Page 175 of Morally Corrupt

"Lastra?" Adrian asks, his eyes never leaving Marcel. "Marcel, what's the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry," Marcel whispers, averting his gaze.

"Sorry? For what?" Adrian asks.

"Come on, Marcel. Tell yourfriendswhat you're sorry for. Or should I?"

Marcel is silent, his eyes distant.

"Marcello here owed me a debt. Atremendousdebt, I might add," Valentino emphasizes. "And the only way to repay it was for him to shadow you in your quest for vengeance. I knew that you were the most likely person to draw Jimenez out. After which, of course, Marcel would report back to me."

The moment he says that I think back to Marcel's actions. Sometimes he'd acted suspicious. But then another thought crosses my mind.

The list…

"Is that why you hid Martin's name from the list? You were afraid he'd stop looking for Jimenez if he knew Martin was the one who killed his parents?" I ask, accusatory.

Marcel flushes, his entire countenance screaming his shame.

Adrian gives Marcel one last look that conveys the disappointment he feels at the betrayal, before turning to his bother.

"Why? Why was Jimenez so important to you?" Adrian addresses Valentino. "Why kill him?" He shakes his head. "You don't know what you've done…"

Valentino scoffs. "Done? I got rid of a plague that roamed this earth. Please… as if everyone isn't better off without him. As to why? It's quite simple. He killed my wife. And do you knowwhyhe did it?" Valentino's eyes bulge in his head, his expression almost maniacal. "To blame me for her death, so that Rocco could turn against me for killing his daughter."

"And now you've condemnedmy wifeto the same fate." Adrian's voice is full of bitterness.

Valentino frowns.

"Jimenez poisoned her, and he was the only one with the antidote," Vlad interjects, his voice steady and devoid of any emotion.

Valentino's face falls for a second, but he quickly recovers. In a split of a second, I find myself on my back, with Adrian charging towards him.

He tackles him to the ground, his fists going straight to his face. My eyes widen, and I signal for Vlad to help me get him off.

We must have been too slow because the sound of a gun discharging permeates the air.

We both stop in our track, and we watch in horror as Valentino pushes Adrian off him, breathing heavily. On his back, Adrian groans in pain, but I only see the spot of red forming at his temple.

"No!" I yell and fling myself towards him. "No… this can't be happening…." My hands go to his wound.

A head wound… I'm frantic in my movements, not knowing what to do. I bring my hands to my shirt and rip a significant portion of it, using it to stop the blood and wrap it around his head.

"911… call 911." I don't recognize my voice as I look at his shallow breaths.

Please, Adrian, please! Stay with me!

Valentino drags himself to his feet, a horrified look on his face.

"I didn't mean… It went off…" He keeps on shaking his head in shock.

Then, with a last glance at Marcel, he grips the gun tightly and places it under his chin.

There's only Marcel's voice as he runs towards him before Valentino pulls the trigger, blowing up his brains in front of all of us.

His body falls to the ground, and we're all stupefied at the turn of events.

A pained wail comes from Marcel as he hurries to his brother's side. His face is unrecognizable now, a big exit hole marring his forehead, his brains leaking out.

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