Beneath The Surface

Chapter 27 : Echoes of Secrets

--- Bella's POV ---


As the phone call abruptly ends, Marco and Ace exchange a glance that doesn't escape my notice. Their shared look fills me with a sense of foreboding, as if something significant has just transpired.


"What's going on?" I ask, my voice betraying my unease. Marco's response is curt, leaving me with a nagging feeling that he's hiding something from me. "Nothing," he replies, his tone clipped.

Before I can press for more information, Marco rises from his seat and motions for Ace to follow him. They exchange a few murmured words before disappearing into Marco's office, leaving me alone in the kitchen with my thoughts swirling.


As I sit and sip my coffee, I can't shake the feeling of unease that settles over me. It's as if a storm is brewing just beyond the horizon, and I'm left to wonder what secrets Marco and Ace are keeping from me.


After a few moments of restless fidgeting, I finally decide to get up and investigate. With tentative steps, I make my way to the closed door of Marco's office. My heart thuds loudly in my chest.


Leaning against the door, I strain to catch any snippet of conversation filtering through from Marco's office. However, all I hear is the faint murmur of voices, too indistinct to decipher.


Frustration gnaws at me as I contemplate whether to press my ear closer to the door. Would it be too invasive, too presumptuous? But then again, why should I be kept in the dark? My mind races with questions, each one adding to my mounting anxiety.


With a resigned sigh, I straighten up and take a step back from the door. It's clear that whatever Marco and Ace are discussing, they don't want me to hear it. Reluctantly, I return to the kitchen, my curiosity left unsatisfied and my unease deepening.


Just as I step back into the kitchen, Marco and Ace emerge from the office, their expressions inscrutable. Ace breaks the silence with a solemn announcement.


"I need to leave for a while," he says, his tone tinged with gravity. "But I'll be back in a few days."

Then his gaze flickers toward Marco, a silent command passing between them. "Behave," he says, his tone firm yet laden with unspoken understanding. I catch the subtle exchange, knowing all too well what it implies.


The unspoken directive is clear: when left to our own devices, Marco's brash aggression and my stubborn defiance have a tendency to ignite, creating sparks that can easily erupt into a blaze.


I nod in acknowledgment, recognizing the gravity of Ace's words. It's a reminder to tread carefully, to keep our tempers in check, and to avoid any unnecessary conflicts in his absence.


As Ace leans down to press a farewell kiss on my head, his touch is both reassuring and cautionary, a silent plea for cooperation in his absence. I watch him leave with a sense of unease, knowing that the dynamics between Marco and me are a delicate balance that could easily tip into chaos without Ace's calming presence.


After Ace leaves the house, tension hangs in the air like a thick fog. I turn to Marco, seeking answers in his guarded expression. His eyes flicker with apprehension as they meet mine.


"What's going on, Marco?" I press, my voice edged with urgency.


He shifts uncomfortably, a hint of frustration creeping into his features. "Don't even start," he replies tersely, his tone leaving no room for argument.


I feel my patience waning, the tension between us escalating with each passing moment. "Start what?" I shoot back, my voice rising in frustration. "I just want to know what's happening. Why all the secrecy?"


Marco's jaw tightens, his silence a barrier between us. "You're one to talk about secrets," he retorts, his words laced with accusation. "What about yours?"


His words hit me like a punch to the gut, igniting a spark of anger within me. "This isn't about me," I snap, my voice trembling with emotion. "I'm asking you, Marco."


The air crackles with tension as our exchange grows more heated. I can feel the weight of his unspoken words hanging between us, suffocating any chance of resolution.


With a frustrated sigh, I turn away, unable to bear the weight of his silence any longer. "Forget it," I mutter, my voice heavy with defeat.


Without another word, I make my way back to the room, the heavy silence of the house echoing my own tumultuous thoughts.


Frustration surges through me like a tidal wave as I step into the room, my mind still reeling from the tense exchange with Marco. With an almost instinctive impulse, I slam the door shut behind me, the sound reverberating in the room like a thunderclap.


My hands tremble with suppressed emotion as I pace back and forth, the weight of Marco's accusation heavy on my shoulders. His words echo in my mind, a relentless reminder of the secrets I've kept hidden, the truths I've buried deep within.


But it's not just Marco's words that haunt me, it's the suffocating silence that surrounds me, the unanswered questions that gnaw at my sanity. The uncertainty claws at me, driving me to the brink of madness as I struggle to make sense of it all.


I collapse onto the edge of the bed, my head in my hands as I try to quiet the storm raging within. The room feels like a prison, trapping me in a suffocating embrace as I grapple with the chaos of my own mind.


In the solitude of the room, with only the sound of my own ragged breaths to keep me company, I feel a sense of isolation unlike anything I've ever known. The weight of the world bears down on me, threatening to crush me beneath its unforgiving gaze.


With a heavy heart, I lean back onto the bed, my eyes closing as I surrender to the darkness that threatens to consume me. In the quiet of the room, I find solace in the stillness, a fleeting moment of respite before the storm inevitably returns.