Chapter 157⟿❂⟾Three Weeks Later⟿❂⟾I stirred scrambled eggs, humming softly to myself. Three weeks had passed since that blood-soaked night when everything changed, and I was finally starting to feel like I could breathe again.Matteo Gianni’s death had been ruled a mob hit—which, technically, wasn’t wrong. The police investigation lasted exactly four days before mysteriously closing due to “lack of evidence.” Nikolai’s connections ran deeper than I’d imagined.Vincenzo and Stacy had returned to Chicago two days ago, their work here finally complete. The house felt quieter without Vincenzo’s terrible jokes and Stacy’s motherly fussing, but it was a peaceful kind of quiet. Oliver insisted on sticking to the only life he’d ever known—only this time, he wanted to do it right. Respectably.So, before Vincenzo left, he and Nikolai had Oliver formally denounce whatever ties he had with Giancarlo, swearing a new oath of loyalty—to the family.I begged him not to. Nikolai told him he cou
Chapter 156⟿❂⟾Sylvia⟿❂⟾The bedroom door slammed open with a force that rattled the windows.Nikolai stood in the doorway, and my heart stopped. Blood covered his hands, streaked across his cheekbone, splattered on his white shirt. His eyes were wild, unfocused—the look of a man who’d just crossed a line he couldn’t uncross. The gun in his right hand hung loose at his side, forgotten.“Nikolai!” I scrambled out of bed, sheets tangling around my legs. “What happened? Are you hurt?”He stared at me like he was seeing a ghost. “Is someone coming?” My voice climbed higher. “Are we in danger? Talk to me!”“He’s dead.” The words came out flat, emotionless. “My father is dead.”I froze. “What do you mean your father is—”“I just killed him.” Nikolai’s voice cracked on the confession. “I put five bullets in Matteo Gianni and watched him bleed out in my study chair.”“Your father? You…”“Was. He was my father.” He finally looked at me, really looked, and I saw the devastation written acros
Chapter 155 ⟿❂⟾ Nikolai ⟿❂⟾ Victory should taste sweeter than this. Kaine was dead. Giancarlo was finished. The files were distributed, and the whole network would crumble within days. Although exhausted after three bouts of unforgettable ecstasy, Sylvia was safe upstairs, finally free from the nightmare that had consumed her life. I poured another glass, took a tiny sip and let my head fall back against the seat so that I was facing the ceiling. For the first time in months, I could actually breathe without looking over my shoulder. But sleep wouldn’t come. It never did after kills. The adrenaline took hours to fade, and my mind insisted on replaying every detail, analyzing every choice, cataloguing every mistake that could have gone wrong. I pulled out the photos again, spreading them across the mahogany surface. The body bags where we’d placed Kaine and Giancarlo’s remains for Agent Chen. I’d personally taken my time to make sure their hearts were cooked beyon
Chapter 154 ⟿❂⟾ Sylvia ⟿❂⟾ It was nearly three in the morning when I finally heard his car outside. My heart leaped, and I ran downstairs, not caring that I was wearing only a silk nightgown. “Nikolai?” I called softly, not wanting to wake the others. He appeared in the doorway, looking tired but unharmed. The moment I saw him, I launched myself into his arms, wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tight. “Are you okay?” I asked, pulling back to study his face. “Are you hurt? Did anything happen?” “I’m fine,” he said. His arms tightened around me, “Everything is settled. It’s over.” “It’s really over?” I asked, hardly daring to believe it. “It’s over,” he confirmed. “Kaine and Giancarlo are taken care of. The files have been distributed to multiple law enforcement agencies. The whole network is going to come crashing down.” Relief flooded through me, so intense it was almost overwhelming. “Thank you,” I whispered against his neck. “Thank you so much for everything.” I
Chapter 153 ⟿❂⟾ Sylvia ⟿❂⟾ After settling Mael in his crib, I quietly padded down to Maeve’s room. The door was open, and I could see Oliver sitting on the floor while Maeve showed him her extensive collection of books and drawings. “And this one is a picture of Daddy and me,” Maeve was saying, holding up a crayon drawing. “And this one is Mummy teaching me to read.” Oliver took the drawing carefully and studied it with the intensity he seemed to apply to everything. “You’re very talented,” he said seriously. “Daddy says I’m an artist,” Maeve said proudly. “Do you like to draw?” “I… I don’t know,” Oliver admitted. “I haven’t tried in a long time.” “We could try together sometime,” Maeve suggested. “I could teach you.” I felt tears prick my eyes at the simple kindness in her voice. This innocent child was offering to teach my traumatized brother something as simple and beautiful as drawing, and I could see how much the gesture meant to him. “I’d like that,” Oliver said softl
Chapter 152 ⟿❂⟾ Sylvia ⟿❂⟾ My life in the past twelve hours felt like a dream I was afraid to wake from. Oliver sat beside me in the car, quiet and withdrawn, his eyes constantly scanning our surroundings like he was expecting danger to materialize at any moment. Seven years of conditioning didn’t disappear overnight, and I could see the way his muscles remained tense, ready to spring into action even in the safety of Luigi’s car. Luigi winced as he shifted gears, his injured shoulder clearly bothering him despite his attempts to hide it. “We’re almost there,” he said softly, glancing at us through the rearview mirror. Agnes and Maria sat in the third row, both lost in their own thoughts. Agnes looked tired and ashamed. Maria seemed fragile, like a porcelain doll that might shatter at the slightest touch. As we pulled into the driveway of Nikolai’s house, I felt a mix of relief and anxiety wash over me. Relief that we were safe, that Oliver was finally here with me. Anxiety