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202: Nowhere to Run
Last Updated:
2025-04-03 23:32:06
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 203: Betrayal in the Clouds
Arielle’s tears had finally stopped, but I could feel her shaking with each breath.We'd been airborne for only minutes, but it felt like hours. The altitude dropped suddenly as Marco banked the aircraft, causing my stomach to lurch."Mama," Arielle whispered, her voice barely audible over the engines, "are the bad people going to hurt us?"I wished I could hold her properly, wrap my arms around her tiny frame and shield her from everything happening. But instead, all I could do was lean closer to her."No, baby," I lied. "Papa and I won't let anything happen to you."Across the aisle, Alejandro caught my eye. His face was a mess of bruises with blood dried at the corner of his mouth.Marco emerged from the cockpit, leaving his men at the controls. The plane dipped lower again, causing the cabin to tilt. Through the window, I could see glimpses of a dark, murky water below—it is a swamp stretching endlessly."Enjoying the view?" Marco asked, pointing toward the window. "Beautiful, isn
Last Updated : 2025-04-04Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 204: The Fight for Survival
"You realize you're insane, right?" I said, trying to stay calm for Arielle's sake. "You just murdered your own accomplice."Marco laughed. "Accomplice implies equal footing. She was a just tool." He paused by the small bar cabinet, setting down the knife to pour himself another drink. "And when tools outlive their usefulness, you discard them."Marco's men had emerged from the cockpit now taking in Claudia’s absence– a tall, muscular man with a scar across his left cheek – shifted uncomfortably in the corner. He exchanged a glance with the other guard, a younger man whose hand now rested nervously on his weapon.Marco caught the look. "Something on your mind, Carlos?"The scarred guard straightened. "No, sir.""Good." Marco tossed back his drink in one swallow. Alejandro had managed to loosen his restraints significantly during the struggle, but not enough to break free. We both knew our window of opportunity was narrowing by the second."What exactly is your endgame here, Marco?" A
Last Updated : 2025-04-05Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 205: Death in the Cockpit
Then Alejandro appeared behind him. He slammed his fist into Marco's kidney, causing him to double over in pain. The gun clattered to the floor, sliding under a seat.Marco recovered quickly, spinning to face Alejandro."The pilot's dead," Marco said, his teeth stained red with blood. "Bullet right through the throat." His lips stretched into a manic grin. "Nobody's flying this plane."As if on cue, the aircraft tilted sharply to the left, the altitude dropping rapidly. Warning alarms began to blare throughout the cabin."I told you," Marco laughed, the sound borderline hysterical. "If I go down, I'm taking you all with me!"He lunged for the cockpit again, pushing past Alejandro to grab the controls. He yanked the yoke forward, sending the plane into a steep dive."No!" I screamed, clutching Arielle tighter as the sudden descent threw us against the seats.Alejandro rushed into the cockpit after Marco, grabbing him by the shoulders and hurling him away from the controls. But the dama
Last Updated : 2025-04-05Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 206: Marco's Last Run
My head throbbed with every heartbeat as smoke filled my lungs."We need to get out," he rasped, his voice barely audible over the crackling flames that had started to lick at the body. "This thing could blow any minute."I nodded, trying to stand before a sharp pain shot through my ankle. I bit back a scream, not wanting to frighten Arielle more than she already was.Alejandro was at my side in an instant, one arm supporting my waist while the other reached for our daughter. "Give her to me. Can you walk?""I'll manage," I said, though my ankle screamed in protest as I put weight on it.The emergency exit was jammed, the frame warped from impact. Alejandro handed Arielle back to me, then threw his shoulder against the door with a grunt. It didn't budge. He tried again, muscles straining beneath his torn shirt, and this time the metal groaned in protest."One more," he muttered, before ramming into it with everything he had.The door burst open with a screech of protesting metal, lett
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 207: A Mother’s Choice
The paramedic who'd been hovering nearby touched my arm gently. "Ma'am? Your daughter is asking for you."I glanced toward the ambulance where Arielle lay, then back at Alejandro, torn between them."Damn it," I muttered, limping toward the ambulance. I climbed inside, wincing as my ankle protested, and sat beside Arielle's stretcher."Mama," she whispered behind the oxygen mask."I'm here, Arielle," I assured her, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. "You're going to be just fine."She reached for my hand, her tiny fingers cold against my skin. "Where's Papa?"I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice calm for her. "He's talking to the police, sweetheart. He'll be with us soon."Even as I said it, I could see through the open doors of the ambulance that Alejandro was already moving toward the edge of the forest, with a flashlight in hand. Two officers followed him, their own lights cutting through the darkness as they followed the blood trail."Ma'am, we need to go," the param
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 208: Where Monsters Hide
I increased my pace, ignoring the protests of my injured body. The trees finally gave way to a clearing, and I found myself on the edge of a of dark muddy water. The light from the moon revealed patches of reeds and floating vegetation. In the distance, I could make out what looked like an old plantation house.A twig snapped behind me. I spun, gun raised, only to find myself face to face with my husband."Jesus Christ," he hissed, pushing my arm down. "I could have killed you. What the hell are you doing here?""Stopping you from getting yourself killed," I shot back, my relief at finding him alive quickly giving way to anger. "You were just going to leave me with Arielle while you hunted down Marco alone?""What the hell are you doing here. She needs you right now," he said, his voice hard."And you don't? Is that it?" I stepped closer, jabbing a finger into his chest. "After everything we've been through, you still think you have to do this alone?""This isn't about what I think I
Last Updated : 2025-04-07Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 209: Blood for Blood
We dove behind a heavy chest of drawers just as the explosion tore through the room. The blast was deafening, sending splinters of wood and plaster raining down on us. Dust filled up the air in the room.Through the ringing in my ears, I heard movement—Marco is making his escape in the confusion. I struggled to my feet, eyes stinging from the dust, and saw a shadow moving toward the far windows."Alejandro," I croaked, pointing.He was already up, blood trickling from another cut on his temple where debris had struck him. Together, we staggered through the devastated room toward the windows.Marco had reached what appeared to be a balcony beyond the shattered glass. As we emerged into the clean night air, I saw his plan—a rope, hastily secured to the balcony railing, leading down to the ground below. Near the edge of the property, barely visible in dark of the night was a small dock with what looked like a speedboat tied up."Stop!" Alejandro shouted, raising his gun.Marco turned, hi
Last Updated : 2025-04-08Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 210: To the Death
He yanked the makeshift blade free and shoved Alejandro toward me with such force that we both crashed onto the wooden planks of the dock. I barely registered the pain through my ankle as I caught Alejandro's limp body."No, no, no," I sobbed, cradling him against me. His eyes fluttered, struggling to focus on my face as blood bubbled from his lips."Est...ella," he managed, each syllable a battle."Don't talk," I begged, pressing one hand against the stomach wound while frantically trying to stem the bleeding from his chest with the other. It was too much—too much blood, too many wounds.Marco staggered to the boat, his own strength clearly waning. He tossed the bloodied metal shard into the water and began fumbling with the ropes that secured the craft to the dock. His movements were clumsy, his injuries making the simple task laborious."Pressure," Alejandro whispered, his voice so faint I barely heard it. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his ashen lips crimso
Last Updated : 2025-04-09
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak Epilogue: The Secrets We Keep
Five Years LaterEstella had insisted on having the windows open despite the doctors' protests—she needed to breathe something other than antiseptic and fear."Almost there," The matron encouraged from between her legs. "One more big push, Estella."Alejandro's hand was nearly crushed in her grip as another contraction seized her. The twins had decided to arrive three weeks early, sending them rushing to the hospital in the middle of the night."You're doing amazingly," Alejandro murmured against her temple. The entire pregnancy had been classified high-risk from the beginning.Estella bore down with a primal scream, feeling the first baby slide from her body."It's a boy!" The matron announced, lifting the wailing infant for them to see before placing him on Estella's chest.She touched her son's dark, wet hair. "Hello, little one,"The moment of joy was short-lived. The monitors beside her bed began beeping erratically."Blood pressure dropping," a nurse called out.The doctor in ch
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 216: Almost Home
The following weeks were filled with medical tests, therapy sessions, and small but significant milestones.Three weeks after waking, he took his first unassisted steps, gripping the parallel bars with so much intensity as he forced his atrophied muscles to cooperate. I watched from the sidelines, heart in my throat, as he pushed through pain that would have stopped a lesser man."Fuck," he growled through gritted teeth when his legs threatened to give out halfway through. "I'm not stopping."His physical therapist—a no-nonsense woman who'd quickly learned to match his intensity—nodded approvingly. "Two more steps. You can do two more."He did three before collapsing into the wheelchair afterward with sweat pouring down his face."Next time I'll do ten," he promised, breath coming in harsh pants.I handed him a towel, leaning in to whisper, "Watching you fight like this is incredibly sexy, you know."His exhausted laugh was all the reward I needed.By the six-week mark, he was walking
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 215: Two Months Later, Still Yours
When we broke apart, I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent beneath the antiseptic hospital smell. "Don't ever scare me like that again," I whispered."I'll try not to make a habit of getting stabbed in the heart," he replied dryly."This isn't funny, Alejandro." I lifted my head to meet his gaze. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought our daughter would grow up without her father."His expression sobered. "I know. I'm sorry." He squeezed my hand weakly. "How bad was it?""Bad," I admitted. "The knife nicked your heart. You lost so much blood... They weren't sure you'd make it through the first surgery." My voice caught. "And then you didn't wake up. Days turned into weeks, and you just... stayed asleep.""I'm sorry," he repeated. "For putting you through that. For not being there for you and Arielle.""You're here now," I said. The door opened quietly, and we both looked up to see Dr. Matthews returning, accompanied by a neurologist I recognized from previous consultat
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 214: The Sixty-Second Day
Two months laterThe hospital room had become my second home. The nurses knew my schedule better than I did—when I'd arrive each morning with fresh clothes for both of us, when I'd step out for coffee, which chair I preferred to sit in while reading aloud to Alejandro's unresponsive form.Sixty-one days of talking to someone who couldn't answer. Sixty-one days of watching for the slightest movement of an eyelid or the smallest twitch of a finger. Sixty-one days of hope slowly eroding into something that felt dangerously close to despair."The medical journal says coma patients show increased brain activity when family members speak to them," I said, turning the page of the medical text I'd been studying obsessively. "So I'm going to keep talking, even if I'm starting to repeat myself."Alejandro remained motionless. They'd removed his breathing tube last week when he started breathing on his own—a positive sign, Dr. Matthews had assured me. But his consciousness remained locked away,
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 213: One-Sided Conversations
"Aunt Eleanor," I gasped, shocked to see her. In the chaos, I'd almost forgotten she'd been injured in the initial car crash where Arielle was taken."You look worse than me," she said weakly, attempting a smile that turned into a wince.For some reason, it was the sight of her—battered but alive, just like the rest of us—that finally broke through the numbness I'd been hiding behind. The tears came suddenly and violently, sobs wrenching themselves from my chest as she wheeled herself closer, reaching out with her good arm to pull me against her."I was so scared," I admitted between sobs. "I thought we were all going to die. I was scared history was going to repeat itself self. And this time Arielle, Alejandro—""But you didn't," she reminded me. "You saved them both."I shook my head, glancing at Alejandro's still form. "I didn't save him. He's still—""Fighting," Eleanor cut in. "Just like he always has. Just like you have."I cried until I had no tears left, letting go of the fear
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 212: The Silence That Hurts Most
I must have dozed off despite my determination to stay awake, because the next thing I knew, someone was gently shaking my shoulder."Estella? Can you hear me?"I forced my heavy eyelids open to find Raul standing over me, his face lined with worry. Clara hovered behind him, her eyes red-rimmed."Raul," I croaked, my throat dry. "Alejandro?""He's out of surgery," Raul said. "It was touch and go for a while, but he made it through."Relief made me dizzy. "He's okay?"Raul and Clara exchanged glances."What aren't you telling me?" I demanded, suddenly fully awake.Raul sighed. "The damage was extensive. They repaired what they could, but... he's in a coma, Estella.""A coma? For how long?""They don't know," Clara said gently, stepping forward to take my hand. "All they said was the next 48 hours are critical."I struggled to sit up, ignoring the pain that shot through my body. "I need to see him.""You need to rest," Clara countered. "You're no good to him or Arielle if you collapse."
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 211: Between Life and Death
"BP's still dropping," one of the paramedics called as they loaded Alejandro into the ambulance. "We need to move!"I climbed in after them, collapsing onto the bench seat as the doors slammed shut."Arielle," I suddenly remembered, panic clawing at my throat. "My daughter—where is she?""Already en route to Memorial," one of the paramedics replied without looking up from Alejandro. "She's stable."That small mercy gave me the strength to stay upright as I watched them work frantically to keep my husband alive. They'd cut away his shirt completely now, revealing the full extent of his injuries. The wound in his abdomen wasn't as deep as I'd feared, but the chest wound—it was a different story altogether."Left hemothorax," the paramedic muttered. "Need to decompress."I watched in horror as they inserted a large needle between Alejandro's ribs. Blood gushed out immediately, filling a collection bag."What's happening?" I demanded."Blood's filling his chest cavity, compressing on his
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 210: To the Death
He yanked the makeshift blade free and shoved Alejandro toward me with such force that we both crashed onto the wooden planks of the dock. I barely registered the pain through my ankle as I caught Alejandro's limp body."No, no, no," I sobbed, cradling him against me. His eyes fluttered, struggling to focus on my face as blood bubbled from his lips."Est...ella," he managed, each syllable a battle."Don't talk," I begged, pressing one hand against the stomach wound while frantically trying to stem the bleeding from his chest with the other. It was too much—too much blood, too many wounds.Marco staggered to the boat, his own strength clearly waning. He tossed the bloodied metal shard into the water and began fumbling with the ropes that secured the craft to the dock. His movements were clumsy, his injuries making the simple task laborious."Pressure," Alejandro whispered, his voice so faint I barely heard it. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his ashen lips crimso
Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 209: Blood for Blood
We dove behind a heavy chest of drawers just as the explosion tore through the room. The blast was deafening, sending splinters of wood and plaster raining down on us. Dust filled up the air in the room.Through the ringing in my ears, I heard movement—Marco is making his escape in the confusion. I struggled to my feet, eyes stinging from the dust, and saw a shadow moving toward the far windows."Alejandro," I croaked, pointing.He was already up, blood trickling from another cut on his temple where debris had struck him. Together, we staggered through the devastated room toward the windows.Marco had reached what appeared to be a balcony beyond the shattered glass. As we emerged into the clean night air, I saw his plan—a rope, hastily secured to the balcony railing, leading down to the ground below. Near the edge of the property, barely visible in dark of the night was a small dock with what looked like a speedboat tied up."Stop!" Alejandro shouted, raising his gun.Marco turned, hi
