MARK:
I watched her face change with every detail I revealed.
"You mean... Ana's father...?"
I nodded. "Yes. While we don't have concrete proof yet, he's involved. The Falcons aren't just a small-time criminal racket. The organization is massive, divided into several operations. Russo handles the illegal weapons. Narco... manages the drugs. James is in charge of diamonds. And Leo..." My voice dropped as I continued, "Leo runs human trafficking."
Lara's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God!" she gasped. "So, all this time, while Ben, Mia, and their team were working, it was with the help of..."
"Narco and Leo," I finished. "Narco's drugs were used to subdue children and women. They were kept deprived of food and water, and when they were on the brink of losing their minds, those drugs would kick in, making them forget who they were... until they'd obey anything."
I walked to a large portrait of Amy, my hand tracing her face. "Amy caught Leo's attention. He sent Ben and the others after her. But Amy—she was brave. She fought them with everything she had, recording whatever she could. In the end, they killed her, but not before she left behind pieces of the truth."
The pain of her loss hit me anew, and I felt myself breaking. Then, a soft hand rested on my shoulder—it was Lara. "I'm sure, wherever she is now, she's at peace," she whispered.
I turned to face her. "I failed, Lara," I said, my voice cracking. "I promised I'd protect her, but I couldn't... I didn't..."
Lara pulled me into an embrace, her warmth seeping into my fractured heart. "She wouldn't want to see you like this," she said softly. "I wouldn't, if I were her. But..." Her voice trembled. "She knows you and Enzo fought for her. For countless girls like her. She loves you, more than you know."
Just then, I heard a faint voice, almost like a whisper, "She's right. I am proud of you, Mark. I will always love you, but you need to let go. Live with what you have in front of you. Don't let it slip away this time."
I looked up, but the room was empty. Then, I glanced at the woman standing before me, and I realized the truth: Amy wasn't here anymore.
But Lara was.
Tears slipped from my eyes as I looked at her. "I know I may not be the perfect man you deserve, mi cariño. Or that we had a rough start... but..." I held her hands, and a chuckle escaped me. "Right now, it's only you. I know I didn't plan this, but fate brought you to me."
I watched the confusion flicker on Lara's face, mingling with the concern that had been there. But I went on. "You are my present. You'll have all of my future too, and now..." My voice faltered as a tear slid down. "Now you know my past as well. This is me. All of me. Amy will always be my first... but you... you'll be my last."
She bit her lip, and I saw her eyes soften as I continued. "I know this might not be the perfect time, place, or situation... but..." I dropped to one knee. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Lara. Will you marry me?"
She gasped, clearly overwhelmed. For a moment, I braced myself for her rejection, knowing she could easily turn me down. Who would want to love a broken man like me? But I waited, needing to hear her answer.
"But Mark... that's a huge responsibility. Are you sure?"
Without hesitation, I nodded. "I don't have a ring, but every word I said is true."
I saw the conflict play across her face, the struggle within her as she weighed her answer. For a second, I thought she might say no. But then, with a beaming smile, she whispered, "Yes... Yes... yes, yes. A million times yes."
A laugh of pure relief escaped me as I lifted her in a tight embrace, spinning her around. When I finally set her down, our laughter mingled, and our foreheads touched, my lips brushing her smile. "But... there are a few things you should know about me too, Mark," she said softly.
I frowned, listening, but I knew that nothing she could say would change my mind now.
"Well, I..." She hesitated. "My mother... she is a prostitute, and I never knew my father," she began awkwardly. "My mother tried to sell me once, but my sister—she helped me escape. But then... Heath, my sister... she was kidnapped by the Falcons and killed two years ago. I don't think I have any family left..."
I stepped closer, cupping her face. "You have me."
Then she rose onto her tiptoes, her lips meeting mine, and we were lost in each other. I had once promised myself I'd only love Amy, but Lara had come into my life like an unexpected stroke of luck I couldn't shake off—and didn't want to. Amy always used to say life was all about second chances, and here, standing with Lara, I finally understood.
We kissed until we were breathless, finally pulling apart only when oxygen forced us to. We settled down, and Rio came in to inform us that Enzo was recovering fast. After Amy, he was my only family, but now I had Lara too. I couldn't be more grateful.
Just then, Raven stepped in. "Sir, we have news," he announced. "It's about Leo Hudson."
As Raven briefed us, Lara stood a few feet away, her focus lingering on our conversation. I sensed it was time for truth number two.
"Where are you taking me?" she asked as I led her down the stairs to the basement.
"The torture room," I replied, my tone steady. "This is where we bring those who deserve a taste of hell before they reach it for real."
Her eyes widened. "Oh my God!"
We stopped just outside the large glass door. Beyond it, Leo was strung up, his hands and legs tied to the ceiling. Acid had scarred most of his face, but he was alive. Barely. A twisted part of him still clung to life.
At first, Lara recoiled, horrified, but as the reality sank in, she understood the depth of his crimes and that this was, perhaps, the only justice for him. She turned to me, her voice quiet, "Why did you bring me here?"
I took a deep breath, struggling with how to tell her. "I promised you the truth, and here's the second part." I gestured toward Leo. Lara's face fell, and her shock hit me like a wave.
"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"As you know, Leo orchestrated much of the trafficking with women and children. But he wasn't working alone." I held her gaze as I continued, "It was Abby Garcia."
Her gasp was sharp, her face reflecting disbelief. "No... that can't be."
"I know it's hard to take in, but it's the truth. We don't speak without proof." She was still reeling when I added, "And more than that... a few days ago, we ran a test. We confirmed that Amara... she's Leo and Abby's child."
"No..." Her whisper was barely audible. I held her as she tried to process the revelation.
"And, Lara... I'm sorry, but there's more. Leo is not only Amara's father, but... yours as well."
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed, overcome. Tears streamed down her face, and I pulled her close, letting her cry until she couldn't anymore. She lay there, motionless in my arms, frozen like a statue, and I held her, unmoving, steady as her anchor.
When she finally regained her composure, her gaze drifted to the half-dead man behind the glass, her eyes searching for answers she knew she'd never get. The man before her was beyond redemption, and she could see that now. I spoke gently, "I'm sorry to tell you like this, but... we have to get rid of him tonight. I wanted you to know, to ask you..."
She looked up at me, her face set, a quiet fire in her eyes as she whispered, "Can I do it?"