LOGIN**Elena’s POV**I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. If I did, I knew I’d see him behind me. Or worse, I’d imagine him there. My feet hit the wet ground again and again as I pushed through the trees. Branches scratched my arms and stomach, leaving stinging welts all over my body.I kept imagining a hand grabbing my arm and dragging me back; the thought alone made me run faster.It was so cold; I was wearing only a bra and sweatpants, both wet from the rain and clinging to my skin. The wind blew hard, making my skin feel raw, and my teeth chattered so loudly I heard them over my heartbeat.Oh God, please. Just let me survive this night.I didn’t know how long I had been running; minutes, an hour? The forest looked the same in every direction, dark and wide. I couldn’t see a road, houses, or even a distant light.When I finally felt there was enough distance between me and the cabin, my legs gave out. I pressed my palm against a tree to steady myself. My breath sounded too loud, too weak. I
**Stefano’s POV**I sat on the couch with my head shoved back against the headrest. My eyes were shut tight, but my mind was a battlefield. Every second of silence in this house felt like another piece of my soul slipping away into the dark.The front door opened, and I recognized Luca’s footsteps before he even crossed the threshold; they were hesitant and uneven. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, as he always did when he was carrying news he knew I wouldn't want to hear.“Boss?”I forced my eyes open, the light stinging them. I rubbed my face hard with my palms, trying to press the exhaustion back. “Luca… what is it now?”He swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the floor. “Um... Miss Lucia is here.”That snapped me out of whatever half-sleep I had been drowning in. I sat up straight, my eyebrows shooting toward my hairline. “What did you say? Lucia?”Luca wouldn't meet my gaze. “She’s outside, Boss. She says she needs to see you.”I glanced at the clock on the wall. The hands
**Elena's POV**I woke suddenly, sitting upright on the bed, my heart slamming against my ribs. For a moment, I didn’t move, straining to hear any sound of Dante around, since everywhere was quiet and dark.Where was he?I didn’t even remember falling asleep, which scared me more than anything. For a whole week, I'd forced myself to stay awake as much as I could, terrified he would touch me while I slept.I had no idea what time it was because I'd forgotten my watch on the hospital table.I swung my legs off the bed, pressing the sore spot on my belly where he had kicked me. It still hurt, but sleep had helped. I tiptoed to the door and peeked into the living room.Dante lay on the couch, one arm hanging off the side, snoring lightly. He was shirtless, wearing the same pair of pants he had on earlier. A small plaster covered his forehead from the vase I threw at him.My stomach twisted. This felt like an opportunity.Where was the key?I remembered how he shoved it into his pants pock
**Elena's POV**I paced the living room like someone losing her mind, moving from one end to the other with my hands shaking at my sides. Ten days. Ten long days trapped in this cabin with Dante. Ten days of pretending to obey so he wouldn’t snap again.I felt empty, as if the walls had swallowed the last bit of hope I had.The moment I thought of Stefano, something twisted in my chest. He would be out of his mind with worry. I wanted to scream at myself for trusting Dante so easily. My father’s voice echoed in the back of my mind. You trust too quickly, Elena. One day, it will break you.I slammed my fist into the wall before I even had time to think. Pain shot up my arm, and a thin line of blood trickled down my knuckles. I hissed and hurried to the sink, turning on the tap and wincing as the cold water hit the cut. The sting pulled a sob from me. I tried to swallow it, but it forced its way out anyway. I slid down to the floor, letting my back hit the cold cabinet.“Am I going to d
**Stefano's POV**I moved restlessly through the living room, like a trapped predator, my shoes noisily hitting the tiles. My hands shook, not out of weakness, but from an intense rage that seemed to hum with electricity beneath my skin. Elario sat on the sofa with his face buried in his palms, while Luca stood by the door, his body stiff, watching me with wide eyes as if he expected me to explode at any moment.My chest tightened, and the anger ripped out of me. “FUCK!” My voice bounced off the walls hard enough to shake something loose inside me. “I can’t believe this is really happening.”A week. One fucking agonizing, hellish week.Elena had been missing for an entire goddamn week. No calls. No messages. No sightings on any security feeds. No trace of her anywhere. It felt like she had been erased from the earth. I had used every resource at my disposal — every informant, every crooked cop on my payroll. And yet, there was nothing but silence.My fingers curled around a crystal g
**Elena's POV**I sat upright on the couch, my back stiff. My hands were pressed so tightly against the cushion that my fingernails dug into the fabric. I hadn’t moved in hours. I didn’t even blink unless I had to. I just stared at the wood-paneled wall, breathing in and out through the sharp ache in my chest.Footsteps sounded from the kitchen, heavy and terrifying. Dante walked out, holding a glass of water. He stopped mid-step when he saw me, still frozen in the exact same position he had left me in. He let out a long sigh of frustration. “Elena, come on. You can’t keep doing this,” he said, his voice sounding like a tired parent scolding a child.I didn’t move. I didn't even glance at him.He checked his wristwatch. “It’s 11:15 p.m. You’ve been sitting like this for almost two hours. It's childish, Ellie.”He set the glass of water on the small table with a sharp clink and walked over, sinking into the cushion beside me. I could feel the heat of his body, and it made my skin craw







