Chapter 11
Marco’s face twisted in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief as Audrey’s words hit him like a slap to the face. I couldn’t meet his gaze. The pain was too raw, too deep. The baby I lost while he was caught up in his empire, while Audrey was poisoning everything between us. I wanted to tell him sooner, but it was too late. Too late for us, and too late for the life we never got to hold.
“You… lost the baby?” Marco’s voice trembled, barely above a whisper. I could hear the hurt and confusion battling inside him. “And I didn’t even know?”
The guilt clawed at me, threatening to tear me apart. I wanted to scream, to tell him how
apan. I want to stream, to ten w
much I needed him, but all I could do was stand there, my throat tight, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. Audrey had robbed me of this moment too–of telling him on my terms, of dealing with our loss together.
Audrey stepped forward, her words dripping with malice. “Of course he didn’t know. He was too busy being Marco DeLuca, king of his crumbling empire, to notice the woman beside him suffering.”
I flinched at her words, but Marco’s entire body stiffened, his fists curling at his sides. He took a step toward her, the fury radiating off him in waves.
“You knew?” His voice was low, dangerous. “You knew, and you kept this from me?”
Audrey‘ s smile widened, her eyes gleaming
Audrey’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming
with cold triumph. “It was all part of the plan, Marco. To keep you distracted. To let Isabelle suffer while I made my moves: You‘ re too easy, too predictable. Always thinking about power, control. And now look at you–broken.”
Marco took another step forward, rage burning in his eyes. I could feel his anger, but it was reckless. Audrey‘ s men were all around us, guns trained on him, ready to shoot at her command.
“You heartless-” He lunged, his body surging forward, but I grabbed his arm, pulling him back before he could reach her.
“Marco, no! Stop, please.”
His eyes darted to mine for just a moment,
wild with fury and grief. “She knew, Isabelle.
pulling him back before he could reach her.
“Marco, no! Stop, please.”
His eyes darted to mine for just a moment, wild with fury and grief. “She knew, Isabelle. She knew everything.”
Audrey laughed, the sound sharp and cruel.
“Did you really think I care for you, Marco?”
“Why are you doing this? You were part of my mafia group! I cared for you like a sister. How dare you turn against me?” Marco was
furious.
“Like a sister?” She smirked. “You don’t even admit to Isabelle that I was your other woman, the one who make you moaned at night.”
I swallowed. It was a hard truth.
“But it was all part of my plan, Marco. Our
Audrey laughed, the sound sharp and cruel.
“Did you really think I care for you, Marco?” “Why are you doing this? You were part of my mafia group! I cared for you like a sister. How dare you turn against me?” Marco was furious.
“Like a sister?” She smirked. “You don’t even admit to Isabelle that I was your other woman, the one who make you moaned at nightr
I swallowed. It was a hard truth.
“But it was all part of my plan, Marco. Our plan to destroy you and your family family just like what you did to our group, Marco. You are the one who destroyed us. Have you forgotten when you ordered your men to kill our men? Just because you don’t want
forgotten when you ordered your men to k our men? Just because you don’t want
competition?”
“That is purely business, Audrey. I didn’t even know you were part of my rival mafia!” Marco scoffed.
“Well, too late, because I was a mole with a task to bring your downfall… and it starts now.”
Before I could blink, chaos erupted.
Audrey’s men opened fire first. The deafening crack of gunshots echoed through the room as bullets ricocheted off the walls. Marco yanked me behind him, his body shielding mine as he drew his gun, returning fire. The space filled with the metallic stench of gunpowder and blood, the screams and
go, the screams an
of gunpowder and shouts of men tearing through the haze, I stayed low, my heart pounding so hard I could barely breathe. Marco’s grip on me was tight, protective, as he fired off shots, taking down one of Audrey‘ s men. But they kept coming, closing in fast. I could hear the sound of bodies hitting the ground, the splatter of blood, and the chaotic beat of footsteps.
We were losing.
Marco gritted his teeth, fighting back with everything he had. His movements were sharp, precise, but we were trapped. Audrey had set the trap perfectly, and now we were in the center of it.
And then I saw it–one of her men shifting his aim, the gun moving away from Marco and
To our cu un U
the gun, frozen in place, my mind screaming
at me to move, but my body was paralyzed by terror. I could see his finger tightening of the trigger, could hear the faint click as he prepared to fire.
“Goodbye, Isabelle,” Audrey said, her voice a soft whisper of finality.
The shot rang out, but I didn’t feel the impact.
Instead, I felt the heavy weight of Marco‘ s body slamming into mine, forcing me to the ground. He groaned as he took the bullet meant for me, his body jerking with the force of the impact.
“Marco!” I screamed, my voice breaking as I scrambled to push him off me. He collapsed to the floor, blood seeping through his shirt,
