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"Son of a bitch," Stella said under her breath. Anger radiated off her body. And then you could feel her guilt. Possibly from the fact, Lilac could've been here if she never decided to start something with Carlo years ago.
"Stella, I'll call you later. I need to call Andre about it."
Before Scarlett could hang up, she asked a question she never thought she would've never had to ask. "There will be chaos, a lot of it, so what if Andre did it? Who's side would you be on?"
"Stella..."
"I have to ask. I know you love him to the point you'd do anything for him, so where does that put me?" Stella asked, already starting to feel afraid of what she would say.
Whether Andre was the one to make the decision, it wouldn't really have mattered because Carlo was a third. High up in the ranks, not the highest, but high. The Marcello Family all sticks together, just like every other family. If something happens to one of them, you're messing with all of them.
There could be an easier answer which would be for Andre to give up Carlo, but he wouldn't do that.
Not with the brotherhood they have.
"I'm going to pick him. I'm sorry, Stella, but I finally let someone love me, I finally let myself love someone else. I'm not letting him go."
She was taken back. It was like a stab to the heart. A rush of emotions took over her body. She was hurt, baffled. She never expected to hear that leave Scarlett's mouth, not in a million years. Scarlett had become family to her, they were supposed to stick together. They were supposed to have each other's back no matter what, but the moment Scarlett found someone else, she was an option.
The rest stopped chatting the moment they heard a pang and saw the fork sticking out of the wall.
Stella threw the fork at the wall.
She frowned, "So that's it? It was all, 'I have your back, don't worry,' until you find a lover. We've been through a lot of things, and this is how you're going to throw it away?"
"Stella, don't act like you wouldn't choose Luca over us."
Scarlett kept shocking her left and right. "You're right, I would, but it wouldn't be a choice I willingly decided. That's the difference between us that I didn't even know we had. I'd choose you guys over him any day even if it hurts me because we made an oath. A sister oath."
"I don't give a crap about the oath. I'm breaking it."
"Scarlett, I can't lose another person..." Her voice was still stern, but also soft.
"Don't be selfish," Scarlett responded plainly before ending the call.
This wasn't what she expected, but she was selfish. She knew she was, whether the vow was a thing or not. If Scarlett had chosen her, Scarlett may never get a happy ending. And Andre was perfect for her, one of a kind. Scarlett could never find another person like him.
It hurt, definitely. Not something she wanted to hear after the death of her best friend, but she should've expected it because people come and go on their own will.
Nothing lasts forever.
Zane put a hand on her shoulder, "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I just need to make another phone call," she responded, before getting up from her seat and leaving the room.
"She didn't even finish her breakfast," Arlo stated.
Luca smacked the back of his head, "You really think she would have the appetite."
Arlo shrugged before asking, "Do you think she would mind if I finished it?"
"Knock yourself out," Luca answered.
Stella had walked all the way back to her room, and she was going to sit on the balcony until she remembered that there were still glass shards splattered across the floor. Communication with the Shadows was always done by Scarlett, but with this type of matter in hand, Stella had to talk to Brooke and Mavis.
"Hello?"
"Brooke, could you get Mavis on the phone as well."
"Yeah, sure." A couple of seconds had passed and Stella could hear Mavis' footsteps coming closer to the phone.
"Stella, how are you doing, girl?" Mavis asked.
She wasn't really sure how to answer anymore. "Um, I'm calling because I don't know if Scar is with you guys and whether she told you or not."
"No, she's over at Marcello's estate. Is everything okay?" Concerned now laced Brooke's voice.
"She broke the oath. She chose Andre over me."
The concern was now covered in sadness, "Stel..."
"I can't do it..."
"Why is this happening in the first place?" Mavis asked calmly. She was always the one to freak out later, but she had to hear the information first.
"Two men belonging to the Marcello family were seen leaving the area Lilac was beaten. They had her wallet, so it's not a coincidence, and you know how the rules are. You mess with one, you mess with all. And if it truly was Carlo's doing because Andre and Alessandro are on a business trip, there is no way they would give up Carlo."
"Which is why Scarlett chose Andre," Mavis's voice was now bitter, but still calm. "Which also means she would've chosen him over us too."
Brooke didn't want to admit it, but it's true. When you know how close Scarlett and Stella are, it would never be a thought that Scarlett would choose someone else. And if she could choose Andre over Stella, she could easily choose Andre over them.
"So what now? We have to take her out of the group, don't we?" Mavis says, dropping the bomb none of them wanted to say.
"No, let's just pretend the oath never happened. No danger, no violence, no fighting, just no." Brooke was on the edge, scared.
"It's an oath Brooke, we swore," she sighed. "I'm just calling you guys to let you know, that's all. I don't want you guys to look at me differently if someone does happen. Though I would still like your assistance. Not as the Shadows, but as friends."
"Shoot." Brooke and Mavis, both responding simultaneously.
"Carlo doesn't know who Lilac is. I never mentioned it to him, not even a slip of my tongue. I have suspicions of Hailey Noire. She was there at the dinner when I received the phone call from Lilac, so I think Carlo and Hailey are linked. Unfortunately, the rest don't because she quote on quote, couldn't kill a rat."
"Jealousy is an ugly disease." Mavis sighed.
"Ain't that the truth," she scoffed, "Anyways, I want you guys to keep a lookout for Hailey. Let me know her schedule, what she does, who she meets, everything."
"You got it."
Ending the call, she wanted to laugh. Her world had always been crumbling apart, and unfortunate events always happened. She should've known. Especially from the fact that this wasn't new to her, the mafia was not new to her, but just maybe, she thought. Just this once, she could've kept a dear one alive.
Her heart had been aching and she didn't even realize, or maybe she did but because it was a feeling that blended into her entire life, that it no longer felt different.
She thought about the vow they made. If one were to break it, they would have to watch their backs, make sure they never bumped into another shadow. If they did, the Shadows had every reason to shoot them, torture them, whatever their heart desired.
Stella couldn't do that to Scarlett, she knew she couldn't. As psychotic and insane she could be, there was one thing in the world she couldn't do, and that was harming a person who had a place in her heart.
"How are you feeling," Luca said, interrupting her thoughts as he walked in.
She shrugged, "Life could be better, but I suppose it could also be worse."
"You're right, it could be," responding while he wrapped his arms around her waist. "What's the plan?"
"I go in, guns blazing. Killing anyone who gets in my way."
"I?" He questioned, "There's no 'I' in this, Stella. We are going in with guns blazing, and I'll be there being your backup while you focus on finding Carlo."
She smiled in response. This was the man she needed. One that didn't mind being in the backlines, didn't mind letting women stand in the frontlines instead.
Leaning forward, she placed a kiss on his cheek. He frowned, that was not the kiss he wanted. He puckered his lips making her laugh. "I want a proper kiss."
"I'm hungry," she said before trying to slip out of his grip, but his hold only got tighter.
"Kiss me on the lips," Luca demanded.
She lifted her head a little more in order to reach Luca's lips. And when he connected his lips with hers, she melted into his hold. That's what he did to her. He made her lose herself. Body, mind, and soul, everything was gone from her reach and they belonged to him.
"I'm doing something later tonight, don't call me. Okay?" Stella said sweetly, but Luca knew not to fall for something twice.
He sighed, "I hope you aren't thinking of disappearing for another week like last time."
"I'm not," she smiled. "I just have some unfinished business I need to handle. It's the perks of being Bianchi's blood."
He raised an eyebrow, "Doing jobs is a perk?"
"Sometimes," she winked. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I want my breakfast." And before she left the room, she asked, "Would you mind getting someone to clean the balcony, it desperately needs a clean."
Luca nodded, and Stella disappeared behind the wall.
++++++++++
"Hello?"
"This is Stella."
"Oh, hey! How can I help you?"
"I've been having problems. Mind having dinner with me tonight?"
"I always got time."
"Okay, see you at 7. I'll send you the location."
++++++++++
The waiter seated her at the table before going back to get a glass of vodka. Stella took the seat by the window, taking off her jacket, and waiting for the person to walk through the doors.
The sky had always looked pretty whether the sun was shining or the clouds covered the sky. It always had looked perfect, she thought as she stared out the window.
"Did I make you wait a long time?" He interrupted her gaze.
She turned around to face him, "Not at all. I've only been here like a minute or so."
Carlo smiled at her, and then his smile fell. "Are you okay? Your eyes are red."
"My best friend died, and I know Luca's behind it. He sent out the kill, I just know he did."
"What?" He responded shockingly, unable to gather his words, but really that was what he showed to her. Carlo actually felt relief wash over him. Initially, he thought she knew that he had to do something with Lilac's death, but maybe everything had worked out.
Internally, Stella was grinning like the Cheshire cat. She had him exactly where she wanted him to be.
Stella forced some tears to gather around her eyes and fall. Only some because she was genuinely upset. Tears were easy to shed right now. "I need you to help me, Carlo."
"You know I will always help you, but you love Luca, do you not?"
She acted shocked, "It was a play, a show to everyone else. How did you not see it?! Carlo, you've known me for so long, and you..."
He caressed her hands, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner."
She wanted to throw up.
His hands were on hers, her hands that belonged to Luca.
For the rest of the evening, they sat and drank. Stella had to continuously stop herself from taking her gun out and shooting Carlo in between the eyes, but she had to be rational and she wanted Carlo to be alive as long as possible. As her toy of course.
"Let's go to my place?" Stella offered as they finished up.
Carlo nodded and helped her put on her jacket.
They paid the bill and as the door opened, the sharp, cold wind entered the building. And the moment she stepped out of the building, a dozen people stood in front of her and Carlo. Her heart stopped, because the person who stood out from the others, was Scarlett, holding a gun that was pointing at her.
As her eyes connected with Hailey's, her blood boiled because she was right and everyone thought she was wrong.
Stella turned her head to face Carlo, only to be meet the end of the barrel. Carlo laughed, "You can't possibly think I would fall for your trick. I have people giving me intel, just like you. I knew it was weird when you called me, begging ME for help. Especially because Scarlett, your sister here, told me you were falling in love. Then I realized, you are the key to everything I want from Luca."
"You think you can trust Scarlett? Or even Hailey? That makes me laugh. Once a traitor, always a traitor. You can never trust someone fully, you should know that Carlo."
She knew she was going to get caught. There was no way she'd be able to get out of this without dying. She had one gun and a knife. Her knife was her best shot, but it was dangerous getting up close, and she wished she could rely on her revolver, but she only had six bullets. She knew it was a bad idea to choose a revolver instead of a glock.
She needed to live, that she knew for sure.
"Stella, baby," He said as he gripped her jaw roughly, "I have eyes and ears everywhere."
She laughed mockingly, "So do I."
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