Chapter 23

— JJ, you don't need to do this. Please, put down that knife. — Isabella pleaded for her life and for JJ to come to his senses. — We're friends, JJ, remember?
— No... No... No... — the young man repeated frantically. — You're mine, and that baby in your belly is mine.
The guy pointed the knife at Isabella's belly, and Alessio rushed to help, but the henchmen stopped him.
— What are you waiting for? Shoot this guy and save my wife. — Alessio yelled to his henchmen.
— There's no need to kill him, Alessio, he's a good guy and he'll drop that knife. Won't you, JJ? — Isabella tried to negotiate, but her trembling voice betrayed her imminent fear.
JJ grew increasingly nervous and brought the gun back to Isabella's neck. In a matter of seconds, in a moment of confusion, a gunshot echoed, hitting JJ in an instant of impact.
Isabella stood paralyzed, horrified, as JJ slipped down her body and fell to the ground, an expression of surprise in his eyes. The metallic sound of the knife resonated as it clashed against the pavement of the sidewalk.
JJ, now motionless, had lost his life in front of Isabella's eyes. The reality of the situation dawned on her, blending with confusion and fear. JJ's fate had been sealed abruptly, and the once joyful party had witnessed the tragic outcome of a story once marked by friendship, now ending in a violent and unexpected twist.
— The party's over, folks. Go home, and I don't need to remind you that what happened here stays here. — Alessio shouted authoritatively and rushed into Isabella's arms. — Are you okay, Bella?
Isabella trembled, not knowing what to say or how to react. Her body remained still, inert amidst the tumult with a tragic end.
Alessio led her by the arm to the velvet armchair and ordered someone to bring water for her.
— What shall we do with the body, boss? — one of the henchmen appeared at the door, questioning.
— Is that even a question to ask, Tigre? Look at my wife. — Alessio tucked a strand of Isabella's hair behind her ear.
Isabella quickly raised her eyes and locked onto the henchman at the door before turning her desperate gaze back to Alessio.
— What are you going to do with him? We have to notify his family. — Isa exclaimed with a choked voice.
— Shhh! Calm down, my love. We'll take care of everything, okay? — Alessio reassured her — Tigre, you know what to do.
The brute, hearing the boss's orders, disappeared through the door. Isabella wasn't sure about Alessio's orders; after all, she didn't yet know his dark and vengeful side.
Unbeknownst to her, Isabella began to draw parallels between the affectionate man holding her hand tenderly and the one whose orders now echoed through the corridors. A surprising duality, as if Alessio were immersed in two distinct worlds.
Uncertainty loomed over her, while anticipation and anxiety mingled. Isabella tried to ignore the dark thoughts trying to invade her mind, focusing on the trust Alessio had placed in her. However, a pang of apprehension persisted, and she wondered if she would ever fully know the secrets her beloved so skillfully guarded. And if Paloma was right and everyone around her would be cruelly and violently extinguished.
Time seemed to stretch, and each passing second intensified the tension in the air. Isabella hoped that, at the end of this disconcerting chapter, she would still find in Alessio the same person who made her feel safe and loved. As the door closed behind the henchman, she took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come. The game of shadows and mysteries was just beginning, and Isabella found herself at the center of an enigma promising unexpected revelations.
Heavy silence hung inside the car as Isabella and Alessio headed home. The tense atmosphere was almost palpable, and the exchanged glances between them carried an inexplicable discomfort. Alessio, his eyes fixed on the road, maintained a serious expression, while Isabella looked outside, trying to decipher the thoughts swirling in her mind.
Upon arriving home, the building seemed immersed in an unusual quietude. Griselda's black Cadillac, Alessio's mother, was parked in the driveway, adding an extra layer of strangeness to the situation. The sight of the luxurious car with its tinted windows sent shivers down Isabella's spine. She knew Griselda wasn't happy with Alessio's announcement at the party.
— What do you think is going on? — Isabella whispered, breaking the tense silence.
— I have no idea. Stay in the car for a moment; I'll check what's going on. — Alessio breathed deeply before responding, his voice revealing a hint of apprehension.
Alessio got out of the car and walked towards Griselda's Cadillac, knocking on the tinted window of the back seat, which slowly rolled down to reveal her expression.
Isabella's heart raced faster, unable to predict what was about to happen. She wanted to hear what they were going to talk about, so she didn't stay inside the car, quietly exiting, knowing Alessio would tell her to get back in.
As she approached her mother's car, Alessio could see Griselda sitting in the back seat, with a serious expression and a fixed gaze on him.
— What's going on, mother? — he asked, trying to disguise his unease. — Why are you here?
Griselda remained silent for a moment before finally breaking the silence with words filled with seriousness.
— We need to talk, Alessio. There are things you need to know.
Alessio's expression tightened, revealing a mixture of surprise and anxiety. Isabella watched the scene, now on the brink of a revelation that promised to shake the foundations of the life she knew beside Alessio.
The mystery unfolded before them, while the Cadillac remained parked in the driveway, a silent witness to secrets that would finally emerge to the surface.
— Speak up; Isabella isn't well. I need to take care of her.
Griselda rolled her eyes upon noticing the care Alessio offered Isabella, something she never received in either of her two pregnancies.
— Has she lost the baby? — she exclaimed, looking to the other side of the car, hiding her expression from Alessio.
— No, mother! For heaven's sake. Why would you ask that? — Alessio grew agitated.
— Then all I did today was for nothing, not even to wake you up, my son?
— What are you saying, mother? — Alessio questioned, confused.
— You know how hard it was to convince that damned addict to scare Isabella and you?
— What are you saying, mother? — Alessio pressed his jaws, visibly nervous. — That... what are you saying?
— This woman is a prostitute, my son. She belongs to everyone. That child might not be yours.
— Mother... Get out of here, now. — Alessio yelled, and when Griselda tried to speak, he interrupted her. — You took the life of an innocent man because of your petty grudges. Are you happy now? My father would never do such a thing.
— Your father was weak! Just like you are!
Alessio yelled ecstatically for his mother to disappear from his life when he heard the car door slam shut. Turning around, he saw Isabella running, desperate down the street opposite the building.
— Are you happy now? You killed an innocent man and destroyed my happiness. — exclaimed Alessio, full of hatred.
— No one will miss the junkie, and this woman is from the streets. You'll be better off without her, son.
Before Griselda continued her speech, Alessio was already running after his beloved down the street. The only thing that comforted Isabella was the whisper of the waves of the sea lying in front of the building. She moved to the beach sand and sat desolately on the water's edge.
Isabella found herself amidst a whirlwind of events, unable to foresee the developments that destiny still held for her and her friends. A veil of uncertainty enveloped her future, and restlessness pulsed in her mind.
The pressure in her head was almost palpable, a metaphor for the crucial choices she faced. A crossroads that demanded from her the decision between definitively leaving life alongside Alessio or placing trust in the promise of protection he whispered.
The mystery of life beside Alessio unfolded like the pages of a sinister thriller, full of hidden revelations and intricate plots. Isabella found herself facing a complex puzzle, where each piece hid a secret, and each choice could irreversibly alter the course of her existence.
As the shadows of the unknown closed in around her, Isabella found herself torn between fleeing from uncertainty or remaining in a game of intrigues where the truth, still hidden, could redefine everything she thought she knew.
To survive alone, she would have to return to prostitution, something she knew how to do, but with a child, it would be a bit more complicated. Staying by Alessio's side would promise a future for the child and a peaceful life, without lecherous men, but what about Paloma? She was a close friend who could be used by Griselda to hurt her, and her parents, and her adopted siblings? Isabella's head spun. She got up quickly and walked hurriedly into the sea.
A scream from deep within her soul erupted from Isabella's mouth, competing with the sound of the waves breaking on the seashore. Isa put her hands to her ears and screamed as loudly as she could.
— Calm down, my love. — Isa felt enveloped in strong arms and felt comforted. It was as if the sea responded to her anguish with a solution.
That solution that Isabella wasn't sure was ideal, but for now, she needed that hug. She turned to Alessio, lay on his chest, and let her tears flow with her pain. She raised her slightly swollen eyes and stared at him.
— Why does everything bad happen to me? — she paused, but Alessio didn't know how to answer that question. He continued to stare into Isa's eyes. — I'm not a bad person, Ale. I don't harm people, why don't I deserve to be happy?
Those words broke Alessio's heart. He didn't know how to help or comfort Isabella at that moment. He felt guilty for what his mother had done and didn't know how to undo it. Alessio just offered his hug, tight, comforting, and loving.