Nobela ni aestheny

I stripped, took a long, cold shower to clear the fog, and when I stepped out—new Sera.Towel. Hair damp. No more wide-eyed what did I do Sera.Now, I was strategic Sera.Simple makeup. Just enough to make my lips look fuller, sharpen the angles of my cheeks, give my eyes that quiet threat behind the softness.Black dress. Not the flirty kind, the kind that knew exactly what it was doing. Body-hugging. Clean lines. A V-cut that framed just enough to make someone stare and second-guess whether they should. My fingers smoothed the fabric over my hips, the silk sliding like a secret I wasn't ready to share yet.And when I stepped out, the click of black Louboutins against marble echoed like a warning.Not too much.Just enough.No more apology energy.I was going to break him before he broke me.I stepped into the lobby. The receptionist straightened like she'd been waiting for me all morning. "Ms. Leone, Mr. Moretti is expecting you at the VIP Lounge." I didn't speak, just nodded, soft,

Sera's POVI woke up to the dull pound of a headache blooming right behind my eyes. My head felt heavy, the weight of sleep still clinging to my limbs. I blinked a few times, adjusting to the warm morning light peeking through the curtains. Then I noticed him.Dante.Right there. Beside me.I sat up quickly, the blanket clutching to my chest, my messy hair falling into my face. My heart jumped like I'd just been caught doing something wrong.He was laying on his back, one arm folded behind his head, the other resting lazily across his stomach. His shirt was unbuttoned halfway, smooth skin peeking through the fabric, unfairly perfect even in sleep. His breathing was steady, slow, like nothing could shake him—not even the chaos starting to form in my chest.I glanced to the bedside table.Makeup remover. Cotton pads. Lip gloss smear on one of them. My gloss.My face flushed as bits of last night flickered through my foggy mind like broken film.The restaurant. The steak. The wine—Oh, G

Dante's POV"Where's the dessert?" she whispered, fingers curling into my tie like a drunk little kitten who thought she was in control.Jesus Christ.The one time I joke, the one time I tease her—of course she's serious about it. Of course she remembered that stupid line.I was kidding. Mostly.I studied her flushed cheeks, the way her eyes kept blinking, not really focused, her lips parted, breath warm from the wine. She hadn't even touched the dessert at the restaurant. Because she's drunk, Dante. Pull yourself together."No, Sera," I murmured, brushing my thumb along her wrist before peeling her hand off me. "You're drunk."That should've been it. I was already turning to leave—to walk this off, to cool down.But then—her hand caught my arm.I turned.She kissed me.Messy. Sudden. Tasting like expensive wine and poor decisions.What the hell is wrong with this girl?I grabbed her shoulders, ready to peel her off, to steady her, to get control of the situationBut she looked up at

We stood there, both of us watching that car like it held all the answers.Then the doors opened.A couple stepped out, early thirties, dressed up, holding hands, smiling like they were about to celebrate something. They didn't even glance our way. The driver leaned over, said something to them, probably Enjoy your meal, then pulled the car away from the curb like nothing ever happened.Just a normal couple going to dinner. Just a normal car.My shoulders sank. Embarrassment burned hot in my cheeks.Guess my instincts don't work sometimes.I didn't realize how tightly I'd been holding my breath until Dante spoke, his voice low and warm by my ear. "I get it. City's full of creeps. But I promise—" he leaned closer, a hint of that cocky smile playing on his lips, "I'm scarier."I gave him a flat look, folding my arms. "Comforting."He stepped in front of me fully now, walking backward as we moved down the sidewalk, his eyes never leaving mine. "You know what helps with paranoia?""What?"

"Watch out!" Dante shouted, pulling me back just in time.My heart hammered in my chest, breath caught in my throat. The world slowed, the car's roar fading into a blur as it sped past.I stared up at Dante, eyes wide.Was this accident—or something more? My feet stumbled backward, colliding into Dante's chest. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, anchoring me to him like I might disappear if he let go. My breath was shallow, my heart rattling against my ribs. The blur of the car was already gone, just the faint echo of its engine left behind.The screech of tires was still echoing in my head. I could feel his heart pounding through his chest, steady and fierce against my back.Behind us, two of the guards were already moving, pressing fingers to earpieces, scanning every passing vehicle with sharp, trained eyes."Identify that plate. Now," one of them barked, his calm professionalism fraying into clipped urgency.The others were closing the gap around us, forming a quiet bar

The phone buzzed again in my hand.I glanced down, expecting maybe another update... but froze the moment I saw the word flash across the top of the screen."escape."My chest tightened. What?There was no sender. No app logo. Just that single word, sitting there like it was waiting for me to move.My finger hovered over it, but I didn't touch it. Not yet. Was that... meant for me? Is this a warning? A clue? A trap? The thought alone made my stomach twist. My eyes darted around the room like I'd suddenly forgotten where I was. I slowly sat on the edge of the bed, holding the phone with both hands like it might shatter. Someone sent that on purpose. But who? Is someone trying to help me? Or scare me?I tapped the notification, but the screen just blinked and returned to the home screen. No app opened. No trace of what I saw.Nothing? Seriously?I opened the notification history. Cleared. Checked my messages. Nothing new. Checked my email. Empty inbox.No way. I didn't imagine it.