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44: A Fool’s Proposal
Last Updated:
2024-12-11 01:52:13
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Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 45; A Fool’s Proposal II
“I’m not barren, Marco. For your information.” He froze, his smugness dissolving into stunned confusion. “What?” His eyes dropped to my stomach, his expression twisting with something between repulsion and fury. “Don’t tell me…” His voice rose, cracking. “Don’t tell me you’re pregnant with that bastard’s child.” “Shut up,” I cut him off with an eye roll that barely hid my disgust. “You’ll never change.” His nostrils flared, his face twisting in fury. “How could you? How could you open your legs to him? You—” “It wasn’t for him!” I snapped, cutting him off as my voice broke, loud and raw. “It was for you!” That shut him up His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. He stared at me, his face pale and drawn. “I was pregnant the day you kicked me out,” I continued, my voice trembling with a fury I’d buried for too long. “I was pregnant until you and your mother killed my child.” The words hit him like a physical blow. He staggered back, his eyes wide with sh
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 46: Blood and Fire
My fist connected with Marco’s face again, the crunch of cartilage followed by the wet splatter of blood. He let out a low grunt, but he didn’t fight back. Instead, he looked up at me, his lips twisted into a bloody grin, a laugh bubbling out of him like this was some kind of sick joke. “You think this is funny?” He spat blood onto the floor, grinning wider. “You’ll never find her, little dove,” he said, his voice hoarse. I saw red. My fists rained down on him, my voice breaking as I screamed, “Where is my mother? Where is she, you bastard?” Marco didn’t answer. He just kept laughing, even as blood ran from his nose, smeared across his chin. His body convulsed with every hit I landed, but still, he didn’t raise a hand to defend himself. “Hit harder,” he taunted, his words slurred. “Put some muscle into it. Maybe if you hit me hard enough, I’ll tell you. Or maybe… I won’t.” “You sick bastard!” I yelled, slamming my fists into his chest. My knuckles stung, but I didn’t c
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 47– Reckoning
Alejandro straightened, towering over Marco. His eyes were cold, dark, and dangerous “Where is she?” Alejandro asked, each word laced with the promise of pain.Marco coughed, blood splattering the floor as he looked up with that disgusting grin of his. “Still barking orders like you are in charge, huh? He sneered, his lips twisting into a cruel grin. “Newsflash, De Luca: you’re not. And neither is she.” His eyes darted to me, glinting with maliceAlejandro’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t lash out. “Where is her mother?” Alejandro repeated, his voice tighter now, his patience thinning.Marco chuckled again, a dark, hollow sound. “Why don’t you ask little dove here?” he drawled. “I gave her a choice and a chance. She used to be mine, you know. Always mine. You’ll never change that, no matter how much you try. She’s just my leftover.”I froze, anger boiling in my veins, but Alejandro moved before I could react.Alejandro grabbed one of the lit candles from a nearby table. The flame flicker
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 48 – Despair
EstellaAlejandro didn’t speak to me as we left the warehouse, Marco’s screams still echoing faintly in the background. The air outside was cold but it wasn’t enough to cool the fire in my chest—or erase the shame clawing at my insidesHe reached the car first, unlocking it without a word. He stood by the driver’s side, waiting for me to get in. I hesitated, my legs feeling like lead, but eventually, I climbed into the passenger seat.The silence between us was suffocating.Then he got in, started the engine, and pulled away, his movements almost mechanical. His knuckles were tight on the wheel, his jaw locked, his eyes never leaving the road.Not a single glance my way. Not one word.The realization hit me like a punch. What came over me back there?I’d lost control. I’d become someone I didn’t recognize—angry, desperate, violent. And now Alejandro wouldn’t even look at me.Shame washed over me in waves, threatening to drown me. My chest tightened, my hands trembling as I stared at t
Last Updated : 2024-12-13Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 49 – Unfinished Business
I woke up in the backseat of the car. Everything hurt—my head, my body, my chest—but none of it compared to the gaping wound in my heartA paramedic leaned over me, his hands reaching to check my pulse.“Maam, you need to stay still,” “Get off me! I’m fine.” I hissed, shoving his hands away.“You’re not fine,” he argued. “You’ve—““I said I’m fine!” I snapped, sitting up too quickly, my head swimming. My breath coming in ragged gasps. My body might’ve felt broken, but it wasn’t the kind of broken they could fix.The paramedic hesitated, glancing toward the front seat.Alejandro’s voice came from the driver’s seat. “Back off. She said she’s fine.”The paramedic hesitated before retreating.I sat there, the ache in my chest spreading, deepening. My mother’s face flashed in my mind—the way she used to laugh, her soft smile when she thought I wasn’t looking. And then the stretcher, her body hidden beneath that stark white sheet.I turned to Alejandro. “Turn around.”He didn’t respond, hi
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 50 – Vows in Silence
Three days. That’s how long it had been since the explosion, since my mother’s lifeless body had been carried out of the flames. Three days since I’d spoken, eaten, or done anything but stare at the same patch of wall. My mind replayed everything on a loop—the stretcher, the white sheet, the sound of the blast, Marco’s smug, bloodied face. I hated everyone. I blamed everyone. Alejandro, for holding me back. The hospital, for being so careless that she got kidnapped under their watch. Marco, for being the monster that destroyed my life. But most of all, I hated myself. For being weak. For falling for Marco’s lies. For letting him control me like I was some pathetic, naive puppet. A mistake that had ruined my life the moment I said yes I blamed myself for being adopted by in the first place. For not having real parents. The knock at the door came again. I ignored it, as I had every time before. This time, it opened anyway. I didn’t need to look to know it was him H
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 51 – The Fall
Estella The room was packed. Every seat in the grand auditorium was filled. Rows of finely dressed elites, journalists, and business executives filled the seats, all there to watch Helena Valdez’s grand announcement. The new chairman of Valdez Enterprises, ascending to her throne after Marco’s “step down.” Marco had been officially stepped down—spineless as ever, letting her take the reins while he hid in her shadow It was laughable. Helena, glowing under the stage lights, stood behind the podium, her sleek white dress screaming power and perfection. Marco lingered beside her, like a battered shadow. His limp was noticeable now, and the burn scar on his cheek was impossible to miss even under the heavy makeup he’d tried to cover it with. I couldn’t stop the flicker of satisfaction in my chest as I leaned back in my seat. “So why are we here, exactly?” I asked Alejandro, keeping my voice low. “Patience, mi estrella.” His tone was smooth, calm, almost bored as he popped a
Last Updated : 2024-12-15Till Betrayal Do Us Part: Ex-Husband, Ex-Heartbreak 52 – Public Enemy
It’s finally happening. The Valdez empire was crumbling faster than I expected.The world turned against Helena Valdez in record time.By the time we returned home, the storm we unleashed had reached every corner of the world. Social media exploded with clips of the bloodbath—both figurative and literal. News outlets ran breaking updates every hour, replayed the footage on a loop.The headlines weren’t kind.“Helena Valdez Exposed: Adulteress and Murderer.”“Corporate Queen or Cold-Blooded Killer?”“Blood on the Valdez Throne: Justice for Mark Parker.”Within hours, the public was demanding blood—Helena’s blood.“Hang her!” someone screamed during a live broadcast. Protesters chanted for justice, their signs held high with phrases like Murderer and Blood Money Empire outside every Valdez headquarters.Helena had fallen from grace in spectacular fashion, and honestly, it was beautiful to watch.But what really turned the tide was Parker.It didn’t take long for the world to connect the
Last Updated : 2024-12-15
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"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
