Chapter 11
Marcus’s POV
Marcus couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that clung to him as he drove away from the burning orphanage, with Bianca crying in the back seat.
He kept glancing at the rearview mirror, hoping to catch a glimpse of Isabella, but he saw nothing.
He gripped the steering wheel tighter.
He had wanted to stay, but Bianca had been moaning in pain, clutching her stomach, and gasping in agony, so he had no choice.
A shiver ran down his spine as his mind flashed back to the look in Isabella’s eyes.
She had looked at him with a dead, resigned look in her eyes.
It haunted him.
She hadn’t screamed or cried. She hadn’t begged. She had just sat there, staring at him as he walked away with Bianca in his arms.
‘Marcus,” Bianca whined from the backseat, “can you turn on the AC? It’s like a damn oven in
here.”
He didn’t respond, too lost in thought.
He kept playing the scene over and over in his mind. The way her hand had reached out for the Jas mask, and how he had pulled it away.
Those dead eyes that he couldn’t stop thinking about.
‘Marcus!” Bianca shrieked.
He jolted, and his foot slammed on the brake instantly. The car jerked to a stop in the middle of he road, and a car’s horn sounded behind them.
‘What the hell?!” Bianca shrieked again, clutching her chest. “Are you trying to kill us?!”
He blinked, breathing heavily. “What?” he rasped.
‘I asked if we’re still having the party tonight! You didn’t answer me the first three times!”
He stared at her for a second, still confused, then he turned his eyes back to the road. “Yeah,” he
nuttered. “It’s still on.”
They drove in silence the rest of the way.
When they reached the house, Marcus got out and helped Bianca inside, still lost in thought.
He barely noticed her complaints and grumbling. Once she was settled on the couch, he pulled out his phone.
He hesitated for a moment, staring at Isabella’s contact, then he typed:
‘Don’t forget the welcome–back party tonight. It starts at 7.”
He hit send.
Marcus sat back on the couch, with his phone in his hand as he waited for a response.
After a few minutes of waiting without reply, he knew that something was wrong. Isabella never
Chapter 10
12.09
9:27 pm
delayed in replying to his messages, even when she was upset with him. He didn’t want to imagine the worst, but it was beginning to seem like the worst had happened.
He shook his head, lost in thought. Isabella was probably playing games on him, trying to make him miss her.
She had been acting so erratic recently, so it was something that she was very capable of doing.
Marcus sneered. Her games won’t work on him.
He picked up his phone again, and sent another message to Isabella.
-I don’t know what you’re playing at, Isabella, but it’s not really funny. We’ll talk more when we see. See you at the party, it’s by 7pm. Don’t miss it, and don’t be late!–
“Marcus!” Bianca’s sharp voice disturbed the silence again.
He turned his head, slowly. “What?”
“Are you even listening to me?” she snapped, scowling at him. “I asked if I should wear red or black?”
He blinked at her slowly. Was this really what mattered to her?
She almost died, and her stepsister was missing.
He sighed, running a hand through his face. “Wear red, Isabella. It suits you better.”
An uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them.
Marcus furrowed his eyebrows when he realized that Bianca was glaring at him furiously.
“Isabella?” She gritted.
He realized that he had mistakenly called her Isabella. He sighed.
“It was a mistake, Bianca.”
Bianca opened her mouth to argue, but he stood up abruptly, cutting her off.
“I’m going to shower,” he muttered and turned away.
“But what about-?”
He didn’t answer. He was already walking up the stairs.
He needed to clear his head.
Marcus glared at his phone. Still no response.
Isabella was just trying to mess with his head. This was just a game to her.
He typed another message to her
-Don’t test me, Isabella. I’ve let you get away with enough already. If you don’t come early for this party, I will make you regret ever crossing me.-
As Marcus typed it, he hesitated. The one thing he could easily threaten her with was the orphanage, and now, that was destroyed.
He clenched his jaw and pressed send.
Chapter 11
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9:27 pm G D
