𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝟏𝟖+

chapter eleven

I was related to a group of complete idiots.

"Say something," my mother said, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up and gave them the expression one would expect from a remorseful person. "We're all dead," I muttered.

"What is she talking about?" Alessandro turned to our father, but he remained silent because he knew.

"Tell him," I insisted. Once again, my father said nothing. He just walked over to the couch and sat down. "Fucking tell him!" I shouted, and my father looked up at me with shocked eyes. "Enough," he finally said. A single tear rolled down my cheek. I turned to my brothers, Amelia, and my mother. "We will all be dead in less than twenty-four hours, and it's all because of our father and his greed. I was taken by the same man who held a gun to your head and ruined your celebration," I revealed.

"Ronan Ivanov," my mother murmured.

"Father struck a deal with him. Ronan wanted control over the streets in Costa Rica and New York, and father wanted me back. That was the agreement. Father would relinquish his claim to the throne, and Ronan would release me. But our father's greed got the better of him. He not only chose his own ambitions over us but also sealed the fate of everyone standing here right now," I say.

"Nothing happened to me while I was with them, but I learned many things. I witnessed many things, especially about Ronan Ivanov. He is exactly the man portrayed in the stories told about him. If not today, he will kill us. And if not tomorrow, he will relentlessly hunt us down until every last one of us is dead." I finish. I turn around and ascend the stairs to find the bedroom where Stella was.

I open the third door and finally see Stella still unconscious on the queen-sized bed. Her blonde hair cascades across the mattress as she lies there peacefully. It's as if she is simply asleep and not sedated by my father's men. I gently climb into the bed next to her and lay my head beside hers, deciding to rest until she finally awakens.

After just a minute, I feel movement and quickly open my eyes, sitting up. Stella looks around the room until her eyes meet mine. They widen with panic, and I realize she is likely reliving what happened before she was sedated.

"You're fine. We're somewhere safe," I assure her, but she gets off the bed and rushes to the window. She looks outside before turning back to me, her head shaking from side to side as she hides her face in her hands. She says something, but it's muffled between her palms. Running her hands through her hair, she walks over to me.

"Are you okay?" she asks, placing her hand on my leg. I shake my head and place my hand on top of hers. "You were literally kidnapped and had a needle stuck in your neck. I should be asking if you're okay," I tell her, and all she does is smile. How can she smile through all of this? She truly amazes me every day.

"I'll always be okay," she says, pulling me into a tight hug. After we let go, she gives me a meaningful look. It's a look that raises questions, but I don't want to question it.

I provide her with all the details about what happened at the warehouse and afterward. Stella is in a state I had no idea about. One minute she is in disbelief, the next she is saddened, and now she stares into space until she turns to me and says, "This might sound evil, but I hope they didn't make it out." I frown at her words, and she notices.

"Nicholas and I always talked about these types of situations. I told him that if I ever get kidnapped and he can't find me, he should let go and move on with his life, and I made him promise. As for Ronan, this was a different situation. Ronan is a man of his word, and he stands by it. If there's anything Ronan cares about more than himself, it's his little brother. And knowing the hurt Nicholas must be feeling right now, I can only imagine the anger building up in Ronan," she pauses, looking out of the window.

"Your father just sealed his and your entire families fate. If it's not today, it will be tomorrow. And if it's not tomorrow, then it will be the next day. Once you cross a man like Ronan, there's no going back. Now it's time for everyone to be afraid, including us."

・・・

The next few chapters will only be from Aria's point of view. I need to add a few filler chapters before the intense events occur, and trust me, it's going to be wild.

I have no clue how long this book will end up being, but there is so much material I have to cover; it's mind-boggling. There are numerous crucial chapters that need to be included, and the story is going to take some unexpected turns.

With school out of the way, my updating schedule will improve significantly!

Thank you for reading! :)