Love Jason

Chapter 32

Emily's POV

As tears streamed down my face, I couldn't help but wonder why his words had such a profound effect on me. I knew who he was; I knew his character. So why did his words cut so deeply this time? I hated myself for allowing his words to affect me like this. With a heavy heart, I cried myself to sleep, grappling with the turmoil within me.

Morning arrived all too quickly, yet I found myself unable to muster the strength to leave the comfort of my bed. The events of last night still weighed heavily on my mind, crippling me with a sense of despair. No matter how hard I tried to motivate myself, I remained paralyzed, unable to break free from the suffocating grip of my emotions.

"Curse you, Jason Russo," I seethed inwardly.

Still grappling for the motivation to leave the warmth of my bed, Aurora burst into my room, Anna trailing behind her.

"Emily, what in the world are you still doing in bed? I've been waiting for you to show up all morning. Since you didn't, I decided to come to you," Aurora declared, wrapping me in a tight embrace.

"Good morning to you too, my little Koala," I quipped, mustering a smile.

But before I could explain, Aurora's touch landed on my forehead. "Oh my goodness, you're burning up!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in concern. Confusion flickered across my face briefly, but I quickly fell into character, playing along with her worry.

"Oh, I think it's just a little cold. Nothing to worry about," I reassured her with a weak smile, hoping she'd let it go. Glancing at Anna for support, I found her subtly urging me to play along. With a barely perceptible nod, I silently agreed to maintain the ruse.

Aurora narrowed her eyes sceptically, clearly not convinced by my attempt to downplay my condition. "Hmm, well, we'll see about that," she said, her tone indicating that she wasn't going to let it slide.

"Okay, okay, you win," I conceded, giving Aurora a small smile. "I'll go see the doctor, just to be sure."

Aurora's face softened with relief, and she hugged me tightly. "Thank you, Emily. I'll go tell my Dad to take you," she said, hurrying out of the door before I could stop her. Panic flickered briefly in my eyes as I realized the consequences of her actions.

"What do I do? Don Jason can't know. I'm not even sick," I exclaimed, my voice tinged with worry, and Anna chuckled softly.

"Don't worry, Don Jason is preoccupied with a crisis. I'm sure he would just send a driver to take you, simply to keep his daughter happy," she reassured me. I nodded in agreement, relieved at the prospect of avoiding Jason, especially after what happened yesterday.

"I have to go now, but just go along with Aurora, do whatever she says. When she has something in her head, there's no stopping her," Anna advised before she left the room. I nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in her words, and prepared myself for whatever Aurora had in store.

A few minutes later, my phone rang, and my heart leapt into my throat as I recognized the number.

"My love," I answered eagerly, a surge of relief flooding through me at the sound of his voice.

"Hey, baby, how are you holding up?" Marco's voice was a lifeline amid my turmoil.

"I hate it here, Marco. I don't want to be here," I confessed, the weight of my situation heavy in my words.

"I know, sweetheart. It'll all be over soon, I promise," his words were a balm to my anxious soul.

"Did you get my message last night?" I asked, hoping desperately for confirmation.

"My baby, you're incredible. That information you sent me? It was a game-changer," his response was filled with admiration and gratitude.

"So, can I leave now? Please, I can't stand another moment in this place," I pleaded, longing for his reassurance and the comfort of his presence.

"My love, it's not over yet. That information is just one blow to the Russos. I need more to take them down," Marco explained, his voice heavy with the weight of our shared burden. My heart broke at his words.

"Marco, please. I want to leave here," I pleaded, desperation creeping into my voice.

"We've talked about this, my love. You need to do this so that we can have a happy life together," he reminded me, his tone gentle yet resolute.

"Fine," I relented, a heavy sigh escaping my lips.

"Good, my love. Now, I need to know what Jason Russo is planning, and I need to know now," Marco pressed, urgency lacing his words.

"I will find whatever I can," I promised, the weight of the words heavy on my tongue, acknowledging the difficulty of this sacrifice for me.

"Good. Don't forget, I love you, and you are doing this for us," Marco's reminder pierced through the distance before he abruptly ended the call.

With a heavy sigh, I rose from the bed and made my way out of the room. Each step felt like torture, but I reminded myself that I was doing this for love.

Returning to Jason's study, I hoped to uncover more information, just as I had done the previous night. The stakes were high, but so was my determination to protect the love that Marco and I shared.

As I quietly made my way to the study door, my mind swirling with a tumult of thoughts, Aurora's firm grip halted me.

"Emily, hold on," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and determination. "I spotted you just in time. I was heading to your room to get you. My dad said the driver should take you to the hospital, and there's no question—I'm coming with you."

"Okay, why don't you go get ready? I'll be waiting for you," I said nervously, my gaze shifting from Jason's study door back to Aurora.

"All by myself?" she questioned, and I offered a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure you can handle it. So, run along now. We don't want to keep the driver waiting," I said, attempting to dismiss her.

With a hurried nod, Aurora dashed off in the opposite direction, leaving me to nervously approach the door, straining to catch any sound beyond it.

"I will destroy the Marinos for daring to pull this off. Every last one of them will pay for this," Jason's voice thundered through the room, dripping with raw fury.

"Jason, we can't overlook the snitch. We need to handle that before anything else," Lucas interjected, his voice urgent.

"I have no doubt it's one of our own," Jason declared, his confidence unwavering.

"But they've always been loyal to you, Jason. This is unprecedented," Lucas argued.

"Loyalty doesn't guarantee trust, Lucas. You should know that" Jason's retort crackled with intensity.

"I know this is hard to accept, Jason, but what if Emily is the one behind this?" Lucas's words hit me like a sledgehammer, sending shockwaves through my core.

Desperate to glean more from their

conversation, I strained to listen, but the ensuing silence seemed to amplify the gravity of the accusation hanging in the air.

I was torn, unsure whether to continue eavesdropping or make a hasty escape now that they suspected me.

"Run, Emily!" the voices in my head screamed in unison.

Just as I was about to heed their urgent advice, Aurora's voice pierced through the tumult, calling my name into the air. Before I could react, the door to Jason's room swung open abruptly.