UNDECIDED (Wisemen Series #1)

13 | Just End It

ISABELLE
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The family gathering swirled around me in a dizzying blur of laughter and clinking glasses. Despite my attempts to remain composed, the weight of unspoken truths and suppressed desires hung heavy in the air, a suffocating reminder of the tangled web we found ourselves ensnared in.

With each passing minute, the tension mounted, fueled by the endless flow of wine and the desperate longing that simmered beneath the surface. And in a moment of reckless abandon, fueled by the intoxicating mix of alcohol and unresolved emotions, I found myself drawn to Alessandro.

Our lips met in a fevered kiss, a betrayal of everything I had tried to deny, a fleeting attempt to drown out the cacophony of conflicting desires raging within me. But as the taste of him lingered on my lips, guilt washed over me in a wave, threatening to consume me entirely.

Fleeing the scene of my indiscretion, I sought solace in the only person who could understand the turmoil tearing me apart-Riccardo.

I found him alone, a solitary figure amidst the shadows of the garden, his gaze haunted by the weight of our shared secrets and unspoken longings. Without a word, I collapsed into his arms, the floodgates of my emotions bursting open as I sobbed against his chest.

"I'm sorry," I whispered between choked sobs, the words a desperate plea for forgiveness, for absolution from the sins I had committed.

Riccardo held me close, his touch a bittersweet reminder of the forbidden connection between us. "It's okay, Belle," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm against the storm raging within me. "We'll figure this out together."

But as he spoke of a future marred by compromise and uncertainty, a surge of anger rose within me, fierce and unrelenting. "No," I spat, pushing away from him, my tears mingling with the rage burning in my veins. "I won't be your fallback, Riccardo. I won't be the one you turn to when things get tough with Chloe."

His expression crumpled, a mirror to the devastation tearing me apart inside. "You're not-"

"I won't be your mistress," I interrupted, the words heavy with finality. "I won't settle for scraps of your affection while you give yourself to someone else."

Riccardo reached for me, his desperation palpable in every movement, every pleading glance. "Belle, please, you know it's not like that. You're not just some-"

But I couldn't bear to hear any more excuses, any more promises tainted by the reality of his impending marriage. With a wrenching sob, I turned away from him, fleeing into the night, leaving behind the shattered fragments of our fragile bond.

As I stumbled through the darkness, the echoes of our fractured connection reverberating in my mind, I knew that the road ahead would be painful and uncertain. But for the first time in a long time, I felt a glimmer of something resembling freedom-a freedom born from the wreckage of our tangled hearts, a freedom to forge my own path, no matter how difficult or lonely it might be.

As I stormed away from Riccardo, his voice called out after me, pleading and desperate, but I refused to turn back. The anger coursing through me burned brighter with each step, fueling my resolve to distance myself from the chaos he had brought into my life.

But Riccardo was not one to let things go so easily. He followed me, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridors of the mansion, his voice a mix of frustration and sorrow.

"Belle, please," he implored, his tone strained with emotion. "Don't walk away from me."

I stopped abruptly, whirling around to face him, my eyes blazing with fury. "Why shouldn't I?" I snapped, my words sharp as daggers. "You've made your choice, Riccardo. You're marrying Chloe, and there's nothing I can do about it."

His jaw tightened, a flicker of pain crossing his features before he masked it with a steely resolve. "It's not that simple, Belle," he retorted, his voice tinged with frustration. "You know there are other factors at play here."

"Factors? You mean excuses," I shot back, the bitterness in my voice mirroring the bitterness in my heart. "I'm tired of hearing about your obligations and your family's expectations. What about what you want, Riccardo? What about us?"

His expression softened, a glimmer of regret in his eyes. "You know I want you, Belle," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I can't-"

"But you can't have me," I finished for him, the words a bitter reminder of our impossible situation. "Is that it, Riccardo? Am I just supposed to accept being second best?"

His silence spoke volumes, a painful admission of the truth we both knew but were too afraid to acknowledge. The tension between us crackled with the intensity of our unspoken words, each moment stretching taut with the weight of our conflicting desires.

"I can't do this anymore," I said finally, my voice hollow with resignation. "I won't be a pawn in your game, Riccardo. I deserve more than that."

He reached out to me, his hand hovering in the space between us, a silent plea for understanding. But I recoiled from his touch, the sting of betrayal burning hot against my skin.

"Don't touch me," I spat, the venom in my words cutting through the air like a knife. "I won't be your mistress, Riccardo. I won't settle for half-measures and empty promises."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving Riccardo standing alone in the hallway, his outstretched hand hanging limply at his side. The echoes of our argument lingered in the air, a painful reminder of the shattered dreams and broken promises that had led us to this moment.

As I fled into the night, the tears streaming down my cheeks mingling with the rain that had begun to fall, I knew that this was the end of us. No amount of pleading or regret could change the fact that our love was doomed from the start-a casualty of duty and obligation, of pride and circumstance.

But even as I mourned the loss of what could have been, a small part of me held onto hope-that one day, we might find our way back to each other, that our love might transcend the barriers that had torn us apart.

Until then, I would carry the memory of Riccardo in my heart, a bittersweet reminder of a love that was never meant to be.

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did u guys know that the show "baby" is acc based on a real story..