~Mia~Soon, the car rolled to a stop in front of a house that looked anything but modern—secluded, worn, and quietly tucked away from the bustle of the city. I stepped out and glanced around, realizing he hadn’t exaggerated—this place was truly peaceful.Behind the house, towering mountains stood like silent guardians. I could hear the gentle rush of a nearby river and the melodic chirping of birds in the trees.It was… perfect. Exactly the kind of calm I didn’t know I needed.“Come on,” Aleandro said with a bright smile as he stepped out and reached for my bags.“Thanks,” I murmured, returning his smile softly and following him, my eyes flicking around, soaking it all in.The house, though clearly aged, was spotless. The furniture and decor were outdated, no doubt, but they carried a charm that made them feel oddly comforting.“Honey?!” Aleandro called as he pushed open the front door and set the bags inside. Before he could even straighten up, a woman burst out from one of the rooms
~Ethan~I got to John’s place and let myself in—he’d told me to—then made my way to the living room. There he was, cozied up on the couch with Darla. They looked snug, but the vibe felt...off. A little tense.“Heyyy, dude,” John greeted, flashing a big grin as I approached.“Hey,” I replied, trying to match his energy. “Hi, Darla,” I added, turning to her. She beamed.“Ethan! Hi. You look nice,” she said warmly.I let out a short scoff, rolling my eyes. “This is what I wear every day—nothing special.” Then I softened a bit. “But thanks,” I added, and she gave a small nod.I took a seat on the couch opposite them, and Darla stood up. “I’ll get you some water,” she offered. I gave her a brief nod as she walked off.Once she was out of earshot, John looked me over, his brows pulling together. “You don’t exactly look like someone who’s happy about finding his girlfriend. What’s going on?” he asked.I clenched my jaw, fingers laced tightly. “She came back home... then left again,” I s
~Mia~I dragged my bags out of the house, and with every few steps I took, I couldn’t help glancing back at Ethan. He stood at the door, waving endlessly, sadness clouding his eyes.My Uber was already on its way to L’Aquila—a city about two hours from Rome. Just far enough to feel like a new beginning, yet close enough to home… because no matter where I went, my heart wasn’t ready to let go of Ethan.I offered him a faint smile as the driver packed my bags into the car and held the door open for me. I blew Ethan a kiss, my throat tightening as fresh tears welled up.“I love you, Mia!” he shouted.I let out a shaky laugh as the tears finally spilled over. “I love you too!” I called back, climbing into the car.I rolled the window up and leaned my head against the glass, letting the sobs take over.I didn’t want him to see me break down. Even though I knew I needed this distance, it still hurt like hell. The truth was, I’d never imagined my life without Ethan. But maybe… that was exact
~Ethan~I let out a heavy sigh and shook my head. “So you’re saying Sienna’s the one behind all this?” I asked, my voice laced with disbelief. She exhaled slowly, nodding faintly.“He never came out and said it, but my gut tells me it’s her. The sudden shift, all the things she’s done—it all adds up now. She’s been laying the groundwork this whole time so no one would suspect her.”“I had a feeling it was too good to be true,” I muttered. “But we’ll need more than intuition if we’re going to bring her down. Your word won’t be enough—we need concrete evidence that she and Bernard worked together to orchestrate your kidnapping.” I gave her hand a firm squeeze.She fell silent, her gaze distant. “I’m sorry you’re caught up in all of this because of me, Mia. I hate that I wasn’t there to protect you. I hate what almost happened to you…”“This isn’t on you,” she cut in gently, turning toward me. Her hand cradled my face, fingertips trailing lightly across my skin. My eyes drifted shut, lea
~Mia~I was thrown into a car, most likely the van I was brought in and I knew I was being returned to where they had abducted me, but this didn’t bother me. What bothered me was what he had said to me before blindfolfing me. It made me so curious about what was actually going on. So while we rode in silence, I broke the silence. “About what you said. Who is it i cannot trust?” I asked, and waited for a response. “I thought I told you to stay quiet.” His familiar voice came through from the front. “I am sorry, but I am curious. If someone around me is trying to hurt me, then why do I have to go back?” I asked, adjusting the way I sat. “What are you saying?” He asked and I could hear the confusion laced behind that question. “I am pregnant, and I wouldn’t do anything that would hurt my baby.” I lied again. “You said I should be careful with that Ethan guy. Are you saying someone close to me caused this? Ethan would never do this to me.” I added and took a pause again. “But you b
~Mia~“Ugh…” I groaned, wincing as a sharp pain stabbed through my head the moment I cracked my eyes open. I squeezed them shut again, trying to ride out the pounding ache that throbbed behind my temples.When I dared to open them again, I glanced around the room. It was unfamiliar—bare, eerie, and silent. A cold chill ran through me.“Hello? Help!” I shouted, struggling to sit up—only then realizing my wrists were bound to the bedframe.Panic surged in my chest. My heart raced as fragmented memories flooded back—being in the parking lot, the sudden attack, someone grabbing me from behind… someone I didn’t recognize.“Somebody help! Please!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Just then, I heard the click of a turning doorknob. My eyes widened, my breath caught in my throat as the door creaked open to reveal—“You…” I narrowed my eyes, staring hard at his face. He was familiar. The only familiar thing in this nightmare. “I know you! What the hell is going on?” I yanked at the ropes, de