Page 64 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

“I wasn’t pretending,” he said firmly, stepping closer. “Everything I’ve done, everything I’ve said—it was all real. My feelings for you are real, Mirella. They’ve always been real.”

I closed my eyes, shaking my head. “I don’t know if I can believe you. Who else knows what you’re hiding?”

He took another step closer, his hands reaching for mine. “Please. Don’t do this. I’ve made mistakes, but everything I’ve done was for you.”

I pulled my hands away, taking a step back. My chest felt like it was caving in, the weight of his words pressing down on me like a stone.

“I can’t do this, Sergio,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Mirella.” His voice was broken now, desperate. “Please. Don’t let him win. Don’t let him take you from me.”

“It’s not about him.” My voice wavered, but I forced myself to look him in the eye. “It’s about you. It’s about the fact that we both have been keeping secrets and can’t trust one another.”

“You can,” he said urgently, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “You can trust me. I’ll prove it to you. Just give me a chance.”

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. “I can’t, I have so much to lose.”

“I love you,” he said, his voice breaking.

The words cut through me like a knife, but they didn’t change anything. I wiped my tears, forcing myself to stand tall.

“I’m marrying your father,” I said, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

His eyes widened, the shock evident. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do.” My voice was steady now, even as my heart shattered. “It’s over, Sergio.”

The look on his face was one I’d never forget—pain, betrayal, and disbelief all rolled into one. But I didn’t let myself dwell on it. I turned away, forcing myself to leave before I could change my mind.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

SERGIO

“It is over, Sergio.”

The cold air bit at my skin as I stepped out of Mirella’s apartment. My chest felt hollow, as though I’d left my heart behind in that room with her. I wanted to stay, to hold her, to tell her that none of this mattered as long as we had each other. But it did matter—to her.

I dragged a hand through my hair, frustration curling in my gut. How had it come to this? I’d been so certain that once she knew the truth, she’d understand just like I did about her being The Raven. That she’d see I was the same Sergio who had adored her since we were kids. The same boy who carried her down the tree.

But I wasn’t that boy anymore, was I? And this isn’t the same as her hiding that she is The Raven.

I had lied to her. About my identity, everything. Not because I wanted to hurt her—God, I’d rather die than do that—but because I didn’t know how else to reach her. Mirella wasn’t the same girl I’d fallen for, either. She was stronger now and guarded. And maybe she was right to be.

Still, hearing her say she’d marry my father. That gutted me.

I reached my car and leaned against the hood, staring up at the sky. The sun blinked down at me, indifferent to my heartbreak. How ironic. The world kept spinning, the sun kept shining, and here I was, falling apart.

“She’ll marry him,” I muttered, my voice bitter. “Over my dead body, I would rather die.”

I didn’t care what it took. I would win her back. I had to.

When I finally drove back to the estate, the mansion loomed ahead like some dark fortress, as cold and unwelcoming as the man who ruled it. My father’s car was still parked in the circular driveway, which meant he was home. Great. Just what I needed.

I let myself in quietly, hoping to avoid him. But as I passed the study, I heard his voice—low, sharp, and unmistakable. It wasn’t unusual for him to be barking orders early in the morning, but something about his tone made me pause.

“…don’t trust her,” he was saying.

I froze with my hand on the banister.

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