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102: Lies and Leverage
Last Updated:
2025-01-25 17:54:42
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 103: In Hiding
Estella POVThe receptionist’s polished smile barely shifted as I handed her Clara’s credit card. “Welcome to The Halcyon,” she said. “Will you be needing help with your luggage, Ms. Morris—”Yes. I logged in under a fake name. Clara’s to be precise.“No, don’t bother” I cut her off quickly, forcing a smile. “No luggage. Just me.”She nodded, but her gaze lingered a second too long, her smile widening a fraction. “You look familiar. Are you a model? I think I used to see you on—The question caught me off guard. “No,” I said quickly. “You must have me confused with someone else.”The girl blinked, her cheeks coloring. “Oh, my mistake. Sorry. I just thought—”I didn’t let her finish. “It’s fine. Could I have my key, please?”She nodded and handed over the key card. “Room 210. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call the front desk. Enjoy your stay.”I muttered a quick “thanks” and moved away, resisting the urge to glance back. In the elevator’s mirrored walls, my reflection stared
Last Updated : 2025-01-26Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 104: A Chance Encounter
Estella POVI stopped at a 24/7 store next which was quiet except for the shuffle of a lone employee restocking shelves. I wandered through the aisles, scanning shelves that gleamed under harsh fluorescent lighting. My fingers hovered over a stack of plain T-shirts before settling on a soft gray one. I threw it into my basket alongside the essentials I’d already grabbed—a travel toothbrush, a comb, a pack of face wipes, and a plain set of pajamas. My fingers hesitated over a simple black dress. It wasn’t like I had anywhere to wear it. But then again, who cares so I tossed it into my basket too, along with a pair of flats.The cashier smiled politely as I slid Clara’s credit card across the counter, her nails clicking against the keyboard as she rang up my items. She didn’t say much, but the look she gave me—it was faintly curious, like she was trying to place me. Did I seem familiar to her too? Or was I just paranoid after the receptionist?I stuffed the receipt into the bag and hea
Last Updated : 2025-01-26Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 105: The Unexpected Adventure
Estella POVI opened the door to find Elliot standing there, looking… ridiculous. My eyes trailed over his outfit—thick boots, thermal pants, and a heavy jacket that seemed suited for climbing Mount Everest. A knit beanie rested crookedly on his blonde head, making his sharp features stand out even more.“What are you wearing?” I asked, my eyebrows shooting up.He gave me a grin that bordered on mischievous. “What you’re wearing won’t do,” he said, gesturing to my blazer and slacks.I glanced down at myself, confused. “What’s wrong with this? I thought we were going over a contract, not… whatever this is.”“Good thing I thought ahead,” he replied, holding up a plain brown paper bag. He shoved it toward me.I peeked inside, and my confusion only deepened. Inside were layers of clothing—thick thermal leggings, a fitted fleece jacket, gloves, and a scarf. “Elliot,” I started, my voice filled with suspicion, “what are you planning? This is hardly what to wear for business.”“You’ll see,”
Last Updated : 2025-01-26Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak Chapter 106: The Act That Shouldn’t Have Happened
Estella POVThe trail was well-maintained, but the snow made it slippery. I was grateful for the hiking boots he’d provided as they gripped the ground securely. I trudged behind him, muttering curses under my breath.“Keep up, Estella,” he called over his shoulder, clearly amused.“Keep up?” I shot back. “I didn’t sign up for this.”“Be careful you can easily get lost. It is slippery and wet from the snow so it is dangerous.”By the time we reached the top of the trail, I was out of breath, my cheeks red from the cold. But when I saw the view, my complaints died in my throat. My legs were screaming, but the view at the top was worth it. The city lay below us. The mountains stretched out in every direction, their peaks dusted with snow that sparkled in the sun. It was breathtaking.“You can stop pretending not to be impressed,” Elliot said beside me, his tone teasing.“Okay,” I admitted, “this is… impressive.”Elliot smiled, his gaze fixed on the view. “I thought you’d like it.”He sl
Last Updated : 2025-01-27Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak Chapter 107: Lost in the Woods
Estella POVI stumbled back a step, my boots sliding slightly against the uneven rock beneath me. My heart was pounding in my chest, though not from the altitude. I froze, unable to comprehend the sheer audacity of it. Then it hit me like a lightning strike.Elliot’s green eyes were still locked on mine, wide with shock as though he couldn’t believe what he’d just done.It wasn’t Alejandro’s stormy gray eyes staring back at me.I shoved him hard, my palms slamming into his chest with all the strength I could muster. “What the hell do you think you are doing?” I yelled, my voice raw with anger and disbelief.“Estella, I’m sorry.” he said quickly, hands raised defensively. “I lost control. I—”“You lost control?” I cut him off, stepping back, needing the space to breathe. “What the fuck, Elliot? You just kissed me! What part of that seemed like a good idea to you? You took advantage of me while I was vulnerable! How dare you?”He tried to speak, but I wasn’t finished.“I trusted you!”
Last Updated : 2025-01-27Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 108: Lost in the Cold
Estella POVThe snap of another branch startled me, and I spun around, heart hammering against my ribs. My breath hitched in the back of my throat, the sound bouncing off the trees around me.I squinted into the growing darkness, my eyes straining to find the source of the noise. The dark shadow darted past, and I let out a startled scream before realizing it was just a squirrel. A squirrel.My knees buckled, and I pressed a hand to my chest, willing my heartbeat to slow. “Get a grip,” I muttered shakily. My voice sounded hollow, barely audible against the howling wind.I pulled my jacket tighter, but it didn’t help. I was still very cold.Okay, think. What do I do now?“What do I do now?” I whispered again, my voice breaking.I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings. It was useless. Every direction looked the same—dense trees and snow-covered ground.Maybe the mine workers would be leaving soon. Maybe I’d hear their trucks. Or maybe Elliot would realize I hadn’t made
Last Updated : 2025-01-28Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 109: Dead in the Cold
Estella POVI couldn’t feel anything except the cold—no, it wasn’t just cold anymore. I don’t feel anything again. I was numb. It was emptiness I feel. My body had surrendered moments ago.It wasn’t painful anymore. It was almost…peacefulSo this is what dying feels like.I couldn’t move. My legs were curled awkwardly beneath me, the snow surrounding and pushing up around my body like a grave already dug. I tried to breathe, but each inhale was like a dagger in my chest.Is it supposed to hurt this much?The sky above was gray, swirling with clouds that blurred and shifted like watercolors bleeding together. I’d never noticed how beautiful the sky could be, even in a storm. My lips twitched, or at least I thought they did. Was I smiling? Crying? I couldn’t tell anymore.They say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about dying. Alejandro’s face was the only image that came to mine. His intense gray gaze, the way he looked at me, touched me, worshiped me. The way his jaw cle
Last Updated : 2025-01-28Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 109: After She Left
Alejandro POVI knew where she was the moment she left. Even before before her text lit up my phone—I need space—.I had been tracking her since she walked out of the house. Not because I didn’t trust her—I did. I just didn’t trust the world to keep her safe. After everything that had happened—being taken, attacked, and nearly killed—I’d taken precautions. The app I had made was custom-built, encrypted, and capable of tracking her phone even if it was off. I had this app made exclusively for us. As long as the device had been used in the last 24 hours and wasn’t wiped, it could be tracked.But I had never needed to check it ever since it was made. Not once. Until nowThe glowing blue dot on my screen, taking me through her day. She stopped at the lake first—her mother’s resting place. Then to Estrella Designs, likely trying to lose herself in work. And now, it stopped at the Halcyon Hotel.The Halcyon.My jaw tightened as I stared at her location. She wanted space, I understood that.
Last Updated : 2025-01-29
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 149: A Life Erased
"Female, late twenties to early thirties, severe trauma, possible internal injuries." The paramedic's voice cut through the activity of Ospedale San Giovanni's emergency department. "Pregnant, approximately six weeks. Found at sea, suspected plane crash survivor."Dr. Isabella Rossetti's hands moved with practiced efficiency as they transferred the unconscious woman from the rescue boat's stretcher. "Core temperature?""Stabilized during the transport. But she's been unconscious since retrieval.""Any form of ID?""Nothing." The paramedic handed over a sodden envelope. "Just this. The fisherman's wife who found her insisted we save it."Isabella tucked the envelope into her coat pocket, focusing on her patient. The woman's face was a map of bruises and lacerations, dark hair matted with salt and blood. But beneath the injuries, there was a striking beauty that even trauma couldn't hide."Get her to CT," Isabella ordered. "I want a full trauma workup. And page Dr. Marino from obstetri
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 148: The Survivor
Third Person Pov(Day of Crash)The fishing boat struggled against the increasingly violent waves, Paolo's weathered hands white-knuckled on the wheel. In the distance, the silhouette of Porto Manarola emerged through the mist."Her fever's rising, Paolo!" Maria pressed another blanket against the unconscious woman, whose breathing had grown erratic. The stranger's skin burned despite her sodden clothes, concerning Maria deeply.A wave crashed over the bow, drenching them. The young woman moaned, her head thrashing weakly from side to side, her eyelids fluttered, revealing disoriented eyes that couldn't seem to focus."Almost there," Maria soothed, though she doubted the stranger could hear her. "Just hold on, child."As they approached the harbor, figures appeared on the dock—word had spread through their little village. Paolo leaned on the horn, three sharp blasts that carried their urgency across the water."Sofia!" Paolo shouted to the harbor master's wife as they drew close enough
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 147: Washed Ashore
Third Person POV"Paolo, you're going to scare away all the fish with your complaining!" Maria Ricci swatted her husband's arm, her weathered hand connecting with surprising force for a woman in her sixties.Paolo Ricci scowled, adjusting his faded cap against the morning sun. "Woman, I've been fishing these waters for fifty years. I know what I'm talking about." He gestured toward the dark clouds gathering on the horizon. "Storm's coming. We should head back.""We just got here!" Maria protested, reaching for another piece of bait. "The nets are barely wet."Their small fishing boat rocked gently on the Mediterranean waves, five miles off the coast of their village, Porto Manarola. They'd been married for forty-six years, and every morning for the last twenty—since Paolo's retirement—they'd taken this boat out together."The nets are empty again." Paolo spat over the side of the weathered fishing boat, his leathery face creased with frustration. "Third day this week. Something's wron
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 146: No More Hope
Alejandro Three hours later, we're back at the field office. Marco's in surgery, his chances are slim to none. Claudia is in interrogation, and from what I can see through the one-way glass, she’s breaking. Mascara streaks down her tear-streaked face as she sobs her way through her confession to Rivera.I don’t feel satisfaction.I don’t feel anything.Rivera leans in. “It was Marco’s plan, wasn’t it?”Claudia nods frantically. “Yes—yes, all of it. He was obsessed with destroying her and getting revenge on Alejandro.”Rivera pushes harder. “The plane. Tell me all you know about the plane.”Claudia swipes at her wet cheeks, inhaling shakily. “It was Torres—he’s the one who actually did the work. The navigation system, the fail-safe, everything. It was meant to go down over the ocean.”"And Estella De Luca?"Claudia's face crumples and her breath stutters. "We need to know," Rivera's voice carries through the speakers, "was there any possibility of survival?"Claudia hesitates, then
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 145: The Truth Comes Out
---The private airfield glows under spotlights. Federal vehicles surround the perimeter. No chances of escape this time."They're still here," Calloway confirms, lowering binoculars. "The jet is on the tarmac. Two subjects moving equipment."I strain to see through the darkness. "Claudia and Marco?""Looks like it.” Calloway confirms. “They've got no idea we're here."Rivera stands nearby, giving the final instructions to the tactical team. “We want them alive. They might be our only chance to find out what really happened to Mrs. De Luca.”I check my own weapon. No one comments on a civilian being armed. The Bureau has long since given up trying to contain me. Some battles aren't worth fighting."Ready?" Rivera asks.I nod. I am beyond ready.The moment we move, the airfield erupts.Engines roar as tactical vehicles tear across the tarmac. Spotlights blind. Megaphones blare out commands.“FBI! HANDS IN THE AIR!”Claudia stops mid-step at the base of the jet’s stairs, her hands shoot
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 144: The Interrogation
The motel is a shithole on the edge of town, the kind of place where people come to disappear—sometimes permanently. Yellow crime scene tape flutters in the night breeze, barely keeping the stench of rot and drug inside. Local cops mill around, throwing irritated glances at the federal agents invading their territory.I push past them all. Nobody tries to stop me.The room stinks of cheap whiskey and death. Carlos Ramos lies sprawled on the bed, a gaping hole where the back of his head used to be, blood splattered against the peeling wallpaper. The gun is still clutched in his stiff fingers."Don't touch anything," Rivera warns, too late.I'm already moving, scanning the room. "Where's the note?"A detective points to a plastic evidence bag on the nightstand. Inside, a cheap hotel notepad with three words scrawled in shaky handwriting:I’m sorry, Carlos.I snatch the bag, turning it over in my hands. The ink is smudged, the strokes uneven. Writing under duress. Fear.“Sorry for what?”
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 143: A Lead
The church is packed. Black designer suits and dresses. Photographers lining the street. I ignore them all, striding through the doors in jeans and a rumpled shirt, a month's worth of beard on my face.The service has already started. A priest drones on about loss and heaven. Empty words over an empty casket.Every head turns when I walk in. Whispers ripple through the crowd. The great Alejandro De Luca, finally broken.I don't give a fuck what they think."Mr. De Luca," the male agent says, extending his hand. I ignore it. He cleared his throat “ I am Agent Calloway and this is my partner Agent Rivera.”"You're taking a chunk of my time. Talk."They exchange glances. "We should discuss this privately."I push past them to a small building outside the church. They follow, closing the door behind them."We have reason to believe Marco Valdez was involved in sabotaging your wife's plane," Calloway says.My blood runs cold, then hot. "Tell me something I don't already know.""We found of
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 142: The Fall of Alejandro de Luca
Alejandro One Month LaterI slam my fist into the wall, pain shooting up my arm. I welcome it. Anything to feel something other than this fucking hole in my chest.The TV drones on in the background, some society reporter standing outside the church where they're burying a goddamn empty casket. _"...the tragic death of Estella De Luca has shocked the business world. Sources close to the family say her husband, billionaire Alejandro De Luca, is too overcome with grief to attend today's service..."_I grab the remote and hurl it at the screen. Glass shatters, sparks fly. The sudden silence is almost worse.Someone knocks. I ignore it.The door opens anyway. Raúl. "Boss," he says quietly, stepping over broken furniture. My office looks like a war zone. "The funeral's starting. People are asking where you are."I don't turn to face him. My eyes remain fixed on the city skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows. Somewhere out there, she's alive. I feel it in my fucking bones."Let them
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 141: The Fall
EstellaThe private jet climbs higher into the sky, each mile taking me further from him, stretching the distance between us. Between me and the only man I have ever truly loved.I press my forehead against the cool window, watching as everything disappears beneath the clouds. Somewhere down there, I know he’s still standing on that airstrip, watching this plane carry his heart away. I wonder if he regrets it. If he wants to take it all back.My fingers trace the edge of his letter, still sealed. I couldn’t bring myself to open it yet."Ms De Luca?" The flight attendant appears with a gentle smile. "Would you like some water? We have about four hours until we reach the Amalfi Coast."Four hours. In four hours, I'll be in a foreign country, alone except for the two security men Alejandro insisted on sending with me. They sit several rows ahead."No, thank you." My voice sounds strange to my own ears.The cabin is quiet except for the hum of the engine. A middle aged businessman types o
