A Promise In The Dark

The night outside my window seemed darker than usual, and heavy clouds gathered the moon.

I couldn't stop thinking about Alexander's message, which echoed with a sense of closure: * "I'm sorry I reached out to you in this way, but I think we should meet up. There are some things you should know before making a decision.

I read it multiple times in an attempt to uncover any hidden messages. How could Alexander possibly persuade me? What else could there be that I didn't know about? My heart ached from uncertainty, yet I was damn curious.

I felt a deep-seated emotion in response to his mysterious message, perhaps fear or the faint hope that this encounter would somehow bring order to an impossible disordered life.

Is Alexander a reliable person? Or did I simply misinterpret this game move? I turned my phone over in my fingers, unsure whether or not to respond.

I could still clearly picture Marco's face and hear his passionate voice when he asked if I was really going to marry Alexander.

His remarks stung me so deeply that I was unable to answer. And now this. I received a message from the man I'm supposed to marry.

Why does every decision I make seem to push me closer to the cliff I feel  I'm standing on? I groaned as I reclined against the pillows.

I knew deep down that I couldn't ignore Alexander, even though I didn't understand what he was trying to say.

Not yet, anyhow. His words seemed to have the power to change everything. However, my thoughts kept returning to Marco.

My chest tightened as I thought of his face that night, so tied with both hope and pain. Marco had always been my rock, the one person who saw me for who I truly was.

But even he had secrets, and they had come to light at the worst possible time. I stared at the darkening ceiling, a whirl of conflicting emotions rushing through my mind. *Alexander. Marco. My family. My future.

How am I supposed to decide when every choice seems to be causing me heartache? I closed my eyes and tried to shut off the murmurs in my mind. However, I could still feel the weight of my decisions even in the quiet.

I was positive that nothing would ever be the same, even though I had no idea what the future would bring.

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Unexpectedly, Marco knocked on my door the following evening.

He didn't say anything else, just asked me to come with him. Despite my desire to hide in my room, I nodded and followed him into the night because of the serious, even panicked expression on his face.

With his hand warm around mine, we walked in silence as he led me through the winding alleys. I could sense the tension between us and the weight of unspoken words lingering in the air.

"Marco, where are we going?" I finally whispered, hardly lifting my voice above a whisper. He gazed at me with softer eyes now. "A place where we can discuss." Just the two of us.

We came to a small area near the edge of the town, where a small creek twisted through the grass.

The sound of the river was soothing, a stark contrast to the turmoil within me. Marco turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

I had to see you, Bella. I had to tell you..... He stopped, and his voice cracked a little. "I don't want to lose you."

The genuineness of his words hit me like a wave, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Marco, I also don't want to lose you. But everything is so challenging. My family, Alexander, I don't know what to do.

He stepped closer, his hands reaching down to take mine. "You don't have to decide right now. I want you to always know,  that I am here for you.

I will always be here. The softness In his voice  shattered something inside of me, and I began to cry. "Marco, I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll lose you, make a bad choice, and hurt everyone I care about.

He pulled me into his arms and kept me there while I sobbed on his chest. His hands were trembling, but he said, "We'll figure it out." " Bella, I promise we will.

We'll find a solution. For a moment, everything else disappeared, including the tension, doubt, and fear.

In Marco's embrace, I felt a flicker of hope—a shaky but unwavering belief that maybe, just maybe, we could figure out a way to be together.

But the sound of a car door slamming interrupted the moment. As we both turned toward the road, a man's form appeared out of the shadows, and our eyes widened.

It was Alexander. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he added in a low voice with a hint of edge that I couldn't quite place.

With my breath caught in my throat and my heart pounding, I looked at him. Marco took a defensive position and stepped in front of me.

"What are you doing here, Alexander?" I managed to inquire in a shaky voice. It took him a long time to answer.

Instead, he took a couple steps forward and looked directly at me. You didn't respond to my message, Isabella.

So I decided to come see you. The stifling tension in the air made Marco's hand tighten around mine.

"What do you want?" Marco gave an order in a firm tone. Alexander's expression was unreadable as he faced him."I want to talk to Isabella. alone."

  The authority in his voice left no room for argument, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Whatever Alexander had to say, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to hear.