The estate gates groaned open, the sound echoing through the driveway like a warning. The convoy rolled in, dark SUVs, blood still drying on metal, engines ticking with heat. The courtyard was silent. The air felt thick, as if the house and land themselves were holding breath.Emilia stepped out before her door fully opened.Her boots hit the ground with a cold, steady purpose. No hesitation. No tremor. But inside her chest, something ached, sharp, aching, longing. She had held herself together for hours, for battles, for commands, for the coldness of war.But now, She lifted her head.And there he was.Lucien Moretti stood on the balcony above, one hand gripping the stone railing, the other resting carefully against his ribs. The bandages beneath his open shirt were stark white against his skin. His face was drawn, paler than she had ever seen him, exhaustion carved into hard lines.Rosa stood beside him, supporting him gently, her shoulder just barely against his arm.A silent guardi
Last Updated : 2025-11-05 Read more