Isabella’s POV
The two days that Alexander had been unconscious were the longest of my life.
I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I just sat by his bedside, listening to the beeping of the machines
and watching his chest rise and fall. It was the only thing that kept me from going insane.
His last words before he blacked out kept replaying in my head.
“I didn’t ask you to marry me for revenge. I did it because I love you, I always did.”
Those words kept replaying over and over in my mind.
He loved me.
He hadn’t saved me because of some plan. He hadn’t done all these to get back at Marcus. He did it because he wanted me.
Because he loved me.
My heart ached as I kept remembering that he hadn’t heard me tell him that I loved him too. So I kept whispering it to him, hoping it would keep him alive.
His father sat nearby. He hadn’t left the hospital either.
Every few hours, he would give me water or try to get me to eat something. I knew he was trying, but I couldn’t focus on anything except Alex.
“He’s strong,” Charles said for the one millionth time. “He’s going to wake up. You’ll see.”
I nodded silently because I didn’t trust myself to speak.
Then, on the second night, I heard a sound.
A groan.
My eyes snapped to Alex. His face twitched, and his hand moved.
“Alex?” I shot up. “Alex, can you hear me?”
He blinked, slowly at first, then he blinked again. He spoke, his voice was dry and hoarse.
“Izzie?”
I released a sob as I leaned over him. “You’re awake. You’re really awake.”
He gave me a weak smile. “You are here. You stayed..”
“Of course I stayed,” I whispered, holding his face gently in my hands. “You idiot. I thought I lost you.”
He looked into my eyes, and I didn’t wait another second.
“I love you, Alex,” I said breathlessly. “I love you. I didn’t realize how much until I thought you were gone. I want to marry you for real, no more revenge, no more plans.”
He smiled weakly but joyfully. I hugged him gently, careful not to hurt him.
I couldn’t stop crying. I was so glad he was back. I didn’t want to release him. I wanted to stay forever like this.
BANG.
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The hospital room door burst open, crashing against the wall.
I jumped and turned around, my heart pounding hard.
Marcus stood there, panting, and covered in blood.
His shirt was soaked red, his face was filled with dark stains, and his hair was wild.
In his hands, he held a large black bag, and it was dripping with something thick and dark.
The bag was smelling terribly.
I froze.
“What the hell are you doing here, Marcus?” I said, my voice shaking. “What–what is that? What happened to you?”
His eyes stayed on mine with a frantic look in them that caused me to shiver.
“I fixed it,” he said breathlessly. “I fixed everything.”
I took a step back, instinctively covering Alex with my body.
Marcus looked deranged, like a man who hadn’t slept, eaten, or felt anything human in days.
He grinned, wide and wild. “I did it for you.”
I gave him a suspicious look as I leaned backwards. “What did you do, Marcus? What have you done? What’s in the bag?” I asked, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
“I fixed it,” he whispered, stepping forward. “Bianca caused everything, and she also tried to kill you. So I made her pay.”
Isabella was unable to moye as she stared at the bag.
“I took her blood,” he said, his voice shaking with pride. “All of it. You can have it now, every drop she stole from you when she faked her illness. And-”
He unzipped the bag, and brought out something wrapped in a blood–soaked hospital sheet.
I screamed as I stared at it, because what he held was a baby.
A tiny lifeless baby.
My stomach twisted violently, and I stumbled backward. The sheet slipped from Marcus’s hands and fell to the ground.
The fetus rolled out, lifeless and still.
Bianca’s baby.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, trembling, “You… you killed them.”
Marcus smiled maniacally.
“She took a child from you. I took hers. It’s fair.” he said, grinning wildly.
“Fair?” I croaked. “You think this is fair?!”
Tears spilled down my cheeks. Behind me, I heard a soft groan as Alex tried to sit up.
“No,” I whispered, turning quickly. “No, no, stay down-”
But he was already trying to sit up. Marcus noticed too late because in the next second, Alex lunged.
“Get away from her!” he shouted hoarsely.
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He tackled Marcus with the little strength he had, and the two of them crashed into the hospital equipment.
Marcus slammed into a metal tray, and he cried out in surprise. Alex threw a punch at Marcus‘: face.
“Stop!” I screamed. “You’re going to hurt yourself. Alex, stop!”
But he didn’t stop, even though blood was pouring from the stitches that had reopened from his wound. He grabbed Marcus’s collar and shoved him back with fury burning in his eyes.
“You don’t come near her again,” Alex hissed.
Marcus panted heavily, looking at me the whole time. “She is mine–she is mine-!”
BANG!
The door slammed open a second time.
“POLICE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”
Officers rushed in, and within seconds, Marcus was tackled to the ground again.
They forced his hands behind his back, and handcuffed him.
“Get off me! She’s mine! SHE’S MINE!” Marcus screamed.
He thrashed violently, trying to crawl toward me.
“You’re mine, Isabella! You’ll always be mine! I DID. THIS FOR YOU! FOR US!”
Alex groaned behind me. I turned to catch him just as he collapsed.
‘I’ve got you,” I whispered. “I’ve got you.”
Marcus was still screaming, and the dead baby still lay on the floor, unmoving.
Everywhere was chaos, but in the midst of everything, I knew we would be fine.
‘I love you,” I murmured to Alex.
He groaned weakly, breathing heavily. “I love you too.”
Chapter 26
