THE DEVIL'S ANGEL

chapter 33

### Chapter Thirty-Three: A Return to the Past

Isabella sat in the back of the car, her mind spinning as the Falconi estate faded into the distance. The cold, hollow feeling in her chest was suffocating, but she kept her gaze fixed on the road ahead. She was going back to her childhood home—back to her mother, her family—though nothing about it felt right. Her heart ached with the pain of Alessandro's words, the cruel truth that had shattered her hopes and left her feeling lost.

The ride felt both endless and too short. Her mind raced as memories of the life she had left behind swirled in her head. Her father, once a powerful mafia don, had been reduced to a mere puppet in Alessandro's hands. Her family's empire, the wealth and power they once held, was now under Alessandro's control. The very man she had married, the man she had foolishly believed she could love, had orchestrated it all. And now, she had to go back to the family she had left behind, knowing that they too were prisoners of Alessandro's ambition.

The car finally pulled up to the familiar iron gates of her family's estate. The towering mansion loomed ahead, but it no longer felt like home. The grandeur of the place, with its sprawling gardens and high walls, now seemed like a hollow shell—just another reminder of what had been lost.

Isabella stepped out of the car, her legs shaky beneath her. She took a deep breath and walked toward the front door, her heart heavy with dread. As she reached for the door handle, she hesitated. She hadn't spoken to her mother in months, and now she had to explain everything—the betrayal, the lies, the painful truth that had torn her world apart.

With a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The familiar scent of the house hit her immediately—lavender and fresh wood polish. It was a scent that had always brought her comfort, but now it only made her feel more out of place. The grand foyer, with its marble floors and crystal chandeliers, was as pristine as ever. But there was a tension in the air, a sense of unease that clung to the walls.

Her footsteps echoed through the silent house as she made her way toward the sitting room. The heavy door creaked as she pushed it open, revealing her mother sitting by the window, staring out at the gardens. The older woman turned her head as Isabella entered, her expression softening with recognition.

"Isabella," her mother whispered, her voice full of both surprise and concern. She stood up, her elegant figure moving gracefully toward her daughter. "What are you doing here?"

The moment Isabella saw her mother's face, the dam inside her broke. The tears she had been holding back since leaving Alessandro's estate came rushing forward, and she collapsed into her mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Her mother held her tightly, stroking her hair in a soothing manner. "Shh, it's okay, darling. It's okay. What happened?"

Isabella tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Her sobs wracked her body, and all she could do was cling to her mother as the emotions she had kept bottled up for so long finally spilled out.

After what felt like an eternity, her tears began to subside, and she pulled back slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to..."

"Hush," her mother said gently. "You don't need to apologize, Isabella. Just tell me what happened."

Isabella took a shaky breath and sank into the armchair beside her mother. For a moment, she didn't know where to begin. How could she explain the tangled mess of her marriage, the betrayal, and the realization that everything had been a lie?

"I don't know where to start," she admitted, her voice trembling.

Her mother sat down beside her, taking her hands in hers. "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything."

Isabella closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Alessandro... he never loved me," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "He used me. Our marriage, everything—it was all part of his plan to take control of our family. He has everything now. Father, our empire... it's all his."

Her mother's face remained calm, but Isabella could see the flicker of pain in her eyes. "I suspected as much," she said quietly. "Your father... he's a shadow of the man he used to be. Alessandro has him completely under his thumb."

Isabella's heart ached at the thought. Her father, once a powerful and respected mafia don, was now little more than a servant to Alessandro. "I should have known," Isabella whispered, her voice filled with regret. "I should have seen it coming."

Her mother squeezed her hands gently. "You couldn't have known, Isabella. None of us could. Alessandro is a master manipulator. He's been planning this for years."

The weight of her mother's words settled over Isabella like a heavy blanket. Years. Alessandro had been plotting this long before their marriage, long before she had ever entered his world. She had been nothing more than a pawn in his game, and now, her family was paying the price.

"But what do I do now?" Isabella asked, her voice trembling. "I can't go back to him. I can't live with someone who sees me as nothing more than a tool."

Her mother's gaze softened, and she reached out to gently stroke Isabella's cheek. "You have a choice, Isabella. You can leave this life behind. You don't have to stay tied to Alessandro or this world of power and violence."

Isabella shook her head. "I wish it were that simple. But even if I leave, Alessandro still controls everything. My family, our fortune... He has the power to destroy everything if he wants to."

Her mother's eyes filled with sadness. "I know, my darling. But you're strong, stronger than you think. And you don't have to face this alone. We'll figure something out."

Isabella leaned back in the chair, closing her eyes as exhaustion washed over her. She felt like she had been fighting for so long, trying to navigate the treacherous world Alessandro had thrust her into. And now, she was left with nothing but heartache and betrayal.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," she whispered.

Her mother leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. Just rest, Isabella. We'll figure this out together."

Isabella nodded, though the heaviness in her heart remained. She wanted to believe her mother's words, to believe that there was a way out of this nightmare. But the reality was that Alessandro held all the cards, and she wasn't sure how to escape his grasp.

For now, all she could do was take comfort in the fact that she was home, with the one person who had always been there for her. Her mother might not be able to fix everything, but she was a source of strength, and in this moment, that was enough.

As she sat in the familiar room, surrounded by the echoes of her past, Isabella realized that she had lost more than just her marriage. She had lost herself in the process. And now, she had to figure out how to rebuild her life from the shattered pieces Alessandro had left behind.