Chapter 13 - Isabella's Wisdom
With Marco gone into the night, the fortress felt empty despite the dozens of armed guards patrolling the grounds. Lena sat in the conservatory with Isabella, watching the rain beat against the glass dome above them.
"You are falling in love with him," Isabella said quietly, sipping a cup of chamomile tea.
Lena froze, her fingers tightening around her blanket. "I am his employee, Isabella. And I owe him my sister's safety."
"Do not lie to an old woman who has seen three generations of men die for pride," Isabella said softly, reaching out to cover Lena's hand. "I saw the way he looked at you when you were bleeding on the asphalt. My son has lived in the dark for thirty-five years. He thought his heart was dead. You brought it back to life."
"He's dangerous," Lena whispered, admitting the truth that terrified her most.
"Yes, he is," Isabella agreed without hesitation. "To love a man like Marco is to live on a battlefield. There will always be enemies. There will always be blood. My husband gave me a beautiful life, but he also gave me a life of endless war."
Isabella turned her head, looking out into the dark woods. "The question you must ask yourself, child, is not whether he is dangerous. The question is whether the light you find in him is worth the darkness surrounding him."
Before Lena could answer, a massive explosion shook the foundation of the estate.
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The glass dome of the conservatory shattered inward, raining crystalline shards across the marble floor. Sirens wailed across the property as automated gunfire erupted from the front gates.
"They're here," Lena gasped, pulling Isabella out of her wheelchair and down behind a heavy brick planter just as three tactical assault vehicles smashed through the outer perimeter walls.
