As I confronted Maria alone, the detective reluctantly granted us a brief moment. The rest of the officers and my family had gathered in the kitchen, leaving one cop stationed nearby to keep an eye on us. I noticed Kristen and the guys standing a few feet away, engaged in conversation.
"Why?" I managed to question Maria, my voice filled with a mix of confusion, anger, and a tinge of hurt.
"Why?" she mocked, a cruel smirk playing on her lips. "Because you have everything, and I wanted it. Plus, Mom and Dad were the ones who orchestrated everything. They were broke and needed money," she shrugged nonchalantly, as if it meant nothing to her. "I can't believe I pretended to like you for so long. You make me sick. I'm way better than you, and even Kristen knew that!" she shouted, her words cutting through me like sharp blades.
My heart pounded, a knot forming in my stomach. The person I once considered a friend had revealed her true colors, and it stung deeply.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," I taunted, trying to mask my hurt with a facade of strength.
"Kristen even said it when we made love," she laughed, her voice dripping with malice. A surge of anger and disbelief coursed through my veins, mingling with the hurt I was already feeling.
"What?" I gasped, my voice trembling with shock and betrayal.
"Just after he fucked you, we made romantic love," she sang happily, relishing in my distress, her words like venomous daggers aimed directly at my heart.
"That's a lie!" I yelled, my voice cracking with a mixture of anger, hurt, and vulnerability. It felt as if the ground beneath me was crumbling, as if the trust I had placed in Kristen was being shattered before my eyes.
I turned to Kristen, my eyes pleading for him to confirm or deny Maria's claim. The hope in my heart struggled against the overwhelming doubt that threatened to consume me.
"The fuck, Bella? Do you really think that low of me, to have sex with someone else? I told you, Bella, those days are done," he said firmly, his hands gently cradling my face, his touch providing a momentary solace amidst the turmoil inside me.
A bittersweet relief washed over me, mixed with a lingering sense of betrayal. It was a fragile reassurance that perhaps the foundation of our relationship had not crumbled completely.
Maria, frustrated by our exchange, glared at us and spat, "How did you figure out where Antonio was?"
"I placed a recorder inside your phone after we started fake dating," Kristen revealed, his voice laced with a smugness born out of triumph and the desire for justice. "I listened to you telling the kidnappers to move Antonio to a different location, which you inadvertently revealed during the call. I then had Bella fake being hurt so you would stay at the hospital with her. That bought us some time to find Antonio. We knew that if you had any suspicion about what was going on, you would have him moved."
My emotions swirled in a turbulent mix of anger, relief, and a lingering sense of sadness. Maria's actions had caused irreparable damage, not only to our friendship but also to my sense of security and trust in others.
"There was never an 'us,' Maria," Kristen continued, his voice filled with disgust and disappointment. "I tolerated your actions when it came to Steff, but I drew the fucking line when you tried to hurt Bella. You disgust me, and you're lucky I didn't put a bullet in your pathetic head."
She then turned to me, glaring with venom in her eyes. "You have everything. Everyone loves you and tries to protect you, and all I have are two cracked-up parents who only care about money! You wouldn't last a day in my shoes, and I knew I just had to get my hands on it."
"It was so easy getting information from the ones you loved. All I had to do was offer them a little something in return. Steffon was the easiest. He even offered to get you drunk the night of the football game. Do you remember the party?" she laughed, her words slicing through me like daggers. I clenched my hands into fists, feeling a mixture of anger, betrayal, and disbelief surging through my veins.
Memories of that night crashed over me like a tidal wave. Images of me drinking a sweet yet burning liquor, Steff standing with an uneasy look on his face, and Maria pulling me aside, manipulating me while asking questions about my parents and Kristen. It was all part of her twisted plan.
I glanced in Steff's direction as he conversed with the guys, completely oblivious to what was happening. He had never lied to me before, and the realization that he had played a part in Maria's deceit sent shockwaves of hurt through my already shattered trust.
"Then there was Scott, that dumb fool I used to convince Anna that we couldn't be together unless you broke up with Kristen, which was successful at first," she continued, her voice dripping with disdain.
"Don't get me wrong, the sex was fantastic, but he was such a clingy bitch, and my love was for Kristy boo, so I dumped him," she sighed, her tone filled with arrogance and callousness, as if using people's emotions for her own gain was merely a game.
"Then there was Regina, whom I blackmailed to torment you at school. Did you know she was bisexual? I recorded a video of us having sex after I drugged her one night. I specifically remember you mentioning that her parent was a priest or something, but then she just had to go and be a superhero," I gasped, the depths of Maria's wickedness becoming clearer with each revelation. She was the embodiment of a damn demon.
"She threatened to tell you everything about me. She's lucky I didn't slit her fucking throat," Maria continued, her words dripping with malice. I turned to look at Kristen, knowing he had a history with Regina, but his face remained expressionless. I wondered if the weight of Maria's actions was affecting him on the inside.
"Then there was Sebastian. He was quite the looker, and I actually liked him. But then he had to go and show interest in you, and when I tried everything to get him to notice me, he rejected me. That only fueled my vengeance towards Miss Goody Two Shoes here," she glared at me, her hatred evident.
"And then there was Kristen. When I had my goons kidnap Antonio, Kristen came to comfort me, and I loved it. Then things started sprouting, and we became lovers in no time. I even wanted to kill the stupid boy so we could be together forever. Your father was willing to give the five million dollars, and my parents were about to give up the boy, but that couldn't happen. So I bargained with the goons, and they decided to kill him, but I guess it was already too late," she laughed, reveling in the chaos and pain she had caused.
In a fit of anger and vengeance, I unleashed my fury upon Maria, each punch landing with force and determination. She screamed out in pain as I broke her nose and continued to pummel her, my emotions fueling every blow.
"That's for my brother!" I yelled, my voice filled with raw emotion. I didn't hold back, unleashing all the pent-up anger and frustration she had caused.
"And this one's for hurting my friends and family!" I spat, my hand smashing harder across her face, the impact resonating with a satisfying sense of justice.
"And this one's for Kristen!" I declared, delivering a final, powerful punch that knocked her unconscious. Blood spurted from her broken nose, a testament to the pain she had inflicted on others.
As I stood there, breathing heavily, I smirked, feeling a twisted satisfaction in fulfilling my promise to knock her lights out.
But my moment of triumph was short-lived. Kristen swiftly lifted me up, shielding me protectively as the cops rushed in, shaking their heads in disapproval. Mr. Harrington reprimanded me for resorting to violence, reminding me of the potential legal consequences.
"You dare threaten my girlfriend again, officer, and I'll have my parents ruin you," Kristen threatened the detective, his voice laced with a mix of anger and protectiveness. He positioned himself between me and any further harm, his presence providing a sense of safety and security.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Harrington quickly took charge, pulling Maria off the floor and leading her towards the door to sort things out.
I glanced at my bloodied hands, the mixture of my own blood and Maria's staining my skin. It was a visual reminder of the darkness that had consumed us all.
Turning to Kristen, who wore a smirk on his face, I couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and relief. "What? She had it coming," I defended myself, though deep down, I knew he was right. My motive had been to provoke her, to hurt her in return.
He brought a first aid kit and began tending to my wounds. As he cleaned and bandaged my hand, he confronted me with his observation. "What was the purpose of interrogating Maria? You wanted her to get you pissed off so you could hurt her, didn't you?"
I hesitated, unable to deny the truth. "Yes," I finally admitted, my voice filled with a mixture of defiance and resignation. "I wanted to make her pay. I wanted to hurt her."
He sighed, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "Bella, you came down here with a motive, and deep down, you knew what you wanted. You wanted revenge."
I stayed silent, unable to deny his words. He knew me too well, seeing through the façade I had tried to maintain.
He finished bandaging my hand and looked at me intently. "How are you feeling?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
I sighed, conflicted by my emotions. "I'm disappointed in Maria, but I'm also relieved that Antonio is back," I confessed, the mixed feelings weighing heavily on my heart.
He looked away, seemingly contemplating something he wanted to say. I teased him playfully, using the nickname he despised. "What is it, Krisy?" I asked innocently, unable to resist taunting him.
He groaned in frustration, his uneasiness apparent. "Bella, if you ever dare say that stupid name again, your punishment will be worse than just spanking," he warned, a hint of seduction in his voice.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Krisy boo," I teased, doubling over from laughter. The look on his face only fueled my amusement, and he appeared uneasy, as if he might throw up from embarrassment.
"I'll let that one slide, Bella. For now," he seductively whispered in my ear, his words sending a shiver down my spine.
Feeling a surge of bravery, I decided it was time to tell my parents about our relationship. As Mom and Dad headed out of the kitchen with Antonio, I mustered up the courage to speak.
"Mom, Dad, there's something I need to tell you," I began, my fingers nervously fidgeting. I felt a mix of embarrassment and anticipation, unsure of how they would react.
"Kristen and I are... dating," I finally confessed, my voice quivering slightly.
To my surprise, my parents smiled warmly, as if they already knew. My heart skipped a beat, realizing that Kristen had sought their permission months ago.
"Of course, we know that," Dad said, his smile widening. "He came to us asking for permission to date our daughter, and we gave him our approval."
I turned my head to look at a smirking Kristen. That rat I gritted. He could've at least saved me the embarrassment!
"She's very eccentric," My Dad told Kristen and I gasped.
Kristen couldn't help but laugh at my father's gentle way of calling me a bit of a weirdo. I shot him a playful glare, but his next words left me speechless.
"She's definitely eccentric indeed," he said, his eyes filled with adoration and a hint of mischief.
************
Wow,.... Maria's some kind of crazy but I'm definitely going to miss her, bye bye Maria!!!!😭😭😭😭
I feel so sad. Why couldn't have she been good...why did she have to be so evil??!😫
Anywho I'm really sorry for the long update guys. I have to multi task between going to work and being an author and avoiding Covid 19 although I shouldn't be using those as an excuse.
Hopefully I'll be able to answer all your previous requests and questions by the end of this week.
Also I now have a new book. It's called "My possessive Mobster" please check it out.
*Sigh* what do you guys think? 🙄
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Love you lots and please stay safe during this time of Covid 19❤