The Twisted Obsession
Chapter 156: Regret

Chapter 156: Regret

"Are you going to keep pretending I’m not here, Princess ?" Tony’s voice cut through the tense silence, his words dripping with a hint of amusement.

Olivia shot Tony a withering glare as he addressed her with the nickname she despised. Her jaw clenched, and her grip tightened on the handle of her weapon concealed beneath her jacket. She hadn’t spoken a word to Tony since they arrived, and she had no intention of breaking her silence now.

Her dislike for him burned deep within her, fueled by the memories of their tumultuous relationship and the pain he had caused her. Every glance, every word exchanged between them only served to reignite the anger and resentment that simmered just below the surface.

Tony’s casual demeanor grated on her nerves, his nonchalant attitude a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within her. How could he act as if everything was fine when their history was anything but?

She loathed the way he seemed to effortlessly navigate their shared duties, his easy confidence a constant reminder of their failed romance. The thought of working alongside him filled her with a mixture of dread and frustration, a constant reminder of the heartache she had endured at his hands.

But beneath her outward display of animosity, Olivia couldn’t deny the lingering traces of affection that still lingered within her. Despite everything, a part of her still longed for the connection they had once shared, the warmth of his embrace, and the sound of his laughter.

But she pushed those feelings aside, burying them deep within her heart where they could do no harm. She had vowed to herself that she would never again let Tony get under her skin, no matter how much he tried to provoke her.

So she remained silent, her gaze cold and unyielding as she turned her attention back to her duties, determined to keep her distance from the man who had once held her heart in his hands.

But Tony wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily. "Hello, Princess," he continued, his tone teasing. "Are you going to continue ignoring me?"

"Leave me alone, Tony," she finally snapped, her voice sharp with irritation. "I have no interest in exchanging pleasantries with you."

Tony’s smirk only widened at her response, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Ouch, hit a nerve, did I?" he taunted, taking a step closer to her.

Olivia fought to keep her composure, refusing to let him see how much his presence affected her. "I’m here to do a job, Tony," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "And that job does not include engaging in pointless banter with you."

With a roll of her eyes, Olivia spun on her heel and marched away, her steps purposeful as she put as much distance between herself and Tony as possible. She could feel his eyes boring into her back, his presence like a weight pressing down on her shoulders.

"Oh come on we used to have a lot of fun on missions don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already"

Tony’s voice echoed in Olivia’s mind, pulling her back to the present moment. She stopped in her tracks, her muscles tensing at the sound of his familiar tone. Despite her best efforts to block him out, she couldn’t deny the rush of memories that flooded her mind at his words.

She turned slowly to face him, her expression guarded as she met his gaze. "Fun?" she repeated, her voice laced with skepticism. "I seem to recall a lot more chaos and danger than fun on our missions together."

Tony chuckled, his grin widening as he took a step closer to her. "Oh, come on, Liv," he said, his tone teasing. "You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy the adrenaline rush, the thrill of the chase."

Olivia’s jaw clenched at the reminder of the countless close calls and near misses they had experienced together. "I’ll admit, there were moments," she conceded, her voice softening slightly. "But they were outweighed by the constant fear and uncertainty."

Tony’s smile faltered, replaced by a more somber expression. "I know it wasn’t easy," he said quietly, his eyes searching hers for any sign of forgiveness. "But we made a damn good team, Liv. We had each other’s backs, no matter what."

Despite herself, Olivia felt a flicker of nostalgia stir within her at his words. They had been through hell and back together, facing dangers most people could only imagine. And through it all, they had relied on each other, trusting in their partnership to see them through.

But the pain of their past still lingered, the wounds too fresh to ignore. "That may be true," she said evenly, her tone betraying none of the turmoil raging within her. "But that doesn’t change the fact that things ended the way they did."

Tony’s gaze softened, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. "I know I messed up," he admitted, his voice tinged with remorse. "And I’ve spent every day since then regretting it."

Olivia felt her resolve waver at his words, the walls around her heart threatening to crumble. But she refused to let him see her vulnerability, refused to let him back into her life so easily.

Olivia’s voice cut through the air, her words tinged with bitterness as she confronted Tony’s admission. "It’s a little late for regrets, don’t you think so?" she said, her tone sharp with accusation.

Tony stiffened at her words, his shoulders tensing at the harshness in Olivia’s voice. He stared at her, his expression pained as he met her gaze. "I know," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to make things right."

Olivia folded her arms across her chest, her eyes narrowing as she regarded him with skepticism. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" she demanded, her voice tinged with skepticism.

Tony took a step closer to her, his gaze unwavering as he met her eyes. "By proving to you that I’ve changed," he said earnestly. "By showing you that I’m not the same person I was back then and maybe you will let me see my son."