Bound by Obsession

*chapter17: shadows of past*

Before she could fully process the shock, she heard voices outside the room. She quickly closed the wardrobe and pressed her ear to the door. It was Tristan and Marco, their voices low but intense.

"I know you're just trying to protect her," Marco said, his voice tinged with frustration, "but at least tell her the damn truth."

"She wouldn't fucking believe me even if I tell her the goddamn truth," Tristan replied, his tone filled with a mix of regret and determination. "At least not after I'll threaten her to marry me."

"Tristan, at least try," Marco urged, desperation creeping into his voice. "She's believing Alexei without knowing his true colors. Just tell her before you regret it."

"Get out!" Tristan suddenly barked, his patience snapping.

"What?"

"Get the heck out before I lose it, Marco," Tristan growled.

There was a tense silence, and then Isabella heard footsteps approaching. She quickly backed away from the door, her heart pounding in her chest. The door opened, and Marco stepped out, his face a mixture of worry and resignation. He saw Isabella standing there, her expression a mask of confusion and fear.

Instead of reprimanding her, Marco gave her a small, sad smile. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but the words never came. He shook his head slightly and stormed off, leaving Isabella alone with her thoughts.

Marco's earlier words to her replayed in her mind. "He has looked after you for ages... you were his only hope since childhood." She had dismissed them at the time, but now, they seemed to hold a deeper meaning. Could Tristan really be Leo? The possibility was too wild to believe, yet everything pointed in that direction.

The thought made her dizzy, and she had to steady herself against the wall. If Tristan was Leo, then everything she thought she knew about him was a lie. But why would he keep something like that from her? And why now, of all times, was this coming to light?

Isabella's thoughts were interrupted when Tristan entered the room, his presence filling the space with a cold intensity. He walked over to her, his eyes locked onto hers, and there was something in his gaze that made her blood run cold.

"We're getting married in two days," Tristan announced, his voice devoid of emotion.

"What?" Isabella's voice wavered, disbelief washing over her.

"You heard me. The wedding is in two days."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't do this. I won't marry you."

Tristan's expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You don't have a choice, Isabella."

"You can't force me," she protested, her voice rising.

Tristan leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "I can and I will. If you refuse, your parents will pay the price."

Isabella's heart sank. She had seen her parents earlier, and while they seemed unharmed, the threat in Tristan's voice was real. She knew he was capable of anything. Her parents' lives were in his hands, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing them.

"You wouldn't," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Try me," Tristan challenged, his eyes locking onto hers with a fierce intensity. "You know what I'm capable of. I've already taken so much from you... don't make me take more."

Isabella's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to believe there was still some humanity left in him, some part of him that cared for her. But the darkness in his eyes told a different story. She was trapped, and there was no way out.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized the full extent of her predicament. Tristan had her cornered, with no escape in sight. She had no choice but to submit to his demands, to go along with this twisted charade of a marriage. Her heart ached at the thought of what her life would become-forever bound to a man who had become a stranger to her, a man she could no longer trust.

"I've never wanted to do this, love," Tristan said, his voice softening slightly, as if he could sense her breaking point. "I've never wanted to hurt you... but if I don't stay by your side now, history will repeat itself. And I don't want to lose another woman who's close to my heart again... who means the whole world to me. I'm so sorry, love."

His words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. Isabella's mind raced, trying to make sense of everything. She wanted to scream, to fight back, but the weight of the situation crushed her spirit. She was trapped, caught in a web of lies and half-truths, with no way out.

As Tristan turned to leave, Isabella couldn't hold back her tears any longer. They flowed freely down her cheeks, her body trembling with the force of her sobs. She was losing everything-her freedom, her future, and perhaps even her sanity.

Once Tristan had left the room, she collapsed onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow as she cried. The pain was too much to bear, the reality of her situation too overwhelming. She didn't know how she was going to survive this, how she was going to endure the torment that lay ahead.

The next two days were a blur of anxiety and preparation. The mansion was filled with the sounds of wedding preparations, and Isabella felt increasingly claustrophobic. She avoided Tristan as much as possible, trying to keep her mind clear and focused

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Words: 1647

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