. The faces of the crew became indistinct, just shadows moving past her. Her breaths came in quick, shallow gasps, the sound of her own panicked breathing roaring in her ears. A heavy, crushing weight pressed down on her chest, as if the entire arena were closing in around her, and suddenly, she could no longer feel the solid ground beneath her feet.
Liv hadn’t realized how Dominik had stopped talking to the staff for a minute already. He had felt it, the subtle shift in the air, the way her energy seemed to change—tightening, growing frantic. He could sense something was off, the kind of feeling he’d learned to recognize in her over time. Without a second thought, he excused himself from the conversation, his heart clenching as he turned to see his beloved struggling, her breath coming too fast, her shoulders quivering.
Dominik’s heart panged as he took in the sight of Liv in the early stages of a panic attack. It was a side of her he rarely saw, one she tried to keep hidden. But he knew her—knew the little shifts in her mood and the signs that told him when she was hurting, even when she tried to put on a brave face. Liv never realized how much Dominik truly understood her, how he could read her like a book with each turn of a page, knowing when she needed space, when she needed comfort, or when she just needed him to be there. He cared deeply for her, more than he could put into words.
Without hesitation, he reached out, his larger hands immediately finding hers, intertwining his fingers with her smaller, trembling ones. The warmth of his touch was like an anchor, something real and steady in the storm of her thoughts. He brought himself closer, guiding her gently until she could lean her head against his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her. The familiar scent of him—something warm and comforting—filled her senses, grounding her just a bit.
“What’s wrong, hermosa?” Dominik asked, his voice soft, barely more than a whisper, as if he were afraid of breaking her with the wrong tone. He held her with a tenderness that made Liv feel like she might fall apart, but in the safest way possible. His touch, his presence, it was enough to steady the edges of her panic, bringing her back to the present, even if just a little.
She fought against the tears that welled in her eyes, trying to keep them from spilling over. It was instinct to hide this kind of vulnerability, even from him. But as she rested her head against his chest, she could hear the steady beat of his heart, and it gave her something to hold onto, a rhythm that steadied her own frantic pulse.
“I’m... I’m scared...” she admitted, her voice small and cracking, barely audible above the distant noise of the arena. The words came out shaky, as if she might break apart completely just by saying them. Dominik’s arms tightened around her, his heart growing heavy with each unsteady breath she took, wishing he could take all of her fears and shoulder them himself.
Dominik’s expression grew more serious, a gentle but firm determination settling in his eyes. “Take a deep breath, sweetheart. Then you tell me why you’re scared, okay?” he softly guided her, his voice steady and calm. Liv nodded, her head still resting against his chest, the rhythm of his breathing giving her something to focus on.
She took a few deep breaths, each one a struggle against the tightness in her chest. The heaviness in her heart refused to leave, pressing down like a weight she couldn’t shake. But with each breath, she felt herself starting to calm, bit by bit, melting into the warmth of Dominik’s words. They wrapped around her like a blanket, offering comfort in the middle of her storm.
“I’m scared because… you’re going in that shark cage, and I know your fear,” she began, her voice trembling with emotion. “I know you’re claustrophobic and afraid of heights. I’m scared that something will happen to you, and like… what if you get hurt? It’s all my fault, Dom. I’m so sorry.” The words tumbled out of her mouth, fast and urgent, as if she might lose the nerve to say them if she slowed down for even a second.
Dominik listened closely, understanding every word despite the speed with which she spoke—he was used to her like this, her thoughts racing ahead of her voice. He understood her, truly, and that understanding made his heart flutter. The fear in her voice was laced with a deep concern, and as he held her, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth spreading through him, a sense of being loved and cared for that wrapped around his heart like a gentle embrace.
“Oh, my baby…” he murmured, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he let her words settle between them. He raised her chin with his free hand, tilting her face up so she could see the sincerity in his eyes, the warmth in his smile. Then, he lifted their intertwined hands, holding them up as a reminder of their connection, of the strength they drew from one another.
“You’re such a kind-hearted and loving soul, I don’t deserve you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with admiration. “But this isn’t your fault at all. I know you yelled at Adam Pearce and even complained to Triple H about the whole shark cage thing.” He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, remembering the way Adam Pearce had come to him, flustered and irritated, recounting Liv’s passionate protests. “I knew if you could change things, you would. And knowing you tried means the world to me.”
Dominik’s words were like a balm, slowly soothing the raw ache in Liv’s chest. He squeezed her hand, a gentle reminder that he was here, right now, that they were facing this together.
“Also, I promise you that nothing is going to happen to me. If I hurt my pretty face, then how can I be around you?” Dominik joked, the corners of his lips curling into a teasing grin. He tilted his head slightly, letting his playful energy shine through in an attempt to pull her out of the dark place her thoughts had taken her. There was a lightness in his voice that felt like a warm breeze, something that wrapped around Liv and momentarily lifted the weight pressing down on her chest. Despite herself, a small giggle bubbled up from her lips, a sound that was fragile but genuine, like the first cracks of sunlight breaking through after a storm.
She rolled her eyes, giving him a playful swat on the shoulder with her free hand, the gesture carrying a touch of their usual banter. It felt comforting—normal—and she clung to that feeling. “You know, no matter if you hurt your face, you’ll still be perfect to me,” she confessed, her voice softening into something tender, a quiet honesty slipping through her words. Her head shook slightly as she spoke, the hint of a smile playing on her lips despite the tension that still lingered in the back of her mind. For a moment, she let herself believe in his words, in his ability to make everything feel lighter.
Dominik’s chuckle was warm and low, a sound that rumbled deep in his chest, vibrating against her cheek where it rested against him. It was a sound she had always loved, like a secret shared just between the two of them. He brought their intertwined hands up slowly, his movements gentle as if handling something delicate. His lips brushed against her ring finger, pressing a kiss right where the silver promise ring rested, cool against his lips but warmed by the love behind it. The gesture was small, but it spoke volumes—it was a promise and a comfort all at once.
“Te lo prometo, mi amor,” he whispered, the words flowing easily in Spanish, their rhythm smooth and gentle, like a lullaby meant just for her ears. His voice softened even further, barely more than a breath, but the promise in it was deep and unwavering. It was a vow, spoken directly to her heart, and for a moment, it was like the world beyond the two of them had melted away, leaving just their connection and the reassurance of his presence.
Liv felt the tightness in her chest ease just a little more, her heart fluttering with a strange mix of relief and affection that made her feel lighter, like she might float away in the warmth of the moment. His words wrapped around her, soothing the ache in her chest and turning her fears into something softer, something she could hold without crumbling under its weight.
She looked up at him, her eyes glistening but filled with a quiet, gentle trust. A small, genuine smile broke through the tension on her face, like a fragile flower pushing through the cracks in the pavement. “Te creo,” she replied, her voice so soft it barely reached above a whisper, but the words carried all the faith she had in him. It wasn’t just about believing in the promise he made, but about believing in him—in the love he showed her every day, in the strength he had that gave her the courage to face this fear. The warmth of his embrace and the tenderness in his voice made the world feel a little less overwhelming, and for the first time that night, she felt like maybe, just maybe, everything might be okay.
“How about after, I take you out on a cute little date to your favorite shop? Then tomorrow, we can go sneaker shopping. We can even get as many matching sneakers as you want,” Dominik suggested, his voice slipping into a playful tone, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He knew how much she loved sneakers, knew how her eyes would light up whenever she saw a new pair, and especially how much she cherished the idea of them matching—two halves of a whole, right down to their shoes.
Just as he expected, her reaction was instant. Her eyes lit up, sparkling with a brightness that contrasted against the dim backstage lights. The shadow of anxiety faded for a moment, replaced by pure excitement, the way it always did when he found a way to reach her heart. “Really?” she asked, her voice filled with childlike enthusiasm, the excitement bubbling up as she leaned in closer to him. For a second, she forgot about everything—about the match, the looming shark cage, and the fears that had gripped her moments before.
He nodded confidently, his lips quirking into a gentle smile as he muttered, “Mhm.” The way her expression softened, the way she seemed to breathe a little easier, made his own heart swell with warmth. He loved that he could do this for her, that he could be the one to bring a spark back into her eyes when everything else felt overwhelming.
Just then, a staff member appeared nearby, offering them an apologetic smile before saying, “You two lovebirds will be on in two minutes.” The words cut through the tension lingering between them, and both Dominik and Liv couldn’t help but let out soft giggles, their laughter blending together like a melody. It was a reminder that there was still lightness even amidst the pressure, and for a moment, they allowed themselves to bask in that simplicity.
But Dominik could see it—beneath her smile, the trace of unease that still lingered in her eyes, like a shadow that wouldn’t fully disappear. He wrapped his arms around her more tightly, pulling her into the comfort of his embrace. His movements were slow and deliberate, and he brought his forehead down to rest against hers. It was a gesture that carried a deep, unspoken meaning for him—a memory of something his father used to do when he needed reassurance or just a moment of closeness. It was an intimate habit he had reserved for those he loved most deeply, and now, Liv was the only one he shared it with.
The closeness of their foreheads pressed together made them feel like they were in their own little world, even as the noise of the arena buzzed just beyond the curtains. The difference in their height was clear and endearing—he had to lean down slightly to meet her where she stood, and the way she looked up at him with those wide, glimmering eyes made his heart swell. Her breath mingled with his, a soft rhythm that steadied the moment.
“Remember,” Dominik murmured, his lips curving into a gentle grin, a spark dancing in his eyes as he spoke. “Three little words.” His voice was low, a reminder, a promise, and the sincerity in it reached through the last of her lingering fears. Those three simple words held a meaning that was theirs alone—a secret code that could always bring a smile to her lips, no matter what.
And just like that, a smile cracked through Liv’s lips, small at first but growing as her heart fluttered in her chest. Her eyes sparkled like they held bits of glitter, reflecting the love she felt for him—a love so pure it made everything else seem smaller, less important. It was in this moment, as she held his gaze and felt the strength of his arms around her, that she remembered why she felt safe, why she felt loved. Dominik had shown her that she could be loved deeply, that she deserved this kind of care, and that love was not just a distant idea but something tangible, something she could hold onto.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” she thought, letting the realization settle in. She knew that whatever happened tonight, they would face it together. They would protect each other—she would do anything to keep Dominik safe, and he would do anything to shield her from the things that scared her. For a moment, all her fears faded into the background, replaced by a simple certainty. Everything, truly, was going to be okay.
collab with the most talented and beloved editor @livbl1ss on twt!
Liv and Dom had officially been together for a few months, their chemistry so palpable that it practically sizzled through the screen. Fans couldn’t get enough of the way they looked at each other, their love so genuine, so electric, that it became the talk of every social feed. The way they laughed together, exchanged glances filled with meaning, and held each other close—it all felt so real. Their relationship had become a fairytale in the eyes of the world, but lately, Liv had started to notice the cracks beneath the surface.
It was subtle at first, a slight hesitation in Dom’s touch or the way his gaze would linger just a second too long on something else. Dom, who once couldn’t keep his hands off her, had started to pull away. The warmth he used to shower her with was becoming a rare occurrence, reserved only for the cameras.
On-screen, he still played the part perfectly. His touches were tender, his kisses soft, and when he looked at her, it was as though nothing had changed. Her heart still fluttered in those moments, the way it always had. But the second the cameras stopped rolling, the affection vanished. It was like a switch had been flipped. His arms that once held her close would fall to his sides, his gaze turning distant. Liv kept telling herself it was the stress, that the constant pressure of their schedules was weighing on him. But no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, the sinking feeling in her chest wouldn’t go away.
The little moments they used to cherish—the weekly dates, the late-night conversations, the times when it was just them—had become distant memories. Dom always had an excuse. There was always something more important: extra practice, late meetings, vague commitments that kept him from being with her. Each time he told her he was busy, she nodded and smiled, but inside, the gnawing ache whispered that something was wrong. She wanted to believe him, but her heart knew otherwise. Something had shifted, and she was terrified to find out what it was.
She had tried asking Finn a few times if he knew anything, but every time, his answer was the same—a slight shake of his head and a soft, “I have no idea.” Liv wasn’t convinced, though. Finn had always been close to Dom, maybe closer than anyone. He had to have noticed something, right? But if he did, he wasn’t letting on. Desperate for answers, she’d even gone to JD and Carlito, though that only left her more frustrated. Their confusion seemed genuine, their brows furrowed and their responses sincere, but ultimately useless. Slowly, Liv swallowed her doubts, forcing them down into the pit of her stomach, hoping—no, convincing herself—that she was just being paranoid.
The Judgment Day strutted backstage after finishing their latest segment, pride practically radiating off them. They moved as one—confident, dominant, untouchable. Dominik’s arm was draped possessively over Liv’s shoulder, pulling her close into his chest as they walked. She leaned into him, her body fitting against his as if it were second nature, the corners of her mouth curled into a grin. For a moment, everything felt right, just like before. But then, slowly, almost reluctantly, Dom’s arm slipped from her shoulders. The warmth of his touch faded, and without so much as a backward glance, he turned to Finn.
“We’ll be right back, guys,” Dom said, his voice cool, detached. He didn’t even look at her—didn’t spare her a single second. Liv’s smile faltered as she watched him walk away, her stomach twisting with a familiar, hollow ache. She stood frozen, trying to mask her confusion and hurt, but it was all too clear in her eyes.
Finn saw it. As he turned to follow Dom, he caught her expression—those wide eyes, brimming with unspoken sadness, the hurt she was trying so hard to hide. It hit him like a punch to the gut. He bit the inside of his cheek, conflicted. He’d always thought of Liv like a little sister, and seeing her like this—so lost, so confused—made his chest tighten with guilt and frustration. Without another word, he followed after Dom, his heart heavy, knowing something wasn’t right.
"I'm going to get some fresh air," Liv said softly to JD and Carlito, her voice barely holding steady. They exchanged glances, sensing that something was off, but neither of them pressed her on it. Liv quickly walked away before she could let the tears that threatened to spill break through the fragile composure she clung to.
Her chest felt tight, every step growing heavier as she tried to push down the storm of emotions rising within her. As she moved through the hallway, her eyes briefly caught sight of Rhea, who was deep in conversation with Damian. Liv’s mind raced, and a thousand thoughts darted through her head in a whirlwind. Could it be something to do with Rhea? No, she tried to convince herself, Dom was over her. He had to be. Rhea had done him so dirty, hurt him in ways that cut so deep, wounds that almost never healed. Liv knew Dom had buried those feelings, hadn’t he? She shook her head, trying to dismiss the creeping doubt, but it lingered, like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
Finally stepping outside, Liv leaned her back against the cold, hard wall. The night air bit at her skin, but she welcomed it, hoping it would numb the ache that had taken root in her chest. Her eyes scanned the dark sky as she let out a shaky breath, but no amount of fresh air could stop the thoughts from consuming her. They swirled around her like a storm—unanswered questions, fears she couldn’t voice. Her heart pounded in her chest, and no matter how hard she tried to push it away, she couldn’t escape the feeling that something between her and Dom had irrevocably changed.
She shook her head, trying to brush off the wave of insecurity that had washed over her. "He’s probably just been tired and overwhelmed with everything," she muttered aloud, her voice wavering as if speaking the words would make them true. "He even got that damn black eye… He always becomes distant when he's overwhelmed. It’s fine. It’s fine," she repeated, trying to convince herself that everything would be okay.
The cold wind bit at her skin, a sharp reminder of the chill she felt inside, but Liv forced herself to take a deep breath. The icy air filled her lungs, grounding her, at least for a moment. She wrapped her arms around herself and began to slowly walk back inside, the cold becoming too much to bear.
As she made her way through the hallway, Liv decided that tonight, she would talk to Dom. She couldn’t keep drowning in her doubts and fears. She needed to understand him, to break through whatever wall he had built between them. More than anything, she wanted to be there for him, to heal whatever was hurting him. She knew he had his struggles, that there were things he kept buried deep, but she loved him—every piece of him. And no matter what, she wanted him to know that she would always be there, always love him. She just had to make him see that.
Her steps, which had started off slow and uncertain, quickened with each passing second, her heart pounding in sync with her growing sense of urgency. The air around her felt thick, her thoughts a tangled mess of hopes and fears. She needed answers, needed to throw her doubts away and hear him explain everything. Her breath came faster as she sped down the halls, knowing she must have looked frantic, maybe even a little crazy, but she didn’t care. Her desperation to see Dominik, to understand what was really going on, outweighed everything else.
Liv’s mind raced as she neared the locker room, her pulse thrumming in her ears. She assumed Dom had finished talking to Finn by now—after all, she had been outside long enough for him to be done. A sliver of hope began to warm her chest as she got closer to the door. The closer she got, the more secure she felt, as if the answers she longed for were just behind that door. Her heart swelled with the thought that everything might finally be okay. Maybe all the confusion and hurt would fade away after this conversation.
A small smile flickered across her face as she reached for the door handle. The metal was cool against her skin, grounding her for just a moment as she gathered her courage. She took a deep breath, her fingers wrapping tightly around the handle as she began to slowly open the door. The hinges creaked softly as she eased it open, her heart thudding in anticipation. She was ready—ready to step in, ready to face whatever awaited her, ready to talk to him.
But just as she was about to step inside, she froze. Her heart lurched in her chest as the familiar sound of Dominik’s voice reached her ears, stopping her dead in her tracks. She couldn’t move, rooted to the spot, her hand still gripping the door handle as her breath caught in her throat. Something about his tone sent a shiver down her spine, making her pause before entering.
"I just—I don’t know, man." Dominik's voice cracked as he sighed heavily, the frustration and exhaustion clear in his tone. He looked utterly defeated, as though the weight of his own thoughts was suffocating him, pulling him under. The room felt thick with tension, and Finn could only watch him with concern, his expression softening into pity.
Dominik's fingers twitched at his sides as he spoke, his eyes darting to the ground, unable to meet Finn’s gaze. "I’m just so unsure about this whole thing..." His voice wavered, laced with hesitation, like he didn’t even know how to articulate the storm raging inside him.
"What do you mean, Dom?" Finn asked, though his voice was cautious, knowing the conversation was teetering on the edge of something serious. He needed Dom to say it, to confirm the doubts he already sensed were eating away at him.
"Liv." The single word escaped Dominik's lips, almost like a breath he’d been holding for too long. It hit the air with a weight that felt almost physical, sinking into the silence between them. His head hung low, eyes still glued to the floor as if he couldn’t bear to say her name out loud.
Outside the door, Liv felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath her. Her heart plummeted, each beat growing more painful, her chest tightening with an unbearable ache. She could barely breathe, her breaths coming out in shallow, uneven gasps as her mind spun in a million directions. Dom was talking about her. He was unsure… about her. Her heart, once hopeful and full of love, now felt like it was breaking, piece by piece. The walls of the corridor seemed to close in on her, the weight of the moment suffocating.
Finn sighed deeply, his back pressing against the cold wall, as if trying to ground himself amidst the intensity of the conversation. His expression darkened with the understanding of what Dom was really saying, the tension almost too much to bear.
"She loves you, Dom," Finn finally said, his voice gentle yet firm, as if hoping to cut through the haze of doubt clouding Dominik’s mind. There was an urgency in his tone, a quiet desperation to remind Dom of the obvious—something Finn knew was true, even if Dom had started to forget.
Dominik's jaw tightened, the words hitting him harder than he wanted to admit. His shoulders slumped, weighed down by a burden he didn’t know how to carry. "I know she loves me, Finn," he muttered, his voice thick with frustration, guilt threading through each syllable. The rawness of his tone hung in the air, his vulnerability exposed, though he tried to hide it behind clenched teeth.
His eyes squeezed shut, as if closing out the world would dull the pain he was feeling. He took a sharp breath, his chest rising and falling unevenly, struggling to hold himself together. The tension in his body was palpable, his muscles coiled tight like he was ready to snap. Every inch of him screamed conflict—the push and pull between love and uncertainty ripping him apart from the inside.
"You don’t need to remind me," Dominik added, his voice cracking slightly as the weight of his guilt pressed harder. His fists clenched at his sides, his knuckles white as he fought against the emotions swirling inside him. It was as if he wanted to shut it all out, to run from the truth Finn had laid bare, but he couldn't escape the guilt that gnawed at him, the guilt that came from knowing how much Liv loved him—and how much he was hurting her.
"Look—" Finn began, trying to offer something, anything, to make sense of it all, but Dominik cut him off before he could find the words.
"I should put it all behind me," Dom rushed out, his voice cracking under the strain of his emotions. His fists clenched at his sides, his entire body tensing as if he was fighting some inner turmoil. "Shouldn’t I?" He asked, his tone desperate, his voice quivering with uncertainty, like he was pleading for someone to give him an answer, to tell him what to do. His gaze remained fixed on the floor, too ashamed or too scared to look up.
Liv stood frozen in place, her body trembling, her heart breaking all over again with every word she heard. The heaviness in her chest was unbearable now, like a weight crushing her from the inside out. The tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away, her throat tight with the agony of hearing Dominik question everything. She couldn’t listen anymore. It was too much. Every word, every confession, felt like a dagger twisting deeper into her soul, unraveling everything she thought she had with him.
Liv couldn’t take it anymore. The weight of Dominik’s words was too much, suffocating her with every second she stood there. Without thinking, she turned on her heel, her long blonde hair falling forward to cover the sides of her face as she hurried away. She needed to escape, to get as far away from the crushing pain that had now settled deep in her chest. Her heart raced, her mind spinning, his words replaying in a cruel loop that she couldn’t silence.
Was all of her overthinking and insecurities true? Every doubt, every fear she had buried was now bubbling to the surface. Was Dominik saying all of this because of Rhea? Had he fallen back for her? The thought ripped through her like a storm, making her feel dizzy, disoriented, as though the ground beneath her feet was crumbling. Her legs carried her forward on autopilot as she pushed her way through staff members and wrestlers who were busy getting ready for the next segment. She barely registered their presence, her mind too clouded with the torment of her own thoughts.
Her breathing grew more ragged, her chest tight, and her vision blurred as she hurried toward the nearest sanctuary—the women’s bathroom. Liv reached the door, her hand slamming into the handle with such force that it nearly ripped off its hinges as she shoved it open. The door flew open with a loud bang, the sound echoing in the small space, but Liv didn’t care. She stumbled inside, her body trembling as she braced herself against the cold tile wall, gasping for breath as the whirlwind of emotions finally consumed her.
Shakily, Liv managed to lock the door behind her, her fingers trembling as she twisted the lock. Her body felt heavy, drained of all strength, as she slid down the cold tile wall. The chill of the surface seeped through her clothes, but she barely noticed. She sat on the floor, pulling her knees tightly against her chest, wrapping her arms around them as if trying to hold herself together. Normally, Dominik would’ve been the one to comfort her, to pull her close and whisper soft words to ease her pain. But now, he was the reason she was breaking, and she had only herself to lean on.
“There’s no way, right?” she muttered, her voice cracking as she stared blankly ahead, her mind racing with doubt. Her throat tightened painfully as a lump formed, her chest heaving with the weight of her emotions. She wanted to believe it wasn’t true, that this was just a misunderstanding, but Dominik’s words kept echoing in her mind, cutting deeper each time they replayed.
Tears welled in her eyes and soon spilled down her cheeks, warm against the coldness of the room. Her sobs came quietly at first, but then one tore through her, raw and filled with all the hurt she had tried to hold back. "I thought he loved me," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she buried her face in her knees, the weight of those words crushing her. She felt so small, so vulnerable in that moment, the overwhelming sadness making it hard to breathe. All the love she had poured into him now felt like it was slipping through her fingers, leaving nothing but heartbreak in its place.
Was Liv about to get betrayed again? And for the person who had hurt her so deeply in the past? The thought alone sent a cold shiver through her. She had never once feared that Dominik would miss or go back to Rhea, but now it was all she could think about. The doubts swirled in her mind like a storm, chaotic and relentless. What if Dominik was longing for Rhea? What if he wanted to go back to her? The questions gnawed at her insides, each one more painful than the last.
"Was I… not enough?" she cried out, her voice barely above a whisper, trembling with hurt. She buried her face against her knees, hugging them tighter as if trying to hold herself together. But the loneliness, the emptiness, was unbearable. She felt like she was falling apart, her heart breaking in a way she hadn't expected.
Her phone buzzed with a flurry of notifications, the sound cutting through the silence of the bathroom like a knife. Dominik. His name flashed across the screen repeatedly, text after text. He was asking where she was, if she wanted to go on their weekly date, apologizing for missing out on the others. But Liv couldn’t bring herself to care, couldn’t even bear to look at the messages. She was too much of a mess, her mind consumed with the fear and heartbreak of what she had overheard.
Without a second thought, she grabbed her phone, her hands shaking as she fumbled with the buttons. She couldn’t stand the constant buzzing, the reminder that Dominik was trying to reach out, that he was apologizing now—too late. She shut off the phone, the screen going black as she let out a deep, shaky sigh. But the tears didn’t stop. The ache in her chest, that heavy, crushing feeling, wouldn't subside. She couldn’t shake the fear that she wasn’t enough, that she was losing him to someone who had already broken her once.
Liv knew, deep down, that she could never bring herself to hate Dominik. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how many tears she cried, she couldn’t place the blame on him. So, as always, she turned it inward, tearing herself apart in the process. The comparisons flooded her mind relentlessly—Rhea’s strength, her confidence, her undeniable presence. How could she ever measure up? Why was it always her left feeling so broken?
She was a mess, shattered into pieces she didn’t know how to put back together. "When will I be enough for someone to stay?" she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible, cracking under the weight of her sorrow. The words felt heavy in her throat, laced with desperation. The idea that Dominik could be longing for Rhea again was drowning her, the thought suffocating as she tried and failed to push it away.
Tears streamed down her face, unchecked, and her chest tightened painfully as if her heart was being squeezed. She couldn’t escape the feeling of not being enough—not for Rhea, not for Dominik, not for anyone. Her mind spun in circles, torturing her with images of what could have been, of everything slipping through her fingers.
It was Liv and Dominik's first official match together since becoming a couple, and the air buzzed with a mix of excitement and tension. The anticipation was electrifying, but the uncertainty gnawed at their nerves. They stood side by side behind the thick curtains that separated them from the roaring crowd and the glaring lights of the arena. Any moment now, a staff member would signal them to make their grand entrance.
Liv, usually confident and fierce, found herself nervously fidgeting with her hands. Her fingers twisted together, then untangled, only to repeat the cycle. She was so ready to face Rhea, to unleash the frustration that had been building up inside her ever since their last encounter. But no matter how much she tried to shake it off, a heavy lump of anxiety sat in her throat, refusing to go away.
Why couldn't she just swallow it down? She was tougher than this, stronger than this—but the nerves had a stubborn grip on her.
Then, as if sensing her inner turmoil, a familiar, warm hand gently intertwined with hers. The touch was firm, grounding her in the moment. Liv looked up to see Dominik smiling at her, his eyes filled with unwavering confidence and a tenderness that made her heart skip a beat.
"It'll be alright, amorcita. No te preocupes" he whispered softly, his voice a soothing balm to her frayed nerves. The nickname, "amorcita," wrapped around her like a protective shield, calming the storm inside her.
In that instant, Liv felt a wave of reassurance wash over her. With Dominik by her side, she knew she could face anything—even the daunting task of confronting Rhea. Together, they were unstoppable.
Taking a deep breath, she squeezed Dominik's hand, drawing strength from his presence. They were about to step into the ring not just as competitors, but as partners, and no matter what happened, they would face it together.
Dominik couldn’t help but smile as he saw Liv relax, even if only a little, at his reassuring words. It warmed his heart to know that he could ease her anxiety, even in such a small way. His feelings for her ran deep—so deep that words and actions could never fully capture the extent of his care. It was an emotion that filled every corner of his being, a protective instinct that made him want to shield her from every worry, every doubt.
Without thinking, he leaned in closer, resting his head gently against hers. For a brief moment, the chaos of the arena faded away, leaving just the two of them in a quiet, shared space. Dominik chuckled softly, the sound warm and affectionate. "You’re so tiny," he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
Liv, always quick to fire back, opened her mouth to argue, but before she could get a word out, the staff member gave them the signal. It was time. The teasing was replaced by a surge of adrenaline as the familiar sound of The Judgment Day's theme song boomed through the speakers, shaking the arena to its core.
Hand in hand, they stepped out from behind the curtains, immediately hit by the intense energy of the crowd. The arena was a swirling mix of cheers and boos, voices merging into a powerful wave of noise. Dominik and Liv moved as one, their steps in perfect sync as they made their way down the ramp towards the ring.
The lights flickered and pulsed with the beat of the music, casting an eerie glow over the sea of faces. Dominik kept his eyes focused ahead, but his thumb gently stroked the back of Liv's hand, a silent reminder that he was right there with her.
As they reached the ring, Dominik gracefully dropped to one knee, sitting against the middle rope and pulling it wide open for Liv with a charming, almost regal gesture. Liv couldn’t help but smile softly at the gesture, warmth flooding her heart. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the roaring crowd. She slipped through the ropes with fluid ease, her movements as graceful as ever.
But instead of stepping away, Liv turned back with a mischievous glint in her eye. She took her place at the ropes, mimicking Dominik’s earlier posture. With a playful grin, she held the rope open for him, defying the traditional roles with her own brand of charm.
Dominik let out a soft, amused chuckle, clearly enjoying the exchange. He accepted her invitation and slipped through the ropes, his tall frame moving with an effortless grace. Once inside, he reached out, his hand gently coming to rest on the top of her head, patting it softly in a tender, affectionate gesture that made Liv smirk up at him.
Without missing a beat, Liv sprang forward, her body moving instinctively. She leaped up, and Dominik, ever ready, caught her effortlessly with one strong arm, his other hand instinctively supporting her as her legs wrapped securely around his waist. The arena, the noise, the impending match—all of it melted away as she rested her forehead against his, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. Liv’s nose brushed against Dominik’s, a gentle, affectionate nuzzle that spoke volumes more than words ever could.
They stayed like that for a moment, their warm smiles reflecting the deep connection they shared, a silent conversation passing between them in that brief, tender exchange. Then, with a soft sigh, Liv slowly unwrapped her legs and slid down from his embrace, her feet landing lightly on the mat.
Soon after Rhea and Damian made their dramatic entrances, the match began with a surge of intensity that electrified the entire arena. Before the bell rang, Liv and Dominik shared a brief, tight hug, their hearts beating in sync as they prepared for the battle ahead.
The match started with Damian and Dominik clashing fiercely in the ring, their movements fueled by the pent-up anger and tension that had been brewing for weeks. Every punch, every grapple, was delivered with force, each man determined to overpower the other. The crowd roared with every heavy hit, the energy in the arena building to a fever pitch.
Liv stood on the sidelines, her voice ringing out above the noise as she cheered Dominik on, her eyes never leaving him. But across the ring, Rhea’s glare was locked on Liv, her eyes burning with anger and something darker, a resentment that seemed to simmer just beneath the surface. The tension between the two women was palpable, and Liv could feel Rhea’s hatred searing into her with every passing second.
When the moment came for Liv to enter the ring, she took a deep breath, remembering the strategy she and Dominik had agreed upon. They would let Rhea and Damian believe they had the upper hand, drawing them into a false sense of security before turning the tables. But as soon as Liv stepped between the ropes, she realized she wasn’t fully prepared for the sheer aggression Rhea was about to unleash.
Rhea wasted no time. The moment Liv was within reach, Rhea charged forward, her movements swift and brutal. She grabbed Liv and, with a powerful surge of strength, executed a flawless fallaway slam. Liv’s body slammed against the mat with a sickening thud, the impact driving the air from her lungs. She gasped, desperately trying to regain her breath as pain radiated through her body.
Dominik, who had retreated to the corner, watched with wide eyes, his breath coming in heavy, anxious bursts. His fists clenched tightly around the ropes, the tension evident in every muscle as he fought the urge to rush to her side. The plan was to stay calm, to let Rhea believe she was in control, but seeing Liv in pain made it difficult to stay still.
Liv’s mind raced as she lay on the mat, her body aching from the force of Rhea’s attack. She could hear Rhea’s footsteps approaching, could feel the cold, calculating intent in each step.
As Rhea continued her relentless assault, her fury seemed to grow with each strike. She suddenly paused, her gaze snapping to Dominik, who stood tense in his corner, eyes locked on Liv. The sight of him only fueled her anger, the betrayal she felt like a sharp blade twisting in her chest.
Grabbing Liv by the hair, Rhea yanked her up, her voice dripping with venom as she spat, "You chose her ?!" The words were laced with a mix of jealousy and rage, her grip tightening as she glared at Dominik, daring him to respond.
Dominik’s smirk was slow, deliberate, and filled with a confidence that only seemed to provoke Rhea further. “Yeah, I did!” he shot back, his voice steady and unwavering. His eyes never left Rhea’s, knowing that his words would cut deep, aiming directly at the vulnerable spot beneath her tough exterior.
And cut they did. For just a moment, Rhea hesitated, her hand faltering in its grip on Liv’s hair. The raw emotion that flashed across her face was quickly masked by anger, but that split second of hesitation was all Liv needed.
Seizing the opportunity, Liv brought her knee up with all the force she could muster, slamming it into Rhea’s midsection. Rhea gasped, the wind knocked out of her as she stumbled back, momentarily stunned. Liv didn’t waste any time. With a fierce determination burning in her eyes, she followed up with a series of harsh kicks, each one driving Rhea further back.
Fueled by adrenaline and the need to prove her strength, Liv launched a flurry of aggressive hits, her fists connecting with Rhea’s body and face. The rapid succession of blows was powerful, each one fueled by all the frustration and anger that had built up inside her. Rhea tried to regain her footing, but Liv was relentless, her strikes landing with precision and force.
The crowd roared in response, the arena buzzing with the sudden shift in momentum. Dominik watched, his heart pounding, pride swelling within him as Liv took control of the situation. He knew this was her moment, her chance to show Rhea—and everyone else—just how strong she truly was.
As the match progressed, the intensity in the ring skyrocketed, spiraling into chaos. The once orderly battle quickly devolved into a frenzy, with bodies flying and fists landing everywhere. The crowd erupted as the rest of The Judgment Day members stormed the ring, turning the match into an all-out brawl.
The air was thick with the sounds of bodies colliding, grunts of effort, and the relentless roar of the crowd. Liv fought valiantly, her focus shifting between her Rhea and Dominik, making sure he was okay. The ring had become a storm of movement, the chaos swallowing everyone in its path.
Amid the whirlwind, Dominik found himself sliding back into the ring, his heart racing. But as he regained his footing, he suddenly froze. Standing directly in front of him, with a wicked smirk curling her lips, was Rhea. The intensity in her eyes made his breath catch, and for a split second, everything else faded away.
Dominik’s eyes widened, fear and hesitation warring within him. He knew he couldn’t lay a finger on her—despite everything, despite their history, he knew as a man he couldn't put his hands on a woman. Rhea saw the advantage and her smirk widened, sensing the power she held over him in that moment.
Without warning, she lunged forward, her hands latching onto him with a vice-like grip. Dominik’s instincts kicked in, and he tried to twist away, to slip out of her grasp, but Rhea was relentless. She pulled him closer, her strength catching him off guard. He struggled, the sudden rush of panic setting his nerves on edge, knowing he was trapped, unable to fight back as Rhea’s hold tightened.
Liv, breathless and battered, dragged herself across the ring, every movement a testament to her willpower. The crowd’s roar was a distant cacophony as her vision swam, and her fear intensified with the realization that she could no longer see Rhea. The dread of what might be happening to Dominik clawed at her.
In the midst of the chaos, Rhea had methodically intensified her assault. She had executed a series of precise, punishing blows before climbing to the top rope. There, with a calculated viciousness, she wrapped her powerful legs around Dominik’s neck, pulling him into a debilitating submission hold. The sheer strength of her grip constricted around him, her muscular thighs squeezing with a brutal force.
Dominik’s eyes widened with a primal fear as he felt the life being squeezed from him. The panic was overwhelming, the tightness around his neck compressing not just his airways but also his heart. The onslaught of Rhea’s past abuses replayed in his mind, each memory a jagged shard of pain. He recalled the manipulation, the gaslighting, and the emotional torment that had convinced him for so long that such cruelty was normal.
Yet, amid the suffocating pressure and the haunting recollections, a single, steadfast thought pierced through the darkness: "I have Liv." This thought was not just a fleeting comfort but a beacon of hope and strength. Liv was more than just his partner; she was the very light of his life, a constant source of warmth and clarity that had dispelled the shadows of his past.
The way Liv looked at him, with eyes full of unconditional love and fierce support, was a stark contrast to the torment he had known. Her smile, her touch, her unwavering belief in him had been his salvation. In the darkest moments, she had been the one to help him see beyond the manipulation, to understand that he deserved respect and kindness. Her love was a guiding star in his world, cutting through the darkness and offering him a path to healing.
As Rhea’s legs tightened, Dominik’s heart ached not just from the physical pressure but from the profound realization of what Liv meant to him. The pain of the hold was a brutal reminder, but the thought of Liv's unwavering love was his anchor. He clung to the image of her—her eyes, her touch, her strength—knowing that her love was the reason he could hold on, even as his world threatened to collapse around him.
Liv was not just a part of his life; she was the essence of his joy and strength. Her presence was a radiant light that had illuminated his path through the darkest of times. With every beat of his heart, he held onto the hope she represented, determined to endure and emerge from this ordeal for her—and for the future they dreamed of together.
As Liv's vision cleared, the sight of Rhea cruelly holding Dominik in that punishing submission hold ignited a volcanic rage within her. It was as though a switch had been flipped, unleashing a torrent of fury that consumed every part of her. Her pain and exhaustion evaporated, replaced by an all-encompassing, primal anger. The world around her narrowed to a singular focus: the sight of Rhea inflicting torment on Dominik.
Her breaths came in sharp, ragged bursts, each inhale a reminder of the seething anger that was now her only reality. Her chest heaved violently with every breath, the rhythmic rise and fall a testament to the intensity of her rage. Her hands, once trembling from fatigue, clenched into tight, white-knuckled fists, the skin stretching taut over the knuckles as if to contain the fury that was ready to explode.
Liv forced herself to rise, every movement powered by a ferocious determination. The pain that had previously dulled her senses was now an afterthought, engulfed by the raw, consuming anger. She was no longer merely Liv; she was a tempest of fury, driven by the sight of Dominik's suffering. The man she loved was being brutalized, and that reality ignited a fierce, protective fire within her.
With a guttural, blood-curdling scream that seemed to echo off the walls of the arena, Liv charged towards Rhea. The sound of her scream was like a war cry, a powerful declaration of her intent to defend her beloved. Rhea, startled by the sheer force of Liv's rage, momentarily lost her composure, loosening her grip just enough to give Dominik a chance to escape.
Liv's attack was relentless and fueled by the image of Rhea’s cruelty replaying in her mind. Every punch, every grapple, was driven by the indignant fury she felt at seeing Dominik being tormented. The love she harbored for him transformed into a fierce, almost animalistic protectiveness, propelling her forward with a strength born from pure, unadulterated anger.
As she and Rhea collided outside the ropes, Liv's position on top was a small victory in the midst of chaos. Her rage was a blinding, almost intoxicating force, making her movements swift and decisive. The anger that consumed her was not just a reaction but a powerful force, transforming her into a relentless avenger, determined to right the wrongs done to the man she cherished.
Liv’s rage was an unstoppable force, burning with a fierce intensity that showed no signs of diminishing. Her focus on Rhea was unrelenting as she continued her brutal assault, her every move fueled by a protective, almost feral anger. With a powerful grip, she hurled Rhea into the unforgiving steel stairs, the crash echoing through the arena as she stood, breathing heavily, trying to steady herself amidst the chaos.
Her eyes then locked onto Dominik, who was battling Damian in the ring. The sight of him, worn and fatigued, reignited her protective instincts. It didn’t matter who stood in her way—anyone who dared to hurt Dominik was an enemy in her eyes. The thought of him being in danger sent a fresh wave of adrenaline through her veins.
With determination blazing in her gaze, Liv climbed onto the apron, her attention fixed on the action inside the ring. She was ready to intervene, to protect the man she loved at any cost. But in a split second, her focus wavered, just long enough for something unexpected to happen.
Damian, in a desperate attempt to regain his footing after a powerful exchange with Dominik, stumbled backward with force. His much larger frame collided with the ropes, sending them snapping back with a violent recoil. Liv, standing precariously on the apron, was caught off guard by the sudden movement. The ropes slammed into her, and the impact sent her crashing down onto the hard mat below.
The collision was brutal. The combined force of the ropes and Damian’s weight sent Liv flying off the apron. She didn’t just fall; she was practically thrown onto the hard mat below with a force that was far greater than anything she’d experienced before. The impact was brutal, and pain exploded through her body as she hit the ground with a sickening thud.
The air was knocked out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath, her vision swimming from the sheer force of the fall. She lay there, stunned and momentarily disoriented, the world spinning around her as the pain radiated through every part of her body.
Dominik's eyes widened in sheer panic as the sight of Liv crumpled on the mat sent a surge of dread through him. In that moment, every ounce of exhaustion vanished, replaced by an urgent need to be by her side. His heart pounded in his chest, the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he bolted towards the ropes. With a forceful shove, he pushed a stunned and worried Damian out of his way, his focus solely on Liv.
He slipped through the ropes with practiced ease, landing beside Liv and dropping to one knee. His hands trembled slightly as he reached for her, his fingers gently brushing aside the strands of blonde hair that had fallen across her face. Her breath came in shallow, ragged gasps as she fought to collect herself, the pain from the fall still radiating through her body.
“Are you okay, princesa?” Dominik’s voice was soft, almost a whisper, laced with a deep concern that was impossible to hide. His eyes were filled with worry, the emotion so raw and genuine that even Damian, standing nearby, was left speechless. This was a side of Dominik that he had never seen before—not even when they had been on good terms. The vulnerability and tenderness in Dominik’s gaze were startling, a stark contrast to the fierce competitor he usually was.
Dominik looked as though he might cry, his hands cupping Liv’s face with the utmost care. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, his touch tender and protective. He gazed at her as if she were the only person in the world, his attention so completely absorbed by her that it was as if the rest of the arena had ceased to exist. In that moment, it was just the two of them, a bubble of calm in the midst of the chaos that surrounded them.
Dominik leaned down and placed a soft, reassuring kiss on Liv's head. The simple gesture conveyed everything he felt in that moment—love, concern, and an unspoken promise to make things right. Liv, still in pain but fiercely determined, positioned herself against the commentators' table, trying to steady her breathing and gather her strength.
Liv, still catching her breath, managed a small, reassuring smile despite the pain. “Get him, Dom,” she whispered, her voice soft but filled with a quiet determination.
Those three words were all it took to snap Dominik back to reality. The realization hit him like a tidal wave—Damian had been the one to hurt her, even if it was unintentional. The worry in his eyes was quickly replaced by a steely resolve, his expression hardening as he gently released Liv and stood up. The tenderness from moments before was now replaced by a fierce determination as he turned his gaze towards Damian, the fire in his eyes burning brighter than ever.
Dominik had always been protective of Liv, but now that protectiveness had evolved into something more—a need for retribution, to make sure that no one ever hurt her again.
When Dominik finally turned to face Damian, the change in his demeanor was palpable. The softness he had shown Liv was gone, replaced by a cold, seething anger that radiated from his very core. His eyes, usually so warm and expressive, were now dark, filled with a fury that sent a chill down Damian’s spine. It wasn’t the Dominik that anyone in the arena knew; this was someone else entirely, someone consumed by a need for vengeance.
Dominik rose slowly to his feet, each movement deliberate, his gaze never leaving Damian. He could feel the darkness closing in around him, the words "Damian just hurt Liv" echoing endlessly in his mind. The thought alone was enough to make his blood boil, his vision narrowing until all he could see was Damian—the man who had hurt the person he cherished most in the world.
The rage inside Dominik had been simmering for a long time, but now, it had finally boiled over. He moved with a deadly calm, his body taut with tension as he walked toward the ring, every step heavy with purpose. Damian, sensing the shift in Dominik’s demeanor, instinctively took a step back, his confusion evident as he tried to process what was happening. This wasn’t the Dominik he knew; this was someone unrecognizable, a force driven by a singular, blinding anger.
Dominik slid into the ring, his movements fluid and purposeful. The moment his feet touched the canvas, he exploded into action. With a speed and intensity that caught Damian completely off guard, Dominik lunged at him, his fists flying as something deep inside him snapped. The controlled, strategic fighter was gone, replaced by a whirlwind of raw, unbridled fury. Every punch, every strike was fueled by the thought of Liv’s pain, of Damian being the one responsible for it.
In that moment, Dominik was no longer holding back. He had unleashed something primal, something that had been building inside him for far too long. The anger, the protectiveness, the overwhelming need to defend Liv—all of it had come to the surface, and there was no stopping him now.
Dominik's fury was unleashed in a storm of relentless attacks, each one more powerful than the last. "DON'T YOU EVER PLACE YOUR HANDS ON MY GIRL!" he roared, his voice echoing through the arena as he continued to rain down harsh blows on Damian. The words were filled with a fierce protectiveness, a command that left no room for argument. Dominik was like a man possessed, his every move fueled by the anger and love that surged through him.
Damian, normally a formidable opponent, found himself utterly defenseless. Dominik wasn’t giving him a moment to recover, not even a second to catch his breath. Every time Damian tried to block or retaliate, Dominik was already there with another strike, keeping him off balance and on the defensive. It was a side of Dominik that had never been seen before—an aggressive, unrelenting force that was overwhelming Damian completely.
With a swift and precise movement, Dominik grabbed Damian and set him up for the Tres Amigos—a tribute to the legendary Eddie Guerrero. He executed the first suplex with a surprising ease, his strength fueled by pure adrenaline. As he rolled through to hit the second suplex, the crowd could feel the intensity in the air, the passion behind each movement. And then, with a powerful lift, Dominik completed the third suplex, slamming Damian into the mat with an impact that shook the ring.
But he wasn’t done. Not even close. Dominik pulled Damian up again, his face a mask of determination and fury. With Damian barely able to stand, Dominik set him up for a 619, his signature move. The crowd roared as Dominik launched himself between the ropes, the momentum sending him crashing into Damian with full force.
Liv, despite the pain coursing through her body, watched proudly from outside the ring. She could see that Dominik’s potential was finally blossoming, that he was no longer the unsure young man he once was but a force to be reckoned with. Her heart swelled with pride, even as her body ached from the earlier impact. But as she glanced towards the ring, her pride quickly turned to concern.
Rhea was moving, her eyes locked on Dominik as she prepared to step inside the ring. Liv knew exactly what Rhea intended to do, and she wasn’t about to let it happen. With a determined grimace, Liv began to crawl towards the ring, her movements fueled by the same protective instincts that had driven Dominik earlier.
As Rhea slipped into the ring, positioning herself against the ropes to attack Dominik, Liv seized the moment. She pulled herself up onto the apron, using every ounce of strength she had left. Without hesitation, she lunged at Rhea from behind, catching her completely off guard. With a swift motion, Liv hooked Rhea’s arm and delivered her finishing move, the Oblivion.
Liv jumped up, kicking off the middle rope as she grabbed Rhea by the head, driving her face-first into the mat with a force that echoed through the arena. The move was executed perfectly, the impact stunning Rhea as she hit the canvas with a thud. Liv landed gracefully, her breath heavy but her determination unwavering.
Dominik smirked with determination as he climbed to the top rope, the adrenaline coursing through his veins as he prepared to deliver the final blow. The crowd was on their feet, anticipation hanging in the air as he leaped off the turnbuckle with the precision and grace of a seasoned high-flyer. The Frog Splash was executed perfectly, his body crashing down onto Damian, who Liv had expertly positioned in the center of the ring.
“1… 2… 3!” The referee’s hand slapped the mat for the final count, and the arena erupted in a deafening roar. The victory was theirs, but in that moment, it wasn’t the win that mattered to Dominik and Liv. As the crowd celebrated around them, the only thing that mattered to them was each other.
Dominik rolled off Damian and immediately found Liv, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Their smiles were wide, their eyes shining with a mixture of relief, love, and pure joy. The connection between them was palpable, an unbreakable bond that had only grown stronger through the chaos of the match.
The referee approached, attempting to lift their hands in victory, but neither of them budged. They were lost in each other’s presence, holding on as if they never wanted to let go. In that moment, the world outside their embrace seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in their shared triumph and relief.
“I’m so happy you’re okay,” Liv whispered softly, her voice barely audible above the cheers of the crowd. But as she pulled back slightly, her smile faltered, replaced by a concerned frown as she noticed the dark bruise forming at the corner of Dominik’s eye. The sight of it made her heart ache, knowing how fiercely he had fought not just for the win, but for her.
Dominik, however, was oblivious to his own pain. His entire focus was on Liv, his gaze locked onto her with an intensity that made her feel as if they were the only two people in the world. His hands gently found their way to her face, cradling it with the same tenderness he had shown earlier. His thumbs traced the delicate lines of her features, as if he was reassuring himself that she was really there, safe and with him.
“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice a gentle caress, a stark contrast to the fury he had unleashed on Damian just moments before. There was a vulnerability in his eyes now, a deep concern that mirrored her own, and it made her realize just how much he truly cared.
Liv nodded, her own hands coming up to cover his, feeling the warmth of his touch. “I am now,” she replied, her voice filled with emotion, knowing that whatever they faced, they would face it together.
Although Dominik was bruised and his body ached from the battle, none of it mattered in that moment. All he could focus on was Liv. The love he felt for her was beyond words, an overwhelming emotion that filled his heart and made the pain seem insignificant. His eyes sparkled as they looked at her, a mixture of admiration and deep affection lighting up his gaze. Despite his exhaustion, he reached out, his fingers gently adjusting a stray lock of her hair. Liv’s tired giggle in response was like music to his ears, soothing the remnants of the storm that had raged within him.
“I’m so proud of you, Dom,” Liv whispered, her voice tender and full of sincerity. She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in before adding, “Always.”
Those simple words healed something deep inside Dominik, something he didn’t even realize needed healing. They filled a void left by the harsh judgments and manipulations he had endured in the past. With Rhea, he had always felt like he was falling short, never good enough. But with Liv, he felt whole. She made him feel valued just for being himself, without conditions or expectations. She made him feel loved, truly loved, in a way he had never experienced before.
A smile spread across his face as he looked at her, his heart swelling with emotion. “And I’m forever proud of you, Liv,” he replied softly, his voice full of genuine admiration. He leaned in, resting their foreheads together in a gesture of shared comfort and understanding. Both of them were exhausted, but in that moment, they found strength in each other.
As they stood there, lost in their own world, Damian and Rhea were seething, glaring daggers at the pair from the other side of the ring. Their anger was palpable, but it went unnoticed by Dominik and Liv, who felt as if they were the only two people left on earth. The connection between them was something special, something unbreakable. They had faced so much together, and in doing so, they had healed each other in ways neither of them fully understood.
In Dominik's eyes, Liv was his light—his own personal sunshine. She had this way of brightening up everything in his life, casting warmth and clarity over even his darkest moments. Just being near her made the world feel right, as if she chased away the shadows that had once clouded his heart. She was his source of joy, his beacon of hope, the one who made him believe in himself when no one else could. Every time she smiled at him, it was like the sun breaking through a stormy sky, filling him with a warmth that made all his pain and doubts fade away. Liv was more than just the woman he loved; she was the light that guided him, the very center of his world.
To Liv, Dominik was like the moon, a soft and steady presence that illuminated her darkest nights. He was the quiet comfort she turned to when the world felt overwhelming, the calm in the chaos. Just as the moon reflects the sun’s light, Dominik reflected her love, radiating it back to her in a way that made her feel safe and cherished. In her moments of doubt, when everything seemed to be falling apart, Dominik was there, shining through the darkness and giving her the strength to keep going. He was her balance, the one who understood her in ways no one else did, bringing light into her life just when she needed it most.
Together, they were like the sun and the moon—two halves of a whole, each one completing the other. Liv brought brightness and energy into Dominik’s life, while he offered her the peace and stability she craved. They balanced each other perfectly, their love a constant cycle of giving and receiving, lighting up each other's world in ways they never thought possible. As they stood there in the ring, holding each other close, it was clear that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always have each other.
Liv smiled up at Dominik, her eyes shining with the love she felt for him, before placing a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss was brief but filled with emotion, a silent promise of the bond they shared. Dominik grinned in return, feeling more content than he ever had before.
With a gentle nod, he helped her out of the ring, their hands still intertwined as they made their way backstage. The world outside their love seemed distant, irrelevant. All that mattered was that they had each other, and in each other, they had found a place of safety, comfort, and unending support. The bruises and aches would fade, but the love they shared—strong, unconditional, and healing—would last forever.
This was requested by the lovely janna (@livdoms) 🎀
Liv set up her camera in her cozy kitchen, the warm light highlighting the rustic charm of the wooden cabinets and the assortment of ingredients laid out on the counter. A bright smile lit up her face as she pressed the record button. "Hello, guys!! It's Liv, and today I'm baking cookies!" she announced, her voice full of enthusiasm. She clapped her hands together, causing a little puff of flour to rise from the counter, which made her giggle.
As she was about to continue, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and turned her head, her laughter bubbling up even more. Dominik was standing just off-camera, his arms crossed and an exaggerated pout on his face. He was playfully glaring at her, his eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. "You're not going to introduce me???" he whined, dragging out the words as if deeply offended.
Liv couldn't help but laugh at his antics. With a mischievous grin, she reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the shot. "And Dom is here!" she declared, her voice still tinged with laughter. She leaned into him slightly, their chemistry evident as they shared a knowing look.
Dominik grins as he looks down at Liv, a spark of mischief and affection dancing in his eyes. The love he feels for her is undeniable, shining through in the way he gazes at her. With a playful smirk, he gently nudges her out of the frame, his touch so light and teasing that it makes her giggle. Taking center stage, he strikes a dramatic pose in front of the camera. "And I'll be baking cookies today! No more Liv," he declares, his voice full of mock seriousness, though the twinkle in his eyes gives him away.
Liv, not one to be outdone, quickly tries to push him out of the frame in return, but Dominik is quicker. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her close and holding her in place. They both burst into laughter, the sound filling the kitchen as they look at each other, smiles wide and eyes sparkling.
Liv playfully rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around Dominik. "You're sooo annoying, I swear," she teased, her voice light and full of affection. Dominik raised an eyebrow and glanced at an imaginary camera, breaking the fourth wall like a character from The Office.
"Yet you're still holding meee," he teased back, his tone smug and playful. Liv scoffed, pretending to be annoyed, and started to let go of him, but Dominik tightened his hold, refusing to let her go.
"We have a video to filmmmm!" she whined, her tone full of mock frustration. Finally, with a mischievous grin, Dominik released her, his hands lingering just a moment longer, both of them unable to hide their smiles.
"So, I have a list full of the baking ingredients and steps on this paper!" Liv announces enthusiastically, grabbing a small note off the counter and holding it up to the camera. She flashes a bright smile, excited to start.
Dominik squints his eyes, trying to make out the tiny handwriting on the paper. "You're so blind, oh my god... go get your glasses, babe," Liv teases, giggling as she watches him struggle.
Dominik huffs in mock annoyance, narrowing his eyes at the tiny writing on the note. "Tú también estás ciega, mujer," he mutters in Spanish, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm as he shakes his head. He gives her a knowing look before turning away to fetch his glasses, his footsteps heavy with exaggerated reluctance.
Liv, still giggling, catches the meaning and calls out after him, "I understood that!" Her laughter echoes through the kitchen as she waves the note in the air, amused by the playful banter between them.
She glances at the camera for a moment, a small laugh slipping out of her mouth. "You know, the funny thing is," Liv begins, her tone light and teasing, "I see a lot of people asking for you to bring your glasses back. Some of them even joke about throwing out your contacts." She says it just loud enough for Dominik to hear as he’s off-screen.
Dominik reappears in the frame, now wearing his glasses, and shakes his head with a playful grin. "I see those comments too," he admits, adjusting his glasses, "and maybe I will, but y'all better stop with the threats!" he jokes, pointing at the camera as if addressing the fans directly. He shakes his head again, pretending to be serious, but the smirk on his face gives him away.
"One day, when it’s Monday and you get me mad, I’ll throw out your lenses so you have to wear your glasses on Raw," Liv says, her tone dripping with playful mischief as she flips her hair with a dramatic flair. Her eyes twinkle with humor, clearly enjoying the banter.
Dominik lets out a theatrical sigh, raising an eyebrow in mock annoyance. "I never get you mad, so that won’t be happening," he retorts with a sassy grin, his tone full of exaggerated confidence.
"And you know that for a fact," Dominik says with a teasing grin, his eyes sparkling with playful mischief. He moves behind Liv with a smooth, affectionate gesture, leaning in to place a tender kiss on the top of her head. The kiss is soft and gentle, filled with warmth and sincerity. As he pulls away, a broad, genuine smile spreads across his face, his happiness evident in the way his eyes crinkle and his cheeks lift.
"Whatevverrr, let’s get the ingredients!" Liv exclaims, trying to redirect the conversation and feign annoyance. Her voice has a slight edge, but her flushed cheeks and the way she avoids eye contact reveal that her irritation is more for show than genuine. The redness in her face hints at her lingering amusement and warmth from Dominik’s earlier gesture.
Dominik’s eyes soften with affection as he watches her, a soft, playful giggle escaping his lips. He leans in slightly, his fingers gently poking her cheek in a tender, teasing motion. The touch is light and affectionate, making her smile despite her attempts to stay annoyed. His expression is one of endearing mischief, and he nods with a knowing grin, acknowledging her attempt to change the subject while clearly enjoying the affection.
She then turns to the camera with renewed focus, and Dominik joins her, their attention now on the array of ingredients laid out on the counter. "These are the ingredients we’ll be using for the cookies, guysss," Dominik announces, his voice adopting a high-pitched, mockingly enthusiastic tone that mirrors Liv’s earlier excitement. He gestures grandly to the assortment of baking supplies, trying to keep a straight face.
Liv gives him a sharp side-eye, her expression a mix of amusement and mock exasperation. Dominik bites his lip, struggling to stifle a laugh as he catches her reaction. The atmosphere is light and filled with laughter.
"Okay, so I'm letting Dom start with mixing the ingredients, and then I'll give the cookies their form!" Liv announces with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling as she faces the camera. Her tone is full of playful authority as she sets the stage for their baking session.
Dominik lets out an exaggerated groan, his voice dripping with mock annoyance. "She’s giving me all the workk," he whines, though he can’t help but grin as he begins to gather the ingredients. With a dramatic flourish, he starts measuring and mixing, his movements animated and slightly theatrical.
"Chop chop!" Liv calls out, her grin widening. In a swift, playful gesture, she gives Dominik a gentle smack on the butt. The touch is light, but Dominik’s reaction is anything but. He spins around, his eyes widening in exaggerated shock as he lets out a high-pitched, melodramatic scream. "OWWWWW!" he yells, the sound echoing through the kitchen.
Liv erupts into laughter, her hands clapping in delight as she watches his over-the-top response. "I didn’t even do it that hard!" she protests, her laughter bubbling up as she tries to defend her actions.
"Liarr!! She almost smacked my bum off!" Dominik counters, his voice filled with playful outrage. He takes a few dramatic steps backward, rubbing his rear as if it were genuinely sore. His face is a comical mix of mock pain and amusement, adding to the fun atmosphere.
"I would neverrrrr!!" Liv protests playfully, her voice carrying a mix of mock indignation and genuine affection. She strides over to Dominik, rising onto her tiptoes as she wraps her arms around him. With a flurry of kisses, she dots his face with soft, loving pecks, each one more playful than the last. Her actions are both lively and tender, her warmth clearly visible in the way she showers him with affection.
Dominik’s resistance crumbles instantly. His face lights up with an enamored smile, his eyes reflecting pure adoration. "Fineee, maybe you didn’t hit me that hard," he mumbles, his voice trailing off as he tries to hide his grin. His attempt at maintaining a serious demeanor fails as he looks away, trying to act nonchalant.
Liv’s smile widens, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she shakes her head in mock contemplation. "Hmmm," she murmurs, leaning in towards the corner of his cheek. Just as she’s about to plant a kiss there, Dominik unexpectedly shifts, pressing his lips firmly against hers. The kiss is brief but electrifying.
As they pull away, Liv gasps dramatically. "You're so annoying!!" she exclaims with a mix of laughter and mock frustration, giving his arm a gentle slap. Dominik’s laughter follows, his joy evident in the way he looks at her, fully aware of what he just did.
After several minutes of laughter and playful banter, Liv and Dominik refocus on their baking task. Liv’s eyes narrow as she watches him mix the ingredients, her attention sharp as she monitors his progress. Suddenly, with a mischievous glint in his eye, Dominik takes a handful of flour and tosses it in her direction.
The flour drifts through the air in a white cloud, landing on Liv with a surprising burst. Her mouth drops open in disbelief, and her eyes widen as she stares at him, speechless.
Her mouth drops open in disbelief, and her eyes widen as she stares at him, speechless. “Babe!" she finally exclaims, her tone a mix of shock and amazement. She narrows her eyes at Dominik, who is grinning with a look of pure satisfaction.
Without missing a beat, Liv’s playful spirit kicks in. She reaches out for the flour canister with a determined glint in her eye. With a swift, decisive motion, she grabs a generous handful of flour and hurls it at Dominik. The flour explodes against him, covering him in a cloud of white powder.
Dominik’s eyes go wide with shock, his mouth hanging open as he stands frozen, now dusted in flour. The kitchen erupts into laughter as Liv looks at him amused, the playful flour fight turning their baking session into a fun, messy adventure.
Soon enough, the room was blanketed in a fine dust of flour, and so were Liv and Dominik. Their hair was streaked with white powder, and their outfits were covered in flour from the impromptu food fight. Despite the mess, their laughter filled the room, a testament to their shared enjoyment of the playful chaos.
Suddenly, the camera cuts to a new scene. The flour-covered kitchen is replaced by a neat table, where Liv and Dominik now sit with serious expressions. Before them lies a plate of bakery-bought cookies, pristine and untouched. Liv tries to stifle a giggle as she addresses the camera, her attempt at a serious demeanor barely holding.
"I'm never baking with him again," she declares with a mock-serious tone, her lips twitching as she tries to maintain her composure. Dominik, sitting beside her, struggles to keep a straight face, his eyes dancing with amusement despite the serious front they’re trying to present.
"We all know that's a lie—" Dominik begins, his voice laced with playful certainty, but he doesn't get to finish his sentence. Liv shoots him a sharp side-eye, her expression a mix of mock irritation and amusement. Before he can respond further, the camera abruptly shuts off, leaving the two of them in their lighthearted moment, the room still echoing with their laughter.
Dominik spent two agonizing weeks living a lie, forced to pretend that he despised Liv every time he was around Rhea. It was a torment unlike anything he’d ever known. Each encounter with Rhea demanded an act—a coldness that felt alien, like a second skin he couldn’t peel off. Inside, though, Dominik was crumbling. Every forced word, every bitter glance directed at Liv’s memory, gnawed at him like a relentless beast.
Liv hadn’t appeared on any of the recent Raw shows. It was as if she had vanished, leaving nothing but a hollow void where she used to be. Dominik’s eyes searched every screen, every corner of the arena, hoping for even a fleeting glimpse of her, but she remained elusive. The one time they played her video package on the screen, it felt like a dagger straight to his heart. Her smile, her voice—it all flooded back, a tidal wave of memories and emotions he had been trying to suppress. In that moment, something snapped within him. The wall he had so carefully built to contain his feelings began to crack.
He longed for her with an intensity that scared him. It wasn’t just desire; it was a deep, aching need. He missed everything about her—the way she laughed, the way she looked at him like he was the only person in the world. But more than that, he missed what they had once shared before everything went wrong. And he knew, deep down, that he was the reason for her pain. He was the one who had broken her, and the guilt of it was a constant, suffocating presence.
Dominik hated himself for it. He hated that he had to keep up this cruel charade, hated that he couldn’t just reach out to her, hold her, and tell her how much he still cared. All he wanted was to love her, to make things right, but it seemed like every time he tried to hold onto someone, they slipped through his fingers like sand. It was as if the universe was conspiring against him, punishing him for sins he couldn’t atone for.
The days dragged on, each one heavier than the last. Dominik felt trapped in a nightmare of his own making, one where his heart and mind were at war. He knew he had to keep up the facade for now, but with each passing day, the weight of it became harder to bear. And in the quiet moments, when he was alone with his thoughts, all he could think about was Liv—how much he wanted her, how much he needed her, and how much it was killing him to pretend otherwise.
Dominik found solace in Finn’s presence almost daily, a fragile comfort amidst the turmoil that raged within him. Finn could see the pain etched in every line of Dominik’s face, the way his shoulders slumped as if carrying an invisible weight. It tore at Finn’s heart because he knew—he knew this was his doing. The guilt was like a shadow that followed him everywhere, a constant reminder that the plan he had devised with such confidence had gone terribly wrong.
Finn had crafted the plan with meticulous care, believing it to be flawless. In his mind, it was supposed to bring them all closer to their goals, to achieve something greater. But he hadn’t foreseen the emotional wreckage it would leave behind. He hadn’t anticipated that Dominik’s heart would be caught in the crossfire, or that the fallout would be so devastating. Now, every time he saw the haunted look in Dominik’s eyes, Finn felt another piece of his own resolve crumble.
There were moments when Finn’s guilt became almost unbearable. The urge to pick up the phone and call Liv would surge within him, a powerful, almost instinctual drive to set things right. He wanted to tell her everything—that Dominik’s coldness was nothing but a front, that behind the mask, he was still deeply in love with her. Finn wanted to confess it all, to break the silence that was causing his best friend so much pain.
But he couldn’t. The plan was simple, or at least it had been on paper. They both had to stick to it. Any deviation, any moment of weakness, and everything they were working towards would unravel. Finn knew this, and yet, the knowledge didn’t make it any easier. Every time he looked at Dominik, he was reminded of the cost of his decisions—the cost of loyalty, of strategy, of trying to outmaneuver their opponents.
So instead, Finn did the only thing he could: he stayed by Dominik’s side, offering what little comfort he could. He’d place a reassuring hand on Dominik’s shoulder, listen to him vent his frustrations, and try to lift his spirits, even though he knew it was like trying to mend a shattered mirror with tape. Finn didn’t have the answers, and he couldn’t undo the damage, but he could be there.
And yet, as much as Finn wanted to be strong for Dominik, there were nights when he lay awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering if there was another way—if there was a path where no one had to suffer. But those thoughts were fleeting. Reality was harsh, and the stakes were too high. They had made their choices, and now, they had to see them through, no matter how much it hurt.
Tonight was the night the truth would be laid bare, and the anticipation was thick with tension backstage. Finn and Dominik stood in the locker room, the atmosphere charged with the weight of what was to come. Dominik’s anxiety was palpable, his hands trembling slightly as he fidgeted with the edge of his jacket. His gaze remained fixed on a distant point, his mind clearly racing through worst-case scenarios.
Finn watched his friend with a mixture of concern and guilt. He couldn’t ignore the gnawing remorse that had settled deep within him. He had orchestrated the plan, believing it to be the best course of action, but now, standing here, he saw the very real cost of his decisions etched on Dominik’s face. The sight of his friend so visibly shaken was a dagger to Finn’s heart.
Approaching Dominik, Finn placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, trying to offer comfort despite the turmoil churning inside him. “It’s going to be alright, okay?” he said, his voice steady but laced with its own undercurrent of worry.
Dominik sighed deeply, the sound escaping him like a puff of air from a balloon. He shook his head, eyes still distant, as he voiced his deepest fear. “What if she... doesn’t believe me? What if, when I try to tell her everything, she just thinks I’m lying? She said she couldn’t believe me tonight.”
The tremor in Dominik’s voice was a clear sign of the emotional strain he was under. Finn’s heart sank further at the confession, his face darkening with a frown of self-reproach. He had hoped that by now, the plan would have made everything clear, but the prospect of Liv doubting Dominik's sincerity was a painful reminder of how high the stakes were.
“She’ll believe you, Dom,” Finn said, trying to infuse his voice with the confidence he wanted to project. “She needed time after everything that happened, and that’s okay. People need time to heal.”
Finn took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before continuing. “Look, I know she loves you a lot, Dom. Liv talked about you all the time. She cares for you deeply. That’s not going to change overnight, but it will change.”
He offered Dominik a small, reassuring smile, hoping it conveyed some of the conviction he felt. “Trust me, she’ll understand. You’ve got this.”
“Thanks, Finn,” Dominik said softly, his voice almost a whisper. The heaviness in his heart remained, but he clung to Finn’s words as a fragile hope. He attempted to find some solace in the reassurance, even as his mind continued to cloud with worries about Liv and the guilt that weighed on him.
Before Finn could offer any further words of encouragement, Rhea burst into the locker room. Her presence was commanding, her eyes locking onto Dominik with a determined focus that didn’t waver. Finn, once again, was left in the background, his presence unnoticed as Rhea took charge.
“Dom, we have to get going!” Rhea’s tone was brisk, her urgency palpable. Dominik gave Finn a final, albeit troubled, glance. “Alright, talk to you later, Finn,” he said, his voice betraying a hint of the internal struggle he was feeling.
As Rhea approached, Dominik felt the familiar mask of pretense sliding back into place. He forced a smile, one that was meant to be warm but felt hollow. Rhea immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders, guiding him towards the entrance with a firm but affectionate grip. Dominik followed, his movements mechanical, as his thoughts remained tangled in images of Liv and the gnawing guilt of his actions.
The journey to the entrance seemed interminable, each step dragging as time stretched unbearably slow. Dominik’s mind was a storm of conflicting emotions—he was present, yet miles away in his thoughts, lost in the ache of longing and regret.
Suddenly, the staff rushed them along, signaling that it was almost time. Rhea’s theme music hit, reverberating through the corridors and drawing an enthusiastic roar from the crowd. The excitement was palpable, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside Dominik.
As they stepped onto the ramp, the bright lights and deafening cheers swallowed them. The crowd’s energy surged around them, a stark reminder of the spectacle that awaited. Dominik walked beside Rhea, his smile fixed and unyielding, even as his heart remained heavy with unresolved emotions.
Dominik watched as Rhea performed her entrance with practiced ease, her confidence evident in every step and movement. She was a force of nature, commanding the crowd’s attention and drawing their adoration. Dominik, however, was a contrast in turmoil. As Rhea’s entrance came to a close, she turned to him, her smirk widening. She pulled him close and pressed a kiss against his cheek. The gesture was intended to be affectionate, but for Dominik, it felt like a weight pressing down on his chest.
He bit the inside of his cheek, fighting the urge to recoil, to push her away. The pretense of their relationship was a painful farce, and the kiss was a stark reminder of the charade he was trapped in. His heart pounded with a relentless rhythm, a drumbeat that echoed the chaos in his mind.
Then, the unmistakable strains of Liv’s theme song blared through the arena, cutting through the roar of crowd noise. Dominik’s world seemed to narrow to the ramp where Liv appeared. He froze, his breath catching in his throat as he watched her step into view. She was stunning—her presence, her grace, the way the light caught her features—all of it intensified the ache in his heart. The image of her, looking so beautiful, felt like a bittersweet dagger.
Liv moved with a purpose, her eyes focused straight ahead. She didn’t glance toward Dominik, and Dominik could see the strain in her expression, the effort she was putting into keeping her emotions in check. The sight of her made his heart ache even more, a visceral reminder of everything he had lost and could not easily reclaim.
As Liv made her way to the ring, she seemed to be in a world of her own, a protective bubble that shielded her from the emotional turmoil that might ensue if she were to meet Dominik’s gaze. The distance between them felt like an abyss, one filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Dominik’s eyes stayed locked on her, his heart breaking with each step she took closer to the ring, knowing that tonight would be the moment where the truth was finally laid bare, but the pain of it all was already palpable.
Not once did Dominik’s eyes leave Liv. There was something mesmerizing about her; she seemed almost ethereal, drawing him in with an irresistible allure. The intensity of his gaze reflected a deep, aching admiration. The loud ringing of the bell jolted him from his trance, his focus snapping back to the present moment with a surge of anxiety.
His eyes were fixed on Liv with a worried intensity. The thought of her getting hurt, especially tonight, was almost unbearable. No matter the strain in their relationship or the complications between them, Dominik felt an unwavering protectiveness. He couldn’t bear the idea of seeing her harmed—he would rather take the pain upon himself than watch her suffer. For him, her safety was paramount, and he would do anything to ensure that she remained unharmed, no matter the cost.
As the bell rang, Liv swiftly rolled out of the ring, narrowly avoiding Ripley’s initial charge. Frustrated, Ripley pursued her with determined strides, but Liv was agile and evasive, maintaining a strategic distance from the powerhouse. When Ripley finally caught up, she executed a powerful suplex, demonstrating her dominance early in the match. The raw force of Ripley’s attack was undeniable as she followed up with a brutal Riptide from the top turnbuckle, leaving Liv crumpled on the mat.
Rather than going for a pin, Ripley’s overconfidence led her to seek further torment. She seemed intent on extending Liv’s suffering, but liv seized the opportunity to escape, sending Ripley crashing shoulder-first into the turnbuckle. The shift in momentum was slight but significant, as Liv began to focus on Ripley’s injured shoulder, aiming to exploit the vulnerability and weaken her opponent.
Dominik’s anxiety surged, his heart pounding with a frantic rhythm as he watched the unfolding chaos. His instinct was to run to Liv, to pull her into his arms and whisk her away from the danger that loomed. He bit his lip, struggling to contain his fear and helplessness as he witnessed Liv endure the grueling pain. The match’s brutal reality was a sharp reminder of how much he cared, and every second felt like an eternity as he hoped for her safety and well-being.
The entirety of the match was a whirlwind of emotions, a relentless torrent that tested the limits of everyone involved. Liv had to maintain a tight grip on her emotions throughout, each fleeting glance towards Dominik causing her heart to ache with a deep, unfulfilled longing. The brief, painful connection between them, fleeting as it was, made the match even more excruciating.
Rhea, on the other hand, was consumed by resentment and a fierce determination to reclaim her title. The intensity of her need to win was palpable, driving her every move and amplifying her aggression. For Dominik, the constant undercurrent of fear for Liv’s safety was a relentless burden. Each time Rhea aimed to inflict harm on Liv, Dominik’s heart twisted in anguish. He was tormented by the desire to rush to her side, but he remained rooted, struggling to contain his impulse to intervene.
In a critical moment, Rhea’s focus wavered, offering Liv a precious opportunity. With a sudden burst of resolve, Liv seized Rhea and hurled her into the corner of the ring. The impact was severe, and Rhea’s injured shoulder, still recovering from previous damage, bore the brunt of the collision. An agonized scream escaped Rhea’s lips as she clutched her shoulder, the pain evident in her expression.
Liv rose to continue her assault on Rhea, her determination unwavering, but the referee intervened, halting her progress. Liv let out an exasperated sigh, her eyes flicking toward Dominik as he moved closer to the ring. She quickly turned away, unable to bear the sight of the man she loved—the man who had hurt her—showing concern for the woman who had betrayed her long ago.
Dominik’s silence spoke volumes; his gaze, fixed intently on Rhea, seemed to silently plead with the referee to let the match continue. His frustration was palpable, even though he remained largely passive.
Liv, seizing the moment, taunted Rhea with a mocking “Awww” as she approached, her grip tightening on Rhea’s hair. But before Liv could press her advantage, Rhea retaliated, kicking her off with force. Rhea then rolled out of the ring, attempting to regroup and escape further punishment.
Dominik stood at ringside, momentarily dumbfounded by the turn of events. His eyes briefly met Liv’s, and in that fleeting glance, he checked to ensure she was alright. The brief connection between them was charged with unspoken emotions, a reminder of the complicated web of feelings that enveloped their lives.
Rhea, seething with frustration and agony, let out a pained expletive, “Fuck!” Her distress was evident as she clutched her injured shoulder. Dominik, trying to offer some comfort, gently placed his hand on her uninjured shoulder. “It’s okay, it’s okay…” he murmured soothingly, his voice strained with concern. Rhea, overwhelmed by the pain, clung to him for support.
Liv saw Rhea’s vulnerability as an opportunity and wasted no time. Sliding out from the bottom rope, she approached with a determined stride. Dominik’s heart raced with anxiety as he recognized Liv’s movements, and he instinctively stepped back, giving her space.
Liv seized the moment, delivering a sharp kick to Rhea’s injured shoulder. The force of the kick sent Rhea crashing against the steel stairs with a harsh clang. Liv then leaned against the ring, visibly tired but sporting a smug smirk. The sight of her was jarring to Dominik; this fierce, ruthless side of Liv was something he hadn’t witnessed before.
Liv's grip on Rhea’s hair was unforgiving as she yanked her opponent’s head back, her actions punctuated by a series of sharp, unrelenting blows. The aggression in Liv’s eyes was unmistakable as she turned to face Dominik, her expression a mix of anger and bitter defiance. “This is your girl! This is who you chose!” she spat out, her voice edged with contempt. With a final, vicious strike, she made her point before stepping back, leaving Rhea reeling from the assault.
Dominik could only watch in anguish, his heart heavy with the weight of his conflicted emotions. He shook his head, the gesture an almost physical manifestation of his internal struggle. Silently, he told himself, “You’re the one I want,” as he witnessed the brutal side of Liv he had never seen before.
The match resumed with Liv focusing her relentless attack on Rhea’s already injured shoulder. Rhea was soon outside the ring again, her pain evident as she clutched her shoulder, struggling to cope with the agony. Dominik moved quickly to her side, trying to offer what comfort he could, his concern for her clearly written across his face.
However, his attention was abruptly drawn back to Liv as she barreled toward them with a fierce determination. Dominik’s heart raced with panic as he realized the imminent danger Liv posed. Knowing that if he didn’t act, she might inadvertently hurt herself, Dominik made a rapid decision. He pushed Rhea aside with a decisive shove, then stepped into Liv’s path just as she leaped over the top rope.
In a desperate bid to protect her, Dominik caught Liv mid-air, the force of their collision sending both of them crashing down onto the mat. The impact was jarring, and Dominik felt a surge of pain course through him, the sharp sting of the landing intensifying with every second. Despite the discomfort, a wave of relief washed over him. Liv was unharmed, and in that moment, Dominik’s resolve was reinforced. His promise to protect her, no matter the cost, was fulfilled once again, even as he endured the pain himself.
The match had reached a fever pitch, with every fan in the arena hanging on every moment, captivated by the intensity of the confrontation. Dominik, though, was grappling with his own turmoil. He knew it was time to act, and with a quiet resolve, he slid a steel chair from beneath the ring, its cold metal glinting under the arena lights. He pushed the chair into the ring, his actions concealed by the chaos of the ongoing battle. His plan was to aid Liv, though neither she nor Rhea was aware of his true intentions.
In the heat of the moment, Rhea’s anger flared uncontrollably. She grabbed the steel chair, raising it high above her head, ready to bring it crashing down on Liv. The chair shimmered ominously in the arena’s lights, a symbol of Rhea’s unrestrained fury. Dominik’s heart raced as he saw the scene unfolding; this wasn’t how he had envisioned things.
He muttered a frustrated curse under his breath, realizing that the match was veering off course. With a burst of determination, he leaped onto the ring apron. His movements were quick and deliberate as he reached for the chair, yanking it out of Rhea’s hands with a sudden, forceful pull. Rhea’s eyes widened with a mix of surprise and fury as she spun around to face him.
"You can’t win like this! You know you can’t use the chair or else you’re not winning!" Dominik’s voice was sharp and authoritative, his words cutting through the clamor of the crowd and the chaos of the match. His tone was a mix of urgency and deceit, masking his true intention to protect Liv.
Rhea’s face contorted with frustration, the anger in her eyes palpable as she stared at Dominik. She was visibly irate, her breath coming in short, angry bursts. Despite her frustration, she begrudgingly acknowledged the truth in Dominik’s words. "Okay! Fine!" she snapped, her voice laced with resentment. Her anger was evident in the way she slammed her fists by her sides, though she reluctantly accepted that Dominik’s point was valid.
Suddenly, Liv launched a fierce kick, propelling Rhea against the ropes with brutal force. The impact was so intense that Dominik lost his balance and toppled off the ring apron, crashing onto the floor below. For a moment, he was stunned and disoriented, but his focus quickly shifted. He knew that with Liv now holding the upper hand, victory was within reach for her.
Liv, driven by frustration and determination, let out an exasperated scream. She raced towards Rhea, who was still caught in the ropes, and launched into her finisher—the Oblivion. The arena seemed to hold its breath as Liv executed the move with precision and force. Dominik watched from the outside, trying to contain a smirk of satisfaction. He was almost certain that Liv’s powerful maneuver would secure her win.
The referee’s hand slapped the mat—“1... 2...” But in a stunning twist, Rhea’s shoulder lifted off the mat, breaking the count. Dominik’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief. He felt a surge of frustration as the realization hit him—Rhea had somehow managed to kick out of the Oblivion, a feat no one had achieved before. Dominik's mind raced, grappling with the unexpected turn. “How the fuck did she kick out?” he wondered aloud, the frustration evident in his voice.
Liv’s reaction was one of raw exasperation. She let out another anguished scream, her face contorted in disbelief as she stared at Rhea, who was now showing signs of resilience despite the assault.
Liv's heart pounded wildly in her chest as she struggled to comprehend what had just happened. The disbelief and mounting frustration caused her hands to clench into tight fists. Every second of the match seemed to stretch into an eternity as doubt and anger churned within her.
Dominik, watching from ringside, was deeply troubled. This wasn’t the outcome he and Finn had planned, and he was determined to ensure Liv didn’t lose. His mind raced as he devised a plan to intervene without drawing attention. The steel chair he had previously taken from Rhea was his tool. With calculated precision, he slid the chair back into the ring, placing it strategically in front of Rhea, who was struggling to regain her footing.
Rhea, disoriented but resilient, began to rise, unaware of the trap being set. Liv, poised and ready, watched Rhea like a predator tracking her prey. Dominik seized the moment, sprinting to the opposite side of the apron to distract the referee. His eyes remained locked on Liv, every muscle in his body tense with anticipation.
As Dominik created a diversion, Liv took advantage of the opportunity. With Rhea’s back turned, Liv adjusted the chair slightly, setting the stage for her finisher. As she prepared for the Oblivion, the tension in the arena was palpable. Liv launched into her move with determined precision, slamming Rhea onto the steel chair with a forceful crash.
Dominik’s face split into a smirk of satisfaction as he saw the result of his interference. The chair was now clearly a part of Liv’s strategy, and he watched eagerly as she moved to push it out of sight. With the chair removed, Dominik quickly jumped off the apron, stepping back to allow the referee to resume their count.
As the referee’s hand came down for the count—“1... 2... 3...” — As the referee’s hand slapped the mat for the third count, Dominik's smirk widened into a full-fledged grin of pride. Liv had triumphed, successfully defending her title, and the sight filled him with an immense sense of satisfaction. His eyes sparkled with joy as he observed Liv's tears of happiness welling up, her emotions barely contained.
Exhausted but elated, Liv lay sprawled on the ring mat. Her chest heaved with every breath, the sheer exhaustion of the match taking its toll. Dominik watched her with a soft, admiring gaze, unable to hide his smile. The contrast between Liv’s fatigue and the ecstatic crowd created a poignant moment. The arena was alive with cheers, the roar of the fans echoing around the arena as they celebrated her hard-fought victory.
Respecting the gravity of Liv's moment, Dominik took a deliberate step away from the ring. He gave her the space to enjoy her well-earned achievement. Liv, her face awash with a mixture of disbelief and joy, slid out of the ring, clutching her championship belt close to her chest. The title, a symbol of her relentless effort and determination, seemed almost to radiate with the sweat and emotion of the battle she had just fought.
Overcome with fatigue, Liv finally sank to the floor outside the ring, unable to muster the strength to stand. She lay there, the championship belt resting beside her like a precious, hard-won trophy. Her eyes were still brimming with tears of joy as she looked up at the cheering crowd, a mix of relief and elation etched across her face. The crowd’s roar continued unabated, a fitting backdrop to her moment of victory.
Dominik watched from a distance, his heart swelling with pride and a complex mix of emotions. Despite the strategic maneuvering and the intricate plans that had guided the night, the sight of Liv's genuine happiness and the fulfillment of her hard work made everything worthwhile.
Dominik’s emotions surged uncontrollably, the weight of the moment finally overwhelming him. His heart ached with a desperate longing to hold Liv and rectify every mistake he had made. He knew that deviating from the plan and facing Finn’s anger was a risk, but the thought of Liv misinterpreting his actions any longer drove him to act.
With a determined stride, Dominik moved toward Liv, who remained oblivious to his approach, her back turned as she rested on the mat. His steps were resolute, fueled by a need to bridge the gap that had formed between them. As he drew closer, Liv suddenly felt the familiar warmth of his arms encircling her, lifting her gently off the ground. Confusion clouded her face as she looked up to see Dominik’s concerned eyes meeting hers. He helped her to her feet with a tenderness that seemed at odds with the intensity of the moment.
Liv, too exhausted and disoriented to resist, could only stare at him in bewilderment. Dominik’s gaze shifted to Rhea, a smirk forming on his lips as he looked back at Liv. His hands cupped her face with a gentle, reassuring touch, his thumb lightly brushing her cheek. Liv’s confusion deepened, her heart racing as their eyes locked, the unspoken emotions between them palpable.
In a soft, fervent whisper, Dominik said, "I love you." The words were barely audible, but they carried a weight that made Liv’s heart pound even harder. She blinked, trying to process his confession. “What?” she managed to mutter, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and anticipation.
Before she could react further, Dominik closed the distance between them, his lips capturing hers in a passionate kiss. The contact was sudden and intense, a mixture of all the emotions and unspoken words that had built up between them. Liv’s mind raced as the kiss deepened, the heat of the moment enveloping them both. For Dominik, it was a chance to convey his feelings, his remorse, and his unwavering affection in one powerful gesture.
As Dominik’s lips met Liv’s, she instinctively dropped her title, its metallic clatter barely registering amidst the overwhelming emotions. The kiss sparked a flurry of butterflies in her stomach, a sensation that dissolved all the pain and anger she had been holding onto. In that moment, Dominik’s presence eclipsed everything else, including her championship. Her heart was completely devoted to him, and she felt an unwavering readiness to do anything for him.
Liv’s smaller hands instinctively cupped Dominik’s cheeks, her touch tender and reassuring. The kiss, passionate and intense, was not just a declaration of love but a profound affirmation of their connection. Rhea, watching from the sidelines, was paralyzed by disbelief and seething with a mix of betrayal and anger. The scene was a stark contrast to her own turmoil, leaving her heart churning with resentment.
But for Dominik, the presence of Rhea and the world’s judgment was irrelevant. His focus was solely on Liv. He was resolute in his desire to make his feelings known, regardless of the consequences. After their lips parted, they remained close, their foreheads resting against each other, their breaths mingling as they steadied themselves. Their noses brushed lightly, a symbol of their deep, intimate bond.
Liv’s voice, soft yet clear, broke the heavy silence. “I love you too,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips, her eyes shining with unspoken emotions. Dominik felt his cheeks flush with warmth at her words. Overwhelmed by a surge of affection and relief, he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. Together, they began to walk away, their connection palpable and unbreakable. They moved past Rhea without sparing her a glance, fully immersed in their shared moment of reconciliation and love.
Dominik carefully took the championship title that was on the floor and placed it gently on Liv's shoulder, his touch tender and deliberate. Liv’s eyes sparkled with disbelief and joy as she cradled the title, a symbol of her hard-fought victory. He wanted her to understand that she didn’t have to choose between her achievements and their love—she could cherish both.
As they walked away, their arms entwined, they remained oblivious to the discontent surrounding them. Dominik offered a nonchalant shoulder shrug towards Rhea, who stood on the edge of the ring, her face contorted in betrayal and anger. "Cry about it, bitch!" Liv exclaimed, her grin wide.
Dominik, still reveling in the moment, raised his middle finger in defiance towards those who were upset. The gesture was both rebellious and playful, reflecting his disregard for the negativity directed at them.
For Liv, the significance of Dominik’s actions was clear. In that moment, she realized that what had seemed like a strategic façade was actually a profound declaration of his love. It wasn’t just part of the plan—it was the truth. Dominik’s feelings were genuine, and his affection was deeply felt.
Feeling a surge of fulfillment, Dominik embraced the sense of possession and pride he felt. Liv was his, and he wanted the world to know. His hands gently patted her hair, his touch affectionate as she giggled with happiness. "Mi princesa," he murmured softly, his voice filled with adoration. The term of endearment, spoken with a tone brimming with love, encapsulated the deep bond they shared. In that intimate moment, Dominik felt complete, and Liv knew she was cherished.
After all they had endured, those three little words—"I love you"—held a profound significance, crystallizing their experiences into a moment of pure, genuine joy. They had weathered pain, deception, and heartache, but those words had become their anchor, a constant reminder of the depth of their connection. In the embrace of each other’s arms, their hearts beat in unison, the weight of their struggles melting.
Those words were not just spoken—they were lived, and they formed the very essence of their happiness as they stood together, stronger and more united than ever.
Dominik's body felt limp as Rhea’s arm draped over his shoulder, guiding him toward the Judgment Day’s locker room. Each step felt heavy, his mind clouded with exhaustion and a growing sense of loathing. He had grown to despise her touch, forcing himself to imagine it was Liv’s just to endure it.
As they entered the locker room, Finn’s eyes immediately locked onto Dominik’s, his heart sinking with guilt at the sight of Dom’s pained expression. The weight of what he had asked Dominik to do was evident in every line of his face. Rhea, however, was oblivious, her thoughts consumed by the twisted joy of seeing Liv cry. She was too caught up in her own satisfaction to notice the torment in Dominik’s eyes, her happiness blinding her to the anguish he was silently enduring.
Everyone in the locker room was talking and sharing laughs, the atmosphere light and carefree. But Dominik was frozen in place, his heart churning with guilt and regret. Liv’s tearful face kept replaying in his mind, her usually sparkling blue eyes now filled with pain and betrayal. The look of love she always had when she gazed at him had been replaced by a heartbreaking sorrow that he couldn’t shake.
Dominik wanted nothing more than to run to her, to hold her and apologize for breaking the one promise he had made to her—to never hurt her. But now, that promise lay shattered, and the weight of what he had done pressed heavily on his chest. He had hurt the one person who truly mattered to him.
Everyone in the locker room was talking and sharing laughs, the atmosphere light and carefree. But Dominik was frozen in place, his heart churning with guilt and regret. Liv’s tearful face kept replaying in his mind, her usually sparkling blue eyes now filled with pain and betrayal. The look of love she always had when she gazed at him had been replaced by a heartbreaking sorrow that he couldn’t shake.
Dominik wanted nothing more than to run to her, to hold her and apologize for breaking the one promise he had made to her—to never hurt her. But now, that promise lay shattered, and the weight of what he had done pressed heavily on his chest. He had hurt the one person who truly mattered to him.
FLASHBACK.
Liv and Dom’s laughter bubbled through the room, a lively melody of joy that seemed to dance with the afternoon light filtering through the curtains. Dom’s eyes gleamed with amusement as Liv tried to master Spanish pronunciation, her efforts often leading to endearing, if amusing, errors. Each slip-up was met with a burst of laughter from Dom, who found her mistakes both charming and funny.
“You’re so annoying!” Liv huffed, her voice a mix of exasperation and amusement as Dom playfully teased her about her pronunciation mishaps.
Dom’s grin was almost mischievous as he leaned back, clearly enjoying himself. “You know you don’t really mean that,” he said, his voice brimming with playful confidence.
Liv, not missing a beat, reached out and gave his arm a gentle but firm slap. “Ow!!” Dom cried out dramatically, clutching his arm with an exaggerated wince and a pained expression that made Liv roll her eyes with a smirk.
The tension of their playful banter dissolved as Liv rested her head against Dom’s shoulder. She felt the steady, comforting rise and fall of his chest beneath her, and the warmth of his body added to her sense of contentment. The soft glow of the sunlight and the easy laughter between them created a cozy, intimate space where she felt completely at ease. Liv closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the simple pleasure of being close to him and the warmth of their shared moments.
Dom couldn’t take his eyes off Liv, mesmerized by every feature of her face. He was certain that he was deeply lovesick, overwhelmed by an almost urgent need to protect her. The longing to hold her close and keep her safe from any harm was a powerful, consuming feeling.
“You know,” he said softly, his voice gentle as he rested his head against hers, “Espero que sepas que, pase lo que pase, nunca te haré daño.” (I hope you know that no matter what happens,I'll never hurt you.) His words were tender, filled with an earnest promise that wrapped around them like a warm embrace.
Liv’s eyes fluttered open, and a whirlwind of emotions flooded her. Her heart raced as she looked up at him, her expression a mixture of trust and vulnerability. “¿Lo prometes?” (You promise?) she asked quietly, her voice trembling slightly with the depth of her feelings.
“Lo prometo,” (I promise.) Dom replied with unwavering confidence. He reached out, his fingers intertwining with hers, linking their pinkies and touching their thumbs together. The gesture was simple but meaningful, a silent affirmation of their bond. “Una promesa que nunca romperé,” (A promise I'll never break.) he said with a warm smile, his gaze steady and sincere.
“Te creo,” (I believe you.) Liv responded softly, her eyes reflecting her trust and belief in his promise. In that moment, Liv's trust in Dom was absolute, a certainty that seemed to resonate in every fiber of her being. Her heart raced with a mixture of relief and joy, each beat echoing the profound connection they shared. They remained wrapped in a cocoon of silence, their bodies close yet comfortably relaxed. The quiet was filled with an unspoken understanding, a mutual recognition of the depth of their feelings.
Both of them wore wide, genuine smiles that lit up their faces, their eyes reflecting a shared happiness. The warm light of the room seemed to accentuate the softness of their expressions, adding a glow to their contented features. Liv felt as though time had slowed, with the moment stretching out into a perfect stillness where the outside world faded away. The simple act of being in each other’s presence, their shared smiles and the warmth of their connection, filled her with an overwhelming sense of peace and affection.
“Dominik!” Rhea’s sharp voice cut through his thoughts, snapping him out of his daze. He turned his eyes to hers, instantly recognizing the displeasure on her face, clearly annoyed that he wasn’t paying attention to whatever was happening around them.
“Yeah?” he mumbled, trying to shake off the heavy fog clouding his mind, but the weight in his chest only seemed to grow.
“Finn’s been asking you for a couple of minutes if you two could talk outside for a bit,” she stated harshly, her suspicion seemingly eased after tonight’s events. She didn’t even seem concerned about his distant behavior.
Dominik could only nod, the guilt gnawing at him as he looked over at Finn. Finn’s expression softened into a frown, understanding the turmoil Dom was in. Without a word, he motioned for Dominik to follow him. As they stepped out of the locker room, Finn gently patted Dominik’s back, a small gesture of support for the pain he knew was eating him alive.
Soon enough, the two ended up in an empty office room, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the walls. It was a quiet space, offering them the privacy they needed. The door clicked shut behind them, sealing them off from the noise and energy of the locker room. Finn took a deep breath, his eyes closing as he tried to steady himself. He could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken weight of everything that had just happened pressing down on them.
Shaking his head slightly, Finn parted his lips to speak, his voice heavy with guilt. “Dom, I’m sorry—” He cut himself off mid-sentence as a soft, broken sound reached his ears. It was a gentle sniffling, almost imperceptible, but enough to make him turn sharply toward Dominik. What he saw made his heart drop.
Dominik was crying, his usually stoic face crumpling under the weight of his emotions. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his eyes red and glossy. It was a sight Finn had never expected. Dominik had always been the tough one, the one who held it all together, even after betraying his own father. But now, seeing him like this, so vulnerable and broken, was a shock that left Finn momentarily speechless.
Dominik’s shoulders trembled with each sob, his breaths coming out in shaky, uneven gasps. “I... I,” Dominik stammered, his voice catching in his throat as he tried to find the words. He hiccuped, the sound raw and filled with pain. “I’m so mad at myself, Finn,” he finally choked out, his voice cracking as more tears spilled down his face. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides, knuckles white, as if he was trying to physically hold himself together.
Finn’s eyes widened, his heart twisting at the sight. This wasn’t just guilt; this was a deep, soul-crushing despair that had taken hold of Dominik. For the first time, Finn didn’t know what to do. The sight of Dominik’s tears, something he had never seen before, left him feeling utterly helpless. All the words he had planned to say, all the reassurances he had lined up, seemed hollow in the face of such raw emotion.
Dominik was breaking in front of him, and all Finn could do was stand there, watching as his friend fell apart, his own heart heavy with the knowledge that he was part of the reason for this pain.
"Dom, man, I’m so sorry. This is my fault," Finn started, his voice shaky as he tried to find the right words. He rubbed the back of his neck, his mind racing. "I didn’t realize how bad this plan could’ve affected you. I just needed to get the suspicion off you two specifically so at SummerSlam—"
But Finn was cut off as Dominik interrupted, his voice raw with emotion. "I don’t want her to think that I actually hate her, Finn," he said, his voice trembling. "I don’t… I really don’t. I care so much for her, to the point where my heart aches." The tears continued to fall, his face wet with them as he finally let out the truth that had been eating away at him. His voice cracked under the weight of his feelings, each word filled with a deep, painful sincerity.
Finn froze, his heart sinking as he watched Dominik struggle with his emotions. The guilt was overwhelming, a heavy, suffocating weight pressing down on him. He had pushed for this plan, thinking it was the best way to protect Dominik, but seeing him like this made Finn question everything. He could see the torment in Dominik’s eyes, the way he was torn between his loyalty to their group and the love he felt for Liv.
Finn’s mind raced, debating on what to do. He had never seen Dominik like this before—so vulnerable, so broken. Part of him wanted to take it all back, to tell Dominik they could find another way, but he knew it wasn’t that simple.
Finn's mind raced, the gravity of Dominik's pain settling heavily on him. After a deep sigh, he finally spoke, his voice laced with urgency. “Go find her, Dom.” The words came out with a sense of resolve that caught Dominik off guard. His tear-filled eyes widened in shock.
“But the plan?” Dominik’s voice cracked, his confusion evident as he struggled to reconcile Finn’s sudden change in direction with the plan they had set.
Finn bit the inside of his cheek, conflicted but resolute. “Just… try not to tell her too much, okay?” he said, his voice softening with concern. Dominik nodded vigorously, understanding the gravity of the situation. Without another word, he bolted out of the office, nearly tearing the door off its hinges as he raced through the backstage area.
Dominik sprinted through the maze of staff and wrestlers, his heart pounding with a mix of desperation and determination. The corridors blurred past him as he pushed through, his only focus being on finding Liv and making things right before it was too late.
Panic surged through Dominik as he frantically searched for Liv, his breathing growing increasingly labored. Each step felt like a heavy weight, dragging him down as he navigated the maze of backstage corridors. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, each beat a reminder of the urgency he felt to find her.
When he reached Liv’s locker room and found the door locked, a crushing sense of despair settled over him. His shoulders slumped, and he stared at the door with hollow eyes, the reality sinking in that she might have left to avoid him. The walls seemed to close in around him, the panic transforming into a deep, gnawing helplessness.
Desperation drove him to pull out his phone and try to text her, but the blocked status of her number hit him like a physical blow. The message was clear: she was cutting him out. Dominik’s hand trembled as he lowered it, his fingers feeling the weight of his emotional burden. He placed his hand over his chest, where his heart felt like it was being crushed under the strain of his guilt and regret.
“It… hurts,” he murmured softly, his voice cracking as he spoke to himself. The pain was sharp and piercing, a relentless ache that seemed to consume him from the inside out. Every step he took away from the locker room was heavy with the weight of his failures and the searing reality of the love he had jeopardized. The corridors blurred around him as he walked, his heart feeling like it was breaking into a thousand pieces with each stride.
All Dominik wanted was for Liv to be happy, but instead, he had been the one to rip that happiness away from her. His head hung low, each step heavy with the weight of his remorse, as he dragged himself outside the arena to a quiet spot where fans couldn’t see him. The cold night air felt heavy, mirroring the burden in his chest.
He slowly lifted his head, his eyes scanning the area with a mixture of hope and despair. And there she was. Despite her blonde hair falling over her face, Dominik recognized her instantly. He could identify her from a distance, each detail imprinted in his mind. The love he had for her gave him an almost instinctual ability to recognize her presence, even when she was partially hidden.
Seeing her there, looking so forlorn, sent a wave of pain through him. Liv had made him feel worthy of love, and now it tore at him deeply that he had hurt her so grievously. The thought of their earlier confrontation, the harsh words he had thrown at her, felt like a cruel betrayal of everything they had shared.
Without fully realizing it, Dominik’s feet began to move on their own, driven by a desperate need to make things right. His arms ached to hold her, to offer her the comfort and love that he had so callously denied her earlier. Each step he took felt like a silent plea for forgiveness, his heart screaming for a chance to undo the pain he had caused.
His glossy brown eyes were locked onto her form, each step bringing a deeper sense of anguish as he approached. The familiar curve of her shoulders and the soft sway of her blonde hair, obscuring her face, tugged at his heart. "Liv," he called out, his voice trembling with a gentleness that betrayed the turmoil inside him.
At the sound of his voice, Liv's body went rigid. Her heart twisted painfully, recognizing the voice that had left her in pain. She couldn’t bring herself to turn around; her back remained resolutely facing him. The warmth that had once filled her heart now felt like a distant memory, replaced by the sting of his earlier words.
"Liv... please, can we talk?" Dominik's voice was barely above a whisper, filled with a desperate plea that echoed the depth of his regret. The fear of her hatred lingered like a dark cloud over him, threatening to engulf him entirely. His hands trembled slightly at his sides, his eyes searching for any sign of a response from her. The fear that she might never forgive him was overwhelming, and each word he uttered was a fragile attempt to bridge the damage he had created.
"Talk about what?" Liv’s voice trembled as she fought to keep her emotions in check. "You already said everything you had sealed up inside your heart." Her tone was sharp, the bitterness barely masking the deep hurt that echoed within her. She wanted to be angry, to push him away, but the lingering affection in her heart made it impossible. She couldn’t erase the memories of his touch, the way he used to look at her like she was the only one that mattered.
It was agony for Liv to speak to him like this, every word laced with sorrow, but despite everything, she couldn’t stop loving him. How could she? Dominik had been the first person to make her feel truly cherished, like she was worthy of love. Now, that same love felt like a cruel twist of fate, binding her to the person who had caused her so much pain. Neither of them fully grasped just how much they had mended each other’s broken pieces—only to tear them apart again.
Dominik’s heart sank at her words, a hollow ache spreading through his chest as guilt twisted like a knife in his gut. He could barely stand the sight of her tears, knowing he was the one who caused them. The weight of his actions was crushing him, suffocating him in regret. His voice faltered as he tried to find a way to explain the unexplainable.
"Liv… there’s a reason, a reason why I did what I did," he stammered, each word a desperate attempt to reach her. His voice was laced with desperation, his eyes pleading with her to understand, to forgive. But how could he make her see the truth without revealing everything? How could he explain that his cruel words were part of a plan, a twisted strategy to keep Rhea off their trail? The words tangled in his throat, choking him as he struggled to articulate the impossible.
"I promise you that—" Dominik began, but his words were cut short as Liv turned to face him. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, lips trembling as she looked at him with a mixture of heartbreak and disbelief. The sight of her in such pain made his self-loathing deepen, the guilt gnawing at him with relentless ferocity. He was the reason she was suffering like this, the reason her bright, carefree smile had been replaced with anguish.
"You promise?" Liv's voice was brittle, barely holding together. She shook her head, a bitter scoff escaping her lips as she struggled to keep her composure. "Remember the last time you said that? Look at where that promise got us, Dominik." Her voice broke as she spoke, and she quickly brought her hands up to cover her mouth, trying to stifle the sobs that clawed their way up her throat. She couldn’t bear to let him see her like this, so vulnerable and shattered.
Dominik stood there, frozen in place, as tears welled up in his eyes. Her words cut deep, each one a reminder of how badly he had failed her. The pain in her voice, the way she looked at him as if he had single-handedly destroyed her world—it was more than he could bear. He felt like his heart was being ripped apart, piece by piece, as the reality of what he had done sank in. Why did it have to be like this? Why did fate seem so cruel, so determined to tear them apart when all he wanted was to be with her?
"Please…" Dominik’s voice was raw with emotion as tears spilled down his cheeks, his hand pressing against his chest in a futile attempt to ease the aching pain within. He felt like he was drowning, overwhelmed by the weight of his own mistakes. He had destroyed everything they had built together, everything they had once been to each other. And now, all he could do was stand there, helpless, watching the love of his life crumble in front of him because of his own actions. His entire being ached to hold her, to comfort her, but he knew he was the last person she would want to turn to now.
All the bitterness in Liv's eyes wavered as she saw the tears streaming down Dominik’s cheeks. The sight of him so broken, so unlike the confident man she had known, made her heart twist in ways she didn’t think were possible. Her arms instinctively wanted to reach out, to wrap around him and pull him close, to soothe the pain she saw in his eyes. But then the memory of his cruel words—"You’ve ruined my life"—held her back, freezing her in place like a heavy chain. She could still hear the venom in his voice, feel the sting of his rejection, and it kept her from moving.
It hurt more than she could have imagined, seeing him like this. She hated seeing him in pain—it was a deeper hurt, more profound than the wound his words had left on her heart. It was the kind of pain that didn’t just ache, but tore at the soul, leaving her feeling helpless and torn between her love for him and the anger she was struggling to hold onto.
Dominik’s voice was barely holding together as he tried to speak. “I know… I know you hate me right now for what I did, but there’s a reason, Liv. There’s a reason I said those things. I didn’t mean any of it. I wish I could tell you everything, explain why…” His voice cracked under the weight of his emotions, his body trembling visibly as he tried to convey his desperation. The words came out jagged, rough with the pain that gnawed at him. He looked at her with eyes full of pleading, hoping that she could see the truth in them, that she could somehow understand without him having to betray the secret he was carrying.
Liv’s breath hitched as she watched him crumble before her, his vulnerability tearing at her own fragile heart. The way he looked at her, so desperate and full of regret, made her want to forget everything he’d said earlier, to run to him and hold him like she used to. But the memory of his rejection was still fresh, still raw, and it held her back. “I could never hate you, Dominik,” she whispered finally, her voice trembling, thick with unshed tears. She said it as if the words pained her to admit, but she couldn’t let him believe otherwise, not after everything they’d been through.
Those words—so simple yet so powerful—shattered Dominik’s already fragile composure. They hit him with a force that nearly buckled his knees, because despite all the cruel things he had said to her, all the ways he had tried to push her away, she still cared about him enough to make sure he didn’t misunderstand her feelings. Her voice, laced with pain yet full of a stubborn love, was like a knife twisting in his heart.
Dominik felt a deep, wrenching guilt consume him. Her words, her pain, her inability to hate him despite everything he had done—it all made him feel utterly unworthy of her. He had caused this, he had hurt the one person who had ever made him feel truly loved, and now, looking at her tear-streaked face, he couldn’t bear it. It was as if every tear she shed was a reflection of his own self-loathing, every tremble in her voice a reminder of how badly he had failed her. And yet, despite all the harm he had caused, she still didn’t hate him. That truth tore at him, leaving him feeling raw and exposed, knowing that he didn’t deserve the love she still had for him.
"I know you don't…" Liv’s voice wavered, her throat tightening as she forced herself to continue. Each word felt like a struggle, like she was dragging them out of the deepest part of herself. "I know your heart doesn’t race the same as mine when I see you." Her voice cracked, and she bit her lip hard, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm her. The pain in her chest was suffocating, the weight of everything she had tried to keep bottled up now pressing down on her with unbearable force. "I don’t know why you did this to me, Dominik, but…" Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as if trying to anchor herself in the midst of the emotional storm. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she couldn’t stop them.
"I love you." The three little words came out almost as a whisper, as if saying them out loud made them too real, too painful. She hated herself for still feeling this way after everything he had said and done, but she couldn’t help it. "I want to hate you with everything in my soul and heart, but I can’t." Her voice broke entirely, the sobs she had been trying so hard to suppress finally making their way to the surface. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly defeated.
Liv offered him a broken smile, one filled with so much sadness that it was almost unbearable to look at. She knew she had to get away before she completely fell apart in front of him. Turning on her heel, she started to walk away, each step feeling heavier than the last. She just wanted to reach her car, to get away from the source of her pain before it consumed her entirely.
But before she could take more than a few steps, she felt a warm, firm grip on her wrist. Dominik’s hand wrapped around hers, not forcefully but with a gentle firmness that made her pause. She froze, the contact sending a jolt through her nerves.
Those three little words made Dominik's heart race and ache simultaneously. He couldn’t let her slip away—not again. As he held onto her wrist, watching her turn her head to face him, confusion written across her tear-streaked face, he felt an overwhelming surge of emotion that he could no longer contain.
"I love you," he blurted out, the three little words that Liv had wanted to hear so desperately. The words left his lips with an urgency that matched the pounding of his heart, as if speaking them could somehow undo the pain he had caused her.
Liv’s eyes widened, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. For a moment, she simply stared at him, her mind struggling to process what he had just said. Then, with a sudden, forceful yank, she freed her wrist from his grip. "That’s not fair, Dominik," she snapped, her voice harsh yet dripping with hurt. She shook her head repeatedly, as if trying to shake off the words that had just been spoken, the words she had once longed to hear.
Dominik stood there, puzzled and panicked, his own heart aching more with every passing second. He could feel the distance between them growing, and it terrified him. "I mean it, Liv," he insisted, his voice cracking as he pointed to his chest, right where his heart was. "From every bit of my heart, I mean it."
But Liv wasn’t convinced. Her eyes, usually so full of warmth and affection when they looked at him, now held nothing but pain and betrayal. "Do you, though, Dominik?" she challenged, her voice trembling. "Earlier, you had the chance to say it all, but instead, you chose to rip my heart apart."
Dominik felt like he was crumbling from the inside out. The sound of her voice, laced with so much hurt, cut him deeper than he could have ever imagined. A sob wrecked through him, his entire body trembling as he tried to find the words that would make her understand. "I had no choice," he choked out, his voice desperate. "I had to do it. It was to protect you, Liv. It was to get Rhea less suspicious of me and you."
Liv wanted to believe him. She wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, to find comfort in the embrace that had always felt like home. But the pain was too fresh, too deep. "I want to believe you," she whispered, her voice wavering, "but I just can't right now, Dominik." She tried to ignore how hard it was to see him sobbing, how every tear that fell from his eyes tugged at her heartstrings, making it nearly impossible to stand her ground.
Dominik's eyes were desperate, filled with a sorrow that mirrored her own. "And even if I did believe you," she continued, her voice breaking as she spoke, "what would it change right now? I won't be able to love you publicly yet, right?" Her lips quivered, the reality of their situation pressing down on her like a weight she could barely bear.
"I want to show you off publicly, Liv. I do," Dominik said, his voice pleading, his hands reaching out as if to hold onto something—anything—that could keep her from slipping away. "But if we risk getting caught by Rhea before SummerSlam, everything would be ruined." His confession hung heavy in the air, the weight of his words sinking into her heart. He could see the pain in her eyes, knew that his explanation was far from enough to heal the wounds he had inflicted.
"Me and Finn created a plan," he continued, his voice strained as he struggled to find the right words, "to get the suspicion off of me and you. I didn't want to do it, Liv. I swear I didn't. But I thought it was the only way to protect us, to keep us safe until we could be together for real."
Liv's heart twisted at his confession. She could see how much it hurt him to admit this, how much he hated himself for the pain he had caused. But it didn't erase what had happened. "I'm sorry, Dominik. Right now, it's hard for me to believe anything," Liv's voice wavered as she spoke, her words laced with the raw pain she felt.
"After everything, I feel like everything being said is a lie. Every bit of me wants to believe you, but it's too hard for me." Her voice cracked as she took a step back, putting more distance between them, the tears cascading down her cheeks mirroring the turmoil inside her heart.
Dominik felt like the ground was crumbling beneath him. The despair in her eyes was something he never wanted to see, especially not because of him. It was as if the world was ending, and he was powerless to stop it. His lips parted, trying to find the right words, the right thing to say to make her stay, to make her believe him. But nothing came. His throat tightened, and his heart pounded painfully in his chest, the gravity of the situation crushing him.
Liv watched him, her own heart breaking at the sight of his tear-filled eyes and the pain etched on his face. She ached to run to him, to console him, to tell him that everything would be okay. But she couldn't. Her own wounds were too fresh, too deep, and she needed time to mend them. "I'm sorry, Dominik," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own sobs.
With that, she turned on her heel, unable to bear the sight of him any longer. She ran off, her sobs growing louder with every step as she disappeared from his sight. Dominik stood there, frozen in place, his heart shattering into a million pieces as he watched her go. The silence that followed was deafening, and he felt as though a part of him had left with her, leaving him hollow and broken.
And again, Dom stood there, his eyes lingering at the spot where she once was standing, the emptiness she left behind weighing heavily on him. The ache in his chest was unbearable, a dull throb that seemed to consume every part of him. Drowning in his own regret and pain, he whispered, "I love you," his voice barely audible, as if saying it out loud would make it any more real, any more believable.
His head hung low, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe. "More than you can imagine," he continued softly, the words a confession to the empty air, a desperate plea to the universe that somehow, somewhere, Liv would hear him and understand. But she was gone, and with her, the hope that things could ever be the same again.
English isn't my first language so I hope most of this is still understandable and enjoyable 🩷.
Dominik muttered a string of curse words under his breath as Rhea dragged him backstage, her grip firm and unyielding. The staff watched them with puzzled expressions, some whispering among themselves. Others kept their heads down, their eyes glued to the floor, wary of Rhea’s fiery temperament. The atmosphere was thick with tension, a silent understanding that challenging Rhea could invite her wrath.
Rhea’s theme song thundered through the arena, electrifying the crowd. The cheers and roars of the audience grew deafening as she stormed down the ramp, her eyes blazing with fury. Dominik stumbled awkwardly ahead of her, his face etched with a mix of confusion and fear as she pushed him roughly. He glanced back, trying to defend himself with desperate words. Despite his desperate attempts to defend himself, Rhea’s anger was a storm that couldn’t be calmed.
The source of her rage was clear: only minutes before, Carlito had inadvertently revealed that Dominik had been involved in an encounter with Liv Morgan. This revelation had struck Rhea like a lightning bolt, her emotions ignited by the betrayal and deception she felt. As she drove Dominik towards the ring, her intense glare and unforgiving shove left no doubt about the depth of her anger.
In all honesty, Dominik’s reluctance to stop Rhea and assert himself stemmed from the fact that he was used to her harsh treatment. It was a dynamic he had grown accustomed to, almost resigned to the fact that this was how things were with her. The contrast came into sharp relief when he thought of the rare moments he shared with Liv Morgan. Those interactions were different, filled with an unfamiliar warmth and understanding.
That night, when Liv had helped him win the match against his father, something shifted inside him. The intensity of the moment compelled him to rest his forehead gently against hers. It was a silent, intimate gesture that spoke volumes, and in that close proximity, he felt a connection so profound and unexpected that he struggled to articulate it. It was a bond that seemed to transcend the chaos around him, offering a rare glimpse of solace and genuine connection amidst the turbulence of his life.
Dominik snapped out of his daze and rushed into the ring, his breath coming in sharp, anxious bursts. Rhea followed closely, her anger practically radiating from her. As he backed into a corner, he watched her with increasing tension. Rhea stormed over to a staff member who was handing her a microphone, yanking it out of their hand with a fierce, almost violent grip.
Her voice rang out with raw intensity. “Liv!” she growled, her eyes darting around the arena as she prowled back and forth, searching for a response. “Liv! You want him?” The resentment in her voice was unmistakable, a simmering fury barely contained. “Come get him!” she challenged, her words echoing through the arena.
She grabbed Dominik and shoved him in front of her, her frustration evident. Dominik’s face was a mask of annoyance, but he was determined to keep his composure and not jeopardize the plan he and Finn had devised. Rhea loomed behind him, her voice echoing through the arena as she called out for Liv to come out.
Suddenly, Liv's theme song blared through the speakers, and Dominik felt a shift deep within him. Something in his body and eyes changed, a flicker of longing for her that he couldn’t ignore. He desperately wanted to see her again, but with Rhea’s presence complicating matters, he was left wondering how that could ever happen. His main concern, however, was what would come next after he followed Finn’s plan.
He couldn’t help it; his eyes began scanning the crowd with a desperate longing. Dominik was so absorbed in his search that he momentarily forgot Rhea was right beside him, her anger palpable as she awaited Liv's appearance. His body went rigid as he heard a familiar voice pierce through the arena, "Hi Rhea! Hi Daddy Dom!" The voice echoed with playful defiance. "You guys can turn around!" Liv called out.
Both Rhea and Dominik turned, but Dominik was quicker. His brown eyes locked onto Liv, who stood confidently among the crowd. She was truly captivating, her presence magnetic as she drew every bit of his attention.
Liv beamed with a broad, mischievous grin, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulder as she adjusted it with a casual flick. “Hi guys!” she called out, her voice bright and self-assured as she clutched the microphone with a firm grip. Turning her attention to Rhea, she continued with a mocking lilt, “Rhea, I’m actually not going to be coming down to the ring because, unlike you, I actually have some self-control.” Her tone was dripping with mockery, clearly designed to infuriate Rhea.
As she finished her taunting remark, Liv’s lips curled into a playful, provocative pout, further emphasizing her intent to get under Rhea’s skin.
Rhea paced around the ring, scoffing and shaking her head, her frustration evident. Dominik just stood there, his face a canvas of conflicting emotions, with guilt and confusion clearly written across it. His feelings were a tangled mess; he desperately wanted to tell Rhea right then and there that he couldn’t be around her anymore, that he didn’t love her anymore. He wished he could express how toxic their relationship had become. But he was bound by the plan he and Finn had agreed on.
“I waited for you all this time, Rhea. I can wait until SummerSlam,” Liv’s voice broke through the tension, her words punctuated by a smirk as she mentioned the upcoming event. There was a shift in her tone as she continued, a gentle, almost tender quality. “I think the reason I actually came out here in the first place is pretty obvious,” she added, her voice softening as she turned her gaze to Dominik.
“It’s because I have feelings for Dominik,” Liv confessed, her tone sounding utterly enamored. Her voice carried a lovesick quality, as if she was speaking directly from her heart, and it was clear to everyone that her feelings for Dominik ran deep.
Rhea’s blood was boiling, her entire body tense as she turned to face a guilty Dominik. His eyes were glued to the floor, knowing full well that any attempt to explain himself would be futile; Rhea’s rage was a storm waiting to break over him. He shook his head, trying to block out the harshness of her gaze.
“And Dominik has feelings for me too, and even you can’t deny that,” Liv suddenly declared. Her words cut through the air like a knife, causing Dominik’s head to snap up, his expression awash with guilt. He began muttering to Rhea, “That’s not true,” but the conviction in his voice was weak. Deep down, he knew that Liv’s words held a truth he couldn’t escape.
Rhea’s face twisted with fury, her fists clenched as if she were ready to tear into him right there and then. She didn’t believe a word he was saying. All Dominik could do was shake his head, his heart pounding in his chest, his mind racing to find a way out of the escalating chaos.
“Do you want to know why you can’t deny that, Rhea?” Liv spoke up, her voice dripping with confidence as she tilted her head to the side, her eyes fixed on Rhea with a challenging gleam. “It’s because gorgeous men like Dominik don’t go for girls who look like you.” Her words were sharp and cutting, visibly striking a nerve in Rhea as her fierce expression faltered momentarily.
“No, no,” Liv giggled, the sound taunting and mocking. “Gorgeous men like Dominik go for girls,” she paused, turning slowly, “that look like me!” She emphasized her point by flaunting her outfit, the short booty shorts drawing attention as she smirked before facing Rhea again.
Rhea was at her breaking point, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily, her teeth clenched in barely controlled rage. The fury in her eyes was now directed at Dominik, who stood there in a state of panic, his heart racing as he tried to figure out how to defuse the situation.
Rhea couldn’t take it anymore; the taunting words and smug demeanor of Liv were pushing her past her limit. She was ready to storm out of the ring and tear Liv to shreds. With determined strides, she moved toward the ropes, intent on confronting Liv head-on. But just as she was about to exit the ring, Dominik stepped in front of her, blocking her path with his arm.
Rhea’s furious gaze snapped back to him, her eyes blazing with anger and frustration. Dominik, feeling the intensity of her stare, slowly lowered his arm and gently took the microphone from her hand. “Calm down, Rhea. I’ll take care of this,” he muttered, his voice low and steady, trying to maintain a calm facade despite the turmoil inside him.
He didn’t want to do this part of the plan, but he knew he had no choice. Deep down, he feared the consequences of his actions and how they would haunt him forever, but he knew to cease Rhea's worries and to make her not be suspicious, he had to follow through with the plan.
Rhea didn’t care about anything else in that moment; all she felt was a searing blend of anger and betrayal. With a fierce, determined look in her eyes, she aggressively pushed past Dominik. “Get out of my way!” she shouted, her voice dripping with rage.
As she moved to step through the ropes, Dominik’s hands shot out, gripping tightly around her wrists. Rhea struggled, trying to yank her wrists free from his grasp, but Dominik held on firmly, refusing to let her go. His face was tense with determination as he looked at her, his grip unyielding.
Dominik’s mind was racing, filled with thoughts of Liv and the need to protect her. He felt a deep, unsettling fear that he would lose control if anything happened to her. He knew that even if it meant lying and manipulating the situation, he would do whatever it took to ensure Liv remained unharmed.
“LET GO!” Rhea screamed, wrenching at Dominik’s grip with all her strength. Despite her efforts, he wouldn’t budge, his eyes wide with panic and worry, all of it directed toward protecting Liv.
“Calm down…” Dominik pleaded softly, but Rhea’s fury only intensified as she continued to yank at his hold. “LET GO!” she yelled again, her voice raw with frustration.
“Mami, hear me out,” Dominik’s voice grew increasingly agitated, a hint of desperation creeping in. Finally, Rhea relented, stepping back into the ring. She demanded, “What?” repeatedly, her anger still simmering as Dominik tried to soothe her.
In a fit of rage, Rhea managed to pull her wrist free from his grip and stormed toward him. “Let me, mami, let me take care of this,” Dominik said, his voice strained as he attempted to back away from her. Every moment of this confrontation was suffocating him; he hated the entire situation. The constant aggression from Rhea was wearing him down, and he despised how their relationship had spiraled into such hostility.
“Guys, guys, please, please, let Daddy Dom talk!” Liv interjected, her voice cutting through the crowd’s incessant boos. She hated how the audience’s jeers always overshadowed important moments.
“Liv,” Dominik said, bringing the microphone to his mouth as he tried to focus on his words. Rhea stood in front of him, her anger palpable, while Dominik’s gaze remained fixed on Liv. Despite the ongoing boos, Liv persisted.
“Guys, let him talk!” Liv urged again, her frustration evident. “Because I think I know what you’re gonna say, and I feel the exact same way too!” Her smile was wide and confident, betraying her genuine belief in the situation.
Liv wasn’t being delusional or fabricating a story; she was convinced of the deep connection she and Dominik shared. The moments they had together—both on camera and off—held significant meaning for them both. Liv was sure that today was the day Dominik would reveal his true feelings and finally leave Rhea behind.
Rhea’s anger flared further as she advanced toward Dominik, who instinctively began backing away. Each step he took made his heart feel heavier, weighed down by the turmoil inside him. Hearing Liv’s heartfelt declarations while knowing the harsh reality of what he was about to say filled him with a sense of guilt and moral conflict. He didn’t want to hurt her; he truly cared for her.
But the situation demanded it. Rhea had been suspicious ever since her return, having witnessed the intimate moments between Dominik and Liv—the way their foreheads had touched, the closeness that had clearly unsettled her. Dominik knew he had to address Rhea’s suspicions now, to mislead her, so that when the actual betrayal came, it would hit her unprepared. The weight of his impending actions was almost unbearable, but he understood the necessity of his role in the plan.
“So, you can finally say those three little words,” Liv said happily, her voice filled with hope and affection. In that moment, she seemed completely in love, convinced that tonight was the night she’d finally get to be with Dominik openly. Her heart raced with excitement at the thought of being able to embrace him whenever she wanted, to be seen with him wherever they went, and to proudly call him hers.
“You want those three little words?” Dominik asked, his heart heavy with the weight of the situation. He felt as though he could barely think straight. Every fiber of his being wished for some miracle to stop him from doing what he had to do. As he looked into Liv’s eyes, he could see the eager anticipation shining there. She nodded enthusiastically, her heart pounding with excitement. This was the moment she had been yearning for since the day she fell for him—Dominik’s public confession of his love for her.
Dominik turned away from Rhea, trying to ignore her piercing gaze as he took a moment to gather himself. He hadn’t even spoken yet, but the guilt and regret were already suffocating him, making it hard to breathe. He was terrified of how Liv would react, knowing she had no idea what was about to happen. That fear was eating him alive. All the words that would leave his mouth were meant for Rhea, not Liv, but that was a secret only he and Finn knew for now.
“I hate you, Liv!” Dominik began yelling, his voice echoing through the arena. The regret in his eyes didn’t match the harshness of his words. Instantly, Liv’s bright smile faded, and her body froze as if a dagger had been plunged into her heart. " What? " she mouthed, unable to comprehend what she was hearing, her eyes wide with disbelief and pain.
“You want those three little words? Are you stupid? Are you deaf? ¿No entiendes lo que te estoy diciendo, cabrona?” Dominik shouted, his voice filled with a forced anger. The crowd watched in stunned silence, and Dominik’s heart ached as he saw the devastation on Liv’s face.
"I don’t like you! You’ve ruined my life over and over again! No te puedo entender lo que piensas por la cabeza! ¿Estas pendeja o qué?" Dominik’s words were brutal and harsh, each one like a knife twisting deeper into Liv’s heart. As he spoke, Liv shook her head in disbelief, her blue eyes filling with tears. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing—this had to be some sort of cruel joke, right? Her mind raced, her thoughts jumbled, as the tears she couldn’t hold back began to stream down her cheeks.
Rhea smirked as she watched Liv crumble, a twisted satisfaction in seeing her rival’s pain. "I can’t stand you! You’ve ruined everything for me, and now I—" Dominik paused, a lump forming in his throat as he struggled to continue. The sight of Liv’s body trembling with sobs, her tears falling freely, tore at his heart. He wanted nothing more than to reach out, wipe away her tears, and tell her the truth. He hated himself for what he was doing.
"Te odio con toda mi vida!" he continued, but his expression betrayed him. His eyes, filled with regret and pain, showed the truth he couldn’t speak. He didn’t want to do this, and Liv could see it in his gaze. She was frozen, unable to process the shock and hurt. Did all those special moments between them mean nothing?
After all this, Liv regretted ever asking Dominik to teach her Spanish. Now, every painful word he said was crystal clear, and she wished she didn’t understand a single one.
Liv began to back away, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces. She couldn’t bear to stay any longer, her once fluttering heart now aching deeply at the very sight of Dominik. As she turned around, her body trembled, each sob ripping through her like a storm. She quickly vanished backstage, her tears leaving a trail of heartbreak behind her. All she had wanted were those three little words, and now the cruel refrain of “I hate you” echoed relentlessly in her mind.
Rhea smirked with satisfaction, reveling in Liv’s pain. She gripped Dominik’s hair, pulling him closer to her. With a perverse satisfaction, she dragged her tongue slowly across his cheek, her eyes glinting with a twisted pleasure. Dominik shuddered at the touch, his gaze still fixed on the spot where Liv had stood moments before. Every part of him ached to run after her, to hold her and explain everything, to tell her the truth.
He wanted to whisper those three little words that she longed to hear—the words he truly meant and felt deep in his heart. But the reality of their situation held him back, trapped by the deception he was forced to uphold.
His mind was a chaotic whirlwind, consumed by the turmoil of the moment. As Rhea whispered something in his ear, the words barely registered, lost amid the storm of his emotions. Liv was the sole focus of his thoughts and heart, a constant, painful presence he couldn’t shake. He felt a deep anger and frustration toward himself, a gnawing regret for the role he was forced to play.
A strained, forced smile tugged at his lips, a thin facade he wore to make Rhea believe that he was fully hers once more. He allowed her to lead him away from the ring, each step heavy with the weight of his internal conflict. As he glanced back towards the spot where Liv had stood, his heart ached with unspoken words. “I love you,” he mouthed silently, the three little words filled with longing and regret, a desperate attempt to convey the truth he couldn’t fully express.
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