MARCO“What do you mean by ‘a girl you loved’?” I asked, my voice laced with confusion and frustration. None of this was making any sense. Who was this girl he was talking about? Why did he seem to think I had anything to do with her?Marcel’s face twisted in anger as he snapped, “Of course, you wouldn’t know! All you do is trample on people, Marco. It’s in your blood. It runs in your damn family.”His words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I couldn’t make sense of them. I stared at him, trying to piece together the fragments of information he was throwing at me. “What the hell are you talking about, Marcel?” I demanded. “Who is this girl?”For a moment, Marcel just looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of hatred and something deeper, something I couldn’t quite place. Then, he sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly as if the weight of what he was about to say was too much for him to bear.“Noelle,” he said quietly, almost as if the name itself was a burden.The world seemed to t
SARAH I was curled up on the couch in the upstairs living room, a blanket draped over my legs as I watched some light-hearted comedy flick. The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the TV screen. It was one of those rare, peaceful nights where everything seemed to fall into place, where I could just relax and not think about the chaos that usually surrounded me.“Wow, things have been pretty chill lately,” I muttered to myself, my eyes still glued to the screen. “Almost like a miracle.”A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched the characters on the screen bumble through their silly antics. It was nice, being able to laugh at something so trivial, something that didn’t involve the twisted reality I’d been thrown into. I snuggled deeper into the couch, letting out a content sigh. If I was being honest with myself, I didn’t entirely hate my life. Not all of it, at least. Sure, there were parts that made me want to scream, but there were also these quiet moments of calm, li
SARAH I had no idea how long I sat there on the couch after Carlos hung up. Time seemed to lose all meaning as I tried to process the fact that Marco had been shot. And Tony too. It didn’t seem real. It was like something out of one of those crime dramas I used to watch to pass the time. But this wasn’t a show. This was my life.When I finally forced myself to get up, I felt like I was moving in slow motion. My legs were shaky, my hands trembling as I made my way upstairs to my room. I didn’t even know what I was doing, just that I needed to do something, anything, to keep myself from falling apart.I opened my closet and stared at the rows of clothes, my mind completely blank. What was I supposed to wear to a hospital? It wasn’t like I’d ever been in this situation before. But then again, nothing about my life had been normal ever since Marco walked into it.Finally, I grabbed a simple black dress and threw it on, not caring how it looked. Black felt appropriate somehow. It matched
SARAH Walking into the hospital room, I was immediately hit by the sterile smell of antiseptic, mixed with the faint scent of something metallic, maybe blood. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed softly, casting a harsh, white glow on everything. My eyes darted around the room, taking in the scene like I was moving in slow motion.And then I saw him.Marco was lying in the hospital bed, his body nearly obscured by the mass of wires, tubes, and machines surrounding him. An IV drip was hooked into his arm, delivering what I assumed was pain medication, while another tube fed oxygen through his nose. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his chest, where I knew the bullet had hit, and a heart monitor beeped steadily at his side, each sound reminding me that he was still alive—barely. His skin was pale, almost ghostly, and the sight of him like this made my stomach twist painfully.It felt like the ground beneath me was giving way. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. The tears came befo
SARAHI stepped out of Marco’s hospital room, my mind swirling with a thousand thoughts. The door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against the wall, trying to make sense of everything. How was I supposed to feel about Marco telling me he loved me? It wasn’t like I’d been expecting it, not in a million years. And yet, when he said it, there was a part of me—a small, traitorous part—that liked hearing those words from him.But I hated that I felt that way. Marco literally abducted me, pulled me into his dangerous world without a second thought. He was reckless, controlling, and had caused me more pain than I cared to admit. How could I possibly feel anything for him other than anger and resentment?And yet… there it was. That stupid, fluttering feeling in my chest that made me want to believe him. To believe that maybe, just maybe, he did love me. But that was absurd, wasn’t it? How could I ever trust him, let alone allow myself to care for him? It didn’t make sense, and the conflic
SARAHA soft tap on my shoulder pulled me out of a dreamless sleep. At first, I thought I imagined it, but then it came again, more insistent this time. I blinked my eyes open, feeling disoriented and groggy. My body ached as if I had run a marathon, and my head throbbed with a dull pain that made it hard to focus. When my vision finally cleared, I saw Carlos standing in front of me, his expression a mix of concern and impatience.“Sarah,” he said, his voice gentle but firm, “how are you feeling?”I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. “I’m fine… just a headache and… I guess I’m a little out of it.” My voice came out hoarse, and I realized how dry my throat was.Carlos handed me a bottle of water. “Here, drink this. You need to stay hydrated after everything.”I took the bottle from him and sipped slowly, letting the cool water soothe my dry throat. As I drank, the events of the past few hours came rushing back—the blood donation, Marco’s condition, the whirlwind
SARAHI had tried everything—reasoning with him, pleading, even resorting to silent treatment—but nothing worked. Marco was as stubborn as ever, determined to leave the hospital against all logic. Hours had passed, and I’d eventually given up. There was no point in trying to convince him anymore. The man was impossible.I sat in a chair by the window, staring blankly outside, lost in my thoughts. The steady rhythm of the hospital’s machinery hummed in the background, a constant reminder that we were still in this sterile, suffocating place. But Marco didn’t seem to notice. He was focused on something else entirely—something I couldn’t quite understand.My mind kept drifting back to the conversation we had earlier. His determination to leave, the way he had dismissed my concerns, and that strange, serious look in his eyes. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something, something important. But what could it be? What was so urgent that he couldn’t stay here and recover like
SARAHI pulled away from the kiss slowly, my heart pounding so loudly in my chest that I was sure Marco could hear it. My face was on fire, and I could feel the heat spreading down to my neck. I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to react. All I could do was stare at him for a moment, his gaze still locked on mine, his expression unreadable.“I… I should go check the temperature of the water,” I stammered, grasping at the first excuse that popped into my head. It was ridiculous, but it was the only thing I could think of to break the tension. Without waiting for his response, I scrambled off the bed and practically fled to the bathroom.Once inside, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. My reflection in the mirror caught my eye, and I stared at myself, my cheeks still flushed, my lips slightly swollen from the kiss. What the heck just happened? I reached for the faucet, turning on the cold water and splashing some on my face, hoping it wou
MARCOShe walked away.Just like that.I stood there, staring at the door, my mind barely registering that she was gone. My chest was tight, my breathing uneven, my hands still clenched at my sides like I was holding onto something that had already slipped through my fingers.What the hell just happened?One minute, we were happy—expecting a child, building a future, introducing our pregnancy to the world. And now? Now we were on the verge of breaking up, of completely falling apart. It didn’t make sense. None of this made sense.I ran a hand through my hair, gripping at the strands, trying to piece together what had gone so wrong. My perfect family—my life—was slipping out of my grasp, and I had no idea how to fix it.A heavy hand landed on my shoulder.“Take it easy, Marco,” Petrov said, his voice calm, like he wasn’t witnessing my entire world crash down.I let out a sharp, humorless laugh, shrugging his hand off. “Take it easy? Did you not just see what the fuck happened?” My voic
SARAHI couldn’t breathe. The air felt thick, suffocating, like it was being sucked out of the room as I stared at my phone screen, my hands trembling so hard that I could barely keep hold of it. My chest tightened, the pressure unbearable, like someone had wrapped a fist around my heart and was squeezing.The words blurred before my eyes, but they were already seared into my mind, each letter carving itself deep into my soul, leaving behind nothing but devastation.Marco De Luca Caught in a Late-Night Rendezvous with His Secretary—Compromising Photos Emerge from the Party.I swallowed hard, my throat dry, my stomach twisting violently as I scrolled down. Maybe I was seeing things wrong. Maybe there was some ridiculous explanation for this. Maybe—But no.There he was.Marco.My Marco.His shirt undone, his arm hanging lazily around Aisha’s waist, her lips too close to his ear, whispering something that made his lips curl into that damn smirk—the one I used to think was just for me. M
SARAHI woke up to a pounding headache, the kind that made it feel like my skull was being split open. My entire body felt heavy, sluggish, and for a moment, I just lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, trying to piece together why I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. My mouth was dry, my limbs ached, and my mind was clouded with a strange, disoriented fog.Something was off.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push past the grogginess. Then, like a slap to the face, it all hit me at once.The party.The drinks.Marco.Him disappearing.Me looking for him.Me finding him.Shirtless.Drunk.And mumbling her name.Aisha.My stomach twisted violently.I sat up so fast the room spun around me, a wave of dizziness crashing over me. I gripped the sheets, my breathing uneven as I tried to steady myself. But my mind was already running a mile a minute, shoving painful reminders to the surface.Marco had been laying there, barely able to hold himself up, his body swaying, his words slurred
SARAHI sat on the edge of the bed, watching Marco’s unconscious form. His chest rose and fell steadily, his face slack with sleep, completely unaware of the storm he had left in my head.I should have just walked away. I should have left the second I saw him like that—drunk, shirtless, and muttering her name. Aisha. His so-called secretary.If that was even true.A bitter laugh bubbled in my throat, but I swallowed it down. The thought alone made my stomach twist. My mind wouldn’t stop running through the possibilities. What if he had been lying to me all along? What if she wasn’t just his secretary? What if I had been stupid enough to believe all of his excuses while they—I squeezed my eyes shut and exhaled through my nose.No. I needed to calm down. I needed to wait. Jumping to conclusions wouldn’t help anything.But God, how could I not?Everything about tonight had been wrong. The party, the forced smiles, the tension in the air I hadn’t been able to shake. And then to find him
SARAHI stared at Marco, my entire body frozen.Did I just hear that right?His voice had been slurred, thick with alcohol, but the name he mumbled was as clear as day.Aisha.Something inside me cracked, sharp and painful, like glass shattering.I swallowed, trying to steady myself, but my hands trembled as I reached for his shoulder, shaking him harder this time. “Marco, wake up,” I said, my voice uneven, breathless. “Get up, dammit.”He barely moved. His head lolled to the side, his lips parting slightly before another mumble slipped out.“…Aisha…”I sucked in a sharp breath, my nails digging into his arm.No.My heart slammed against my ribs, a sickening weight settling in my stomach.I shook him again, harder this time. “Marco, wake up! What the fuck is wrong with you?”Still, nothing.Just a groggy groan, his brows twitching slightly, his face slack. He was completely out of it.I clenched my jaw, my eyes burning as I stared at him, at the way he lay there so carelessly, unaware
SARAHThe party was alive—music blasting, laughter ringing out, people moving around with drinks in their hands. I was caught up in it, letting the distractions pull me in. The energy was infectious, and for a while, I didn’t think about anything else. But then, out of nowhere, a nagging feeling crept up on me.Marco.I hadn’t seen him in a while.I glanced around the crowded room, scanning the faces, but there was no sign of him. My stomach tightened slightly, but I tried to brush it off. Maybe he had just stepped out for air. Or maybe he had gone to take a call. It wasn’t a big deal.Except… it was unlike him.Marco didn’t just disappear without a word. If he needed to step away, he usually let me know. And the last time I had seen him, he had been with Aisha.I swallowed, my unease growing. Something wasn’t right.I turned my head again, trying to spot him through the mass of people. Nothing. No glimpse of his dark suit, no familiar presence near the bar or in the corners where he
AISHAMarco’s weight leaned into me as I carefully guided him through the grand hallways of his mansion. His steps were sluggish, his body heavy, but I kept moving, dragging him forward as subtly as I could. Every few steps, he mumbled something—half-slurred directions that barely made sense, but I forced myself to listen.“Left,” he muttered, pointing vaguely with his free hand. “Then, uh… another left.”I nodded like I was paying attention, though my focus was split between keeping us moving and making sure we weren’t being watched. My eyes flicked around constantly, scanning for any sign of Sarah or anyone else who might get in the way. The last thing I needed was someone questioning why I was hauling Marco through the halls like this.My heart pounded so hard it felt like I could hear it in my ears.Not from fear—at least, that’s what I told myself—but from the sheer pressure of the situation. I needed to get this over with. Fast.Isabella was waiting.And once I was done with thi
AISHAMarco took a seat beside me, stretching his arms across the back of the barstool, looking way too relaxed for someone who had just thrown a man out of his own party. His eyes flickered toward me, then to his drink, then back to me again.“You okay?” His voice was low, steady, but there was something else beneath it. Something unreadable.I exhaled through my nose, picking up my glass and taking a slow sip. “I’m fine.”Marco hummed, not entirely convinced. “Bastard’s lucky I didn’t break his nose.”I let out a small laugh. “What, one punch wasn’t enough?”He smirked. “You think he deserved more?”“I think men like that deserve worse.” I took another sip before setting my glass down. “But he’s not worth it.”Marco nodded slightly, rubbing his jaw as he glanced toward the bartender. “What are you drinking?”“Whiskey.”His brows lifted slightly. “Didn’t take you for a whiskey person.”“I’m full of surprises.”Marco chuckled under his breath, then signaled for the bartender. “I’ll ta
AISHAMarco took a seat beside me, stretching his arms across the back of the barstool, looking way too relaxed for someone who had just thrown a man out of his own party. His eyes flickered toward me, then to his drink, then back to me again.“You okay?” His voice was low, steady, but there was something else beneath it. Something unreadable.I exhaled through my nose, picking up my glass and taking a slow sip. “I’m fine.”Marco hummed, not entirely convinced. “Bastard’s lucky I didn’t break his nose.”I let out a small laugh. “What, one punch wasn’t enough?”He smirked. “You think he deserved more?”“I think men like that deserve worse.” I took another sip before setting my glass down. “But he’s not worth it.”Marco nodded slightly, rubbing his jaw as he glanced toward the bartender. “What are you drinking?”“Whiskey.”His brows lifted slightly. “Didn’t take you for a whiskey person.”“I’m full of surprises.”Marco chuckled under his breath, then signaled for the bartender. “I’ll ta