COMMENT
Chapter 74
MIRABELLA
My bones wobble, my footsteps unstable, staggering as they lead ine hack into the main house.
In my mind are thoughts of my fatherâs words, as well as thoughts of my husbandâs exâmistress.
Will Matteo truly do the unthinkable to keep this union standing?
Would he hurt the people he loves if it means keeping this relationship intact?
If so, then this is not love. This is a sickly obsession. And I do not want such for myself
A stray tear sort to make its way down my cheek. I gently wipe it away as I expel shallow exhalex before pushing open the door and walking into the
Plates still clink, echoes of laughter filling the space. Theyâre still eating, Itâs good thing that heâs occupied for I do not want his attention moment. I just need some time to myself.
But he somehow feels my presence while I try to tiptoe through the space and up the stairs.
at this
âMirabella,â excited voice calls for me and I freeze, my breathing catching in my throat.
I donât answer his call. His seat scrapes the floorâhe has risen from his chair, chasing after me
âPrincess,â he calls again.
with quick steps.
1 exhale a breath and fist my hands on both sides of me. I attempt to quicken my pace but when I approach the foot of the stairs, I freeze in spol.
Why am I frozent
What is wrong with me!
my
My eyes are rapidly moving across the space. I feel like a stranger in my own home. My heart hammers my throat, almost sending bile rushing through; I chase my breath frantically.
Quick breaths soon turn into gasps, my dry face becoming wet with tears. My hand flattens over my chest, pressing down on the frantic organ while I hunch over, still desiring to catch my breath.
My head is fuzzy. I cannot breathe. My hands are shivering; my entire lody tons,
My line of vision is blurred by tears, but I see him as he slowly walks to me. I stumble backwards.
Donât come any closerâ¦
Ikantâ¦.
Dan L.
Donât come any closerâ¦
I hope to say to him, but I find that my voice is only capable of releasing a pained scream at this moment.
I fall on my knees, choking on
g on sobs as I rip out the chains around my neck. I bring up my shaky hand, my eyes intent on the wedding band around my finger
And when I reach for it, intending to pull it out, Maneoâs large hand goes over mine, stopping the action.
He kneels in front of me, his brows pulled into a furrow. âBaby..
I slap him across the face before heâs able to get out another word
âIâm sorryâ He breathes.
âYou asshole,â I cry out. âYou did it again. Youâve ruined us again!â
He continues to apologize. Iâm so sorry, Ill quke it rightâ
âThis is done!â I yell out a cry. âThereâs no making it right anymore. This marriage is over.â
Alone tear streaks down his cheek. âDonât say that. We cannot say things like that, Mirabellat
I slap him again
And again.
And again.
He let me assault him. I push his chest hard, and he stares silently at me.
I whimper, breathing hard and fast. Matten watches me very carefully. And when I finally calm, he wraps his arms around me, hugging me
him.
And I let him. I stay in his arms, because itâs soothing to my soul.
Only I donât realize how I fall into slumber.
into
I jerk awake, a whimper eliciting in my throat when my head is attacked by pain. When my eyes fully open, itâs my husbandâs hazel orbs, tired, that stares right back at me.
âIâve been meaning to talk to you, babyâ He says on a whisper, rising from his seat.
I quickly slide down the bed before he sits by me and messes with my head. âI donât think we have anything relevant to talk about. I am just happy you returned safely.â
push past him, he grasps at my forearm, holding me in place. Thereâs bad blood bere, Mirabella. per favore, parlami. He pleads.
I snatch my arm away from him. âNon câè niente da dire.â
His eyes soften. âAmore mio.
I groan. âYou wanna talk! Fine, letâs talk Why donât you start by telling me why I was kept in the dark about the child you had with your mistress.â
Matteoâs eyes narrow, his brows pulling up, âCazzo,â he breathes, a small laugh rumbling in the depth of his throat. âThat bitch got to believed her!â
you.
and
âDid you get her pregnant?â I yell slapping him across the face. âWhile I was suffering the after effects of having your children, while I was suffering from your heartbreak, were you busy fucking your mistress?!â
âI never fucked her!â He growls
âI saw you that nightâ
âThat was it, what you saw, the seconds which that lasted, that was the first and last time I ever fucked her. And I did that out of spiteâ¦Just wanted
you to
âTo be punished. Yeah, I got that part. Tears spring out of my eyes.
Matteo goes to cradle my face but I slap his hand away. He whispers, âMirabella, I never touched her, but if you find that hard to believe, then Iâm willing to get a DNA analysis done. Please, donât let that liar strain our marriageâ
âAnd Pablo!â
âWhat about Pablo.â
I wipe my face with the back of my palm, stabilizing my shaky voice. âI thought you were aiming for me that day, but I now have doubts about whom you really intended to kill.â
Tears brim his eyes, a low grunt erupting in his throat. âYouâre insane, Mirabella.â
âDid you kill him because you thought he was a threat to our relationship?â
âShur your mouth!â He roars, a new kind of darkness clouding his orbs. âYou have become so gullible itâs sickening. Our enemies are suddenly whispering into your ears and you are letting them.â
âAnswer me.â
Chapter 24
âPablo was my brother, my friend, my person. Thereâs no one on this earth who could make me aim my gun at him. Not even you, Mirabellaâ The team at the brim of his eyes begin making their way down his face. âI love you, with all my heart, but even that love couldnât make me kill my ownL brother. And I am so disappointed in you for thinking so little of me.â
âBut my father saidâ
âYour father? Your fucking father?â He laughs. âDio mio, Mirabella, you have suddenly become a good, diligent daughter for the same man who ruined your life, abandoned you, killed your mother, destroyed your sister, tortured youâ¦
âEnough,â I plead.
Matteo shakes his head in disagreement. âIt is not enough, it will never be enough. I will continue singing it like a song about how much of a manipulative devil that man is. That man who kidnapped your daughter, his own grandchild and pushed her into the rain of bullets. That man who had his men fill your husband with bullets. That man whose men mercilessly assaulted you until they put you in a state of unconsciousness and even took your.. our child from us. That is the same man whose words suddenly mean something to you?â
Block my y teeth, grinding so hard in an attempt to hold back the swirl of emotions threatening to escape me. âAre you done purting me down! Oh how gullible this wife of yours must beâ¦â¦
He shakes his head. âItâs not that you are gullible, Mirabella, but you seem to be desperately searching for ways to make me the bad guy. You keep on searching for my flaws and itâs killing me
âMancoâ¦
âIll see you later when Iâve gathered my thoughtsâ
His back is turned to me, staggering footsteps leading him out of the room.
I slump onto the floor, sorrow taking complete control of me.
Maybe I pushed too hard.
Maybe Iâve gone too far.
æ²