His Collateral

Chapter 19

Bella's POV:
I heard footstep approaching and turned to see Alessandro standing behind me.

I quickly wiped my tear stained cheeks and looked at him. "What do you want?"

"I just want to talk." He said. "Can we talk?"

I nodded slowly and he moved to seat on the chair next to me. He was silent for a while before speaking up. "How much did you hear?"

I stared at the pool. "Enough to know that I'm not the one you were meant to marry." I said, my voice trembling, as I found it difficult to say the next part, but I did. "And that my family used me as a bargaining chip and everything they told me was a lie."

"I'm.. s-sorry Bella." Alessandro said and I stood up, staring at him in disbelief.

"You're sorry?" I asked, my voice shaking with sudden rage. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

Alessandro stood up and looked at me, his face full of anguish.
"Bella just—" He stammered
"Just calm dow—"

I laughed, the sound bitter and hollow. "You're not sorry. You only pity me." I said, my voice dripping with scorn.

"And you think that's enough? That your pity makes up for everything you've done? Marion should've been the one you married. Marion should've been the one to face all you put me through, right. But they sent me instead and now that you know the truth, you're feeling guilty!"
I paused to catch my breath before continuing.
"That's what going on here. It's your guilt, it's eating at you." My voice softer and tears escaping my eyes once more as I pointed at his chest.

"You are right. I am feeling guilty. You were only a pawn to your uncle and I..I hurt the wrong perso—"

I interrupted him. "There was never a right person to hurt Alessandro!" I yelled
"Whether it was me or Marion. Who gave you the right huh? Who gave you the right to involve lives in your twisted money games with my uncle. You wanted to get back at him because he owed you money? What makes you think you're entitled to that kind of revenge Alessandro?"

His face contorted with anger now as I spoke, and he snapped, his voice laced with anger and pain. "It's no twisted money game Bella, it's about my brother!"

I took a step back at the intensity of his outburst. I had never seen him so unhinged and consumed by emotion. He had mentioned his brother.

*Yes, sir Alessandro is an only child.

*He and his brother were never one for relationships...

I remembered what Mary and Mrs Stella had said to me. "Y—you have a brother?" I asked

"I HAD, a brother but he was murdered by your uncle Aldo."

I looked at him like he had gone crazy and shook my head. "You're lying. My uncle might be bad but he isn't a murderer.

"You have to belief me Bella."

"Do you have proof?" I asked and his hands flew to his hair as he shook his head slowly.

"But Marco and I are working on it. You just need to hear me out first." His eyes pleading.
I didn't want to listen to him accuse my uncle of murder but something inside me urged me to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Okay." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I had a brother, his name was Vincenzo. He operated a loan shark business. One day he loaned a huge sum money to your uncle, Aldo. But when the time came to pay back, Aldo couldn't and he..."

I swallowed hard, a knot forming in my throat. "What happened next?" I asked Alessandro, who had his eyes fixed to the floor.

"Aldo had my brother killed." He replied, his voice shaking
"He arranged for the brakes in my brothers car to be tampered with and he had an accident."
My eyes became wide with shock. It felt like the world was collapsing around me, like the ground was giving way beneath my feet. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I didn't want to believe uncle Aldo was a murderer, but Alessandro's sincerity was undeniable.