•😬 Finally, I get to use this gif ☝️•

"Me and Demetrio..... 

We were good friends in the beginning but it all changed when he said his love to the woman I loved. The problem I had then was, I kept things to myself and never shared to anyone.

Every little issue that happened in my life, every feeling I felt was suppressed in me. But when it came to Ruffina, I couldn't suppress my feelings any longer. However, I controlled myself when I met your mother. I thought it would be a new beginning. But with Ruffina being around me because of Chandra, had only got my feeling deeper for Ruffina.

Not just that, Demetrio had always been outdoing me in every aspect. Be it education or sports  it was always him first, me second. He excelled in everything he did and I failed most of the time. Not just in school but in business as well. Everyone loved him.

And I began wondering if Ruffina was staying with Demetrio because he was good in everything. A successful and a wealthier man than me—"

"And you planned to killed Uncle D to get Aunt Ruffina but your plan backfired you. The fire you ordered to set in barn killed Aunt Ruffina instead. Am I, right, Dad?" Diego interjected with what he assumed could have taken place back then.

Bernardo was taken aback, how did Diego know about it but soon recovered from the shock. He nodded and passed a sad smirk.

"True. I wanted to get rid of Demetrio from Ruffina's life so, I can get her back. Looks like I was never fated to get her in my life.

She died instead of him" Bernardo exasperated, that he pulled the trigger and fired, emptying the bullets in it.

"So much love for Aunt Ruffina huh, dad? What about mom?" Thiyagu jested leaning against one of the many pillars in the courtyard.

Bernardo let the question pass.

"All about snatching the company, the assets, the property were just to divert. My sole purpose is to wash out the Agosti off the earth. For all that Demetrio got me suffered.

Whatever! Past is past. I don't want the Agostis to be alive. They had taken the life of my love. Demetrio was the sole reason for Ruffina's death and she..." Bernardo pointed at Ella who was seated leaning against a column.

"She saved herself but let her mother die in the barn. How selfish? Just like her father!" Bernardo marched to her and grabbed a fistful of her hair yanking her up on her feet.

"Dad, stop!" the brothers cautioned, reacting to their father's harsh handling as Ella struggled to move. Her scream was muffled by the cloth covered her mouth. They rushed to reach her.

"Stay where you are!" he held a hand out, stopping them from coming closer.

"Let her go, dad" Diego almost screamed.

"Did you think I brought her here to let her go? Seriously, Diego?" Bernardo pushed her to one of the men who stood behind him.

"You," Bernardo pointed to another man next to the one who held Ella. "Shoot her"

"Dad, no!!"

Before the Morettis could react to the command, a loud gunshot echoed through the ruined building. Diego shut his eyes tight while Thiyagu turned around the second the gunshot was heard.

A moment later, Bernardo bellowed "What the hell?" he looked around to find any intruders who shot his man. A second gunshot echoed, the man who held Ella let go of her as he fell on his back, lifeless. Diego hurriedly caught the falling Ella and silently thanked God for saving her as he looked up.

That was when he realised it was Gasparo and Lazaro who took the shot before Bernardo's man could shoot Ella.

Thiyagu immediately crouched down and begin untying the rope around Ella's leg while Diego undid the tie that covered her mouth.

"Are you okay, Ella?" he asked, his eyes welled up a little. She nodded weakly as he pulled her head close to his chest. 

"Find them!" Bernardo instructed his men to the first floor, he must have figured out where the bullets are coming from.

"You two! You will pay for these!!! How dare you go against your own father!!!" Bernardo yelled in dissatisfaction of his sons going against him.

"No! It's you who will pay for these, dad" Thiyagu stood against his father challenging him face to face.

"You are a kid Thiyagu. Stay away from these. She needs to die, for my peace. Don't you wish to give peace for your suffering father? I have been in distress for very long time, Thiyagu!"

"This is bullshit. Everything you are speaking is utter bullshit! You are living in a hallucination world dad!

You think it's because Uncle D did well in his life that's the reason Aunt Ruffina didn't look at you and everyone had wronged you by ignoring your feelings? That he was always after you? That you are a failure? The problem is you, father not anyone else" Thiyagu retorted leaving Bernardo almost speechless.

"That is true" Gasparo walked in with Lazaro behind.

"You have always wanted to benefit in my resources, in my power to bring a downfall in Demetrio's life and business. You used me against my friend. You made me be a part of his death! You faked his murder and made me follow your instructions like a fool!" Gasparo seethed.

"Well. Well. Well. So, it is you who now, going against me. You had turned my sons against me too? Well played Gasparo. What a betrayer, you are," Bernardo clapped slowly.

"Me? Think for yourself Benny. Aren't you the one. For Demetrio? And for a mater of fact, it was your sons who seek my help today and I am more than happy to offer my help. They found out about you even before you said your part of the story. Your bloody sympathised version of the story" Gasparo huffed.

Bernardo grew furious, they were all touching the wrong nerve. As his anger grew, Bernardo took another loaded gun from his gun holster and shot Gasparo's arm.

It was the beginning of chaos as bullet begin flying, the men waiting outside the building barged in as soon as Gasparo was shot.

Ella had regain a little of the strength she has by the time, she scooped low and pulled Diego and Thiyagu away from the middle of the gunfire. Being aware that Thiyagu isn't used to these as much as Diego does, she was more concern about him that herself. She needed to get him out safe from there first. 

"What are you doing, Ella?" Diego asked however, the sound of the gunshot overpowered his. 

"Thiyagu, I want you get behind the pillars and run out of the building. Use the pillars as your shield. Okay?" she instructed. 

"But Ella, you are not stable yet. How can I go leaving you both here." Thiyagu said worriedly.

"I am. I'm stable enough to settle the unsettled with Mr. Bernardo Moretti. We will take care of here. You get going" Ella looked out at the chaotic scene in the courtyard and pushed Thiyagu away when it was clear.

"Have you lost it, Ella? You are not going anywhere. Follow Thiyagu out—" Diego demanded.

She held his face between her palms and bore into his eyes, "This isn't time to run away, Diego. He needs to pay for what he had caused to many. Not just me. You too know that" 

"Yes, I do but you—" before he even knew Ella was storming towards Bernardo Moretti.

"How easily he could take someone's life? Ending one's life seemed to be so easy for Bernardo that he cares less about anyone on earth but him. How dare he? How dare he killed my—parents?" Anger raged in her as she took each step towards the man who was responsible for everything. For her misery.

However, before she could reach him one of Bernardo's men blocked her path. Ella breathed heavily and stared at the man before her, pointing a gun.

Swiftly shifting the gun from his hand to hers, Ella took no time to shoot the him. He left her with no choice.
She marched towards Bernardo, staring at him with raging fire in her eyes.

He watched her as she walked closer with the gun. 

Standing before each other, there was stillness in the air around them as they stared intensely. 

"Came to embrace the death, little Ara?" he mocked, breaking the stare. 

"I have seen that already. Thanks to you, Bernardo Moretti" 

"Oh! How I wish I knew it was you back then. I would have made a little extra effort to finish you off but nevertheless, you are here today —" 

"Here to finish you off" Ella did not let him complete, she pointed the gun at him. 

"I would have given you mercy but your choice to hurt, kill innocents to fulfill your revenge... Doesn't deserve any" she pulled the slide of her pistol back loading the bullet, ready to shoot. Giving him a warning perhaps.

"Puff... Who wants your bloody mercy?" Bernardo swung his arm in attempt to knock her head with the butt of the pistol. Ella was quicker than him, she dodged down and punched him instead. 

Bernardo stumbled back at the surprise attack. The punch then followed by multiple punches of unsettled anger. Ella continued to attack the shaky Bernardo venting her wrath out through the punches till her hand begin aching. She hardly felt sorry for doing it as her outrage caused his nose and eyes to bleed heavily. She stopped and pushed him away. 

"Human like you deserve no place even in hell. You are a psychotic creature!!" Ella yelled. "A coward, you are. You killed my parents!!!" she exploded as tears rolled down her bruised cheeks. Bernardo wobbled towards her, shaking his head in attempt to clear his blurry eyes, he stood before her. 

Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he spun her around and slapped her across the face. She did not she that coming. He bore into her eyes screaming vengeance as he pointed the gun at her chest. Ella stared pushing him though his grip on her hair tighten.

 He spun her around again, holding her as his shield in front of him in case anyone shoots him.

"You don't deserve to live, little Ara. You are lucky to have lived these long. Let me take the pleasure of sending you to where your parents are" he hissed to her ears.

Bernardo wasted no time; he immediately pointed the gun to her temple pushing the cold steel muzzle harder to her skin.

"Your love to Ruffina was a lie! Bloody lie, Bernardo. If you ever loved her truly, you wouldn't have hurt those she loved. You are a cold-blooded, ruthless, egomaniac man. You used her name to feed you bloody ego!!!" Ella snapped back, maddening Bernardo. He shot a bullet in the air. 

Diego who was involved in a combat on the other side, instantly stopped when he noticed Ella at a gun point. He received a punch on his jaw from his opponent.

Lunging a kick on the man's chest Diego fired a bullet that hit the man's stomach before swiftly turning around to his father pointing the gun at him.

"Put the gun down, dad" Diego ordered.

"You put the gun down Diego! Or the bullet will go through her head.

You! Trying to act smart just like your father, huh" he seethed knocking the pistol lightly on her temple.

"Dad, don't" 

"Good to know that I'm like my father unlike you, bloody coward" Ella retaliated.

Bernardo pushed the gun harder as if it would penetrate in her head, "Shut up!" 

"Dad! Enough! Let her go" Diego yelled, still having the gun pointed at Bernardo. "Stop it, dad. You are going too far"

"Far? You will see it now, Diego", Bernardo shot Ella on the calf of her leg. Her face immediately started turning red as she screamed in pain with wobbly knees. She could hardly stand in the pain. 

Her teary eyes immediately shot up to Diego's tear filled eyes.

Lazaro's attention then shifted from his opponent to the source of the gunfire. Ella was shot, he knew he had to act immediately or it will be too late. Lazaro's long distance shot hit Bernardo's arm. The piercing pain in the arm, had him freed Ella from his grip. 

She fell on her knees first before completely dropping flat on the floor.

Bernardo instantly pulled the trigger of his gun, shooting Ella on her back before a number of bullets hit him. 

"Ella!!!" That was the last word she heard from the man who cared the most for her.

*******

Hi!

I know this isn't the right part to stop the chapter but... I had to

Soooorrrriiiii !!!!