Chapter 13
I woke up to the sterile smell of disinfectant and the steady beep of machines. My body ached, but the sharpest pain came from somewhere deeper, something I couldn’t quite place until I saw him–Marco–lying in the bed next to mine. Bandaged, battered, but alive.
He was already awake, his eyes on me. There was something different in his gaze, a heaviness that hadn’t been there before. Guilt, maybe. Regret. The events of that night came rushing back–the fight, the gunfire,
56% 10:57
717
Chapter 13
came rushing back–the fight, the gunfire, Audrey’s betrayal, and Marco throwing himself in front of me to take the bullet. My chest tightened as the memory of the betrayal –and something else–flooded my mind.
“Isabelle…” Marco’s voice cracked, barely more than a whisper. “I’m so sorry. I— I didn’t know.”
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words. He hadn’t known about the baby. I hadn’t told him. And now, it was too late. The pain in my chest intensified, and I blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill over.
“You didn’t know,” I echoed, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears. I wasn’t sure if I was angry, heartbroken, or just numb. Maybe all three. “There’s a lot
56% 10:57
1/7
Chapter 13
tip
It my ty
HMINI +
wasn’t sure if I was angry, heartbroken, or just numb. Maybe all three. “There’s a lot you didn’t know, Marco.”
“I lost the baby, Marco,” I said, my voice breaking despite my best efforts to stay strong. “In the middle of all of this–Audrey, your world, everything–I lost our child.”
He stared at me, speechless, his eyes filling with tears. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally asked, his voice shaking.
“Because I didn’t want to give you one more thing to use to keep me tied to you,” I said, my words sharper than I intended. “I didn’t tell you because I wanted to leave. I didn’t want this life anymore, and a baby… a baby would’ve made it even harder to walk away.”
** *56% 10:57
217
Chapter 13
baby would’ve made it even harder to walk away.”
Marco looked devastated, his hands trembling as they gripped the bed sheets.
“Isabelle, I didn’t know. If I had known-
99
“But you didn’t know,” I interrupted, my voice raw with emotion. “And that’s the point, Marco. You didn’t know because you were too caught up in your world to even see what was happening to me. To us. I lost everything—my family, our child—because of this life you dragged me into.”
He lowered his head, guilt radiating from him. “I would have done anything for you, Isabelle. Anything.”
I shook my head, tears now flowing freely down my face. “But it’s too late now, isn’t
it? You can‘ tundo what’s already been
#56% 10:58
317
Chapter 13
Isabelle. Anything.”
I shook my head, tears now flowing freely down my face. “But it’s too late now, isn’t it? You can’t undo what’s already been done.”
Marco sat there in stunned silence, and I could see the anguish in his eyes, the regret tearing him apart. But it didn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring back our baby, or my family, or the years I’d wasted thinking he would change.
“I’ll leave all of this behind,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “The business, the family. We can start over. I swear, Isabelle, I’ll be better. For you. For us.‘
99
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself, trying to block out the ache in mv chest. But when I opened them again. I
steady myself, trying to block out the ache in my chest. But when I opened them again, I knew what I had to say.
“It’s not that simple, Marco. You think walking away from this life is going to fix everything? We’ve lost too much. I’ve lost too much. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Please, Isabelle,” Marco begged, tears now streaming down his face. “I love you. I‘ 11 make this right. I’ll make it better.”
But it was too late. Too much damage had been done.
“I can’t,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I can’t go back to that life. I deserve better than this. We both know it.”
He fell silent, his shoulders slumping as the reality of my words settled in. For a moment,
Iolmont faltaund
T
56% 10-58
I could
པ1༑ ཕཔཕ པ qf པཔཔ
577
Chapter 13
“I can’t,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I can’t go back to that life. I deserve better than this. We both know it.”
He fell silent, his shoulders slumping as the reality of my words settled in. For a moment, I almost faltered. I could see the pain, the remorse, the love in his eyes. But I couldn’t ignore the truth any longer.
“I need to start over, Marco,” I whispered, my voice barely holding steady as I wiped away the tears streaming down my face.
“And I can’t do that with you.”
His face crumbled, raw with emotion.
“Please, Isabelle,” he begged, his voice breaking. “Don’t do this. We can fix it, I‘ II change—just give me another chance.”
I shook my head, feeling the ache in my chest as I watched him unravel in front of me. “I
58% 10:58
Chapter 13
can’t, Marco. It’s too late.”
Desperation flickered in his eyes, and he reached for me, his hands trembling. “Ilove you. I can’t lose you. Please… don’t walk away.”
Tears blurred my vision, but I forced myself to step back, to let go. “Love isn’t enough anymore,” I whispered, my heart heavy as I turned and walked away, leaving him behind.
