"Goodbye. For good. My chest tightened as though the weight

grief and optimism, stared into mine. "Marco, it's

I-what we have-is genuine, Isabella. Tell me how you can

n me, so I turned away. It has nothi

now, he questioned, "Your family wants you to be miser

eve I'd like this? Do you really think that I want to abandon every

ions do we have? He grabbed my hands and murmure

rom all of this and start over. I

debt? I can't do that . I can't!, you

ete defeat that I will never forget. He whispered, "I lov

g I can't see. As I watched him walk away, his

ind the right words. Instead, the chilly night air

ly closed the window. I kept thinking about Marco's heart pounding w

----------------------

ion looming like a brewing storm. As I got dressed and left

park, Clara was already waiting for me under our favorite tree.

nly, "You look terrible." I said, "Than

revealed everything: Marco's devastating vi

rprise, rage, and pity. At last, she murmured, "That's

ed if I wed Alexander, but Marco will be gone forever. And

ght, let's consider this. You love Marco, don't

aving this conversation?" My voice rising

e to do this for my family. We'll lose everything if I don't. C

rself. Bella, marrying someone you don

d started crying once more. "I have no other option."

ut up a fight for it." --- My phone rang in

sage, my heart skipped a beat. ** "I apologize for contacting you in this manner, but I think we ough

I froze in place. "What on earth wo

peered over my shoulder. "The pl

spine. I knew that whatever Alexander had to