LOGINThe wind was sharp, cutting through the night as I stumbled through narrow alleyways. My breath came in ragged gasps. Behind me, I could still hear chaos — shouting, footsteps, the muffled sound of gunfire fading but never disappearing entirely.Luciano’s words echoed in my mind: Go. Survive. I didn’t want to, but I had no choice. His voice had been strained, almost broken when he pushed me away, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what it meant. He had stayed behind. He had fought. And now… I was alone.I clutched my coat tighter around me, as if it could shield me from what was coming. My chest ached, not just from running, but from the weight of everything I was leaving behind. My home. My past. Luciano.Somewhere ahead, the street split into silence. I paused, chest heaving, and leaned against the wall. My legs felt heavy, trembling under me. I had no plan. No safe place. No one to turn to. And yet, something deep inside me whispered that I had to keep moving.The sound of boots dr
The night was filled with cold, and the air smelled of smoke and iron. I could hear the faint hum of the city far away, but here, in the safe house Luciano had chosen, there was nothing but quiet — except for the low sound of my own breathing.Luciano sat across from me, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together. His eyes were fixed somewhere beyond me, as if he was wrestling with something far deeper than what I could see. The lines on his face were sharper now, his usual calm replaced by something raw and unsettled.“I need answers,” I said softly, breaking the silence.He turned his gaze to me slowly, as though weighing whether to give them. “Not all truths bring freedom, Aria. Some bring chains.”“I don’t care,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “You owe me the truth. About my father. About all of this.”He stayed quiet for a long moment, then finally spoke. “Your father… he made choices that could never be undone. Choices that drew us into a war neither of us wanted.
The place they had brought me to was quiet. Too quiet. A small house at the edge of the city, hidden behind tall hedges and crumbling walls. It looked abandoned at first glance, but the lights in the windows told a different story. Someone was inside. Someone waiting.Marco opened the door without knocking. He led me inside without speaking. I followed, carrying my bag loosely at my side.The air inside smelled faintly of lavender and dust. The walls were bare, except for an old clock on the mantelpiece. The sound of its ticking filled the silence between us.“Where am I?” I asked finally, my voice soft.“You’re safe,” Marco said. “For now. This is where Luciano told me to bring you.”I stared at him, trying to read the meaning in his words. But he didn’t meet my eyes. Instead, he set my bag down and moved toward the door.“I’ll check the perimeter,” he said quietly. “Don’t come out until I say.”Before I could answer, he was gone, leaving me alone in the house.I wandered through the
The air was filled with tension, heavier than smoke after a fire. Luciano hadn’t spoken since we left the warehouse. His silence was not peaceful — it was dangerous. Every so often, I caught him clenching his jaw, his hands curling into fists at his sides.I kept my eyes on the road as we drove in silence. The city lights flickered past the tinted windows, a blur of gold and gray. My mind was still tangled in the revelation from the other night. My father alive… my father having sold me… the truth that Luciano carried like a wound he wouldn’t let anyone touch.I wanted to ask him so many questions. But every time I opened my mouth, the words died in my throat.Finally, Luciano broke the silence. His voice was low, measured. “You think you know everything about me, Aria. But you don’t.”I kept my gaze forward. “Then tell me.” My voice was softer than I expected, almost a whisper.“No,” he said sharply. “Not yet. There are things you are not ready to hear. Things that could destroy you.
The morning light came soft and grey through the small window. I woke to silence. The kind of silence that felt heavy, like the air itself was holding its breath. Outside, the trees were still wet from last night’s rain. The lake glimmered faintly, its surface trembling with a slow breeze.I lay still for a moment, listening to the quiet. Somewhere far off, a bird cried. Marco was gone. I didn’t know where. Part of me wanted to leave the bed and search for him, but another part wanted to stay wrapped in the warm blankets, avoiding the truth I already feared.Eventually, I stepped out of bed. The floor was cold under my feet. I moved to the window and looked out. The world beyond the trees felt distant, as though I was inside a bubble. But I knew it wasn’t safe.Downstairs, the kitchen smelled faintly of coffee. A small cup sat on the table, steam curling upward. Marco was there, leaning against the counter, staring at the wall. He didn’t notice me at first.“You’re awake,” he said qui
The cabin felt smaller than I expected. The walls were bare wood, and the air smelled faintly of moss and damp earth. Outside, rain still fell quietly, pattering against the roof in soft, uneven taps. I sat by the fire, watching the glow flicker across the walls. My hands wrapped around the mug Marco had given me, but I wasn’t drinking.Marco moved quietly, unpacking a small bag near the door. He didn’t look at me. His silence made the air heavier.Finally, he spoke. “You need to understand something. You can’t go back.”I looked at him sharply. “What do you mean?”He kept his voice low. “Luciano sent you away for a reason. He can’t protect you now. You have enemies… powerful ones. And if they find you, there will be no safe place left.”My throat tightened. “And you know this for certain?”He nodded once. “I do. I’ve seen them before. And I’ve seen what they leave behind.”The silence between us grew heavier. Outside, the wind rose, rattling the windows. My mind went back to the past
The red emergency lights painted everything in blood. The silence that followed Marco’s fall was louder than any gunfire. His body slumped lifeless to the marble, blood creeping outward like a dark tide.But Aria didn’t see him.Her gaze was fixed on Luciano.Her chest rose and fell rapidly, panic
The candlelight in Riccardo’s study flickered against the sharp edges of his face. He sat in silence, elbows braced on the desk, eyes fixed on the empty chair across from him.The courier hadn’t returned.By now, he should have. Riccardo didn’t need confirmation to know the man was dead. Luciano wa
The corridors of the De Luca estate were quieter than usual, hushed with the unease of men who could sense a storm brewing. Guards moved like shadows, their eyes constantly flicking to Aria when she passed, no longer sure whether she was Luciano’s queen or his weakness.Aria didn’t care. Let them w
The mansion was quiet, too quiet. Aria sat on the edge of the bed, her knees drawn up beneath the silk nightgown Luciano had insisted she wear. Her hands trembled even though she tried to still them, clutching the sheets until her knuckles whitened.The warehouse test replayed in her mind—Riccardo’







