The screams tore through the silence of the room, and my blood went cold. I could barely breathe. Leandro thrashed on the table as the doctor worked quickly, pulling two bullets from his back. I could see the pain in his face, the way his body tensed with each movement, and it shattered me.
I couldn’t stop the tears. They fell freely, spilling down my cheeks as I held onto his hand, trying to offer some comfort — but I felt so helpless. I could do nothing to stop his suffering. Nothing.
“Leandro, I’m so sorry.” I whispered, my voice barely above a sob. “I shouldn’t have dragged you into this. I should’ve left. I should’ve run.”
Leandro’s breathing was shallow, but when he caught my eyes, his face softened despite the pain. His grip on my hand tightened. I couldn’t stop crying, my heart breaking with each sound of his agony.
“I’m sorry,” I repeated over and over, wishing there was something, anything, I could do. But all I could do was hold him.
Finally, the doctor finished, his work done, and left the room without a word.
I couldn’t stop the flood of emotions. I couldn’t stop crying. I bent down, pressing my forehead against Leandro’s chest, my body shaking with the weight of my guilt. The man who had already risked everything for me was now lying injured because of me, and all I could do was cry.
“Isabella...” Leandro’s voice was hoarse, but there was a quiet strength in it. His hand gently cupped the back of my head, pulling me closer as he tried to comfort me despite the pain. “It’s okay. Please, stop crying.”
I sniffled, wiping my tears against his shirt. “No, it’s not okay, Leandro. I’ve made everything worse. I put you in danger. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this...”
“Stop.” He spoke softly, but the command in his voice stopped me in my tracks. He lifted his head, trying to look at me despite the pain. His eyes softened as he caressed my cheek with his fingertips. “I knew what I was getting into. And I made the choice to be here with you. I don’t regret it, Isabella.”
“But I—”
“I’m okay,” he interrupted, his voice growing steadier. “I just need time to heal. We’re going to be fine. You just need to trust me. Everything will be okay.”
I nodded, trying to calm myself down. His words — they meant everything. I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. But I was so scared. The thought of losing him made my stomach twist into knots. He was all I had left now.
But then, the door to the room burst open, and the air in the room changed instantly.
I froze, my heart skipping a beat.
Lucian.
Lucian Moretti.
The tension in the room skyrocketed as Lucian stepped inside, his eyes immediately locking onto mine. His face was stone-cold, emotionless, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I wanted to run, to hide, but I couldn’t. Leandro was in no condition to move.
Lucian’s eyes shifted to Leandro, still weak and covered in blood.
“I should’ve known you’d still be alive,” Lucian said, his voice dripping with disdain. He stepped further into the room, and before I knew it, the cold steel of a gun was aimed at me.
“No!” I gasped, the world around me spinning. My hands shook as I instinctively stepped back, but Leandro, still struggling to sit up, pushed himself between me and the gun.
“Lucian, stop.” Leandro’s voice was rough, strained, but there was a sense of authority in it. “You don’t need to do this. Think about what you’re doing.”
I could hear the fear in Leandro’s voice despite his attempt to stay calm. And my heart pounded in my chest as I watched Lucian, the dangerous, unpredictable man, slowly lower the gun but never take his eyes off of me.
Lucian smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement as he looked at me, then back at Leandro. “You’ve got yourself tangled up with her,” Lucian said, as though the mere fact of it was a joke. “But you better make sure you keep your promises, Leandro. If you don’t…” He let the words hang in the air, and my stomach dropped.
“What do you mean?” I whispered, my voice shaking with the realization of what he was implying.
Leandro’s face tightened, and I could see the frustration, the helplessness in his eyes. “Lucian,” he said, trying to keep his tone calm, “I haven’t broken any promises. You know that. Just give me time. You need to trust me on this.”
Lucian’s eyes turned to me again, and his gaze was cold, calculating. “She is the leverage,” he said, his tone deadly. “If you fail me, Leandro… if you fail to keep your end of the deal…” He took a step forward, now standing directly in front of us. “I will kill her. Right in front of you. And I’ll make sure her body ends up at your precious D’Angelo family’s doorstep.”
The room went completely still. My breath caught in my throat, and I could barely process his words. Lucian was threatening me — threatening to kill me — and I felt the ground beneath me crumble.
“Lucian, please,” Leandro pleaded, his voice cracking with frustration, but there was something more beneath it — fear. Fear for me. Fear that this might be the end.
“You better keep your promise.” Lucian sneered, turning on his heel. “Or I’ll make sure she never sees the light of day again.”
With one last glare at me, Lucian left, the door slamming behind him. The moment he was gone, I felt the weight of what had just been said. My knees buckled, and I fell back onto the bed, my hands clutching the sheets for support.
Leandro stayed in place, his breathing ragged. I could see the way his body was trembling with the effort of holding it together.
I turned to him, unable to hold back the tears any longer. “Leandro, what did he mean by that?” I whispered, my voice broken. “What’s going on? Why did he threaten me like that?”
Leandro’s face was dark with frustration and anger, but he turned to me and pulled me into his arms. “Isabella, I promise you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” His voice was hoarse, but firm. “I won’t let them touch you. You’re safe with me.”
But even as he said the words, I could see the doubt in his eyes. I could feel the tension, the weight of everything that had just happened. Lucian had made it clear — if Leandro didn’t comply, I would be the one to suffer.
And I was terrified. Terrified for what was coming next.