CHAPTER 138: SECOND HUSBAND

Maya sobbed quietly, her tears falling silently. She came to her senses and no longer wanted to be enveloped in Marcello’s arms. She tried to free herself from his embrace, but his grip was like a vice; he refused to let her go.

"Can you please let me go?" Maya said as politely as she could. It took a few seconds before Marcello released his arms that were around her.

Maya pulled herself up and straightened her dress, raising her chin as she spoke. "I won’t accept what Dalton told you. I want him to tell it to my face that he has stopped loving me and wants a divorce. That’s why you are going to help me escape."

Marcello jerked his head back, his palms clenched into fists as he looked down at Maya with a fury that was so odious. "Do you think I lied to you?"

Maya hatched a breath. "No, I just want to hear it from his own mouth so that my heart can fully accept that I have lost him."

Marcello’s eyes flicker with aggravation. "Where is your dignity as a woman? Dalton has stopped loving you and no longer wants to see your face. That’s why a whole month has passed, and he still hasn’t come to rescue you. You want me to help you run back into his arms, only for him to toss you aside like trash? Don’t be a foolish woman in love. Where is your pride?"

Maya’s lips parted in confusion as she gasped. Marcello has never been this harsh with his words; seeing this side of him was quite astonishing and made her furious as well. However, she suppressed her anger.

She swiped her palm over her face to wipe away the tears. "Anyway, it’s none of your business," she snapped at him. "Will you help me escape or not?"

Marcello chuckled amusedly; he was about to say something when they heard Vico’s voice

"There you are, tesoro! Your Zia and I have been looking for you," Vico quipped.

Maya groaned inwardly. She should have persuaded Marcello to help her escape before asking about Dalton. What a missed opportunity!

"Oh, you’re here too, Marcello," Vico said, addressing him in a friendly tone, leaving Maya perplexed.

Marcello smiled. "I wanted to spend some time with her," he winked.

Vico laughed. "You couldn’t wait for me to formally introduce you."

Maya scrunched up her eyes, looking at them with contempt. "Why would there be any need for a formal introduction when we already know each other? He is my husband’s close friend, or best friend, as he likes to refer to himself." She shot a glare at Marcello.

A smirk played on Marcello’s lips. "That’s not it, honey. I’m your ex-husband’s best friend, and you and I are going to get married."

"Oh, you’re the man my father wants me to replace Dalton with."

Maya didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Since she arrived in Italy, there have been so many revelations, and now this. She is being forced to marry Dalton’s best friend. Fate keeps throwing insane twists at her.

"You betrayed Dalton! So, you’ve been Vico’s spy all along," Maya accused, pointing a finger at Marcello. "You aided in my kidnapping, didn’t you?"

"Yes, honey," he admitted smugly. "Remember the wedding gift I promised you? Bringing you to Italy was that gift, and Nana Rose was the person I chose to..."

Maya’s eyes quivered with fury. "You were the one who told Nana Rose I accidentally shot Dalton?"

Marcello winked. "Bingo!"

And that was it. Maya went for it; she slapped Marcello hard in the face. "You moron!"

And here she was, foolishly thinking that Marcello would help her escape. He might have even lied about Dalton.

But Marcello didn’t flinch; there was no reaction—he grinned manically.

"Vico, I really like your daughter. She has that fierceness I love."

Vico looked at Maya proudly. "Yeah, she has a spitfire in her. She is all yours."

Maya wanted to throw up. She couldn’t believe this was her reality. She felt like she was going insane. She felt walls were closing in on her, and she might pass out. She needed to get away from these awful men.

Papa, I want to leave," she pleaded.

"Are you okay?"

Maya shook her head.

Vico’s wrinkles deepened with concern for Maya. "Then Marcello, please drive her home."

"No, Papa. Can my bodyguard take me home instead?" Maya requested.

"Then I will," Vico suggested.

Maya wanted to cry. Both options felt like poison.

"Fine," she thought. Vico was the poison she chose to deal with tonight; she had no energy to handle Marcello.

"We have to talk" Vico told Marcello.

Marcello nodded. "See you later, beautiful." He kissed Maya on the cheek, and she wanted to slap him hard again, but she had exhausted all her energy.

She simply rubbed her hand over her cheek in disgust.

Vico instructed his bodyguards to prepare the car, and Maya followed him outside through the back door to avoid the cameras.

Maya’s anxiety eased a little once they were in the car. However, she will surely cry herself to sleep tonight as she processes what happened tonight and her zero chance of escaping now that Marcello is in the picture.

"At least he’s a familiar face. My men reported that you two were talking amicably. You like him, so this marriage will work," Vico said, breaking the silence in the car.

Maya ignored him. She wasn’t in the mood to talk, and she couldn’t voice her objections because an innocent would suffer if she did.

Her instincts are never wrong. She feels justified in having felt uncomfortable whenever she interacts with Marcello. The universe was warning her that he was bad news.

Vico continued speaking. "I just need you and Black to sign the divorce papers."

Maya’s blood was boiling, but she held back her words.

Seeing that Maya was silently listening to him speak without replying Vico decided to stop talking.

**

Maya rushed to her room the moment the chauffeur turned off the engine. As she was about to hit the bed, she noticed a shiny small box on it. It came with a card that read:

Wear this beautiful necklace on the night of our engagement party – Marcello

Maya picked up the box and threw it violently against the door.

She screamed, "I fucking hate you, Marcello!"