LOGINMira's P.O.V“Luca… what do you mean my father knows the truth?”I could barely form the words. My voice came out thin, like it didn’t belong to me.Luca didn’t look away.He didn’t flinch.He didn’t soften the blow.“He was there,” he said quietly. “The night everything happened.”My pulse spiked painfully. “That’s impossible.”“It’s not.”“My father would never—”“He did,” Luca cut in, firm but calm. “He was involved whether he wanted to be or not.”I shook my head. “No. You’re talking about the man who stopped his life to raise me. The man who sacrificed everything for our family. He wouldn’t hide something like this. Not from me.”“He hid it from everyone,” Luca replied. “Including me.”Alina shifted in his arms, tiny fingers curling into his shirt. Luca instinctively held her closer, like she was the only thing tethering him to the ground.“Mira,” he added softly, “you’ve spent your whole life believing your parents were perfect.”“I never said perfect,” I whispered.“You treated
Mira's P.O.V“Rafael told you?”Luca’s voice was the first thing I heard the moment he entered the room—quiet, sharp, edged with something colder than anger. I froze, Alina still resting against my shoulder, her soft breaths brushing my neck.He wasn’t yelling.He didn’t need to.His silence hit harder.“Luca,” I whispered, stepping forward. “I was going to tell you—”“Were you?” He removed his gloves slowly, like he was unraveling his composure thread by thread. “Or were you waiting again? Letting someone else break the truth to me while you decide what part I deserve to hear?”I swallowed. “It wasn’t like that.”He looked at me for the first time—really looked—and my chest tightened. Not with fear… with guilt.Alina whimpered. The sound made him blink, soften for half a second before the tension slammed back into place.“I heard Matteo,” Luca said quietly. “I heard every word he threw at you.”My stomach dropped.“And I heard what you asked Rafael,” Luca added. “Over and over. Beggi
Mira's P.O.V“Rafael… answer me,” I said the moment the door finally slammed shut behind us. My voice was raw, shaking. “You heard what he said. You heard every word Matteo threw at me. So tell me—tell me he lied.”Rafael didn’t respond.He locked the deadbolt twice, shoulders rigid, breathing hard. I watched his hands—they were shaking. His knuckles were torn from holding the door against Matteo.Alina whimpered quietly against my chest, her little fist curling into my blouse. She was frightened. I was terrified.“Rafael,” I whispered, stepping closer, “look at me. Please.”“I’m trying to think,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.“No,” I corrected, voice cracking. “You’re trying to decide whether to lie to me.”His jaw tightened.I clutched Alina closer, feeling her tiny heartbeat flutter. “You didn’t deny it. You didn’t deny anything he said. Not once.”“Mira—”“He said my mother caused Luca’s sister’s death.” My breath turned shallow. “He said she betrayed her. Betrayed
Mira’s P.O.V “Rafael… look at me. LOOK at me and tell me he didn’t do it.” I said it before I even realized the words had left my mouth. My voice cracked, thin, desperate. Alina whimpered against my chest, feeling the fear trembling through me. My arms tightened around her instinctively. Rafael didn’t move. He kept his shoulder pressed against the splintering door, breaths harsh, sweat sliding down his temple. But he would not look at me. “Rafael,” I whispered again, “please. Did Luca hurt my mother?” “I told you—this is not the time—” “THEN WHEN?!” I snapped. “WHEN, RAFAEL? When everything is destroyed? When Matteo already gets inside? When my entire life collapses? Tell me NOW!” Matteo chuckled from the opposite side of the cracking wood. “The truth doesn’t wait for the perfect moment, Mira.” “SHUT UP!” Rafael shouted. “I’m not talking to YOU!” I yelled at Matteo. “I want answers from someone who actually cared about me!” Matteo hummed softly. “Are you sure he did? Cared
Mira's P.O.V“Rafael, tell me the truth!”I didn’t even recognize my own voice—shaky, cracked, breaking apart with every breath. Alina cried against my chest, her tiny fingers curled into my shirt like she understood every terrifying word hanging in the air.“I can’t—NOT NOW!” Rafael shouted back, pressing his entire body against the door as it rattled violently. “Mira, get away! MOVE!”“I’m not moving until you answer me!” I stepped forward despite my legs trembling. “Did Luca know my mother? Did he—did he really take me that night?!”Matteo laughed through the widening crack in the wood. “She already knows the answer. She can FEEL it.”“SHUT UP!” Rafael bellowed, shoving his shoulder into the door again. “You don’t get to say her name. You don’t get to talk about her mother!”“Why not?” Matteo asked, voice calm, almost gentle. “She was more honest with me than she ever was with you.”“STOP!” I cried. “Both of you—just STOP—please!”But neither of them did.“Mira,” Matteo said softly
Mira's P.O.V“Rafael, what does he mean?”My voice shook as the door groaned again, splintering under Matteo’s weight. I backed up instinctively, clutching Alina so tightly she started to fuss, her soft hiccups brushing against my neck.“Don’t listen to him!” Rafael barked without looking back. “Mira, stay in the corner—stay far from this damn door!”“I’m asking you,” I cried, voice cracking. “Did Luca really take me? Does Matteo know what he’s talking about? Rafael—look at me! Please!”“I can’t look at you right now,” he growled, shoving his shoulder harder into the wood. “I’m trying to keep him OUT.”From the widening crack at the door, Matteo let out a low, amused breath.“Rafael… let her ask. She deserves answers.”“Shut. Up.” Rafael slammed his full weight forward, but the door was losing its strength. “You don’t get to say what she deserves.”“Why not?” Matteo asked lazily. “I’ve waited years for this.”“Waited for WHAT?” I snapped back, my voice shaking between fear and fury. “







