All Chapters of Shadows of the Vow: Chapter 171 - Chapter 180

Antonioni’s POVSix months. That was the sentence tied to the Malta case. Officially.But I had lived in Spain for more than sixteen years. Built businesses here. Bought land here. Paid taxes here. I spoke the language like a native and held the passport to prove it.Spain understood me, and I understood Spain. Still, prison remained prison. Even for a man like me. I sat on the narrow bed in my cell, elbows resting on my knees, staring at the floor while the noise of distant voices could be heard through the corridor.My thoughts weren’t here. They were in the Dome. With Annabelle. And Patty Mama.Annabelle hated uncertainty. She masked it well, strong voice, sharp eyes, but I knew the difference between her confidence and her fear.Being away from her now… that bothered me more than the prison walls.I brought out the tablet she sent, from where I hid it under the bed, and read the message again: ‘You missed the last applause. But don’t worry. I carried us both tonight.’Beautiful s

Annabelle’s POVTwo deliveries arrived late afternoon, quiet as always.Two packages, I figured, were from the mall. One for Nora. One for Patty Mama.The maid signed for them without a second thought. In the Dome, deliveries were routine. Cosmetics, provisions, luxury items… They all came through almost daily.I was with Patty Mama, sitting beside her bed while she grumbled at the kitchen staff for oversalting the soup again.The door opened.“Delivery, Mama,” the maid said, setting a box on the bedside table.I barely looked at it at first…until I saw the name.Nora.My brow furrowed. “That’s not hers,” I murmured, glancing at the maid.“Oh! maybe they mixed them downstairs,” she said lightly, shrugging, and left.I held the package, turning it over in my hands. Something about it felt deliberate. Too neat. Too precise.I opened it carefully. Cosmetics, perfectly arranged. Normal. Too normal.Then I saw the file. Thin. Hidden beneath the products.My fingers froze. I drew it out slo

Annabelle’s POVMy phone buzzed just as I was reviewing the final details for the Exhibition that Nora had submitted.“Miss Annabelle,” came the secretary’s voice, clipped, urgent. “Minister Valenzuela requests your presence immediately. It’s… important.”I frowned, curiosity prickling. They've never called me this urgently. “Very well,” I said, sliding my phone into my bag. “I’ll be there.”I stepped out into the sunlight and found Antonioni’s beige-colored SUV waiting. The exterior reflected the elegance of the clothes I had chosen for the evening—sleek, understated, deliberate. Money could buy many things, but confidence in how one appeared… that had to be earned. I slid into the driver’s seat, the leather cool beneath my hands, and started toward the ministry.The streets to the Culture Ministry gallery were quiet. My heels clicked sharply against the polished floors, echoing off the walls. My mind went over what this urgent meeting could be. Contract? Approval? I didn’t expect…

Antonioni’s POV  Inside La Fortaleza de Sombras prison, time did not flow. It settled. Heavy. Like dust that refused to be disturbed. Steel doors opened. Steel doors closed. Boots passed the corridor in measured intervals. Keys spoke more often than people did. Some men in here tried to fight the rhythm. They paced. They shouted. They cursed the walls like the walls had personally betrayed them. I did none of that. War had taught me something a long time ago. When you cannot move the battlefield, you move yourself. Routine. That is how soldiers survive confinement. The guard stopped at my door. “D’Angélo.” His voice carried something beneath the authority. Not respect exactly. But awareness. “Visitor.” I stood. No questions. No f

Annabelle’s POVFor this day,I had a surprise plan for my mother. Scilla Something simple. Something just for her.She loved beauty. Loved good things. Loved the feeling of choosing exactly what she wanted, what she deserved. And I could give it to her.We walked into the store together, her eyes widening immediately at the displays. Silk scarves, leather handbags, jewelry that caught the light just right. Shoes with delicate heels, dresses that seemed to float even before touching the skin.“Annabelle,” she whispered, turning to me, eyes sparkling. “You didn’t…”“I did,” I said simply. “Pick whatever you want today. No limits. No hesitation.”Her laughter was soft, musical, almost shy. But the joy in it was unmistakable. She moved from display to display, examining every piece, lingering over the ones she loved most. And I let her. I watched, patient and proud, as she finally allowed herself this indulgence.I picked up one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry and held it up. “Th