~ADELE~
The following day, I woke up finding myself under the silk sheets. I could feel the path of the dry tear on my face. I must have been crying for a long time at night.
Standing in front of the mirror, I could see the bite marks on my collarbone and neck. He was not a human. His clutch’s blue to black imprints on my hand and waist left me in pain.
How long am I going to protect myself from him?
I slid into the water tub and stayed there longer than expected.
After wrapping my little frame in the bathrobe, I checked those marks, which turned a shade lighter. But what’s the use when he will present me the same tonight?
I didn’t have a choice but to hide them. I am sure nobody would like to see his painting over my body and consider its love bite, but in reality, it was something else. I wore a high neck and jeans to cover my body and stood next to the window.
I was lost in my thoughts when my eyes caught a waving hand from the garden. I waved back towards Angelo with a thin smile.
He signaled me to come down and meet him.
But I ignored it because the devil’s words echoed in my head.
The night was blurry in vision but fresh in mind as the darkness engulfed us. The last thing I remember, he was talking about Angelo, and when I tried to deny it, he punished me.
“There is nothing between him and me. He was the first person I met in this mansion.” I begged while he was pressing me harder against the wall. Tears kept coming into my eyes.
“I want to punish you for what you did today,” he uttered in his thick voice.
“Are you going to hurt me?” I sobbed.
I knew I had broken a rule, and there was no way he would forgive me. I am sure that was the reason Mr. Vincent warned me.
“Yes,” He hoarse in his unique voice.
He dragged me towards the canopy frame with a single pull on my wrist. I couldn’t match his strength; my wrists were cuffed on either side of the canopy bed.
“Please, what are you doing?”
I was hanging in between the frames, fearing how he would punish me. I could only hear the metallic cuffs making a noise against the rods, as the room was unclear, and I could only hear his breath.
He took off every belonging from my body.
“Please, I am begging you. I wanted to save my friend.” I cried.
I could feel his wet lips over my body. He was exploring, tasting every inch of my frame without my permission. His touch was rough, as he was not in a way to please me but to punish it.
He was biting me, yanking me, feeding on my pain, and didn’t bother to hear my sobs.
“Have you ever touched a rose?” He questioned.
“Yes,” I answered as he pinched my flower bud.
“Every petal is unique. Every petal has different shades, and it feels magnificent when you rub it on your lips.” He husked.
He rubbed his lips over my neck, sucking it deeply.
“You are like a rose, Adele. And every inch of your body is like a petal that tastes differently, and today I am going to taste the juice of this rose,”
“I want this rose to crush under my body,” he trailed his fingers to the sensitive part, making me moan harder.
“How long are you going to beg me? One or another day, you have to submit yourself.” He pulled my hair as he licked my neck.
I was hypnotized by his voice before, and I felt the same again. Unintentionally, I gave myself to him because I didn’t have the energy to sustain myself in front of his words.
Despite that, I wanted to fight with my leftover vehemence.
“I fear you.”
“Why? Am I going to kill you?”
“I am not here to scare you, my flower. I am here to taste every petal of yours.” He bit me on my collarbone.
He kissed me, and this time, it was rougher than before.
“Please, Mr. Costello,” I wiggled as the metal made a heavy sound.
He stopped for a second.
“So, she knows her husband’s name?”
“No, I don’t know your name. But..., if you want to take away my virginity, I have the right to ask your name.” I wailed.
He caressed my tears and rubbed my lips with his thumb pad.
“You wanted to know my name.”
“Yes,”
“What will you give me in return?”
I could feel his hardness over my body.
“There is nothing I can give you. You already have everything.” I blurted out. He grinned.
“I want your submission.”
“Whether I willingly give it or not, you will take it from me. So take it, but just one request. Any other man has not touched me, so if you want to make your mark on my body, be gentle,” I hissed as I gave up.
I rested my head over his chest as I submitted myself.
“Decker,” he whispered, grabbing my neck and rubbing his chin over my head.
His warm air entered my ears, and it ignited something inside me. I will be lying if I say it did not attract me to his way.
He unbuckled my hand and threw me onto the bed.
“I wanted your submission with all your heart. I am dominant, but not a rapist.”
“But that doesn’t mean I will not touch you again. You belong to me; remember that.” He smoked as he hovered himself over my body.
“I want you, Adele. I want you to make me free from my mistakes.” He tried to get up, but I grabbed his hand.
“I don’t know why you don’t want me to see you. But how can I submit myself when I don’t know you?”
There was an awkward silence in the room, waiting for me to make another move.
“Decker Costello, my name is enough for you to know. Other than that, my touch will make you feel whatever you want to know.”
He smirked over my face.
“Let me touch you,”
I raised my hand, but he clasped it.
“Please, Decker, let me know who my husband is,” I uttered.
He gently rested my finger pads on his eyes. I trailed my shivering fingers over his eyes, his perfect jaw, and then his lips. He planted a kiss on my fingers, sending me another shiver.I trailed my finger to his chest with closed eyes, and I must say the gods sculpted every muscle of his body.
As we know, the devil was one of the beautiful angels created by the creator. I didn’t need to see it because I could feel every curve of his chest and broad shoulder.
“How do you feel about me?” He asked a hard question.
I stopped for a second and shifted near him. Holding my silk sheet to cover my body, I muttered.
“Like a thorn with the rose,” I knew he felt surprised by my answer.
“You know how to play with words,” he smoked.
I raised my hand to touch his hair; they are long thick curls. But he grabbed my hand again.
“What?”
“Don’t touch me like this; you don’t know to whom you are dealing.”
“I know I am dealing with the devil who is looking for his redemption,”
He pushed me onto the bed.
“You are going to hate me for what I did. There is no way you could redeem me.” He turned and walked towards the door.
“Let me decide if I could redeem you or not. I wanted to know the devil who wants love.” I answered, as he stopped.
“You will never love me once you know the fact.” He answered.
“Or I could love you, looking beyond your sins,” I replied.
“Sleep, my flower. Tomorrow I am going to sin with you, and there is no way I would be gentle with you,”
His words were more like a threat to me.
Suddenly, his voice changed as he left the room.
I thought of running after him, but it could be dangerous for me.
As he left, I came to my senses. It felt like I was saying whatever he wanted me to tell him.
I heard a knock at my door.
I came out of my trance and heard a knock on my door.
“Come in.” It’s Maria.
“Mam, are you ok? You didn’t come for breakfast. Senor was asking about you,” she added.
“Decker, right?” I replied, as she gave me a startled look.
“Yes, mam. Sorry, but Senor told us not to tell you anything.” She avoided my stare.
“It’s ok.” I finished my breakfast and went down.
I thought about going out, but Decker’s words came to mind. He was not happy with me talking to Angelo.
How did he know I was feeling attracted to him? Angelo is a genuine guy and has all the things a girl needs.
I composed my feelings and walked into the front yard, looking for the fountain. I felt so connected with this statue. “Hey,”
My focus shifted when a familiar voice brushed my ears. Unintentionally my eyes shifted back to the mansion, looking for the clue. There might be chances, Decker, looking for me.
“I called you. How’s your leg?” He smiled and extended a flower towards me.
“Thanks, but I don’t need it,” I claimed without looking at him.
“Ok, is everything alright, Adele? Did Senor tell you something?” He questioned.
Nothing was right about my husband, who liked to play hide and seek with me. And yes, he warned me about you. Even though I was dying to tell him everything. I couldn’t put his life in danger. I turned and looked at him for a moment, knowing this would hurt him, and entered the mansion. He stood there waiting for me to explain my strange behavior.
******
It’s evening Mr. Vincent told me about my shop and farm. He gave Blaise full rights to handle it after I requested him. “It’s done. As you said, Blaise will handle all the things,”
“And what about my brother?” I asked.
“We hired him as our driver in one of our transportation centers,” I thanked him. At least now he could fix his life, not run after drugs. Mr. Vincent left, and I stood alone near the fountain, appreciating its beauty with the evening bliss. Suddenly somebody grabbed my hand and pulled me near the walls.
“What the heck?” I tried to scream.
“Why are you ignoring me?” Angelo ruffed.
My mind alerted me to the danger. I jerked my body away from Angelo, and without uttering a word, I ran inside. “Adele, why?”
I could hear his voice, but I ignored it because I knew this was the right thing to do. I ran to my room as my heart was pounding heavily with an unexpected encounter with Angelo. Why did he behave like that? Didn’t he know about his master? How could I tell him his master is a devil who knew every breath I used to take?
My life had changed upside down. I hate ignoring Angelo and fear the nights. For the entire day, I was thinking about Decker. His touch was fresh on my fingertips. I closed my eyes as I tried to remember his sculpted body, but his words were buzzing in my ears. His touch, his warmth, alerted me he would come soon. My heart beat fast again, as I could feel strange knots in my stomach. These knots were not the excitement, but the fear he created in my mind. It felt like you were trying hard to see in the darkroom, but you could only feel his presence, unable to figure out who he was. I was not tired, but I wanted to push this sinful night where he could push himself on me.
I remembered the trick my sister once told me. “Think of something undesirable. A sin you wanted to commit badly, and try to live that moment. It will help you sleep.”
I never understood these words of hers, but it was time to follow it. I closed my eyes as my mind took me to my farm and my shop. “Shut your mind, think of something you wanted to have badly, which seems impossible,” the devil in my mind snuggles the thought of thinking something sinister.
“What should I think I shouldn’t ask for?” I tried to think.
Suddenly, the image of Angelo came to my mind. The second moment, my eyes were wide open.
The devil inside me smirked, “Something sinister, huh?”
I fluttered my eyes to make them heavy as I converged to think about him. His sculpted body as my eyes trailed through every part of his body. I wanted to touch him badly, and kissed me. I didn’t know if the next thing happened between us or not, but I didn’t feel Decker’s presence beside me.
******
The following day, I woke up with a smile. The first thought that came to mind was my sinister thought about Angelo. I knew it was not good to think about another man, but it helped me sleep instantly. I looked around as I found nothing that shows Decker’s presence last night in this room.
Didn’t he come last night? It could be possible he came, but I fell asleep. At least he didn’t wake me up. I was about to jump from my bed, but I felt sudden chills on my body. I looked down and saw I was not wearing any clothes.
“What the heck?” I stuttered, looking at myself.
I knew I wore a nightie last night. I didn’t need to think twice when I saw red marks on my cleavage.
“He was here,” I pressed my lips together, with an awkward feeling crawling under my body. I ran towards the bathroom to finish my morning business and came down for breakfast, informed Maria I wanted to roam around the mansion.
Lost in my sinister thoughts, I saw a stable. There were lots of horses, but no men. Now that was strange to me. Why was nobody there to take care of these beautiful animals?
Suddenly, I heard someone screaming. It caught my attention immediately. Why would anybody call like this? With a caring walk, I tried to see through the cracks of the window.
“Boss, give me one more chance,” the man chained from the ceiling screamed. I could see Mr. Vincent’s face, but there was one more image facing his back towards me.
“You cheated on me. And you know I would never tolerate that,” as the sound came from his mouth, my ears got alerted to his thick voice. Decker, the first thought pumped from my mind.
Is he Decker? My mind gathered all the information I had about him. He was tall, with a broad shoulder. I could not process further when I heard a gunshot. The blood dripped in between his head. I didn’t know when the scream of fear came out of my mouth.
I was shaking badly, looking through the crack as the man hanging from the shackles was alive a few moments ago, but now his mind blew on the back wall. A sensation of puke crawled the next moment when I saw the lump of his brain stuck on the wall. I wanted to see the man who shot him. I knew he was Decker.
“What are you doing here?”
I heard a strange noise that captured my presence.
I could hear his voice, but I ignored it because I knew this was the right thing to do. I ran to my room as my heart was pounding heavily with an unexpected encounter with Angelo. Why did he behave like that? Didn’t he know about his master? How could I tell him his master is a devil who knew every breath I used to take? My life had changed upside down. I hate ignoring Angelo and fear the nights. For the entire day, I was thinking about Decker. His touch was fresh on my fingertips. I closed my eyes as I tried to remember his sculpted body, but his words were buzzing in my ears. His touch, his warmth, alerted me he would come soon. My heart beat fast again, as I could feel strange knots in my stomach. These knots were not the excitement, but the fear he created in my mind. It felt like you were trying hard to see in the darkroom, but you could only feel his presence, unable to figure out who he was. I was not tired, but I wanted to push this sinful night where he could push himself on
I ran inside, catching my breath. I was about to tell Angelo everything I saw.; A murder committed by my husband. It’s disgusting to trap yourself when you don’t know what to think and feel. Can I trust Angelo? What if he was Decker’s other loyal servant testing me? And even if he was not, didn’t Decker know about him? What if Decker saw us? What if he knew I was about to tell everything? I pulled my hair to the back of my head and didn't know whom to trust or not. With all these considerations, I entered the wrong wing of the mansion. I was walking without a stable mind. The west wing seems silent; maybe nobody used to come here. It appears to be an abandoned section of this mansion. I thought about turning back, but I wanted to see why this part was closed for all of us—a forbidden area. Something told me there are skeletons of secrets buried beneath these walls. Just like the humans in this mansion pretend, these walls have hidden agendas. I looked around as the wall still d
~ADELE~ I woke up in the morning with soreness in between my legs. The first thing I felt was tears in my eyes. I burst into tears; my first night, my very first night, was horrible as the monster punished me for the thing that triggered something inside him. I can’t live like this. First, my brother and mom tortured me, and then he did. Am I a human or a puppet? I wanted somebody to make me feel secure. I tried to call Blaise, but she was not there. I tried to call Elijah, but I cut the call before it got connected. I walked toward the bathroom to get a hot shower, not to mention the pain was still creasing inside me, making me feel how he carelessly treated me. As the hot water touched my skin, I closed my eyes, thinking of the words he gave me before he became the monster. He called me his flower, but how could he crush me like this? He wanted love from me, but how could I love him when he was willing to show his evil things towards me? I didn’t find a single reason to love h
~ADELE~Encountering Decker gave me another level of anxiety. The way he treated me in the past few days reminded me I could expect the worst for myself.What if he knows about the trip to the police station? What if he punishes or tries to kill him? What if he knows about Angelo’s feelings for me?The churning stomach and goosebumps made my vulnerable thoughts work on my body. I was trembling inside with terror.Isn’t feel strange we used to overthink the situation before it even happened to us. But this time, I was not overthinking I was waiting for punishment from the devil himself. If he could punish me for a small hairpin, he would happily kill me for the crime committed against him.I stood near the glass doors looking at the pool, waiting for him to enter.Suddenly, the lights went off, and the room’s aura changed utterly. There was a strange stillness and a sudden temperature drop in my body. It could be my mind or anxiety, but I was not ready to face a situation like that.The
“I am here, Adele. One day you will come to me,”His overconfident voice made me feel helpless. When did I give him authority over my decisions? “He has nothing to offer you except pain. Leave that monster.”Angelo’s voice didn’t leave me for a second. His words sounded hollow. How could he be so sure about him? Of course, he severely beat him. Is this some revenge? Showing his love, knowing I am his master’s wife? Is this plotting against Decker?His eyes looked innocent, but not his intention. Why? I pulled my hair with stress; it was a haunted dream. “Yes, I cannot see anything. What’s the truth?” looking at the statue, I felt the same.I ran to my room where I saw a letter on the bed and a beautiful red rose. My Flower,I know there is nothing I gave you to remember me as good in your life. I took your happiness to fulfill mine.I love you.It hurts my heart to see you were worried about Angelo.I punished him, and I don’t regret it. After I come, I will set you free.Your husb
From a deep slumber, Adele woke up. She didn’t find Decker in the room. With heavy eyes, she walked to look outside. Decker was standing at his favorite place near the water's edge.A smile sprinkled on Adele’s face; after a raging storm, it was a peaceful moment of relief. A tempest cleared between her thoughts and reality. She prepared herself and followed the narrow way towards him.The evening filled with peach-lavender light mirrored in the still water, where Decker was immersed in his thoughts.He looked at himself in the still water, thinking of his past.( FLASHBACK)“Did you kill him?” The girl shrieked. Decker stood still, looking at her.“Where the hell is ENZO?” She screamed again in panic.Decker walked towards her; she slapped him.“I would never love you. I hate you for what you are. Nobody can love a man like you. You are incapable of love. Did you hear me? Incapable of love,” She pulled the gun from his coat and pointed it toward him.“Don’t do it. Keep the gun down,”
~ADELE~The morning seems like it has never been before. It was the first time I felt secure, making me realize Decker was sleeping next to me.I fluttered my eyes and turned towards him. He was sleeping like a baby. His black onyx eyes were closed, which I used to lose myself. He knew something magical to hypnotize me, and without knowing, my body acted on his signals. I smiled as I trailed my nails tips on his sculpted face, thanking God for everything I had this morning.A loving husband, a beautiful life. What more do I want? I touched his lip with my finger pads, reading every detail on his face. He pecked an unexpected kiss. It made me hitch with surprise. Is he awake?Those onyx-black eyes were looking at me. “Good morning, flower,” he licked my finger gently.I smiled without words as I tucked my hair behind my ears. “What were you doing?”“Nothing, trying to feel you. What’s real in front of my eyes?” I kissed his head.“You read my eyes,” he husked.“I don’t know, but your ey
~ADELE~“What happened, Adele?”“Please, take me out of here?” I appealed.He took me home, and for the entire ride, I was pondering the words spoken by those strangers. Why were they warning me? Am I on his latest hunt? What does that mean? All his love and emotions are a lie?I didn’t have the audacity to ask him about this. I saw him pulling the trigger without hesitation and how gently he held the flower petals. He showed me how hard he could be and how gentle he could be.“Adele,” he touched my hand.I came out of my zone and looked at him, but the sweat beads covered the first layer of my skin. An unknown fear crippling my senses, blankly looking at him.But I had to play. I had to play the part to look normal because this is what we do when we feel trapped.“I apologize for pulling you out like this; I was not feeling well,” “Hey, that party and those people don’t matter to me. What matters to me is you.” He cupped my face, and those glossy eyes flickered to the truth of his so
Margarita looked out at the moon, standing next to the fountain. The breeze played with her long curls, emphasizing the coldness. She was not expecting her dad to reveal the situation like this. She heard the footsteps approaching in her direction, and she was not willing to talk to anyone right now. She rushed towards the garden, thinking she could hide. “Margarita,” a voice brushed in her ears, and the goosebumps started to crawl out from her skin. She didn’t turn because she knew she would look weak and vulnerable in front of Samson. Margarita’s fingers tightened around the edge of her dress, her knuckles turning white. She could sense Samson’s presence behind her, the weight of his gaze, the unspoken words that hung in the air between them. But she remained committed, determined to protect herself from the pain that had once shattered her world. “I know... I have never missed an opportunity to hurt you, but we both know how much...” Samson whispered close to her ear; she turned
Three of them went inside. Samson could feel the resilience aura coming his way from Mateo. His presence might have been accepted by the Italian don but by the brother of Margarita Costello.The room was filled with a tense silence as Decker’s sharp gaze fell on Samson, his expression unreadable. Mateo stood by, observing the interaction between the two men.“Samson,” Decker’s voice was steady, his tone devoid of any warmth.“How are you now?”“I am... better,” Decker gestured toward a chair, indicating for Samson to sit. As they settled around a table, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation.“Mateo, could you please call everyone? Our friend here came to have dinner with us,” Decker instructed, his eyes never leaving Samson.Mateo nodded and left the room, leaving Samson and Decker alone for a moment. The silence was tangible, and Samson could feel the weight of Decker’s scrutiny on him.The silence filled with the click of glass when Decker poured whiskey into two glasses and dr
Master’s cold eyes flickered with intense emotion. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced, and recounted his side of the story.“It all started when you shot Elijah, leaving him to die.” That sight was still crisp in Master’s mind, watching his son bathed in his own blood pool.Master’s voice was low and filled with bitterness.He paused for a moment, his gaze distant as he relived the memories of that fateful day. “Elijah’s condition only fueled my rage further. He was left paralyzed, and I couldn’t bear to see my son suffer like that.”“The pain of watching our son consumed my wife, and she chose to die by taking her life. I lost everything that day, and the pain consumed me because of you.” Master’s eyes didn’t flicker from Decker’s face.“I wanted revenge, and I wanted Decker to suffer as I had suffered. So, I searched for the worst criminals, those who would carry out my bidding without question. That’s when I found Vasco Ivankov and helped him establish the Spanish
In a quiet corner of the room, Adele and Elijah sat closely together. Both of them were old, and time had carved its marks on their faces, but their eyes held the same warmth and love that had bound them together for decades. Adele looked at Elijah with concern, her heart aching for the man she once loved deeply.“You look beautiful,” Elijah stammered.Adele smiled thinly and shook her head, withering away the worries about what was happening outside.“Is this because of the bullet in your spine?” Adele asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper.Elijah nodded slowly, his lips twisted in pain as he struggled to speak. “Yes,” he uttered. “I got punished for what I did.”Tears welled up in Adele’s eyes as she reached out and cupped Elijah’s hand in her own. “No, Elijah,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. “You didn’t deserve this. You were caught in the crossfire, and it was never your fault.”Elijah drooled, and Adele picked to wipe his face.“Is he handsome enough?” He chuck
The thick scarlet liquid dripped from the on the wooden floor, slithering down at the Master’s shoe. He finished, placed his cigar back on the ashtray, and looked sideways to see the lifeless body of Capo on his patio. His face twisted in disgust and anger. He looked at the man who had once been his friend, his ally, but was now nothing more than a hindrance to his plans. “Your blood stains my patio, making it dirty,” he muttered, his voice cold and devoid of any remorse.“I thought your son was better than you, but these Costello bitches always win the men with their charm,” he greeted, his teeth watching over Elijah as he made his way to the patio.“Don’t look at me like this,” Master rolled his eyes, watching Elijah’s judgemental eyes.Capo’s phone started to buzz on the coffee table, displaying the name “Samson” on the screen, but Master didn’t bother to pick up. He threw the phone aside, frustrated by the turn of events. His plan to defeat Decker and take control of the underworl
The room was shrouded in darkness, the heavy curtains drawn tightly shut, blocking any sliver of light from the outside world. The only source of illumination was a single dim lamp perched on the edge of the heavy wooden desk. Its soft glow created dancing shadows on the walls, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the room.Capo sat there, a solitary figure amidst the darkness, his face partially concealed by the shadows. The lamp cast a faint light on his troubled expression, revealing the lines of sorrow etched on his face. His eyes, filled with a mixture of grief and determination, remained fixed on a picture of his beloved son, Aslan, which lay on the desk before him, his handsome face smiling back at him, and tears welled up in his eyes.“I’m so sorry, my boy,” Capo whispered, his voice choked with emotion. “I never got the chance to tell you the truth. I wanted to explain why I punished your mother. Why I had to make the choices I did.”His mind drifted back to the painful memories
The morning sun gently streamed through the curtains, waking Sarah from her restless slumber. As she opened her eyes, she saw Margi sitting beside her, her face filled with concern.“Hey,” Margi said softly, “How are you feeling?”Sarah mustered a weak smile. “Better, I guess. Thanks for taking care of me.”Margi nodded, her heart heavy with the weight of everything that had transpired. “Of course, Sarah. I’ll always be here for you.”Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes as she looked at Margi. “I’m so sorry, Margi. I never meant for any of this to happen.”Margi reached out and gently squeezed Sarah’s hand. “It’s not your fault, Sarah. None of us could have foreseen any of this.”Sarah’s voice quivered as she spoke, “Will you ever be able to forgive Dominic?”Margi looked at her friend, unsure if she could ever find it in her heart to forgive the man who had caused her so much pain. “I... I don’t know if I can forgive him,” she admitted, her voice filled with uncertainty and vulnerability
Margi looked down at her trembling hands, her dress stained with blood and dirt. One part of her heart was relieved. Sarah is safe and under the doctor’s observation. Her mind drifted back to that horrifying day when she witnessed her brother Ethan’s tragic end. The image of him being engulfed by bullets haunted her, and her own screams echoed in her ears. She felt the guilt creeping in, wondering why it was always her loved ones who suffered while she managed to survive.Aslan’s face flashed before her eyes, his hazel eyes filled with love and happiness just hours before his life was taken from him. The memory of his gentle smile and the promise of a new life together crushed her heart. She couldn’t bear the thought that she was with him in his last moments, and yet she couldn’t save him.“Why does it always have to be them? Why can’t I protect the ones I love?” Margi whispered to herself, her voice filled with desperation.Amid her thoughts, Antonio extended a glass of water towards
The road ahead seemed uncertain and dark. The headlights of the car cut through the night, illuminating the winding path before them, but it did little to dispel the heaviness in their hearts.In the silence of the car, broken only by the sound of the engine and the soft hum of tires on the road, Margi and Sarah couldn’t help but contemplate the shattered trust that lay between them and Dominic.Margi skimmed in her direction and knew how the pain etched on Sarah’s face. The dry tears and blank eyes were a reflection of the shattered trust that mirrored her own feelings. Looking at Sarah, Margi saw a reflection of her own heartache, and she knew that they both shared a similar pain.“Do you love him?” Margi asked, her voice soft and understanding, knowing the weight of that question.Sarah hesitated for a moment, her lower lip trembling with fear of revealing the truth. She squeezed her eyes and swallowed the truth without uttering them in words.Margi knew the ache of loving someone