BELLA
"Get close to him."
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Her father's voice echoed in her head.
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Cold.
Clear.
Unforgettable.
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"Earn his trust."
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Bella's fingers tightened against the edge of her dresser.
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Her reflection stared back at her—
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But she barely recognized the girl looking back.
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"Find the documents."
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Her breathing grew uneven.
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Because she knew exactly what documents he meant.
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The ones Rico never left unattended.
The ones locked behind layers of security.
The ones that probably held the truth about everything—
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The empire.
The past.
The war.
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"And when the time comes…"
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Bella squeezed her eyes shut.
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"End it."
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Her chest tightened painfully.
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No.
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She didn't want to think about that part.
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Didn't want to understand it.
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But it was there.
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Lurking.
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Unavoidable.
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Marco's role.
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Her escape.
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Her father's revenge.
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It was all planned.
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Every step.
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Every move.
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Including her.
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Bella opened her eyes slowly.
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"No…" she whispered.
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This wasn't just about revenge anymore.
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Not for her.
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Because somewhere along the way—
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Things had changed.
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Rico had changed.
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Or maybe—
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She had.
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⸻
FLASH MEMORY
"You'll do this," her father had said.
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Not asked.
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Told.
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"Everything he is… everything his family built… ends with him."
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Bella had shaken her head.
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"You're asking me to betray him."
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"I'm asking you to finish what was started."
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Her heart had pounded.
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"He's not his father."
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Silence.
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Then—
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"He carries his blood."
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That was the problem.
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That was always the problem.
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⸻
NOW
Bella pressed her hands against the table, steadying herself.
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She was supposed to get close.
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But she already was.
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She was supposed to pretend.
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But nothing she felt was fake anymore.
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That made everything worse.
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Her heart raced.
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If she followed through—
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She would lose him.
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If she didn't—
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She would lose everything else.
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Her father.
The truth.
The past.
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Her breath shook slightly.
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Because now—
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There was no safe choice.
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Only consequences.
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FOOTSTEPS
She froze.
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The sound came from the hallway.
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Slow.
Familiar.
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Her heart skipped.
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Rico.
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He was back.
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Bella straightened quickly, trying to steady herself.
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But it was too late.
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The door opened.
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And there he was.
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Standing there.
Watching her.
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His eyes narrowed slightly.
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"Something's wrong."
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Not a question.
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A statement.
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Bella forced a breath.
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"No."
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A lie.
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And for the first time—
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It felt like one he might actually catch.
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Rico stepped closer.
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Too close.
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His gaze locked onto hers.
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"You're thinking too much again."
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Her heart pounded.
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If he knew—
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If he even suspected—
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Everything would collapse.
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"Just tired," she said softly.
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Another lie.
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His hand lifted—
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Brushing lightly against her face.
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Gentle.
Unexpected.
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And that?
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That made it worse.
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Because how was she supposed to destroy someone—
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Who looked at her like that?
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⸻
FINAL SCENE
Rico's gaze softened slightly.
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"Get some rest," he said.
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Bella nodded.
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But she didn't move.
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Because her mind was still echoing with her father's words.
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The plan.
The mission.
The ending.
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And now—
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She stood right in the middle of it.
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Torn between—
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The man she was supposed to destroy…
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And the man she might already love.
Rico's POV
The mansion was quiet again.
The kind of quiet that didn't feel like peace… but like something holding its breath.
I sat at the edge of Bella's bed in her room, my back resting against the frame as I held her close without disturbing her sleep. Her head was tucked against my chest, one hand loosely gripping my shirt like she had already decided I wasn't going anywhere.
I should've been resting.
But my mind wasn't allowing it.
My last business trip replayed itself in fragments I couldn't escape.
The sterile smell of the private facility.
The endless machines.
And him.
My father.
Lying there in a coma, his body alive but his presence gone—trapped between worlds while I stood beside him, powerless in a way I hated admitting.
I remembered gripping the railing so tightly my knuckles turned white.
Not anger at him.
At everything that put him there.
At everything that made the Zander name both a throne and a curse.
A soft shift pulled me back to the present.
Bella murmured something in her sleep, nestling closer as if sensing my tension even in dreams. I lowered my gaze to her, my hand instinctively brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
She was the only thing that made the noise in my head stop.
For a moment.
Then my phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
I didn't move immediately.
I already knew.
My expression hardened as I carefully adjusted Bella so she wouldn't wake. She stirred slightly but settled again, her breathing steady.
I stood up slowly and walked toward the dim light spilling from the hallway, closing her door behind me with silent precision.
Only one person had that timing.
My secret spy.
I answered.
My voice was low.
"Report."
A pause.
Then—
"Boss… there's an issue at the medical facility."
My grip tightened instantly.
"My father?"
"Yes," he said quickly. "His condition is stable… but there was unauthorized access after your last visit."
My jaw tensed.
"Explain."
The spy lowered his voice.
"Someone entered the restricted wing. The logs were wiped, but we're trying to recover them. It looks internal."
Internal.
That single word hit harder than anything else.
My eyes drifted back toward Bella's room.
Sleeping.
Unaware.
And for the first time that night, something cold settled inside my chest.
"Seal everything," I said quietly. "No movement. No exceptions. I want every name on my desk."
"Yes, sir."
I ended the call.
Standing alone in the hallway of my mansion, I didn't move for a long time.
My father was still in a coma.
And someone had just tried to decide whether that story ended or continued.
And now… I was going to find out who.