LOGINShare
15: Claudia’s Scheme
Last Updated:
2024-11-25 02:50:09
Related chapters
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 16: Planning the Revenge
Valdez Corporation wasn’t just a company; it was an empire built in greed and cemented with blood. Alejandro didn’t need to say it outright. I could see it in the faded photographs he laid on the desk between us: black-and-white snapshots of Marco’s grandfather standing over laborers with a shotgun, contracts signed in ink too dark to ignore the rumors of forced acquisitions, and newspaper clippings viewing the “Valdez Empire” as the foundation of industrial growth.Stories whispered through the boardrooms told of rivals who disappeared overnight, of contracts signed under threats, and fortunes gathered at the cost of countless lives. Each generation of Valdez men inherited not just the wealth but the sins of their predecessors.Now, the Valdez name was everywhere—on supermarket shelves, lighting up skylines, fueling power grids. Yet beneath the glossy exterior lay a rotten core, a legacy of corruption and exploitation.It was that legacy Alejandro intended to destroy.Alejandro’s st
Last Updated : 2024-11-26Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 17: Planning the Revenge 2
“And my role in all this?”“The accident”“What about it?” I asked hesitantly.“The truck driver who died, Ramon Ortega That’s our linchpin. If we can prove Marco or Helena orchestrated it, it’ll be the final nail in the coffin.”“How do we do that?”“Ramon worked for Marco’s late father. That’s where the connection starts, but it’s not enough. We need more than a paper trail—something concrete.”I frowned, frustration bubbling to the surface. “How do we prove they were behind it? It’s not like they’re going to leave a signed confession lying around.”“We dig, Estella. Payments, phone calls, emails. Somewhere, there’s a trail that leads back to them. Always. They will have left traces—loose ends that connect them to the crash.” “Marco’s not careless. He wouldn’t have left evidence lying around.”“No,” Alejandro agreed, “but Helena might have. She’s reckless when she thinks no one’s watching. And she has a habit of trusting the wrong people.I thought back to the night of the accident
Last Updated : 2024-11-26Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 18: Grace
My phone pinged, and I quickly swiped it open. Found her. I grinned. Alejandro had come through faster than I expected. Throwing on a plain blouse and jeans, I grabbed my bag. “Okay,” I muttered to myself, slipping into sneakers. “Let’s do this.” The ride wasn’t long, but when I arrived, I couldn’t help staring at the modest house in front of me. It leaned more towards dilapidated than quaint—chipped paint, a sagging porch—but it had a charm to it, with potted flowers lining the steps. So, this is where Grace lives. Grace had been the housekeeper for Marco’s family way before I got married into the family, way before his father even died. I’m guessing the reason they strung her along for that long was because she couldn’t speak. Alejandro’s source was annoyingly efficient, as always. I stared at the place for a moment, nerves knotting in my stomach. If anyone can find the skeletons buried in the Valdez family closet, it was her. I knocked on the door, and it swung open
Last Updated : 2024-11-28Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 19: Step One
“Let me see,” I said, stepping closer. Alejandro glanced at me. “Curious?” “Let’s just say I want to watch this house of cards collapse.” He smirked, sliding his chair back so I could lean in. “Marco siphoned off over $50 million over the last five years,” he said, pointing to a file on the screen labeled Luxury Expenses. “Gambling debts Monaco, private jets, questionable offshore accounts. He’s been covering his tracks with falsified audits.” “And this is all going out?” Alejandro nodded. “I sent the files to a few key investors and news outlets. By now, they’re waking up to the kind of headline that makes stock prices tank.” As if on cue, the notifications on his phone light up like a Christmas tree. He checked it, lips curling into a satisfied grin. “The first article just went live. By lunchtime, Marco will be drowning.” I leaned against the desk. “Does he know yet?” Alejandro tilted his head, mockingly thoughtful. “Let’s hope not. I want him blindsided.” By noon,
Last Updated : 2024-11-28Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 20: Blood and Fear
“Alejandro, we need to get you out of here. Now.” My voice cracked as I pressed my palm against his shoulder, trying to slow the bleeding. He winced, his eyes darting around the chaotic parking lot. “You need to get to safety first,” he said, his voice tight with pain. “Safe?” I snapped, my voice rising over the panicked shouts around us. “Stop being so damn stubborn! You’re bleeding out, and I’m not leaving you here.” He grimaced but finally nodded. “Alright. Let’s go.” I slipped my arm around his waist, supporting as much of his weight as I could. Alejandro gritted his teeth but didn’t complain. Each step was agonizingly slow, his breath hitching with every jolt. “Stay behind me,” he muttered, pulling me closer to shield me as his eyes swept the area. I held on tighter. “Not happening.” The parking lot was a war zone. Broken glass glittered under the flickering lights, security guards shouted into radios, and distant sirens pierced the air. People screamed in the dist
Last Updated : 2024-11-29Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 21: A Month After
It’s been a month since the shooting.Alejandro insisted we move to his penthouse while he recovered, a sprawling glass-and-steel fortress perched in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. The place screamed wealth—floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the skyline. A view that would’ve made a poet cry.And yet, I couldn’t enjoy it.Every time I saw him shirtless—his shoulder bandaged, the bruising still fading—I felt the phantom stickiness of his blood on my hands. Every time he winced, I heard the echo of that gunshot.I was losing sleep over itThe news didn’t break until two days after the shooting outside the Wellington Club.Carl Whitman, the Texas oil tycoon, had been the sniper’s primary target. The bullet meant for him struck true, ending his life in an instant. It all made sense in hindsight—the chaos, the way the attack seemed planned down to the second. Carl Whitman was the prize. But if that was true, what the hell had Alejandro and I been caught in? Collateral damage?This do
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 22: Fight and Flight
I blinked at him. “What?”“You need to learn how to defend yourself,” he said matter-of-factly. “The next time someone points a gun in your direction, I want you to know exactly what to do.”I stared at him, my jaw dropping. “Are you serious? You just got shot, and now you want to play sensei on a rooftop?”“Yes,” he said simply. “Now, take off your coat. Let’s get started.”“Alejandro, this is ridiculous,” I muttered as I stood in front of him, my arms awkwardly raised in what I assumed was some kind of defensive position.His shoulder looked stiff as he rolled it back, the edge of a bandage peeking out under his shirt. He moved like someone who’d decided pain was optional.“No, what’s ridiculous is how bad your stance is,” he said, smirking.I rolled my eyes. “You’re impossible.”“And you’re stalling.” He stepped closer, his good hand gripping my elbow to adjust my posture. His touch sent a jolt through me.“Feet shoulder-width apart,” he said, his voice low, his breath warm against
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 23: Cracks in the Armor
I stumbled through the automatic doors, Alejandro right behind me. My pulse thundered in my ears, drowning out the chaotic sounds of phones ringing, monitors beeping, nurses rushing past. For me, everything was muffled, distant, like I was moving through water. I clutched the counter, leaning in to address the nurse.“Ruth Farrell,” I said, breathless. “She was brought in earlier. Stroke.”The nurse barely glanced up. “Your name?”“Estella Farr—De Luca” I said, barely able to string words together. “Her daughter.”“And your relationship to the patient?”I blinked, my mind scrambling. “I just said—daughter. She’s my mother.”She nodded and typed something into her computer, her fingers clacking with an irritating calmness. “She’s stable, but the doctor is still evaluating her condition.” She paused, glancing over at Alejandro as if sizing him up before adding, “You’ll need to wait until he’s done.”“I—” I stepped back, disoriented, as if the words had struck me physically. The word of
Last Updated : 2024-11-30
Latest chapter
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
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 140: Flight Into the Unknown
Estella I stare at the open suitcase on my bed which stared right back at me, my clothes neatly folded but still not packed. My hands won’t move. How do you pack for running away? What do you take when you're leaving everything behind?My hand drifts to my stomach before I can stop it. "Still not done?" Clara appears in the doorway, arms crossed. "The car will be here in an hour."she reminds me, but I hear what she’s really saying in her mind. You can still change your mind. "I'm almost finished." I tell her as I fold the same shirt for the third time. "Just double-checking everything."She sighs and moves to sit beside me, shoving the shirt away. “You know you don’t have to do this.”"Clara-""I mean it." She grabs my hands, forcing me to look at her. "Please stay. I’m sure we can figure something else out. Alejandro-""Will die trying to protect me." The words were bitter in my throat. “You know that's what'll happen if I stay. Marco won't stop. He’ll use me as bait, hostage to
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 139: The Trap Is Set
Third person pov Vincent stepped into the penthouse study, his military training evident in the way he scanned every corner. His eyes caught on Marco by the window, on the shattered glass by the wall, on Claudia's tense posture."Sit." Marco didn't turn from the window.Vincent ignored the order and remained standing. "I don't take commands from-""Ramos." Marco cut him off. "Carlos Ramos. That's your old war buddy, right? The one flying private charters now?"Vincent's face hardened. "How do you-""You had three tours together." Marco finally turned. "In Afghanistan. Special ops. You were both decorated for bravery, then you got out and joined the private sector.” His gaze flicked to Vincent’s gun holster. “Now you babysit billionaire leftovers while he flies them to safety.”Claudia flinched at 'leftovers' but kept her eyes on the screen. More flight data scrolled past."What do you want?"Marco's smile grew. "I want you to make a call. Tell your old buddy you've got a good juicy o
