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CHAPTER 37
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Melina gets down from the kitchen stool, swallowing a lump in her throat. She takes a look at James and notices he’s dressed in the Givenchy suit she bought for him before they split. That can’t be a good sign.
“James, w-wh-h-a-at are you doing here?”
“I heard you were in town, so I thought I’d stop by and say hi,” James says, walking closer to Melina, his scent drifting through her nose. Melina’s brain immediately recalls how she would smell like him for days, despite doing everything she could to scrub his scent off her body. Tears well up in her eyes, remembering why she even had his scent on her body in the first place.
“Really? That’s so nice of you,” Melina says, blinking away tears. Her nose stings, telling Melina she’s not doing a good job of suppressing her emotions. It’s hard for Melina because she recalls all the times she cried silently, staring at the ceiling as J
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A Second Chance CHAPTER 38
Melina wakes up with an excruciating headache and a burn on her left cheek. She looks around and finds herself in a dimly lit room, on a bed she doesn't recall getting on. Melina remembers falling asleep in the van but has no idea how she got here. They must have moved her to this location."Franky," Melina calls, but receives no response. She gets out of the bed and reaches for the room's wall with her hands. Hitting her foot on something hard, she bends down to rub it when the lights in the room suddenly turn on. She closes her eyes as the sudden brightness blinds her. Slowly opening her eyes, Melina tries to adjust to the light."I was starting to worry you were dead. You slept for quite a few hours, Mel," James says, standing near the light switch by the wall."Where is Franky?" Melina looks around the room for Franky, but she is nowhere to be found. Melina wonders where she is."Somewhere safe, and don't worry, she’s not dead yet," James says.
A Second Chance CHAPTER 39
As the first punch is thrown at her belly, Melina doesn't even pretend it doesn't hurt. Screaming at the top of her lungs as his iron-ringed knuckles punch her stomach, Melina hunches forward, forcing her stomach in as her ribs burn; her face snaps backward as James punches her chin."James, please, I am beg…." Melina's words get choked in her throat as James punches her square in the face. A splitting pain shoots through Melina's nose as it breaks in two. Melina tastes the metal in her mouth as blood pours out of her nose."I wonder if he will still love you once I make you ugly," James says, punching her in the stomach again.“Please” she rasps."This is just the beginning, love. By the time I'm done with you, Thomas will know never to mess with the Mexican cartel again."The punches continue until Melina’s black eyes can no longer stay open. Every part of her body hurts beyond words. Melina feels as if she's being ripped
A Second Chance CHAPTER 40
THOMAS Thomas meets Richard halfway on his way to his office. They were able to get Richard back a few days ago after ambushing the car transporting him to a safe house. "Sir, I need you to come with me. There's something important you need to see." "How important?" Thomas asks as he turns the knob on his office door. "It's about Melina." Thomas' hand turns white as he tightens his grip on the doorknob. He knows Richard is capable of finding Melina, but he didn't expect it to be this quick. "You found her?" "Not really, but I have a good guess of who took her." "Took her?" Thomas knits his brows. Why would Richard say that someone took Melina? She fled. She wasn't kidnapped or… was she? "Yes, sir. I don't think Melina ran away. I have some information that suggests she might have been kidnapped." "Are you sure?" Thomas could not believe what Richard was saying. How is that possible? Her sister emptied he
A Second Chance CHAPTER 41
MELINAMelina jolts awake to the sounds of someone screaming. She looks around the room, searching for the source of the voice and the danger, but quickly shuts her eyes as a shooting pain flies through her head. Melina lifts her hand to her temple to massage the pain away, but her limbs protest. Her entire body aches. Melina curls into a ball and clutches her stomach, as if her intestines are being ground. Tears fill her eyes as blood flows from between her legs."My baby," Melina says quietly, her bottom lips quivering."My angel," she says as she tightens her arms around her belly."I never got to meet you." Her heart squeezes as an ache settles in her chest."I'm sorry, I'm sorry little one. Mummy is so sorry she couldn't protect you. Please forgive me. “Melina’s shoulders tremble as loud wails begin to rip out of her. Her heartache is worse than her stomachache.Melina cries and mourns the loss of her baby until she falls as
A Second Chance CHAPTER 42
“There will be no questions.” The man approaches Melina and grabs her arm. His nails dig into her skin as he drags her out of the room and down the hallway.They proceed down the corridor and up the stairs into a beautiful house. The walls are white with stunning gold designs on them. The white marble floor is designed with a lovely flower in the center of the foyer above a gorgeous chandelier. It had to be the basement they had just walked out of. They walk past a two-way staircase with a beautiful black banister and golden handle. They come to a halt in front of a door as they walk to the left. James is standing right in front of it.“Here you go, boss.” The man lets go of Melina’s arm, and she instinctively rubs the spot where he held her.“You can go,” James says as he turns to the door and knocks. Melina wonders what they’re doing here.“Come in,” a deep husky voice speaks from inside
A Second Chance CHAPTER 43
MELINAMelina looks out the small window in the room where she and Franky were placed. They can't escape because the windows have bars on them. Melina has spent the last two weeks trying to figure out how to get them out of here. Franky is currently in a coma, and the doctors are unsure when she will wake up. Melina spends most of her days telling Franky about the amazing life they will have once she figures out a way to get them out.Melina hasn't seen Rafael or James these past two weeks. She's pleased about this. They both frighten her, and seeing them could only mean something terrible would happen to her. Melina's desire to die has vanished. Melina considered abandoning Franky, but after everything she had been through because of her, she realized that would be cruel of her. Franky would be devastated if she wakes up and finds out that all her suffering had been in vain. Melina couldn't bring herself to do that to her sister after everything Franky had been throug
A Second Chance CHAPTER 44
Melina can't believe he’s here. She never expected him to show up. Why did he come? Melina pinches herself to make sure she isn't dreaming. She won't be surprised if she's hallucinating right now. Melina has heard that you see the person you love the most in the world before you die."I'm real, principessa," he says, placing his hand above hers. Melina feels the warmth of his hand penetrate hers, and she quickly pulls her hand away from his, as if the warmth had burnt her.Thomas is here, oh my God, Thomas is here. He must be furious with me for fleeing. Melina looks around in fear, trying to figure out where she can flee to. Thomas is going to kill me."I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run away; I had to." Melina says."I know, you don't have to apologize, principessa." Thomas reaches out to touch Melina, but she quickly moves away."I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I needed to." She buries her head betwe
A Second Chance CHAPTER 45
"Please say something," Thomas says."Are you sick?" Melina places her hand on his forehead to check his temperature."I'm not sick, Mi amore," he says as he gently removes her hand from his forehead"You're definitely sick. You just referred to me as "your love."”"That's because you're Melina. You're the love of my life.""Is this some new way of torture because I don't understand why you're saying all of these?""I think I need to explain everything. I’m aware of what you did.""What did I do?""I know why you stole my money for James.""You do?" Melina says, finding it difficult to believe because what she expected from him, knowing the truth, isn't what she's getting."Yes, principessa. I know what you did to protect me." Thomas squeezes her hand as his shoulders drop. Thomas appears to really know what happened. Did his mom tell him? Perhaps she did, but why isn't he angry l
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CHAPTER ONEFranky's PVOFranky slowly opens her eyes but shuts them the second she feels a shooting pain at the back of her head. She gently lifts her hand to touch it and feels a wound with dried blood. She opens her eyes and tries to recall how she got the injury and where she was. Her eyes widen in terror, seeing her environment. She’s in a cell. Oh my God! What am I doing here? How did I even get here? Franky racks her brain, trying to remember anything that can explain why she’s here. Her heartbeat quickens as everything starts to come back to her. She recalls two men sneaking into her room and grabbing her. She can’t believe she got abducted again. Melina must be worried sick about me. Franky wonders if she knows and has started looking for her. Most likely, she believes.Franky whips her head to the cell door as she hears it squeak open. Her heart beats faster against her ribcage as someone approaches her. She wraps her trembling hands around her body and waits at the end of t
A Second Chance EPILOGUE
Months laterMELINAMelina stirs awake in her sleep and gets out of bed. She doesn’t bother putting on her slippers before going downstairs to the kitchen. She opens the freezer and takes out the chocolate mint ice cream. She hates it, but the little one growing inside her loves it.Melina is pregnant and is in her second trimester. So far, everything is great for her. That’s excluding the morning sickness and the weird craving she has lately, but other than that, it’s been wonderful. She’s excited to be a parent, and so is Thomas.Melina remembered the day she found out she was pregnant. Words couldn’t describe the joy she felt that day. Her heart soared to the highest point the moment the doctor said,“Congrats, you’re pregnant.”Melina believed she saw the brightest smile on Thomas’ face that day. She also couldn’t stop smiling the whole day. They are re
A Second Chance CHAPTER 71
Present TimeMELINAMelina steps out of the car once they arrive at the beach house on the island. They touched land a few minutes ago and drove straight here. Thomas links his hand with Melina’s and leads them into the house. She is awed the second they step inside. The place is beautifully decorated with rose petals all over the living room. It has couches that have brown armrests and white pillows on them. To the left is a sliding door that leads outside, and right in front of it is a swing chair. The sun is setting, and the only light illuminating the place, adding to its allure.Melina walks inside, to the bedroom, following the trail of the rose petals. It has a king-sized bed with white covers and a carpet of the same color in front of it. Walking further in, she is blown away by the beautiful view of the beach. The sun casts a shadow on the beach’s crystal-clear blue waters and white sand. The sunset looks so stunning from here
A Second Chance CHAPTER 70
THOMASHe looks at Melina as she settles into her chair. He’s relieved she didn’t question him about why he took so long at the warehouse. It wasn’t something he couldn’t tell Melina; he just didn’t want to bother her with it. Thomas smiles as he thinks about it. He looks at his lighter, and the smile on his face broadens. He couldn’t think of a better way to send the bastard to hell.A few hours agoThomas enters the container where James is being held. The room has buckets, a chair, a table with blades, a blow torch, pliers, and a whip. Rafael was quick to deliver him while Thomas was in the hospital. Thomas wouldn’t have had to deal with him today if he wasn’t on his way to his island with Melina. She deserves the time away after what they’ve been through.Thomas removes his Burberry suit jacket and drapes it over the chair. He unbuttons his sleeves, rolls them up, and re
A Second Chance CHAPTER 69
Two Weeks LaterMELINA“Thomas, I might not know much of Sicily, but at least I know the surrounding area on the way home,” Melina says, looking out the window. They are on their way home. Thomas just got discharged from the hospital. Melina is so happy as he is almost fully recovered.“I know,principessa. I need to make a quick stop at one of the warehouses before we go home.”“You just got discharged. How could you already be working?” Melina asks, concerned he might be stressing himself.“Don’t worry. I’m not doing anything strenuous.”
A Second Chance CHAPTER 68
THOMASHe scrolls through his phone to pass the time while waiting for Melina to return. She stepped out to get him some food as he hated the hospital food. Thomas couldn’t believe she forgave him for everything he did. He really thought she would never forgive him and would always blame him for all her sorrows. He is truly happy she did and intends to spend the rest of their lives making sure she never regrets it.The door swings open, and Thomas lifts his head up from his phone, shocked but happy that Melina is already back. The smile on his face quickly changes into a frown when he sees it isn’t Melina.The unwanted guest causally strolls into his room like he owns the place and walks to stand at the foot of Thomas’ bed. Thomas quickly replaces his phone with the gun his father put u
A Second Chance CHAPTER 67
A few hours have gone by since Thomas was shot. The whole family is in the hospital. Melina fears every second, the doctors will just come out and confirm Thomas is dead.Hopefully, that won’t happen.She snaps out of her reverie when someone calls her.“Melina,” someone says, barging into the room. Melina turns her head to the door, and her eyes widen in shock.“Franky!” Melina jolts out of her seat and runs to her sister.“Hello, Mel,” Franky says, smiling.“Oh, my God! Franky, it’s really you,” Melina says, pulling her in for a hug.“Yes, it’s me.” “I’m so sorry for what happened to Thomas,” Franky says, pulling from their embrace.“I don’t know what I will do, Franky, if he dies. I didn’t even tell him I forgave him before he closed his eyes,” Melina says, as fresh tears sting the back of her eyes.
A Second Chance CHAPTER 66
“Mel,” someone calls from behind her. She turns and sees it’s Leo.“Thomas is dead! He’s dead, Leo,” Melina says, sobbing and showing him her hands filled with Thomas’ blood.“I know, Mel, but do you know something else?” Leo asks calmly.She responds by shaking her head.“Until a doctor fucking calls the time of death, Sotto capo is alive. Do you hear me?”She nods her head, agreeing with him.Thomas could still be alive and just unconscious from blood loss.“He isn’t dead until a doctor says so,” she whispers, looking at his chest. She stares at it, waiting to see it move, but it doesn’t. The little glimpse of hope of him being alive dies. She snaps out of staring at his chest when Leo bends down to her on the floor.“Can you apply pressure to his wounds while we carry him to the car?” he asks, taking off his shi
A Second Chance CHAPTER 65
Unfortunately, this doesn’t help Melina because James surprisingly kicks the bucket off her hands and backs her into a wall. He wraps his hands around her neck, restricting her airflow.“Fuck having your body; I’ll just fucking kill you.” He digs his nails into her skin and draws blood as he strangles her. Her face darkens as the veins around her face appear ready to burst at any moment. Melina places her hands above his to free them from her neck. She scratches his hand, drawing blood, but he doesn’t budge. Melina can’t believe this is how she dies. I have to do something.She checks her surroundings for anything that might be of help. Nothing is within her grasp because everything is on the floor. As he squeezes her neck tighter and presses her head deeper into the wall behind her, the wound behind her head burns. Her eyes become heavy. Melina could feel her soul slipping out of her body.I must act now.
