เข้าสู่ระบบAdrianoChiara is still tense,but she seems to be fine. Should I call the doctor up here anyway? She closes her eyes, but then opens them, her chest quickly rising and falling. I wish I could read her mind.There are moments where it looks like she’s frozen in a different time and space. As if she’s somewhere else. But what’s bothering her so much that it keeps her trapped like that? Is it just me?I wouldn’t discard that possibility. She’d been living her idyllic life until I showed up at her house. All of this is a lot for her to take in, but she’s strong. I know she has a fire in her, and she’ll be fine.She’s been alone with her thoughts for too long. Something like that used to happen to me sometimes, in moments when I had zero control over my life. She must be thinking about a way to escape, or she’s wondering what will happen to her.I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me, even though I don’t know if that’s possible anymore. The Chiara from Amore Bruciante will never be
Adriano“Chiara!”My chair topples with a thud as I jump to my feet.I manage to catch her just before she’s about to hit the floor. Her eyes are closed, her cheeks flushed. I glance at the table, but she hasn’t snatched the fork or anything that she could use to kill me.“Chiara,” I repeat, caressing her cheek.Her skin is hot to the touch.“Should I call for help?” Rocco asks.“Yes. Go!” I can’t believe he’s still standing here.I pick up Chiara in my arms and rush with her to the bathroom. Kneeling in the shower, I let the water run. I splash her face, adrenaline surging through my veins.“Chiara, wake up.” What’s wrong with her?I let the cool water run over us as I hold her in my arms. There’s an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. Worry? Fear? I haven’t felt that in forever, but that’s because I’ve always been in control of everything lately.Now I don’t know what’s going on with Chiara, and I have zero clue as to why I even told her anything about myself. Why bring up the past
Adriano rolls his eyes. “He’s not my brother. Well, he technically is, because his father adopted me.”I furrow my brow. “So that’s why that guy said you weren’t a real Gaviani.”“I still have their last name, so I am. If they wanted it back, they could’ve come and told me so. But they haven’t. I haven’t spoken to them since that night.”My mouth falls open. “Wait, you’re saying your adoptive family hasn’t spoken to you since you were arrested?”He nods.“But...” I don’t even know what to say.It’s incomprehensible to me.“I turned eighteen in there anyway, so I didn’t need anyone anymore.”The way he says it... as if it makes the whole thing better.“Your family abandoned you just because of that?” I’ve never done anything stupid like that, but there’s no way my parents would’ve abandoned me. “They didn’t even visit you to hear your side of the story? And your brother didn’t feel guilty?”Hell, I’m pretty sure I read stories in the news about the mafia breaking their members out of p
ChiaraIt’s Rocco who brings me some water and a sandwich and lets me go to the bathroom. He just stands at the door, watching me. It’s unnerving. I don’t have anything to do. There’s nothing I can occupy my mind with.Maybe I should ask Rocco to give me a book or something. But where is Adriano? I haven’t seen him in a while. What is he doing? What is he up to?I don’t even know if my mom and dad are still at Nico’s or if they returned home. Either way, they must be worried sick. Unless Adriano is sending them texts from my phone. But my parents would never believe I just disappeared without telling them anything about it in person or at least over the phone.I stare at the ceiling. No matter how much I try to think of something to escape, I don’t come up with anything. And how can I? I’m on my own in a huge building full of armed men.My only option is to run for the window once I’m untied and jump through it to my death, and I don’t like that idea at all. I don’t want to die, but I
I clap him on the shoulder. My plan will work. I just know it.My phone screenshows the direct feed from the camera in my room, but I’m driving, so I have to keep my eyes off Chiara. Nothing’s happening anyway. Rocco is keeping watch, and she can’t go anywhere while she’s cuffed to the bed.Her parents are in the basement of my safe house, and I’m on my way there. Some things are better done in person, and I want Paradossi to finally meet me.As I pass next to a pizzeria, I see a man with two young boys at one of the tables. It reminds me of my life with Gennaro. Heused to take Matteo and me for pizza when he was pleased with us or for our birthdays.Once, he even gave me a gun for my birthday, which was the first and only gift I’d ever gotten. When we were all together at a pizzeria, we had a good time. Gennaro would even be smiling, laughing, and joking.For an hour or so, we seemed like a normal family. Maybe the kind of seemingly perfect family that Chiara would like to see. It wa
AdrianoI keep my gaze on Chiara as Rocco escorts her back to my room. What the fuck was that? She’s so surprisingly naive when it comes to life. I bet her neighbors don’t feel like she does. They’re on Paradossi’s side for now only because they want to get more money out of me.I know what small communities can be like. They pretend to be nice to you and then gossip behind your back. They want you to think they care about you, but they’d toss you to the sharks if they could benefit from it.After all, everyone is your friend and family as long as they get something from you. Once that’s gone, you’re on your own. I doubt Chiara’s neighborhood is as awesome as she wants to make it sound to me.She just wants to keep her house and her family restaurant because she’s afraid of change. She’s afraid of wanting something more. Many people prefer to keep the status quo rather than go after their dreams or try out something else, just because it’s risky.She could have a bigger and better res







