Web Secrets

The moment I saw the familiar face step through the doorway, my heart nearly stopped. “You?” I whispered, barely able to believe my eyes. It was Marco, a childhood friend I thought I’d lost years ago. He had vanished without a trace, and rumors said he was dead.

“Surprised to see me, Amara?” Marco said, a smirk playing on his lips. But his eyes—cold and calculating—told a different story. This wasn’t the same boy I once knew.

Luca pulled me behind him, his grip like iron. “Stay back,” he warned, his eyes never leaving Marco. “What are you doing here?”

Marco shrugged as if we were having a casual conversation instead of standing in a collapsing building. “Came to collect what’s mine,” he said, pointing at me. “The De Luca princess.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded, my voice shaking. “You’re supposed to be dead!”

“Dead?” Marco laughed, a hollow sound that echoed in the narrow hallway. “I’ve been very much alive, Amara. I’ve just been... busy.”

Before I could ask more, the sound of gunfire erupted, echoing through the halls. Luca pushed me against the wall, shielding me from the bullets. “Move!” he yelled, dragging me forward. Isabella appeared at the end of the hallway, a gun in her hand.

“This way!” she shouted, gesturing for us to follow. Together, we ran, my legs trembling with every step. I couldn’t get Marco’s words out of my head. What did he mean by “collecting” me?

We burst into a large room filled with crates and dim lights. Luca slammed the door shut and bolted it. “That won’t hold them for long,” he muttered, catching his breath.

“Who is Marco working for?” I demanded, my chest heaving.

Isabella’s eyes narrowed. “Someone very powerful. And someone who wants you out of the way.”

“Great,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “And whose brilliant idea was it to ‘sell’ me to you in the first place?”

There was a moment of tense silence before Isabella stepped forward. “That would be me,” she said calmly. “I orchestrated the deal.”

My head spun. “You did this?”

“Yes,” she admitted, without a hint of remorse. “I needed to get you away from your family. It was the only way.”

“The only way for what?” I asked, anger bubbling in my chest. “To destroy me? To use me as leverage against my father?”

Isabella shook her head. “No. To save you.”

I wanted to scream. “Everyone keeps saying that! Save me from what?”

“From Marco,” she said quietly. “And the people he works for.”

The pieces were starting to fall into place, but I didn’t like the picture they painted. “Why? Why would Marco betray me?”

Luca spoke up, his voice tight with tension. “Because there’s a power struggle happening that goes beyond our families. Marco is part of it. He wants control, and you are the key.”

I glared at Isabella. “And what’s your part in all this?”

She took a step closer, her expression serious. “I’ve been trying to dismantle the families from the inside. This life, this violence—it has to end. I saw a chance to pull you out before they got to you. I took it.”

“So, you betrayed your own family,” I said bitterly. “For what? Some grand plan?”

Isabella’s eyes softened, just for a moment. “I betrayed my family to save lives, Amara. Including yours.”

I didn’t know what to believe anymore. Everything felt like a lie—a twisted game with me as the pawn. “And what about Luca?” I asked. “Is he in on your little plan?”

Luca’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t know the full extent. But I’ve always been against this pointless bloodshed. I’m trying to keep you alive, whether you believe it or not.”

Suddenly, the door behind us shook as someone pounded on it. “Time’s up,” Luca said, drawing his gun.

I felt the walls closing in, the weight of betrayal and fear crushing me. “What do we do now?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“We fight,” Isabella said simply, raising her weapon. “And we run.”

The door splintered, and armed men burst through. Chaos erupted. I ducked behind a crate as bullets flew past, my heart pounding like a drum. Luca fired back, his movements precise and deadly. Isabella fought beside him, her eyes blazing with determination. I wasn’t a fighter, but I refused to be a helpless pawn. I grabbed a broken metal rod lying on the floor and swung it at an approaching attacker. He crumpled to the ground, and I felt a surge of adrenaline.

“Amara, move!” Luca shouted, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward an open passageway. Isabella covered our retreat, firing shot after shot.

As we ran, I glanced back at Marco, who stood amidst the chaos, watching us with a twisted smile. “You can’t run forever, Amara!” he called. “I’ll find you!”

His words sent a chill down my spine. Luca tightened his grip on my hand, and we raced deeper into the maze of tunnels. My mind swirled with questions, doubts, and fear. Why was I so important? What did Marco really want? And could I trust anyone in this nightmare?

We burst into a hidden chamber, only to find a map sprawled across the table. My eyes widened as I recognized it—a map of the entire city, marked with targets. “They’re planning to burn it all down,” I whispered. But before anyone could respond, a hidden door creaked open, and a shadowy figure stepped out. “Welcome, Amara,” the figure said softly. “I’ve been waiting for you.”