Lily's POV
Days turned into weeks. The house became my whole world. I had a routine. Maria bringing my food, a guard watching me walk in the garden. Kaelum was never home. When he was, he did not see me. I was a ghost, and the loneliness, It was worse than the fear.
One sunny day, I sat in the garden drawing roses in my secret book. Drawing made me feel like me.
"A beautiful day for drawing," a voice said.
I looked up. A young man stood there holding garden tools.
"I am sorry I scared you," he said. "I am Marco, the gardener"
"Lily," I said.
"I know," he said with a warm smile. "Mrs. Visconti."
We sat there and talked about flowers. It was my first normal talk in so long. Marco was so easy to talk to.
After that, I looked for him each day in the garden. We just sat there talking about small things, the weather, books it was comforting
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This morning Kaelum walked right past me not bothering to even look at me.
"You look troubled," Marco said gently.
"I am just lonely," I said.
He nodded. "This is a lonely house. Mr. Visconti… his business… Be careful. There are people in his world who would hurt you to get to him."
His words made me think of Don Orsino. "Do you mean Don Orsino?" I whispered.
Marco's eyes got wide. "You know him?"
"Yes, we met at the gala. He looked very scary."
"He should scare you," Marco said, his face serious. "He is a very dangerous man."
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I walked past Kaelum's study. The door was a bit opened and I overheard him on the phone speaking angrily.
"The shipment comes Friday! At the west docks! I will be there myself! I trust no one else!"
I ran away. My heart beating fast. I knew i was not supposed to hear that.
That night in the garden, I told Marco.
He looked very serious. "You cannot tell anyone you heard that. But... you should warn him."
"Warn him?" I asked.
"Rumors say the Orsino family knows. They plan an ambush. A trap."
My blood went cold. A trap for Kaelum? "I must tell him!"
"No!" Marco grabbed my arm. "You cannot say you were listening. And you cannot say I told you. He would fire me. Find another way to warn him. But be careful."
That night, I could not sleep, despite, Kaelum being cold to me. I did not want him hurt.
The next morning, I went to his study. He was working.
"Kaelum? Can I talk to you?"
"I am busy."
"It is important. I... I heard some men talking yesterday, about a shipment on Friday, at the west docks. They said...it was a trap."
Kaelum looked up. His eyes were dark and dangerous. "What men?"
"I... I do not know. I just thought you should know."
He stood up. His face was angry. "You eavesdropped on me?"
"No! I just heard! I wanted to help!"
"Who told you to say this?" he demanded. "Was it Orsino? Did he get to you?"
"No! I wanted to protect you!"
He grabbed my arm. "Listen. You know nothing. Stay out of it. Do you understand?" His grip hurt. "I do not need your protection. I need you to follow the rules. Now get out."
I ran to my room crying. I tried to help. Instead I made everything worse.
______
The next morning, the house was too quiet. I saw no one and for once I wasn't locked in.
Just then I sighted Kaelum in the hall. wearing a black suit. His face hard as usual. Leo and two other men were with him and they had guns and were leaving to the docks.
I just couldn't believe it, he was really walking into the trap.
He saw me watching. Our eyes met and without a word, he turned and left.
Panic set in, He was going to die, and it was my fault. Something had to be done.
The keys to the bmw were in the kitchen. In that little time, a reckless plan formed in my head. My driving wasn't good, but fear was a good teacher. I kick started the engine and I sped toward the gates, slipping through as they opened for a truck.
Freedom was scary. The mission was to save my husband. But the plan ended there.
What would I do when I got there?
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i parked the car far away as I ran toward the building.
hiding behind big metal crates, i take one look inside the warehouse, instantly, the fear what i saw glued me to the spot.
I saw Kaelum. He stood with Leo and one other man. Across from them stood Don Orsino and four of his men, and standing right next to Orsino, smiling, was M...Ma..Ma..Marco?.
He was not a prisoner. He was one of them. He had actually lied to me.
"Kaelum!" Orsino's spoke. "So good you came. You got our message."
"I knew it was you, Alberto," Kaelum said. His voice was calm, but his shoulders were tight. "I did not know you used my gardener."
"Marco has been very useful," Orsino said, patting Marco's back. "And your pretty wife was so easy to trick. She was so eager to 'save' you. She gave you our message perfectly."
Pain burned in my chest. It was true. I was a fool.
"Oh, do not worry," Orsino laughed. "We will find her after we finish you. She is part of the prize. A delicate flower."
I could not stay hidden anymore so i stepped out from behind the crates.
"Stop!" I shouted.
"Well, well," Orsino smiled wide. "The little bride came to the party. How romantic."
Marco looked at me. For a second, I saw he looked sorry. Then it was gone. He just smiled.
"She told you about the trap, yes, Kaelum?" Orsino said. "My spy told his spy, and she ran to you. And you, so proud, you came anyway. You played right into my hands."
Kaelum looked at me. He knew I told Marco because I wanted to protect him. I was tricked, but I was not a traitor.
Orsino raised his hand. His men pulled out their guns.
It happened so fast.
Kaelum shouted, "Lily, get down!"
I saw one of Orsino's men aim his gun at Kaelum's heart.
Without thinking, I ran. I ran at Kaelum and pushed him aside with all my strength.
A loud BANG exploded in the warehouse. It was so loud it hurt my ears.
A hot, sharp pain tore through my shoulder. The force spun me around and i fell to the hard, cold floor.
The last thing I saw was Kaelum's face.