Bound by Betrayal (The Mafia King Captive Bride)

Ashley

The airport is full of people leaving and entering from arriving flights. I sat down on the bench there waiting patiently for my flight, when suddenly the airport’s public address system crackled to life. The air traffic control personnel announce, their voice echoing through the terminal…

“Attention all passengers and airport personnels, due to severe weather conditions, all flight departures are currently suspended. Please check with your airline for further updates and instructions.”

“What?!” I gasped, shocked. Which weather? I thought, glancing up at the small opening up there to see the sky but to my surprise, it was clear. Not a cloud in sight, no sign of rain or even a hint of turbulence.

What are they now talking about?

I wasn’t the only one perplexed, my fellow passengers exchanged confused glances, and a low murmur and noises started rising and that’s when my phone beeped.

I pulled it out from my pocket and it was Sebastian.

“Hey, Sebastian,” I answered, stepping away from the nosy crowd to take the call.

“How are you? I saw the news now about the weather, you can’t just stand there, someone might recognize you. Start coming back to the hotel.” He said, sounding so urgent.

“But Sebastian…..”

I didn’t finish and he cut me off. “Just stay in the hotel till the weather clears.”

Which weather? The weather is crystal clear. I am sure those personnels are obviously insane or blind at this point.

“Ash, please, I am sure you don’t want anybody recognizing you there.” Sebastian said again but I remained quiet, my anger and frustration growing.

Why now?Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Hello! Hello! Are you there? Ashley?” Sebastian doubted my presence at the other side of the call.

After a few minutes, I let out a half-hearted sigh before responding, “I’m coming there now…”

**** *****

I tried calling Sebastian’s number countless times, but he didn’t answer. Frustrated and worried, I entered the hotel room, but he was nowhere to be found.

Just as I was starting to get anxious, a knock at the door broke the silence. I dropped my phone on the bed and rushed to open it, hoping to see Sebastian’s familiar face. But instead, my eyes widened in shock as I took in the person standing before me. Tearing my gaze from him, it then fell on the three guys standing behind him, one of them was Sebastian.

How did he know that I was here?

Anger flashed through my eyes as they fell on Sebastian again.

He did, he brought them here.

“Wife, please,” Damien begged, holding the door open as I tried to slam it shut. ” Please I can explain…. Just please hear me out?

“I have absolutely nothing to talk with you about, just get out and never show your face in front of me ever again.” I spat, anger and pain flashing in my eyes.

“Wife please.” Holding my hand, Damien desperately knelt down, surprising me. “Punish me, do anything, but please don’t leave me,” he pleaded. But I felt numb, my emotions were already exhausted. I didn’t care about his words anymore.

All I can feel inside is pain, hurt, and anger.

“Ash…” Sebastian began, but I cut him off, my anger simmering. “You brought them here, didn’t you?” I accused, my eyes narrowing. He gulped, his gaze darting away in guilt.

“So, the border closure was your doing!” I turned to snap back at the desperate looking Damien, my voice rising. I don’t know where the sudden bravery is coming from. Though I think it is from a place of hurt.

I shoved his hands away.

“You ruined my life!” I screamed, leaning forward, my face inches from Damien. “You condemned me to months of trauma and pain. I lost everything – everything!” I spat, my voice echoing through the room.

I didn’t care that his friends were witnessing my outburst, they averted their gaze, exchanging apologetic glances. But I shot them a withering look before rolling my eyes in disgust.

Damien’s face contorted in desperation as he crawled forward, pleading, “Ashley, I didn’t know it was you. I was drunk that night… Please, don’t leave me.”

But instead, I laughed, stepping back as if his words were poison.

That night memories were so painful to forget, I lost a lot because of that night.

I know the fault was Olivia, Mason, and of course my shitty friend that thinks betraying me will solve her problems but my pain is knowing that the stranger that I had hated, scared to face…… traumatized to think about was none other but my husband.

The man that I have grown to love, despite how we met.

The pain knowing that it was him that night, and he had subjected me to nothing, and made me look like a whore.

“But you knew you took advantage of a girl that night, and you didn’t care. You didn’t bother to look for her,” I said, my laughter bitter and mocking.

I shot him a fierce glare, and he opened his mouth to speak, only to snap it shut again. His eyes filled with regret, pain, and fear as he lowered his head in shame.

“He told us but we were actually the one that talked him out of the idea, we didn’t know it was you.” Pasito and Eros said, pleading but I glared at them again.

“I know you are hurting but please consider the baby,”. Eros said but I quickly snapped at him, my warning sharp. “Don’t you dare!!”

“The same child that he wanted me to abort!” I shrieked, “Do you know what I lost? My life was a mess because of that night!”

“Please wife…. Please don’t leave, I am deeply sorry.” Damien continued, his voice cracking at the end. “I love you and I am so so sorry, please.”

He continued pleading but I just smiled, a sad smirk appearing on my face.

Sebastian didn’t say a thing, he had his head tilted to the other side.

” How I wish a mere apology can fix everything,” I snarled, going inside the room to bring my luggages.

“Ash please!!” Eros fell on his knees as well but I ignored him.

Dragging my luggages out, I stopped to glare at the sad looking Damien, who seemed like all his world was coming to an end.

“Don’t look for me nor the baby!”

” Wifey, please we can fix this.” I turned to leave but he immediately grabbed my bag. “Punish me, hate me, hit me, do anything but please don’t leave.”

I tilted my head to look at him, he now seems different and not the stoic, cold, and intimidating Damien that I was married to.

Instead, he appeared pitiful, broken, and scared, his eyes etched with pain.

If he was feeling this way, he should try to imagine what I endured for months – the allegation, the pain, the neglect.

I might have fallen for him but months of staying with him wasn’t a romantic fairy tale; it was a never-ending nightmare. Months felt like years.

“My regards to Aurora and Emily,” I said, and angrily yanked my bag from his grasp.

For the first time, I saw tears well up in his eyes, but I didn’t falter.

“Wifey…” he stammered, his voice cracking. I turned my back on him and walked away.

With each step, tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision. I heard him scream in desperation as I stepped into the elevator.

“Wife!!!” The sound of his pain was drowned out by the closing doors of the elevator, but it echoed in my mind as I crumpled against the wall, my emotions badly eating me inside.

No matter how much I stared at the closed elevator, my heart kept breaking as his face continued flashing in my mind.

I love him but I feel betrayed, I can’t just look him in the eyes because it reminds me of that fateful night.

Though somehow, my heart still beats for him.