The Perfect Intern

Chapter 53.

Ariella

A loud cry rung through my ears and I knew I hadn't imagined it. Rushing to slide my t-shirt over my head, worry filled me. I cautiously grabbed the cold doorknob and opened the door to find my room empty.

Where had Dante gone?

Slowly walking towards the door to the hallway, I looked through the see-through glass square at the top. My eyes met a crying Maria and Dante with a hand wrapped around her neck.

My worry switched to confusion and I opened the door to scan the halls.

Was no one else seeing this?

I saw no one, except for nurses and doctors who ignored, respectfully.

As I walked fully into the hall, I heard Dante's chilling words. "You deserve to suffer.. just like I did."

"Dante, what's going on?"

"Oh God," I heard Maria cry out to the heavens in what seemed to be relief at the sound of my voice.

I watched his hand tighten around her neck at her movement and I instinctively placed my hand over the bulge of his muscle in an effort to make him calm down.

What could she have possibly done now?

I mean, Maria was a real bitch before, but I didn't think she deserved to be man-handled. No woman deserved that.

His grip visibly loosened and he responded to me through gritted teeth. "Ariella, please go back into the room."

The entire situation didn't seem to add up. What was she doing here? Had she lost someone? And if she did, why was Dante reprimanding her for it? "But Dante-"

"Angel," he warned as I could hear what I would assume to be the faint sound of his teeth grinding together, making me cringe.

I looked into the eyes of Maria and they shut with tears creating a cramp in my stomach. My eyes lowered, beyond his hand, and I could see the outline of the red mark his palm was leaving.

After a moment, Dante sighed and I watched his head drop as his hand reluctantly lowered to form a fist. He leaned in closer to Maria and made an effort to keep me from hearing his next words. "Speak of this to no one else. Go."

He calmly stepped to the side towards me to let her leave, but when she made a move in my direction, his hand quickly went around her wrist.

"Go," he said again, more roughly this time.

I let in a short breath at his sudden movement and the look of pure guilt and restlessness on the eyes of Maria made my stomach cramp further, causing me to bring a hand up to it.

Once she became aware of the my action she gasped, too. I tilted my head at her,  questionably, until the remembrance hit me.

Her lips pressed together to suppress another cry and her eyes lowered to the floor. As she turned to walk away, I looked to the wrist Dante had grabbed and her skin was a bright red, too.

My eyes snapped up to Dante in fear that his emotions had switched, his back still towards me. I saw him bring his hand up to swipe over his stubble and he finally began to turn.