LOGINAlina left quietly.The door closed with a soft click, and the sound felt louder than it should have. The room fell back into silence. The kind of silence that pressed against Isadora’s chest and made it hard to breathe.She stood there for a long moment, staring at the door.Then she slowly walked back to the bed and sat down.Her hands rested in her lap, fingers tightly locked together.Her mind would not stop.It moved in circles. Dark circles. Endless ones.She leaned back and stared at the ceiling.“Think,” she whispered to herself. “Just think.”The image of Amelia flashed in her mind.The cage.The bars.The shaking hands.The desperate voice begging not to be left behind.Isadora squeezed her eyes shut.“I can’t leave her there,” she whispered.Her chest tightened painfully.She rolled onto her side and pulled her knees up slightly, hugging herself.Lorenzo’s words echoed in her head.Sleep with me.I’ll release her.She swallowed hard.The words made her feel sick. Dirty. Ang
Isadora went back to her room. She closed the door behind her slowly, as if any loud sound might shatter her thoughts. The room felt too quiet. Too large. The soft lights on the walls only made the silence louder. She walked toward the bed and sat down. Her hands trembled. Amelia’s face would not leave her mind. The cage. The bars. The way the girl begged. Isadora lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Why is he doing this? Why does he keep girls locked like animals? Why does he think he owns lives? Her chest tightened. Amelia was young. Too young. Her eyes held fear that no one her age should ever know. “She is just a girl,” Isadora whispered to herself. She turned to her side. What if Lorenzo never lets her go? What if Amelia never leaves that cage? The thought made her stomach twist. Isadora shut her eyes, trying to sleep, trying to escape her thoughts even for a moment. Then— The door opened. She froze. Slow footsteps entered the room. She did not
Isadora went back to her room.She closed the door behind her slowly, as if any loud sound might shatter her thoughts. The room felt too quiet. Too large. The soft lights on the walls only made the silence louder.She walked toward the bed and sat down.Her hands trembled.Amelia’s face would not leave her mind.The cage.The bars.The way the girl begged.Isadora lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.Why is he doing this?Why does he keep girls locked like animals?Why does he think he owns lives?Her chest tightened.Amelia was young. Too young. Her eyes held fear that no one her age should ever know.“She is just a girl,” Isadora whispered to herself.She turned to her side.What if Lorenzo never lets her go?What if Amelia never leaves that cage?The thought made her stomach twist.Isadora shut her eyes, trying to sleep, trying to escape her thoughts even for a moment.Then—The door opened.She froze.Slow footsteps entered the room.She did not need to turn around to kn
“Seriously?”Lorenzo did not laugh.He did not get angry.He only looked at her, slowly, deeply, like he had waited years to hear her say that word.“Yes,” he replied. “Seriously.”Isadora shook her head in disbelief.“You were a child,” she said again. “You were not even old enough to understand love. And because of that, you turned my life into a nightmare?”“You think I did not understand,” Lorenzo said quietly. “But I did.”She scoffed. “You were obsessed. Not in love.”His jaw tightened slightly.“You do not get to tell me what I felt,” he said.She crossed her arms, trying to steady herself.“You watched my mother from a distance,” she said. “You imagined something that never existed. And when she chose my father, you blamed everyone else.”“I did not imagine it,” Lorenzo replied. “She saved my life.”Isadora frowned. “Alina told me.”“Then listen properly,” he said.He walked toward the window, his back to her.“I was ten,” he continued. “A stupid child who ran across the road
Lorenzo’s room was dark.Only one lamp was on, casting a low golden glow across the walls. The curtains were half open, letting in the moonlight from the ocean outside. The room smelled faintly of leather, wine, and something sharp.Lorenzo stood near the desk, reading through a file.Then—The door burst open.He turned instantly.Isadora stood in the doorway, breathing hard, her chest rising and falling. Her eyes were burning. Her hands were clenched into fists.For a moment, they stared at each other.He did not look surprised.Slowly, he set the file down.“How did you find my room?” he asked calmly.Isadora did not answer.She stepped inside and slammed the door shut behind her.The sound echoed.Lorenzo tilted his head slightly, studying her face.Silence stretched between them.Then he spoke again.“Alina told you?”Isadora ignored him.She walked forward until she was standing a few steps away from him. Her voice was tight but steady.“What exactly do you want from me, Lorenzo
The room was heavy with anger and fear. Alessandro stood at the head of the table, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. Maps covered the surface. Satellite images. Shipping routes. Private islands. Names crossed out in red ink. None of it mattered. Nothing had led them to Lorenzo. One of his men stood in front of him, tense and frustrated. “We traced every known route Lorenzo has ever used,” the man said. “Private ports. Offshore accounts. Old contacts. Even black-market shipping lanes.” He swallowed. “There is no trace of him. He vanished.” Alessandro’s jaw tightened. “And the island?” he asked. The man shook his head slowly. “Nothing. No registered property. No satellite match. No active signals. Whoever hid that place knew exactly how to erase it.” The words landed hard. Across the room, Isabella sat on the couch, her hands folded in her lap. She looked empty. Pale. Tired. Her eyes were dry now — not because she was fine, but because she h







