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23: Cracks in the Armor
Last Updated:
2024-11-30 21:45:50
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 24: Cracks in the Armor II
“My father was a mean drunk,” Alejandro began, his tone detached, as though recounting someone else’s life. His gaze was fixed on the chipped wall across from us. “The kind who didn’t stop at breaking bottles—he had to break people too. I don’t remember a time when my mother wasn’t covering up a bruise or an excuse for him.” I stayed silent, my chest tightening as his words unfolded like a wound reopening. “He was good at hiding it when people were watching,” he continued, his voice sharpening. “But behind closed doors, he didn’t hold back. My mother bore the brunt of it.” My chest tightened. “And you? Alejandro’s lips pressed into a thin line, his jaw twitching. “He had no problem turning it on me when I got old enough to ‘get in his way,’ as he’d put it. But mostly, I had to watch. I had to watch him destroy her, piece by piece.” I swallowed hard, unsure if I should speak, but the look on his face stopped me. He wasn’t done. “She tried to shield me from it, I guess she th
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 25: Graves and Ghosts
Ruth was still in the hospital, her condition stabilizing but far from ideal. The doctor insisted she stay under observation for a while longer. It had been a week since the stroke, and while she occasionally came around, the moments were fleeting. Her speech was slurred, limited to a few words at best, and her side was almost completely immobile. “She’s responding well to treatment, but recovery will take time,” the doctor had told me yesterday. “It’s crucial to keep her stress-free. Her Alzheimer’s complicates things, but the physiotherapy sessions we’ve started should help over time.” Alejandro visited with me a few times, staying quiet but present, his hand occasionally brushing mine when the silence grew too heavy. Now, I was standing in front of a mirror getting ready for Carl Whitman’s funeral. I felt the stares before I even stepped out of the car. The low hum of whispers as Alejandro held the door open for me. “They’re staring at you, not me,” he murmured, his hand b
Last Updated : 2024-11-30Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 26: Power Play
The bathroom door eased open, letting a warm wave of steam roll out into the bedroom. She stepped into the room, her bare feet silent against the cold tile floor. Droplets of water clung to her skin, catching the dim light from the bedside lamp. Her gaze settling on the figure sprawled on the bed, his chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of sleep. For a moment, she just watched him. The sheet barely clinging to his waist. A corner of her mouth lifted. Vulnerable was exactly how she liked him She untied the robe around her and let it slip to the floor without a sound. Barefoot, bare everything, she padded to the bed and climbed onto it, the mattress dipping under her weight Her knee pressed into his side as she straddled him, her hands trailing lightly over his chest. “Wake up,” she whispered, her tone sweet, almost affectionate. He stirred, his eyes blinking open, hazy and unfocused at first, but when they landed on her, they sharpened. A lazy smile spread across his
Last Updated : 2024-12-01Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 27: The GIA
I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my heart hammering against my ribs It was hard to keep up. The SUVs swerved through traffic like they owned the damn road. My foot pressed harder on the accelerator. “No way I’m losing you,” I muttered, weaving through cars and ignoring the angry honks behind me. As they made a sharp left turn, I jerked the wheel, tires screeching in protest. One of the SUVs slowed, and for a split second, I thought they might have noticed me. My stomach churned as I eased off the gas. But then it picked up speed again, and I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to focus. The license plate of the last SUV came into view. I read it aloud under my breath, committing it to memory: GIA-7546. “GIA,” I frowned. “Global Investigative Authority? What the hell is this?” The convoy finally pulled into a massive building that looked like it had been plucked straight out of a government conspiracy movie. I rolled to a stop at a safe distance and watched as the agents drag
Last Updated : 2024-12-02Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 28: The Break-in
Stay out of this? Like hell, I would.I slipped into the estate through the hidden safety door Alejandro had shown me shortly after our fake engagement. He’d called it a precaution, just in case. “When you know your exits, no one can trap you,” he’d said.The safety door leads to the panic room was concealed behind an unassuming panel of ivy-covered wall, located at the rear of the property. From there, a narrow hallway led straight into the main house. He’d made me memorize the sequence to unlock it, “just in case.” Now, I was glad I’d paid attention.My steps echoed softly against the cold floor. The estate loomed silent and empty, wrapped in yellow tape and barricades like some distorted gift.No patrol cars. No techs combing the place. Just eerie quiet. If this was supposed to be an active investigation scene, it didn’t feel like oneI crouched by the edge of the patio, pulling off the disposable shoe covers I’d worn to avoid leaving tracks. They’d probably already dusted the plac
Last Updated : 2024-12-03Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 29: Shadows in the Frame
The cameras were no ordinary models. As their sleek website boasted, had thermal sensors, night vision, and a self-contained storage unit immune to tampering. If they’d been active during the timeline of the supposed murder, the footage was my best shot at proving Alejandro’s innocence. But there was a catch. A problem. I couldn’t just call SafeHouse Systems to extract the footage—not without alerting the GIA and making this whole thing blow up before I had concrete proof, before I get what I needed. I have to do it myself. But I needed someone who could tell me what to do. Alejandro always said you couldn’t fight fire with kindness; you needed a bigger flame. Right now, I was willing to burn everything to the ground if it meant saving him. I couldn’t do it alone. I pulled out my phone, hesitating before dialing. I hated making this call, but desperate times didn’t leave room for pride. “Ricky?” I whispered into the line once it connected. “Estella? It’s been years. What—” ” I
Last Updated : 2024-12-03Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 30: The Serpent’s Bite
She crossed her legs and leaned back in the plush couch , her perfectly pink manicured fingers cradling a glass of red wine. The screen before her cast a cold glow across her face as she tapped her phone screen. He had sent her a fresh batch of photos. “Even the best fall, don’t they?” she murmured, smirking as she swiped through the images. A man, his face obscured, walked into Alejandro’s estate carrying a duffel bag. Another photo showed the same man dragging a limp body toward the guest bedroom, staged by the bed. And finally, the pièce de résistance—a shot of Alejandro getting arrested. She chuckled softly, sipping her wine. “You’ve gotten yourself into quite the mess, haven’t you, Alejandro?” The irony was almost too delicious. She swiped back to the earlier photos, zooming in to appreciate every detail. The careful precision with which the evidence was staged—it was flawless. But it wasn’t the craftsmanship that brought a wicked smile to her lips. No, it was the re
Last Updated : 2024-12-04Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 31: Forbidden Flames
“Helena…” Chief Mark Parker sounded like he was pleading, though for what, he wasn’t sure.She watched him squirm, the corner of her mouth lifting into a wicked smirk. Manipulating men like him was second nature to her—she knew exactly when to push and when to pull back, when to tease and when to deliver.“Relax,” she cooed. She turned onto her stomach, lifting her hips slightly, her legs draped provocatively over the edge of the couch. “You’re so tense, Parker. I can practically hear your heart pounding from here.”Parker swallowed hard, his throat dry. “You shouldn’t be here. If anyone sees you—”“Then lock the door,” she interrupted.He hesitated but couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering, lingering on the curve of her legs, the dip of her waist.Helena tilted her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. “You look like a man about to explode. Come here, Chief. I won’t bite.”He crossed the room in two strides, not because he wanted to, but because he couldn’t stop himself. Her
Last Updated : 2024-12-04
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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
