Todos os capítulos de BURNING EMPIRE: Capítulo 61 - Capítulo 70

Chapter 62: The Fall That Wasn't Just a Fall The sky over the Pendragon estate was a soft blend of gold and pale blue that morning, warm light filtering through the windows in lazy rays. The rain had stopped sometime before dawn, leaving everything glistening—the grass sparkling like glass, tree leaves beaded with silver drops, and the marble balcony washed clean. In the back garden, Leo and Derek had been up since early, racing barefoot across the slick lawn. “Catch me if you can, turtle boy!” Leo yelled as he dashed ahead, his hoodie flapping behind him like a cape. “I’m not a turtle! I’m letting you win so you won’t cry,” Derek shouted, breathless but grinning. They raced past the fountain, around the trimmed hedges, and back toward the wide patio steps. Dominic, seated at the breakfast table on the terrace, sipped his black coffee and watched the boys with that unreadable gaze he wore like a second skin. Matteo leaned beside him, arms crossed, the bruises on his body he

Chapter 64: ComaThe hospital room was quiet except for the soft beeping of machines and the occasional whisper of air from the oxygen vent. Leo lay still, his small chest rising and falling slowly under the white sheets. The world outside was moving, shifting with the coming morning, but inside that room, time had stopped. Matteo sat on the chair closest to the bed, unmoving, except for his fingers that gently rubbed Leo's knuckles.The sky outside was still dark, but it was the kind of dark that hinted at light. A promise that morning would come. Matteo leaned closer, placing his forehead softly against Leo’s hand."You once told me you'd live forever, remember? You said you’d outlive me, outlive the stars." He smiled sadly. "You’re not allowed to go back on that now. Not like this."Dominic entered the room quietly, carrying a blanket over one arm and two cups of something warm. He paused at the doorway, watching Matteo with an unreadable expression. Then, he walked in, handed Matt

Chapter 66: The Sound of a BlinkThe morning light poured gently through the hospital windows, casting golden shapes on the walls. The machines beside Leo's bed hummed their quiet rhythm, each beep a cruel reminder of time passing without change. But something in the room felt different this morning. There was a shift, not big, but present. Matteo sensed it in the air, the same way one senses rain before it falls.Matteo stood by the bed, fingers brushing softly along Leo’s arm, just beneath the IV line. His heart had grown tired from hoping, but he hadn’t stopped. He couldn’t.Dominic was behind him, pacing slowly. His phone buzzed again, and he didn’t answer."It’s been four days," Matteo whispered.Dominic stopped. “I know.”Matteo turned toward him, his eyes glassy. “He should’ve woken up by now.”Dominic didn’t speak. Instead, he walked to Matteo and placed a steady hand on his back.Then the door opened. Dr. Rahman entered, a folder in hand, his face serious but calm. Matteo’s b

Chapter 68: Between Life and Blood The hospital lights never dimmed. Not in the private surgical wing, not in the waiting room where Matteo sat, stiff and silent. The sterile white walls didn’t care about the anxiety bleeding out of him. They held no warmth, no comfort—only silence, machines, and the soft echo of footsteps. Dominic stood across from him, arms folded, leaning against the wall. His face gave nothing away. But his eyes—they burned. It was 8:56 PM. Four minutes to surgery. Dr. Rahman appeared in the hallway, fully scrubbed in. He gestured for Matteo to follow. Matteo rose like he was floating, leaving behind his fear for a moment as he walked beside the doctor. They stopped in front of the surgical theater’s outer glass wall. Beyond it, nurses prepared the equipment. A heart-lung machine stood by the operating table, quiet but ready. Dr. Rahman spoke gently. “He’s sedated. Intubated. Stable. His vitals are holding, which is good. Now, we begin the process of removi

Chapter 70: The Price of Survival The first sound that broke the silence of the recovery room was the soft rustle of bedsheets. Matteo sat beside the hospital bed, head bowed, hand wrapped tightly around Leo’s. He hadn’t slept in hours. Maybe days. His clothes were the same ones he’d worn since the night of the surgery. His fingers were cold, his eyelids heavy. Then he felt it. A twitch. Matteo’s eyes snapped open. Leo’s fingers moved. Then again. “Leo?” Matteo whispered, leaning in. Leo’s eyelids fluttered. His breathing deepened. Slowly, carefully, his eyes opened. They were unfocused at first, glassy, but alive. “Matteo…” Leo’s voice was dry, barely a whisper. Matteo felt his chest tighten. A lump rose in his throat. “I’m here,” he said, gripping Leo’s hand. “I’m here, Leo.” Leo blinked slowly. “Did… we win?” Matteo laughed softly through the tears spilling from his eyes. “Yeah. You won, Leo. You did it.” The monitor beeped steadily. The machines still hummed, but none