Ten days. Ten long days of silence, of agony, of unanswered questions. It felt like the world was closing in on me. My heart hurt in ways I couldn’t even describe.
Leandro. Where was he? What happened to him? Was he alive?
I couldn’t breathe without thinking about him. The images of him being shot, lying in that hospital bed… It haunted me every single second. Every minute felt like an eternity. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep. My entire existence had become nothing but this burning need to know if he was okay. To know if he was still fighting, still alive.
The guilt weighed on me. I hadn’t heard from him. I had no idea what happened after he left me. And every time I closed my eyes, I was confronted with the possibility that I might never see him again.
But no more. I couldn’t sit here and wait anymore.
I stood up from the chair, wiping my tear-streaked face, and walked out of my room. I couldn’t do this alone. I needed answers. And I was going to get them.
I found Albert in the hallway, sitting by the door, as usual. The moment he saw me, his face hardened.
“Isabella,” he said, his voice low and cautious, as if he knew exactly what I was about to do. “You need to stop coming here.”
“Tell me where Lucian is.” My voice was steady, but inside, my heart was pounding. I wasn’t asking anymore. I was demanding. “I need to know where he is. Now.”
Albert hesitated. He opened his mouth to protest, but I didn’t let him. I couldn’t.
“Please, Albert. I can’t live like this anymore. You know I can’t keep waiting without knowing his condition.” I begged, my throat tight. “I need to know if he’s alive.” Finally, Albert relented and gave me the address. I didn’t thank him. I didn’t have time for that.
I grabbed my jacket and stormed out, not caring who saw me, not caring who would try to stop me. I was done waiting.
I arrived at Lucian’s office, my heart racing, adrenaline pumping through my veins. The office was cold and sterile, full of men who never cared for me — people who didn’t care about anyone but themselves.
And there, in the center of it all, sat Lucian. His cold eyes met mine as I barged in, and for a moment, his gaze flickered with amusement. But then his smile faded when he saw the fire in my eyes.
“What a surprise, D’Angelo. What brings you here?” Lucian asked, his tone low, but there was no kindness in it.
“I want to know where Leandro is.” I didn’t even hesitate. I didn’t even flinch. My anger burned so hot it consumed everything else. “Tell me what happened. Tell me where he is! I need to know!”
“You don’t get to come in here and make demands.” Lucian’s voice was ice-cold, but I didn’t care. I moved closer, my hands shaking with frustration, and I pulled out a gun I had taken from my father’s safe. Without hesitation, I pointed it directly at Lucian’s chest. He let out a chuckle, mocking the way I threatened him.
“Tell me, Lucian. Where is he?” I wasn’t going to back down. I couldn’t. Not when I was so close to the answers I’d been desperately searching for.
Lucian didn’t flinch. He didn’t move a muscle. Instead, he gestured for one of his guards to approach. “Take her out.”
The guard stepped toward me, I pointed my gun at them. “I just need to know where he is!” I screamed and cried. I can’t hold my tears back anymore. I’m dying inside, going crazy to know about his whereabouts.
Lucian raised his hand. “Wait.” He leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving me. “You want answers? Fine.” He waved his hand, and the guard stepped back. “You’re in for a surprise, then.”
I followed Lucian through a series of hallways, my heart pounding louder with every step. The air felt thick, suffocating. But I couldn’t turn back now. When we finally reached a small hospital room, my heart nearly stopped.
There, lying on the bed, unconscious and pale, was Leandro.
His chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, his face contorted in pain as though he’d been through hell. I didn’t know if I could breathe anymore.
I ran to him, but Lucian stopped me. “He’s just resting.” His voice was indifferent, like it didn’t matter at all. “He’s recovering from two big stab wounds. He’s alive, he just got out of surgery yesterday. His condition is stable, but he needs time to heal.”
I didn’t care about what Lucian said. All that mattered was that Leandro was alive. He was alive. I dropped to my knees beside him, my hands shaking as I reached for him.
Tears filled my eyes as I whispered his name, my voice trembling. “Leandro, wake up. Please...”
Five hours felt like a lifetime. I stayed by his side, not leaving for a single moment, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, praying for him to wake up. And then, finally, his eyes fluttered open.
“Isabella...” His voice was rough, barely audible, but I heard it. I heard him.
I gasped, unable to stop the tears that fell. “Leandro! You’re awake!” I kissed his forehead, feeling a mix of relief and overwhelming love.
He groaned, shifting slightly, and reached up to touch my face. His hand was weak, but his grip was still there, strong in its own way. “Stop crying. It hurts me to see you cry, Isabella.” His voice cracked as he spoke, and I could feel my heart breaking all over again.
I leaned in, brushing my lips against his. “I can’t help it. I was worried. I thought I lost you… I was so scared...”
Leandro smiled faintly, but there was something in his eyes — something serious. “You don’t need to worry about us anymore, Isabella.” He shifted to sit up, ignoring the pain. “We don’t have to hide anymore.”
I felt the weight of his words sink in. “You’re saying... we can be together now?”
Leandro nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I love you so much, Leandro.” He looked at me, blinking a few times like he didn’t see those words coming. “I love you so much, Leandro Moretti. I’m yours and you’re mine.”
“I love you more, Isabella. You don’t even understand how much I love you.” I kissed him again, my heart swelling with everything I couldn’t put into words. Finally, we could be together without fear.
But before I could pull away, I made him promise something.
“Promise me, Leandro.” I pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes with all the sincerity in the world. “Promise me that you won’t put your life on the line like this again. Please.”
Leandro’s smile softened, but there was something fierce behind his gaze. “I promise, love. But you know damn well that I’ll do anything to be with you.” He kissed me again, deeper this time, as if sealing that promise with every breath.
I lay beside him, knowing that we had a long road ahead of us, but for the first time in a long while, I wasn’t afraid. Because as long as Leandro was by my side, nothing else mattered.
He was mine, and I was his. Forever.