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"I must admit, Isabella," Don Conti says, his voice deceptively smooth, "I didn't expect to see you here, especially after what happened to Juan and how you ran after everything I did for you. So, tell me, what does bring you to my doorstep today?"
"Peace, Don Conti," I reply, my voice steady despite the fear clawing at my insides. "I've come to ask you to stop looking for me."
"Is that so?" He raises an eyebrow, his gaze never leaving mine.
"Juan was the one who killed my father," I explain, feeling my resolve strengthen. "He paid for his crimes. But you, Don Conti… I want no more blood on my hands. I just want this all to end."
For a moment, silence fills the room, punctuated only by the ticking of an ornate clock on the wall. Then, Don Conti leans back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Very well, Isabella," he says finally, although his eyes betray a lingering wariness. "Let us discuss the terms of this arrangement you seek."
"It's not an arrangement. It's peace I'm here for."
"Peace," Don Conti repeats, his lips curling into a sinister smile. "That's an interesting word coming from you, Isabella."
My heart skips a beat at the sudden shift in his demeanor; I knew this wouldn't be easy, but that look in his eyes makes my skin crawl with an uneasy feeling.
"Tell me, Isabella," he continues, his voice dripping with malice, "do you really think I would just let you walk away? After everything you did?"
"Juan is dead because he killed my father," I insist, trying to keep my voice steady, "not you. We can put an end to this violence."
"Ah, but you see," Don Conti says, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk, "there's still the matter of the gold. And now, with Juan out of the picture, your lands are up for grabs as well. No, my dear, I'm afraid I can't let you go that easily."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I feel a cold dread settling over me. I glance over at Felix, whose jaw is clenched tight, his eyes narrowed in anger.
"Then what do you want?" I ask, fighting to keep desperation out of my voice.
"Simple," Don Conti replies, smirking. "I want both of you dead."
Before any of us can react, he pulls a gun from beneath the desk, aims it at my head, I try to shield myself and in the middle of all that, he fires a shot straight into my abdomen. The pain is immediate and searing, as if someone has set my insides on fire. I gasp, clutching at the wound, my vision dimming around the edges.
"Isabella!" Felix shouts, lunging towards me as chaos erupts around us. Conti's men and Felix's mafioso clash, a cacophony of gunfire and shouts filling the room.
"Stay down!" Felix orders, shielding me with his body as he returns fire. I can barely think through the pain, but I know I have to do something, anything to help us escape this nightmare.
My hands, slick with blood, fumble for a moment before finding a fallen gun on the floor. I grip it tightly, trying to steady my aim despite the agony tearing through me.
"Isabella, no!" Felix yells, but I don't listen for my eyes are on Conti, who is once again aiming at me and Felix. He's about to pull the trigger when I ...
I pull the trigger, my aim unsteady but somehow true. The bullet finds its mark and Don Conti staggers back, his face a mask of shock before he crumples to the ground. Dead.
It's done. It's over. And yet, all I can feel is the cold numbness of dread, the realization that I've just taken another life. Just like in my nightmare.
"Isabella!" Felix shouts again, reaching me just as I let go of the gun, my hands trembling. I killed him. I killed a man, just like in my nightmare. But this isn't a dream – it's real, and I can't take it back.
"Stay with me, Isabella," Felix pleads, his hands applying pressure on my wound, trying to stem the flow of blood. The pain intensifies, but I force myself to focus on his voice. "You're going to be okay."
I want to believe him, but we're trapped in a whirlwind of violence, and men fighting for their lives. I can't see any way out.
"Bring the car up front!" Felix yells at one of his men over the din. "We need to get her out of here!"
"Can we make it?" I ask, struggling to keep my voice steady. The taste of copper fills my mouth, bile rising in my throat. Felix looks at me with determination in his eyes.
"We have to try."
The world swims before me, darkness creeping in from the edges of my vision. Panic wells up inside me, the weight of what I've done pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I've crossed a line that can't be uncrossed – and now, it feels like everything is falling apart around me.
"Stay with me, Isabella," Felix repeats, his voice strained but reassuring. "Just stay with me."
