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
SARAHAs I lay in the tub, the heat of the water trying to coax the tension out of my body, my mind kept circling back to that text. Marcel. Just when I thought I could finally breathe, he had to resurface and bring all the chaos back with him.What did he mean by that message? “I’ll be back for you, Sarah. I swear it.” The words echoed in my mind, sending a shiver down my spine despite the warmth that surrounded me. Was it a threat? A warning? I couldn’t tell. But what I did know was that Marcel was a man who rarely made empty promises.I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts spinning in circles. Why now? Why, when I was finally starting to feel some semblance of normalcy in my life, did he have to crawl out of whatever dark corner he’d been hiding in and try to drag me back into his twisted world? For once, I was beginning to feel like things were falling into place, like maybe—just maybe—I could find some peace. But that hope was quickly slipping through my fingers, replaced by the fa
SARAHAs soon as I saw Marco wobbling on the stairs, my heart leaped into my throat. Without thinking, I sprinted toward him, my feet barely touching the ground. I reached him just in time, catching his arm as he teetered dangerously close to falling.“Marco!” I gasped, gripping him tightly, my breath coming in short, frantic bursts. “This is exactly what I was trying to avoid! You’re going to hurt yourself!”He looked down at me, his expression a mix of surprise and amusement. “I’m fine, Sarah. Just lost my balance for a second.”“Lost your balance?” I echoed, my voice rising in disbelief. “You almost fell down the stairs!”I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, the adrenaline still coursing through me. I couldn’t believe he was being so reckless, so stubborn. He knew better than to push himself like this, especially when he was still recovering.Instead of apologizing, though, he gave me that infuriating smile of his—the one that made my insides twist in the most confusing ways
The rest of the day seemed to pass in a blur. After that moment in the dining room, I found myself lost in a routine of cleaning, organizing, and fixing things around the house. I spent most of the afternoon in the living room, straightening up and adding a few finishing touches here and there. I couldn’t help but laugh a little at myself, realizing how much I was behaving like a traditional wife, tidying up and making sure everything was just right.The thought brought a small smile to my face, but it quickly faded as memories of everything Marco had put me through surfaced. The lies, the betrayals, the moments when I felt like my heart was being torn in two. It was hard to reconcile the man who had hurt me so deeply with the one who had begged for my cooking earlier today, flashing that charming smile as if nothing had ever gone wrong between us.I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. There was no point in dwelling on the past, not when I was trying to move forward. Bu
MARCO Carlos closed the door behind him, and I settled into my chair, facing both Tony and Carlos. The room was thick with an awkward silence, the kind that makes you painfully aware of every small noise. I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension.“So, Tony,” I began, forcing a casual tone into my voice, “how was your time at the hospital?”Tony leaned back, letting out a low groan. “Hell. Absolute hell,” he replied, his voice laced with exhaustion.I tried to lighten the mood, offering a half-smile. “Well, at least you’re out now. That’s something.”Tony smirked, but there was a bitterness to it. “Yeah, and I even managed to get the number of one of those sexy nurses. Not a total waste of time, right?”Carlos and I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound cutting through the heavy atmosphere in the room. “Glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor,” I said, grinning at him.Tony shrugged, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “What else is there to lose, Marco? My legs don’t w
SARAHI sat in the living room, the sound of the ticking clock filling the silence around me as I focused on the knitting needles in my hands. It had been weeks since Marco’s incident, weeks since I’d taken care of him when he was so weak and vulnerable, his defenses stripped away by pain and exhaustion. It had been a strange time, seeing him like that. A side of Marco I’d never seen before, and one I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again.I sighed, the yarn slipping through my fingers as I thought about how different he was now. Back then, when he could barely stand, when he needed me for every little thing, he was softer. Almost… kind. And for a moment, I’d almost believed that maybe, just maybe, there was more to him than the cold, hard man I’d known him to be.But now? Now he was back to being an asshole. The same arrogant, stubborn man who barked orders and expected everyone to fall in line. The same man who looked at me with that infuriating smirk, who uttered things like, “I love you,
SARAHI sat there, still clutching the phone, my mind reeling from the conversation I’d just had with my dad. His words echoed in my head, each one tugging at the strings of my heart, wrapping me in a blanket of guilt and sorrow. How had things gotten so bad for him? How had I let it get this far without knowing, without helping? The man who had always been my rock was now crumbling, and I felt powerless to do anything about it.I tried to push the thoughts away, but they clung to me like a dark cloud, heavy and suffocating. I could see his face in my mind, the way it must have looked when he told me he was broke, sick, and barely surviving. It broke me, knowing that I hadn’t been there for him, that I hadn’t noticed how much he was struggling. He had always been so strong, so capable, and now… now he was asking me for help. I could still hear the pain in his voice, the desperation that he tried so hard to hide.My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice, the pressure building
SARAHGot it! Writing now—give me a few minutes.Here’s your scene:Marco’s hand tightened around mine as we stepped forward, his grip steady, reassuring. “You ready?” he murmured, his voice low, just for me.No. Not even close.But I nodded anyway.My heart pounded as we approached his parents. This wasn’t just any introduction—this was Alessandro and Vittoria De Luca. People whose names carried weight, respect, and fear in equal measure. They weren’t just influential; they were legends in their own right.And I was about to meet them.Marco’s father, Alessandro, stood tall with an air of effortless power. He didn’t need to command attention—it just happened. He had that presence, the kind that made you straighten your posture without realizing it. His silver-streaked dark hair was neatly combed back, his sharp features unreadable.Beside him, Vittoria De Luca was just as intimidating in her own way. Elegant, poised, with piercing dark eyes that assessed me the moment we came into vi
SARAHI jolted awake, my heart skipping a beat as I blinked against the dim light of my room.A headache pulsed lightly at my temples, and I groaned, rubbing my forehead. I had no idea when or how I even fell asleep. The last thing I remembered was Marco telling me to get some rest—Marco.The party.I shot up, eyes darting to the clock on the nightstand. 7:45 PM.Shit.I had a little over an hour before the party started at nine. That was fine—I still had time. But it wasn’t just any party. It was a night that meant more than just music, drinks, and fancy outfits. It was a new beginning.A fresh start. For me and Marco.With a deep breath, I pushed off the bed and headed straight to the bathroom, shedding my clothes as I turned on the warm water. Stepping under the shower, I let the heat sink into my skin, easing the slight tension in my shoulders.But my mind wasn’t at ease.Marco’s parents were coming.I leaned my forehead against the cool tiles, inhaling deeply. Marco had just tol
SARAHI moved across the grand hall, scanning every detail with sharp focus. The last of the decorations were being placed, the final lights adjusted, and the catering team was already setting up at the far end. Everything was falling into place, yet I couldn’t stop myself from double-checking every little thing.“The candles on the main tables,” I said, turning to one of the event planners. “Make sure they’re all the same height. I don’t want any odd ones sticking out.”The woman nodded quickly and gestured to her assistant. “I’ll have them fixed right away.”I exhaled, rubbing my temple as I looked around. The gold accents gleamed under the soft lighting, and the deep red floral arrangements tied everything together perfectly. It was exactly how I envisioned it. Yet, I still felt like something was missing.“Miss Sarah, I think you should sit for a moment,” one of the younger planners, a guy with curly hair, said hesitantly. “You’ve been pacing for hours.”“I’m fine,” I dismissed, w
SARAHI woke up to the sound of Marco snoring beside me, his arm lazily draped over my waist. His face was buried in the pillow, his mouth slightly open, and the sound coming from him was loud enough to rival a chainsaw.I stifled a laugh, watching him for a moment. He looked so unbothered, completely knocked out, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.Smirking, I grabbed the small pillow beside me and whacked him lightly on the head.Nothing. Not even a flinch.I laughed even harder, hitting him again, but he just let out a deep sigh and turned his head the other way, his snoring continuing like some sort of broken engine.“Oh my God, Marco,” I whispered between giggles. “Are you even breathing properly?”He didn’t respond. Obviously.Shaking my head, I slid out of bed and padded towards the bathroom, still laughing to myself. As I turned on the shower, my mind drifted back to last night.The way Marco had held my hands, looking at me with such intensity. The way his voice had sof
ISABELLAThe bass pounded through the club, the kind of heavy, pulsing beat that made people forget who they were for a few hours. Bodies pressed together, the air thick with sweat, liquor, and bad decisions waiting to happen.I sat back in my booth, one leg crossed over the other, my drink swirling in my hand as I watched the chaos from a comfortable distance. This was a place where people lost themselves.But I wasn’t here to lose anything. I was here to gain.Aisha.Marco’s secretary. His loyal employee. His trusted little confidante.And my personal rat.His trusted little worker bee. The one with access to his files, his schedules, his secrets.And the one who had been feeding me just enough information to keep her bank account happy.The things people did for money. It never failed to amuse me.Just as I lifted my drink to my lips, my phone buzzed on the table. I picked it up, bringing it to my ear without much interest.“Who’s this?” I asked lazily, even though I already knew.
SARAHI sat in the living room, my fingers working the knitting needles in a slow, steady rhythm. The yarn twisted and looped, but my mind wasn’t in it. It was supposed to help me relax, to keep my hands busy, to distract me. But tonight, it wasn’t doing anything.The unease in my chest had settled there hours ago, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, it wouldn’t go away.Something was wrong.I didn’t know how, I didn’t know why, but I could feel it.Marco had been different lately. Not in an obvious, loud way. No, it was the kind of change that someone else might not notice. But I did. I noticed everything about him.The silence. The way his stares lingered a little too long on nothing. The way he checked his phone constantly, his jaw tight, his shoulders stiff. I wasn’t sure he even realized he was doing it. Marco wasn’t the type to fidget, but lately, he’d been on edge in a way that didn’t sit right with me.And then there was that phone call.That night, I had woken up to
MARCOI lit a cigarette, letting the bitter taste settle on my tongue, the smoke curling up toward the ceiling. The office was too quiet, just the faint hum of the AC and the soft scratch of the papers I’d tossed aside. But my eyes kept drifting back to those damn records, like they were mocking me from the corner of the desk.I took a deep drag and leaned back in my chair, trying to shake off the tension coiled in my chest. The numbers didn’t lie. But the problem was, I didn’t have the answers yet. That’s what got under my skin the most—not knowing.I shifted in my seat, finding a comfortable spot, my body sinking deeper into the leather. My eyes felt heavy, the stress weighing me down more than I realized. I stared at the ceiling, the smoke blending with the shadows, and before I knew it, my mind drifted somewhere else. Somewhere softer.I saw her. My baby. I hoped Sarah woould give me a girl. Laughing, her little hands reaching for me, her smile brighter than the sun outside. She w
MARCOThe office was dead quiet, the kind of silence that made the tick of the clock on the wall sound like a drumbeat. The only other noise was the rustle of papers as I ran through the pile on my desk. Contracts, invoices, shipment logs—it was all the usual shit. Stuff I could practically do in my sleep by now. I signed off on the weapon shipments first, making sure the docks were clear for the incoming load from Eastern Europe. Then I moved to the laundering reports, checking the cash flow through our fronts—clubs, restaurants, real estate. Everything seemed to be running like clockwork.But my mind wasn’t in it.Petrov’s last words from that call still echoed in my head. He’d been vague—too vague for my liking. The whole thing about “unexpected shifts” and “watch your back.” It wasn’t like him to be cryptic. Petrov didn’t deal in riddles, and the fact that he was suddenly choosing his words carefully had me on edge. I didn’t want to overthink it, but I couldn’t help it. I had Sara
MARCOThe tires crunched against the gravel as I pulled into the office building’s lot, the usual buzz of early morning activity humming in the background. But none of it registered. My mind was still stuck on Petrov’s call, his words looping over and over like they were burned into my skull.“There’s a leak, Marco. Someone close. Watch your back.”I killed the engine, staring out the windshield for a moment longer before stepping out of the car. The cool morning air hit my face, but it didn’t do a damn thing to shake off the heaviness sitting on my chest. I grabbed my suitcase from the backseat, slamming the door shut harder than necessary. The sound echoed in the parking lot, but I barely noticed.As I walked toward the building, a few of the guys outside greeted me—nods, quick “Mornin’, boss,” the usual routine—but I didn’t even glance their way. Their voices were just background noise, fading into the mess of thoughts swirling in my head. My focus was shot to hell, and that wasn’t