secrets and sacrifice

secrets and sacrifice

T. montgomery

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Marissa's life has always been defined by fear and survival. Sold to a powerful mafia drug lord, she becomes one of his most trusted lieutenants, running his dangerous deals and fulfilling his every demand. But everything changes when she discovers she is pregnant. Desperate to escape the life she's been trapped in, Marissa steals a large sum of money from the mafia boss and vanishes, determined to give her child a chance at a life free from violence. For months, Marissa stays on the run, hiding her pregnancy and building a new life in a quiet, anonymous apartment. There, she meets her neighbor, Caleb, a kind-hearted man who quickly grows close to her. Their connection deepens as they begin to date, and Marissa dares to dream of a future far away from her past. However, her newfound peace is shattered when a private investigator, hired by her former lover and boss, tracks her down. In a terrifying twist, Marissa is confronted by her past when Alessandro, the drug lord who once claimed her, finds her. Still unaware of her pregnancy, he attacks, leading to an early labor that forces him to confront the consequences of his past actions. As the truth about Marissa's disappearance-and her reason for leaving-comes to light, Alessandro becomes desperate to win her back, now wanting to be part of her life and their child's life. Caught between the dangerous, toxic love of her past and the genuine affection of Caleb, Marissa must decide who she can trust and who truly deserves her heart. In the end, the love of her child and the desire for a peaceful future may offer her the strength to face the darkness of the past and embrace a new beginning.

Chapter 1 THE BEGINNING OF ESCAPE

The knock was repeated-insistent, firm. Her breath caught in her throat. She stood quickly, moving to the small window and peeking through the blinds.

Nothing. The hum of city traffic outside her window was constant. It was like the heartbeat of the city, steady, relentless, and unyielding, just like the life she had come to know. Marissa sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the cracked, chipped wallpaper peeling in the corners. The small apartment she had rented was nothing fancy, but it was a refuge in a world that had never offered her solace.

Her fingers grazed over the small, growing bump beneath her loose-fitting shirt. For a moment, she forgot who she was-forgot the past that kept clawing at her heels, trying to pull her back into its suffocating grasp.

She was tired. The weight of the past month's escape, running, and trying to stay hidden had drained her in ways she couldn't explain. Once bright with ambition and youthful innocence, her eyes had become shadows of their former selves. But in this small, lonely apartment, she finally allowed herself the illusion of peace.

Her hand trembled slightly as she pressed it against her belly. Inside her, life was growing small, fragile, and completely dependent on her. The realization should have brought comfort, but instead, it only intensified the fear in her chest.

What if I'm not enough?

The thought flitted through her mind, uninvited and unwelcome. She had escaped him, the man who had controlled her life for far too long, but now the stakes were higher. Now there was another person to protect. A child.

A sharp knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts. Her pulse spiked, and she froze.

Just the usual bustling street below-people walking briskly, cars honking in frustration, the occasional siren wailing in the distance.

She exhaled, shaking her head as she stepped away from the window. Her nerves were getting the best of her. She had to stay calm.

But that wasn't always easy when you lived a life on the run.

Marissa's hand wandered to the small envelope on the table. It had been there for days, unopened. She didn't need to read it to know what it was-she already knew the words it would

contain. The letter had been delivered by hand, no return address, and no name. It was from him.

I know where you are.

The mafia boss, Alessandro "Al" DeLuca. The man who had bought her, who had owned her for years. She could still remember the cold, calculating look in his eyes when he first laid eyes on her-like a wolf eyeing its prey, studying, calculating, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

It had been a life of luxury, power, and fear. His power. His control. Marissa had been just one of many women in his world, but she had become one of his favorites-one of the few he trusted with his most sensitive operations.

But that didn't mean he had ever stopped treating her like property.

And now, she is gone.

She had thought about taking the money-the sum that would set her free-but it had felt too much like a betrayal, too much like she was still under his thumb. Instead, she'd taken the documents. The valuable, damning documents that, if they ever fell into the wrong hands, could bring him to his knees.

She'd stolen from him, and she'd run.

The knock at the door came again, and this time she didn't hesitate. She grabbed the envelope from the table, slid it into her bag, and hurried toward the door. She needed to keep moving, keep herself busy, keep her mind occupied. She couldn't afford to let her fear take over.

Her hand rested on the doorknob, but she hesitated. A quick glance over her shoulder reminded her of the child she was carrying-the child who was, in some twisted way, her only reason for not going back.

I can't let him own this baby.

She opened the door.

Standing in the hallway was her neighbor, a man she'd barely spoken to in the three months she'd been living here. He was tall, with broad shoulders and dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead. His eyes, though, were kind-soft, warm, and unlike anyone she had ever known in her life.

"Marissa," he said, his voice gentle. "Everything okay?"

She managed a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, just... thinking."

He nodded, his gaze flicking to the bag she clutched in her hand, and then back to her face. She could tell he was trying to read her-his instincts were sharp, as though he knew something was off.

"Alright," he said slowly, as though weighing his words carefully. "Well, I'm heading out to grab some groceries. Though you might want to come with me, get out of the house for a bit."

She shook her head quickly. "No, thanks. I've got some things to do."

"Right." His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer, concern lining his features. "If you change your mind..."

"I won't," she cut him off, though it wasn't entirely true. Part of her wanted to go-to forget everything, to forget him, and just pretend like the world hadn't crumbled at her feet.

The neighbor didn't press. He simply gave her a small nod and turned to leave. As he walked away, she couldn't help but feel a pang of something unfamiliar. Something soft, something gentle.

She felt guilty for not telling him the truth about who she was. About the danger she was in. But the truth was-she couldn't tell anyone. Not even him.

For a moment, she watched him leave, the door to the building closing softly behind him.

And then the weight of the world seemed to crash down on her again.

She stepped back into her apartment and closed the door, locking it behind her. The letter from Al still burned in her bag. He was looking for her. He wouldn't stop until he found her.

I'm not safe here.

She had thought she would be, but Al's reach extended far beyond the confines of his mansion. He had eyes everywhere. And even if she kept moving, staying one step ahead, he would always know.

Marissa's hand slid over her stomach again. She couldn't keep running. She couldn't protect her child from a life of fear and violence.

But what choice did she have?

She glanced toward the window again, the city below oblivious to the life-and-death stakes playing out just one floor above.

She had to make a decision, and soon.

If she stayed, he would find her.

If she left...

No. I can't go back to him. I won't.

But even as the thought solidified in her mind, she couldn't shake the cold feeling creeping down her spine.

She wasn't free yet.

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Chapters
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secrets and sacrifice
1

Chapter 1 THE BEGINNING OF ESCAPE

02/01/2025

2

Chapter 2 SHADOWS OF THE PAST

02/01/2025

3

Chapter 3 THE WEIGHT OF SECRETS

02/01/2025

4

Chapter 4 UNRAVELING TRUTHS

02/01/2025

5

Chapter 5 THE BREAKING POINT

02/01/2025

6

Chapter 6 THE QUIET AFTER THE STORM

02/01/2025

7

Chapter 7 A FRAGILE PEACE

02/01/2025

8

Chapter 8 THE CALM BEFORE THE TEMPEST

02/01/2025

9

Chapter 9 THE EDGE OF ABYSS

02/01/2025

10

Chapter 10 THE CROSSROADS

02/01/2025

11

Chapter 11 THE RECKONING

02/01/2025

12

Chapter 12 INTO THE FIRE

02/01/2025

13

Chapter 13 THE TURNING POINT

02/01/2025

14

Chapter 14 CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES

02/01/2025

15

Chapter 15 UNSPOKEN TRUTH

02/01/2025

16

Chapter 16 UNRAVELING TIES

02/01/2025

17

Chapter 17 BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

02/01/2025

18

Chapter 18 BUILDING BRIDGES

02/01/2025

19

Chapter 19 A SHIFTING BALANCE

02/01/2025

20

Chapter 20 THE TEST OF TRUST

02/01/2025

21

Chapter 21 THE DECISION

02/01/2025

22

Chapter 22 NEW BEGINNING, OLD SHADOW

02/01/2025

23

Chapter 23 UNWANTED ENCOUNTERS

02/01/2025

24

Chapter 24 FULL CIRCLE

02/01/2025

25

Chapter 25 SHADOWS OF THE PAST

10/02/2025

26

Chapter 26 THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN

11/02/2025

27

Chapter 27 TESTED BONDS

12/02/2025

28

Chapter 28 CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES

14/02/2025

29

Chapter 29 TRUTH OF CALEB

14/02/2025

30

Chapter 30 THE WEB TIGHTENS

14/02/2025

31

Chapter 31 THE BREAKING POINT

14/02/2025

32

Chapter 32 THE ENEMY WITHIN

15/02/2025

33

Chapter 33 THE AFTERMATH

15/02/2025

34

Chapter 34 THE FAMILY BUSINESS

15/02/2025

35

Chapter 35 A DAY AWAY

15/02/2025

36

Chapter 36 THE LEDGERS SHADOW

15/02/2025

37

Chapter 37 THE CIPHER'S SECRETS

15/02/2025

38

Chapter 38 THE WEIGHT OF SECRETS

15/02/2025

39

Chapter 39 THE COST OF WAR

16/02/2025

40

Chapter 40 THE COLD EMBRACE OF VENGANCE

16/02/2025