Beneath The Surface

Chapter 28 : Daughter of Deception

--- Marco's POV ---


The sharp slam of the bedroom door sends a surge of frustration coursing through me. I stand alone in the kitchen, the echo of Bella's departure hanging heavy in the air. I know she'll retreat to the solitude of the bedroom, shutting herself off from the world once again.


Enough is enough.


I march towards the stairs, my steps heavy with determination. As I reach the bedroom door, I fling it open with a force that matches the anger boiling within me. There she is, lying on the bed lost in her thoughts.


I don't hesitate. I stride over to her, gripping her wrist firmly as I pull her up from the bed. She looks up at me, surprise flickering in her eyes as I draw her close. Our faces mere inches apart, I can feel the heat of her breath against my skin.


"You're not going to hide away in this room again," I growl, my voice low and intense.


But she's defiant. "You won't tell me what to do," she retorts, her voice laced with defiance.


Her resistance only fuels my determination. I tighten my grip, ignoring her protests as I begin to pull her out of the room.


I won't let her retreat into herself any longer. If I have to drag her kicking and screaming, then so be it.


As I drag her forcefully into the kitchen, her resistance adds fuel to my determination. I stand before her, frustration simmering beneath the surface, my expression steely, determined to break through the walls she's erected around herself.


"We're going to have a talk," I declare firmly, my voice brooking no argument. "You can't keep hiding away like this, Bella."


Her defiance meets my persistence head-on as she stares back at me, her jaw set in stubborn resolve. The tension between us crackles in the air, a silent battle of wills unfolding before us.


"And what if I don't want to talk?" she challenges, her voice dripping with defiance. "What then?"


"Why do you insist on keeping everything to yourself?" I counter, my tone tinged with frustration. "What are you so afraid of?"


But she remains silent, her refusal to speak only intensifying the tension between us.


"Why won't you talk to me?" I press. "This silence won't make things go away," I continue, my voice firm.


As I continue to press her, my frustration mounts with each passing moment. "Talk to me, Bella," I urge, my voice growing louder. "Tell me, who is Alexander Knight to you?"


But still, she remains silent, her defiance fueling my rage. The room feels suffocating, the tension thick and heavy.


"Why won't you say anything?" I growl, my patience wearing thin.


But she refuses to budge, her silence a challenge I can't ignore.


My anger flares, my voice rising to a roar as I demand an answer. "Who is Alexander Knight to you?!" I shout, the words echoing off the walls.


And then, finally, she snaps. "He's my father!" she screams, her voice laced with pain and resentment.


As she breaks down, her admission hitting her like a tidal wave, I'm engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions.


The confirmation of our suspicions sends a jolt of shock through me. It's a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that what Ace had uncovered was indeed true. She is the daughter of our enemy.


To actually hear her confess to her identity as Alexander Knight's daughter sends a wave of confusion crashing over me. How could I have fallen so deeply for the daughter of our sworn enemy?


Anger surges within me, fueled by the betrayal of her deception. I can't bring myself to look at her, the frustration building to a boiling point inside me. I turn away, needing to distance myself from her before I do something I'll regret.


I take a few steps, needing to clear my head, to escape the suffocating weight of her revelation. The air feels heavy with tension, each breath a struggle as I grapple with the tumult of emotions raging inside me.


I need time to process, to make sense of the chaos she's unleashed with her confession.


As I turn to walk away. But just before I take another step, something compels me to turn back, to look at her one last time.


I meet her eyes "You're Raven Knight?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.


A sob escapes her lips, confirming what I already knew deep down. The truth is laid bare between us, a painful reminder of the tangled web of lies and deceit that has ensnared us both.


I tear my gaze away from her, unable to bear the weight of her pain any longer. With a heavy heart, I continue to walk away, each step a painful reminder of the rift that now lies between us.


But even as I retreat, the echo of her sobs haunts me, a constant reminder of the tangled mess we've found ourselves in. And though I know I need to clear my head, to find some semblance of clarity amidst the chaos, one thing is clear, everything has changed.