"That's the daughter of Mr Anderson Colman," one of the nurses said, her voice laced with pity and mockery.
The other nurse chuckled softly, and my stomach churned. I could feel their eyes on me, even though they didn’t directly look at me. I wanted to shrink into nothing, to become invisible. But, of course, I couldn’t control what they said or how they felt. I was just a subject of gossip, a name to be whispered, a face to be judged.
I forced myself to stand, my legs shaking under me as I tried to regain some semblance of control. The hospital lobby was a blur as I approached the door, desperate to escape. The rain hit me as I stepped outside, and the rain poured down in sheets, soaking through my clothes instantly.
But I didn’t care. I needed the cold. I needed the rain to wash away the heat of embarrassment, to drown out the sounds of their laughter that still echoed in my ears.
I stumbled, my breath ragged, my heart racing. The earth felt like it was closing in on me, and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than for it to swallow me whole. To disappear. My breath caught as Gianni emerged from the shadows, his familiar, arrogant stance stirring memories I’d rather forget. He sauntered over, the rain seeming to bend around him as though it didn’t dare disturb his composure. His eyes met mine, a glint of malice lingering in them as he tilted his head, smiling like he’d found something amusing.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my dramatic Francesca,” he drawled, his voice laced with mockery. “My sweet little thing. Didn’t know you were such a whore, sugar.”
The insult slapped me across the face, stealing any warmth I had left. He was just as cruel as ever, maybe worse. I narrowed my eyes, squaring my shoulders even though I felt small under his gaze. “What the hell is wrong with you, Marco? it not enough to take my father's business away, destroy my Life?” I snapped. “You cheated on me, left me, and still, you can’t just let me go?” I snapped
He laughed, and the sound was like nails against glass. “Oh, sweetheart,” he sneered, leaning close enough that I could smell his cologne. “Let you go? After seeing you hanging around here, looking so…” he paused, his eyes trailing over me in a way that made my skin crawl, “…desperate? Why would I?”
“You’re disgusting,” I said, my voice trembling. I hated that he could see how much he affected me. I’d spent years trying to scrub away his presence from my life, yet here he was, reminding me of every wound he’d ever left.
“Oh, I’m disgusting?” He smirked, crossing his arms as he looked me up and down. “I’m not the one throwing myself at every man in sight to get a little sympathy, Francesca. You’ve always been such an attention-seeker.”
I clenched my fists, the urge to slap that smug grin off his face growing stronger by the second. But I knew it would only amuse him more. “I’m not here for your entertainment, Gianni. If you had any decency left, you’d stay out of my life.”
“Decency?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Decency’s a luxury, sweetheart. I’ve seen you, wandering around here, looking pathetic. I was almost moved, you know?” He leaned in closer, his lips curling in a cruel smile. “Almost.”
I felt the bile rise in my throat. “What do you want from me?”
“Simple.” He shrugged, his expression twisting into something darker. “I saw you leaving my brother’s room last time. It made me remember just how irresistible you used to be. Your soft little figure…” He leaned close enough that I could feel his breath on my cheek. “So, here’s the deal: be my mistress, and I’ll pay your father’s hospital bills.”
A rush of anger and disgust flooded through me, stronger than anything I’d ever felt. My father’s illness was something I’d been fighting alone, something that stripped me bare every day, and now Marco dared to turn it into a weapon against me.
I stepped back, shaking my head. “You’re unbelievable. My father’s life isn’t some game for you to play with. He’s all I have left.”
“Which is exactly why this offer is so… reasonable,” he said, his tone sickeningly sweet. “Three days, Francesca. That’s all you have to decide. Be my little pet, and I’ll make sure your dear daddy gets the best care money can buy.” He straightened up, giving me one last smug look. “Or don’t, and let him suffer. It’s your choice, my dear.”
The blood drained from my face as his words sank in. I wanted to scream, to tell him that he could not do this to me. But my voice refused to come. He knew exactly how trapped I was, and he was savoring every second of it.
I dropped to my knees, feeling the rain pooling around me as it washed down my face, mingling with the hot tears that had finally broken through. I could feel him watching me, his satisfaction thickening the air around us. But I refused to look at him. I will not give him that satisfaction.
He crouched down, his fingers tilting my chin up so I was forced to meet his gaze. “Three days,” he repeated, his voice low and deadly. “After that, I’ll make life very unbearable for your family.”
With that, he straightened and turned, striding away with a laugh that echoed through the rain, leaving me there, broken and humiliated. I sat there, the weight of his horrible request pressing down on me until I could barely breathe. The shame, the helplessness, it was all-consuming. I wanted the earth to swallow me whole.
But just then, someone knelt beside me. I started to push them away, thinking it was Marco again, coming to gloat some more. “Leave me alone, Marco! I’m done with your games,” I choked out.
But I froze to see who was kneeling next to me.
Sofia glances between us, her expression serious. “I’ll handle the logistics. We’ll move rapidly, and we’ll be in frequent contact. But be ready for anything.” I nod, my gut knotted with fear. Tonight, everything might change. We’re going to step into the dark, into the lion’s den. And there’s no telling what…or who…awaits us. As we prepare to go, the weight of the decision weighs down on me like never before. The hazards are larger than they’ve ever been, but we have no other alternative. We have to act. And we have to survive. As Marco, Luca, and Francesca prepare to meet the new opponent in the warehouse, the stakes are greater than ever. With the danger drawing closer and no way of knowing what awaits them, one incorrect action may cost them everything. Will they survive the showdown, or will the new adversary strike first? The night seems darker than normal as we make our way to the building. The address Sofia’s contact gave us looms in the distance, a scary shadow in the da
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the increasing sensation of terror that seeps into my gut. “How do we even start looking for them?” I inquire, my voice barely above a whisper. “We don’t have any leads.” “We’ll get one,” Marco adds, his tone leaving no space for dispute. “Sofia’s contact is working on it. We simply need to be patient.” But patience is the last thing I have right now. Every second that goes by seems like another second closer to disaster. Closer to the adversary we still can’t see. As the minutes turn into hours, my anxiousness only intensifies. Marco and Luca are deep in discourse, contemplating various strategies and methods to gain the upper hand. But all I can think about is how everything appears to spiral out of control. I sat beside the window, staring blankly at the night sky, my heart heavy with terror. The more I watch Marco and Luca prepare for what seems like another battle, the more my imagination races with worst-case possibilities. “What if this nev
Sofia arrives at the hospital two days later with a determined expression on her face despite her pallor. She enters the room and declares, "I've reached out to someone." "A former underworld contact." He may know the identity of this new adversary.I look at Marco, and I can see the discomfort in his eyes. "Are you certain we can rely on him?" Marco asks in a doubtful tone. "Sofia, we are in dangerous territory.""I understand," Sofia responds steadily. But there is nothing we can do. It's no longer just about us. We're all in trouble if this person is as dangerous as I've heard. We require every available assistance.Feeling conflicted, I bite my lip. Sofia is correct; if her contact can provide us with the answers we need, it may be our only option. However, I'm terrified of the idea of delving even further into the criminal underworld. We've already lost a great deal. How much more are we willing to risk?At last, Marco declares in a determined tone, "We'll meet him." However, we
Her remarks were like a kick to the stomach. One more adversary. One more danger. It sounds worse than Gianni, this one."Are you sure, Sofia?" My voice is hardly steady as I inquire.With an agitated tone, she responds, "I'm sure." "You must use caution, Francesca. You're not secure. None of us is.As I hang up, my head is racing from the weight of Sofia's warning, and my heart is pounding. With my hands shaking and my face pallid, I turn to face Luca.I mumble, my voice cracking, "Luca." "There's another person. It was not only Gianni.As the truth sinks in, Luca's face hardens and his eyes widen. "Who?" he asks in a low, menacing voice."I'm not sure," I answer, my throat constricted. Sofia, however, believes that he is much more dangerous than Gianni.Tension permeates the air as the room becomes quiet. The fear is beginning to step in and envelop me like a thick mist.A fresh adversary appeared out of the shadows just as I believed that the situation was fully resolved. I'm not s
"Is he visible to me?" After hours of sobbing and begging, my voice hoarse and sounds like a whisper.The physician gives a nod. "You can, but only temporarily. He needs to sleep.I move toward Marco's room without waiting for him to finish, my feet moving as if they were on autopilot. I must see him. He must still be with me, I must know that.I'm astounded to see Marco lying there so still as soon as I enter the room. He is connected to equipment, and the only sound in the room is the heart monitor's steady beep. He has bandages all over his body and a pale, almost ghostly face. He is, however, breathing. That is all that is important.To avoid disturbing the IV that is connected to his arm, I carefully take his hand in mine as I approach him. I clutch to the warmth of his flesh as if it were the only thing keeping me rooted.I tremble as I grasp his hand and whisper, "You're going to be okay." "You must be."I eventually give myself a moment of relief as I sit next to him. He is st
I'm at a loss for what to do. I have no control over anything that occurs. I am unable to wage this struggle on his behalf. I can pray, though.I tremble as I say, "Please," tears streaming down my face. "Don't take him away from me, please. I can't let him go just yet. Not after everything.My body trembles with quiet sobbing as the tears become more intense and I bury my face in my hands. The Moon Goddess may or may not be listening, but I have to think she is. There must still be hope, in my opinion.I mutter, "He’s everything to me," while I cry. "Just give me more time, please. Let him live, please.The length of time I spend kneeling on the chilly floor with my hands clenched together in fervent prayer is unknown to me. The tears soon cease, though, and all that's left in my chest is an empty emptiness.I gently get to my feet, wipe my eyes, and go back to the chair. Luca turns to face me, worry shining in his eyes.He responds, rather quietly, "He’ll pull through," but I can he