ВойтиAriaI stood there staring at Vieri as he turned to face me. For a second… everything else around us faded. The noise. The people. The movement.Gone.He just stood there frozen like a thief caught in the act blinking.I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. My eyes shifted slightly… and that’s when I saw Sonia.She was smiling, completely unaware, picking items like nothing in the world mattered. “How good is this!” she called out excitedly, holding up a bag.Vieri didn’t respond. He didn’t even move, he just kept staring at me.Then she turned and our eyes met. “Oh, Elena!” she said brightly, like we were friends meeting by coincidence.Before I could react, she walked over and slipped her arm around Vieri’s. “What are you doing here?” she asked, tilting her head.Jane took a step forward beside me, but I stopped her with a slight movement of my hand.My eyes stayed on Sonia. Then slowly… I looked at Vieri. “Why is she here with you?” I asked.Sonia answered before he could reply. “I cam
VieriMy phone had been ringing non stop. I didn’t even need to check to know who it was. But I did anyway. Sonia again!I stared at the screen as it lit up for the fifth time. “What have I done to deserve this?” I muttered under my breath, dragging a hand down my face.The phone stopped ringing. For two seconds, then it started again.I sighed. “Fine.”I picked up. “What is it, Sonia?”“You finally answered!” she snapped. “I’ve been calling you!”“I can see that,” I replied. “What do you want now?”“I need to go to the mall,” she said quickly.I leaned back in my chair. “Do you need money?”“No.”“Then what?”“I don’t want to take a cab,” she said. “Come with me.”I closed my eyes briefly. “Sonia, I’m busy.”A pause. Then..“With Elena?” she asked sharply.I frowned. “I’m at the hospital,” I whispered. “I just resumed work today.”She scoffed. “You just don’t want to go with me.”“That’s not it!”“ That's it. You want to spend time with Elena, that’s why!”I sat up straighter. “Sonia
DamianoI lowered myself onto the edge of the bed, my muscles still warm from the exercise session.The room was quiet except for the faint rhythm of my breathing. For the first time in weeks… I could walk again.My legs still felt stiff, but the strength had returned. The doctors had warned me not to rush things, but I was already pushing my limits. Sitting still has never been my strength.I ran a hand through my hair, my mind drifting back to what had happened earlier. The way Vieri had rushed in like he had come to see me… but something about the visit had felt strange.He had barely stayed for a few seconds before leaving in a hurry. And it had been obvious he was looking for Elena.My eyes narrowed slightly. Why? I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. Something was going on. And I had been in the dark long enough.“Enough… I can’t do this any longer,” I muttered under my breath. I reached for my phone on the bedside table and dialed a number I hadn’t called in a while.
AriaThe drive home was quiet.Arthur sat in the passenger seat this time, unusually silent. Normally he would be talking nonstop, about school, cartoons, or something he saw on the road. But today he just watched me.When we finally got home and stepped inside, he stopped in the living room and looked straight into my eyes.“ Mom…” he whispered. “Are you okay?”I paused for a moment. Then shrugged lightly. “I’m fine.”Arthur didn’t look convinced. He nodded anyway, like he understood more than he was saying. “Okay,” he replied.But the way he looked at me made it clear he knew the truth.I walked past him and headed to my bedroom. I sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor.My mind replayed everything from yesterday. The airport, Sonia holding Vieri’s arm, her laughter in the kitchen. The way she took the seat beside him at dinner. And last night… when he left the room with his pillow. I leaned back against the headboard and exhaled slowly.I needed someone to talk to.
Vieri“What is it?” I called out.Sonia’s voice came through the door almost immediately. “I can’t sleep in my room alone. How about you come join me in the living room?”I blinked. “What?” The words sounded absurd to me. I stepped closer to the door, lowering my voice. “Sonia, you’re not a kid anymore. You can sleep alone.”“I can’t,” she insisted quickly. “I told you before. I hate sleeping alone.”Her tone carried that stubborn edge I remembered from childhood. I turned slightly and glanced at Elena.She was sitting beside Arthur on the bed. Our eyes met briefly, but she immediately looked away.I turned to Arthur.He shrugged helplessly and glanced at his mom. Clearly, he didn’t know what to say either.“Sonia,” I called again, trying to stay calm. “Just go back to your room. You’ll be fine.”“No,” she screamed out loud. “I need you to stay with me tonight.”I rubbed my forehead. This was ridiculous. “Elena,” I said, swallowing hard, as I stood up. “Excuse me for a moment.” I walk
AriaI was speechless.For a moment, I simply stared ahead at the road, my hands tight around the steering wheel. I said nothing.Beside me, Vieri rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “Sonia,” he began carefully, turning slightly in his seat to face the back. “You can’t stay with me. It’s better if you check into a hotel.”From the back seat, Sonia crossed her arms. “A hotel?” she repeated as if the idea offended her.“Yes, it will be safer and more comfortable for you.”Sonia shook her head immediately. “No. I’ve heard too many things about Paris. It’s not safe. Especially for someone who just arrived.” She leaned forward slightly. “Staying with you is the safest option.”Vieri sighed.“Sonia..”“No,” she cut him off. “I’m staying with you.”The argument continued the entire drive. Back and forth. Neither of them was willing to back down.By the time the sky darkened and the streetlights flickered on, the tension in the car had grown thick.Finally, I spoke.“She can st
DamianoThe tiny hand wrapped around her hand, snapped me to focus. She has a son?The thought didn’t just come, It hit me hard. I sat frozen in my wheelchair, fingers tightening slowly on the armrests as she walked past without a word.The boy followed her, dark hair, slim, small shoulders and qui
DamianoThe tiny hand wrapped around her hand, snapped me to focus. She has a son?The thought didn’t just come, It hit me hard. I sat frozen in my wheelchair, fingers tightening slowly on the armrests as she walked past without a word.The boy followed her, dark hair, slim, small shoulders and qui
DamianoThe first thing I heard was screaming. Not the sharp kind, the frightened kind. “Call a doctor!”“Is he still breathing?” someone exclaimed.“Oh God, is he dead?” Voices echoed up the stairway, patients crowded the bottom floor, craning their necks.White coats rushed past. Someone knelt be
AriaMy phone rang at 6:12 a.m. Too early for anything good, I fumbled for it on the nightstand, half asleep.“Hello?”“Doctor Vale?” nurse Jane’s voice said quickly. “It’s the hospital.”My heart dropped, “What happened? A patient died? Did I leave without checking a patient? Did i…” I lay still.







