“No. Let me go!” I said, frustration and desperation building inside of me. “I don’t care. I have to make him understand why I did it.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “You are really delusional,” he said, spitting at me.
I stood there, completely shell shocked by his action. He was dragging me again. I begged him to stop. I choked out a scream.
“You little whore. He doesn’t want to see your face. Ever again. He wants you out of his life and far away from him,” he uttered, breaking my heart even further.
This couldn’t be happening.
I dug my nails into his arms and scratched, hoping Artur would let go. “No! He wouldn’t do that. Alessio wouldn’t do that.”
Artur turned around and threw me over his shoulders. “No!” I punched his back repeatedly. “Let me go. I don’t believe you! Alessio wouldn’t say that. He wouldn’t.”
“Alessio!” I screamed, my voice hoarse. It was useless. My voice was scratched raw. I sounded like a newborn kitten.
“Artur, let me go. Alessio will kill you. Don’t touch me. He wouldn’t say such a thing. He would never cast me out of his life like that.”
I wanted to believe the words I threw at Artur. But deep in my thoughts, maybe he was right.
I mentally screamed in denial.
I had to believe in Alessio. Even if he hated me, I was sure he would talk to me himself. Not send one of his men. But what if?
What if he hated me so much that he couldn’t bear to see my face?
No. Alessio—the Alessio I knew, he would never do such a thing.
“You are lying. Let me go,” I kicked at Artur.
“Your father killed his mother and sister. He hates you, Ayla. Deep loathing. If you come into his sight, he will kill you without a second thought. You would never get a chance to speak. He is not the man you think he is. He is a killer. And you are his enemy,” Artur said, chuckling at the last words.
“Alessio!” I screamed, but my voice was low and croaky from my tears. He would never hear me.
“Do us all a favor and get the fuck out of here,” Artur said, pulling me down. We were out of the gates now, and I felt a rush of panic.
I pushed at Artur. “If Alessio hates me and really wants me out of his life, he will have to say it to my face. Only then will I believe him. If he kills me, then so be it.”
I tried to walk back in, but Artur grabbed my arm, pulling me away. “Fuck off, bitch.” I struggled, not giving up without a fight. I had to fight—for me, for Alessio, and for us.
Artur pushed me away, and I would have fallen if it wasn’t for another set of arms.
NO!
His touch…my skin burned under it. My voice was gone again as I retreated into my head. I screamed internally. Screaming so much until it felt like my insides were going to combust.
His touch alone was enough to drive me insane.
My eyes widened, and I gasped loudly, my breathing coming out harsher as I felt panic claw at my throat. Fear slithered its way into my body and mind until my soul knew nothing but fear and pain.
His grip was strong, and I couldn’t move away from him. I was paralyzed as I saw Artur walking backward, leaving me alone with the devil.
I tried to struggle, but my body wouldn’t move. I submitted under the devil’s hold because my body didn’t know what else to do. It was so accustomed to submitting to that man, it was the only thing it was capable of doing.
My muscles tensed and locked until it hurt. Panic spread through me as I slowly started to go numb, unfeeling.
“She’s all yours,” Artur said before closing the gates.
And then I was alone. With Alberto.
I was too overcome with fear and pain. My head felt like it was going to explode in two. My heart was already broken. How does someone live without her heart? Because mine had shattered in thousands of pieces. I felt it shatter. My whole body and soul felt it.
And this time, I knew it was beyond repair.
Alberto’s grip tightened, and my stomach dipped. I repressed the urge to retch as dizziness took over again. An obsidian darkness surrounded me, and I wanted to scream.
Alessio! But no words were uttered.
Alberto pulled me away, and when he pushed me into the car, I screamed.
“Alessio!”
But it was too late.
The door closed, and Alberto sat beside me. I crawled away from him, plastering myself against the door as the car started moving. No. No. No.
I pulled at the door, trying to open it, but Alberto wrapped his hand around my hair, roughly pulling away until my scalp burned under his assault.