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I keep going, my heart pounding fast. I can't help stealing glances at the Bernardi Estate over my shoulder. Is it too late to change my mind? Can I still go back there, convince Adrian to take me back?
No, he would never. Not after finding out I was going to leave him.
Then there's the matter of what he and Bruno wanted to do to me, as well. I don't trust them. Not after overhearing their conversation, not when there's a risk they could condemn me to die.
I keep walking. I feel sick now from everything that's going on, sick to my stomach. But I force myself to slow down, and keep going at a steady pace.
Minutes later, I reach the meet-up point, but there's no red Peugeot in sight. I bite my lower lip and wait. There's not much else I can do.
My mind is still racing around Adrian, trying to make sense of everything that has happened. I shouldn't be thinking about him. Only days ago, I was eager to escape, but not now. Now, I just want him to tell me what I heard wasn't true. The reality of what I've done is starting to dawn on me, the fact that I've ran away from the man I feel so many things for, to the one I've dreaded seeing every single time.
With a sinking feeling, I realize I've just made a huge mistake.
Just then, the red car pulls from around the corner. I pick myself up and rush to it, getting in the backseat. The car speeds away.
I barely have time to register who's driving, but I recognize him as one of Adrian's guards. I wonder why he's doing this.
Before I can think about it more, the car screeches to a halt in front of the docks. The guard opens the door for me and walks with me through the docks. There are some guards standing at the entrance who are giving us strange looks.
"Laugh," the guard barks at me.
"What?"
"Laugh!"
I erupt in nervous laughter, heart aflutter as he drags me down the pier to a waiting boat. The guards aren't looking anymore. I suppose I shouldn't catch too much attention, dressed the way I am. No one will recognize me as Marzia Da Costa, at least not until Adrian realizes I'm gone.
My heart pounds even harder. I step on the boat and the guard follows closely behind.
"Are you coming too?" I ask.
"It was part of the deal, signorina," he says. "Now sit down, hide."
"What about Eleanora?" I grab the lapels of his jacket. "My maid. She helped too. She needs to be here as well."
"Impossible," the guard shakes his head. "We have to leave right now."
"Please." I know I'm begging but I don't care. I owe this to Eleanora—I promised her I'd help her get away with us. "We have to wait for her. I told her to come meet us at the docks."
He hesitates.
"Do you know Eleanora?" I whisper.
He nods without saying a word. He looks like he's in physical pain, his hand on the rope that anchors us to the docks.
"You do? Do you... like her?"
He doesn't reply, just looks away from me, and closes his eyes.
The truth settles in then. He doesn't just know her, he feels something for her. And he would be willing to leave her behind to save me. This world is fucking unfair.
"I don't deserve to live more than she does," I plead. "Let's just wait another ten minutes..."
"Dio, signorina," he mutters. "Four minutes, and then we have to leave."
"Thank you!" I manage a shaky smile as I hide inside the boat.
I keep my eyes trained on the docks, waiting for Eleanora's familiar shape to appear. She'll be here any moment, she has to be here—I'm not leaving without her.
As if by some miracle, she appears on the docks. I wait for her to find us with bated breath. She is wearing simple jeans and a top underneath the mourning cloak which she's discarded. When she sees us, she takes off, running on the boat just as the guard lifts the anchor.
"We have to go," he tells Eleanora. "Hide with Marzia."
She joins me in the cabin.
I don't say a word, but we embrace each other tightly and I let out a silent sob. She is the one person I'll have from my life at the Bernardi Estate. I'm so glad she's here. Without her, I would've gone insane.
The boat begins pulling away from the docks when I see a limo pull up in the parking lot.
"Merda!" the guard calls out. "Stay hidden!"
But I can't. Especially not when I see him.
Adrian stands on the docks, screaming my name and waiting for me to notice him.
But I can't, I can't go back, not now. They'll kill the guard and Eleanora and fuck knows what will happen to me.
