Ch 74
"Get the hell away from my wife!" Mark busted into the room rushing right for Paul and Lisa. No words could describe how Lisa felt seeing and hearing her husband. Tears sprang to her eyes as she tried to go to him. Mark's heart overfilled seeing she was unharmed. All he wanted to do was hold her and take her away from this living nightmare.
"Let me go!" she yelled when Paul grabbed her.
"You're not going anywhere," Paul tightened his grip, "if you come any closer I will take her into death with me. I told you before if I can't have her neither can you." He showed Mark the gun putting it against Lisa's side. Mark froze not wanting to lose his wife. Damn it, what am I going to do, Mark thought staring at the gun wondering if it was really loaded. I can't take the chance if it's loaded he will kill her, Mark backed down waiting to see what Paul would do. John, Adam, and Shane came through the porch door stopping in their tracks when they saw the gun pointed at Lisa.
"I hate unexpected guests," Paul growled looking around the room. "All of you sit down except Mark." They did what he said fearful to make a wrong move costing Lisa her life. Rose and Kelly were crying loudly from other room.
"Paul, we have to get the girls. They are afraid. Please let someone get them," Lisa pleaded with him.
"John, go get your nieces and make it quick," Paul stared John down as he hurried towards the crying.
"Hey little ladies, its okay Uncle John is here," he picked up Kelly then Rose holding them closely taking them back into the room.
"Paul, think about what you are doing those two girls need Lisa. Stop focusing on Mark and think about Rose and Kelly. Relationships don't always work out. You need to move on with your life and let her go before something you'll regret happens," Adam spoke calmly hoping to reason with Paul.
"This one would have worked out if it wasn't for Mark. You did all of this. You took her away from me," Paul glared at Mark.
"I didn't take anything. We fell in love," Mark wished Paul would take the gun away from Lisa.
"Paul, listen to me let Mark take the girls and I will stay here with you," Lisa tried to bargain with him wanting to protect Rose and Kelly.
"Lisa no!" Mark stared at her in disbelief. She looked at her husband trying to calm his fears.
"I don't think so. I'm not letting the girls go and I'm not letting you go," Paul moved the gun from her side pointing it at Mark. "I just found the perfect solution to my problem. One shot and my biggest problem will be gone."
"No, don't you dare," Lisa started to struggle violently making it difficult for Paul to keep the gun aimed at Mark.
"Knock it off right now," Paul squeezed her tighter as she continued to struggle.
"No, I will not let you hurt him," Lisa got her elbow free hitting him as hard as she could in the ribs. He loosened her grip giving her the opportunity to run to Mark. Mark caught her in his arms as she pressed against his chest. Their reunion was cut short when Lisa heard Kelly laughing. She turned with terror in her eyes seeing Kelly had climbed off the sofa in all the commotion and was crawling towards Paul.
"Kelly, come to mommy," Lisa called her as Kelly got closer and closer to Paul. Paul kneeled down smiling at her.
"Come on sweet girl, come to daddy," Paul called to Kelly. Kelly widely smiled crawling faster as Paul waved the gun freezing everyone.
"Don't you dare touch my daughter," Christina's voice rang out as she appeared from behind Mark and Lisa.
"Your daughter, what a joke," Paul started to laugh. "You gave her up."
"Because of you!" Christina shouted at him surprising Lisa.
"I did nothing that was your own stupid decision. Christina, all I did was use your insecurity to my advantage," Paul smiled picking up a toy waving it at Kelly.
"Back away from her now!" Christina cried out.
"Make me," Paul stared at her lifting the gun aiming it directly at her. Glen came into the room after calling for help just in time to see what Christina had behind her back.
"You're never going to hurt my family again you bastard. The game is over!" Christina pulled the gun from behind her back pointing it at Paul. Glen quickened his pace hoping to stop her as Paul pulled back the trigger on his own gun.
"Christina …." Lisa tried to stop her sister but it was too late shots rang out echoing throughout the room. Everyone watched in horror as the bullet tore through Paul. He dropped to his knees with a look of surprise. The next sound was the thud of Paul hitting the floor.
"Christina!" Glen caught her as she fell back. He gently lowered her to the floor holding her. He looked down seeing the blood soaking through her shirt.
"You're going to be okay. Help will be here soon," Shane carefully took her from Glen holding her tight.
"It's too late," Christina softly said as Lisa and Mark kneeled next to Shane. "Lisa, I'm sorry please forgive me. Please …" she paused feeling her body getting weaker "take care of Kelly. Let her know her mom did truly love her."
"Christina, come hold on don't give up. You need to fight to stay alive. Think of Kelly think of your family. Please stay with us don't….," Lisa took Christina's hand not able to speak through her tears anymore. She looked over at Mark making him feel her sorrow. Mark covered the gunshot wound putting pressure on it trying to stop the bleeding. John watched on in horror trembling with fear watching Christina getting paler and paler. Christina's eyes started to close as she felt her life slipping away. She heard her family crying for her as she let her eyes close forever feeling at peace for stopping Paul from ever hurting her family again .
"No! Christina come back," Lisa held onto to her sister's lifeless hand.
"Darling, she is gone," Mark wrapped his arms around Lisa. John dropped to his knees feeling overwhelming sadness. Shane cried holding onto Christina kissing her forehead. Glen held Kelly sheltering her from seeing Christina. He rushed her into the other room where Adam was holding Rose with tears in his eyes. None of them knew what to say as the police came through the door. No one wanted Christina to pay a price like this for what she had done. Mark gently pulled Lisa away from Christina making room for the paramedics. Mark held his wife tightly feeling her warm tears through his shirt as she cried her eyes out. Lisa clung to him letting him take her from the room.
"Mommy," Kelly's voice made Lisa jump as she looked at Kelly staring at her with outstretched arms. Lisa picked her up holding her realizing Christina's memory would always live on through Kelly. Glen met Mark's eyes as both men knew Lisa's ordeal wasn't over yet. They still needed to tell her Christina's secrets. Mark silently mouthed later to Glen. Glen nodded in agreement slumping down into a chair feeling his own sadness over Christina's death.
Adam took care of finding them a hotel for the night after the ordeal. Mark and Lisa planned to return home in a day or two take make arrangements for Christina's funeral. Mark asked Adam to keep an eye on Shane and John while they drank their misery away at the bar. Adam agreed knowing it would be a long night with the two of them.
Glen stayed with Mark and Lisa helping Mark out with the kids while Lisa laid down for awhile.
"Will you be okay with the kids for a few minutes? I want to check on Lisa," Mark asked as Glen nodded his head yes.
"Take your time we will be fine," Glen held both girls on his lap grabbing a book to read them. Mark quietly went towards the bedroom not wanting to wake Lisa if she was asleep. He slowly pushed the door open seeing she was lying on her side with her back to the door. He heard her light crying as he shut the door back over.
"Darling, are you awake?" he gently sat down on the bed resting his hand on her shoulder. She rolled over letting him see her tear stained face.
"I can't sleep. I just keep hearing the gunshots and seeing Christina die," she trembled wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Sweetheart, give it time," Mark ran his fingers through her hair thankfully she was back with him.
"I was really scared that I was going to lose you. There were moments I thought I would never be this close to you again," she lightly ran her fingers along his cheek. "I love you Mark."
"I love you too very much. We are together and Paul will never bother us again," Mark kissed her forehead sighing lightly.
"What's wrong?" Lisa felt his uneasiness.
"I have to tell you something that Christina didn't get a chance to tell you. I want to wait but I'm wondering if it's best to just tell you now. Let you deal with everything at once."
"Tell me please," Lisa sat up looking directly into his green eyes.
"I know what drove Christina to all those things," Mark said seeing the surprise in his wife's eyes. "She told us everything. Do you feel up to hearing why?"
"Yes definitely."
"Ok Darling, you know Christina was always jealous of you. Like John told you her deception started when you were dating Adam, but she did more than try to drug and seduce Adam," Mark paused hoping Lisa could handle what he was about to say. "You were wrong about no one knowing about the baby you lost with Adam. Christina heard you one the phone talking to Adam about the baby. She says that is when her true insanity started. She couldn't explain why but she couldn't deal with you having a baby before her so she," Mark hesitated again getting tears in his eyes.
"What did she do?" Lisa stared at him with tears in her eyes.
"Did she pay you a visit a week or so before you lost the baby?"
"Yes, she had stopped by," Lisa softly said.
"I hate telling you this but you have to know," Mark deeply sighed. "Sheswitched your prenatal vitaminswith abortion pills."
"What?" Lisa exclaimed shakingher head no.
"Sweetheart, I'm sorry she caused your miscarriage. She admitted itto us,"Mark held Lisa close as she cried. "It wasn't the first time she confessedthat to someone.She was drunk one night and told Paul which started his whole blackmail and other games with her. Her other big secret was Shane isn't Kelly's father. Paul was Kelly's father. Christina and Paul were having an affair for months behind your back. All those times you were out of town they were together. She used to cancel your flights or mess up your travel plans so she could have more time with Paul.Paul told Christina and showed her proof of everything he did to break up you and Adam. She never told you. Paul convinced Christina to have an affair with Shane to help him further his career by having something to hold over Vince's head. When Christina became pregnant with Paul's baby, Paul forced her into telling Shane it was his giving Paul even more blackmail power," Mark stopped seeing all the pain fill his wife's eyes. "Paul used the secret of Christina causing your miscarriage and the threat of taking Kelly away to make Christina do whatever he wanted. He threatened her repeatedly till Christina attacked Stephanie after Stephanie interfered with Paul's plans. You catching me with Christina was a setup like we thought. Paul slipped drugs into the room service order and then Christina wore a wig to look like you. I was so messed up I never had a clue what was going on. Christina admitted she would do anything for Paul. She did care she was hurting you but part of her was jealous and she wanted to be like you. Paul played on that insecurity turning her into a cold heartless woman. He actually had her so brainwashed she believed he married her out of love instead of a ploy to upset you. Whatever snapped in her head, she finally saw Paul for what he was then she started to help us find you."
"The other day when I was watching Kelly around Paul I noticed she seemed too comfortable with him. This explains why he said he would never hurt Kelly," Lisa wished Christina would have told her about Paul's threats and the things she had done.
"Darling, there is nothing you could have done to help Christina. You tried to so many times and she walked away. She didn't want help until it was too late," Mark tried to comfort his wife as best as he could. "Sweetheart, I know it's hard but you have to put this into the past for our girls' sakes." Lisa listened staying silent knowing her husband was right she needed to stay strong for Rose and especially for Kelly.
A few days later they all gathered to say their goodbyes to Christina for the last time. Mark kept close by Lisa's side hugging her when she cried. Lisa took Kelly with her to lay the red rose on her sister's coffin.
"I swear Christina, Kelly will know all about you. She will always know who her true mother was," Lisa silently thought as she stepped back wishing Christina was still alive. Kelly lightly pulled Lisa's hair making her look at her. Kelly smiled at her reminding Lisa that Kelly would keep Christina's memory always alive in their family. Mark lightly placed his hand on Lisa's shoulder guiding her to waiting limo hoping his wife would be able to move on with their lives.
