All Chapters of Burning empire: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Chapter 72: Shadows and PromisesMatteo woke before the sun had fully risen. The safe house was quiet except for the soft hum of machines from Leo’s room. His eyes drifted across the room to where Dominic was sitting at the edge of the couch, staring down at a small stack of papers. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a pale glow over Dominic’s face.Matteo watched him quietly. There was something about Dominic in these moments—calm, focused, like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders but didn’t let it break him. Matteo’s chest tightened. It was the same man he had seen fighting every day, but now he saw it differently—through the quiet, still morning, stripped of all the chaos.He didn’t say anything, just let himself take in the sight. Dominic’s jaw was tight, his eyes serious but steady. Matteo felt a wave of affection wash over him, gentle but strong.For a few minutes, he just watched, committing the image to memory—the way Dominic’s finge

Chapter 74: You Are Kissing Again?The afternoon sun streamed softly through the penthouse windows. A gentle warmth filled the room as Matteo stepped into Leo and Derek’s space with a quiet knock. He wasn’t surprised to find Leo propped up on the couch, a blanket over his legs, and Derek curled on the floor with a colored pencil in his mouth, sketching something intense on his notepad."You two look like you’re building a secret world in here," Matteo said, a smile tugging at his lips.Leo looked up and beamed. "We are. Derek says I need a superhero version of myself now.""He’s right. You survived a surgery. You’re basically indestructible now," Matteo said, walking closer and ruffling Leo’s hair gently."We even gave him a cape," Derek added, holding up a crude but charming drawing of Leo with a big red cape, a heart-shaped emblem on his chest.Matteo chuckled. "That’s perfect. You should frame that."Leo leaned his head back. "It actually feels good today. Like, I can breathe witho

Chapter 76: After the StormThe penthouse felt unusually quiet the morning after Nurse Anne was taken away. The usual hum of the city seemed distant, almost muted, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.Matteo sat at the breakfast table with Leo and Derek. Plates of simple food—toast, scrambled eggs, and fruit—sat mostly untouched. Leo picked at his food, eyes tired but brighter than before.“Do you feel okay this morning?” Matteo asked gently.Leo nodded slowly. “Better. I think the bad medicine was making me feel worse.”Derek leaned forward, eyes wide with curiosity. “Are you going to be okay now?”Matteo smiled, trying to hide the exhaustion under his skin. “Yes. We stopped that before it went too far. You two are safe.”Leo reached across the table, taking Matteo’s hand. “Thanks for protecting me.”Matteo squeezed his hand back. “Always.”Derek giggled, breaking the heaviness. “You’re like a real-life superhero.”“That’s because I have real superheroes around me,”

Chapter 78: The Echo of SilenceThe sound of the front door slamming echoed through the penthouse like a scream. Matteo stood frozen by the window, the black van already gone from sight. His chest rose and fell quickly, panic clawing at his lungs.Dominic reached him, gripped his arm. “Matteo. Breathe.”“They took them,” Matteo whispered, his voice cracking. “They took them, Dom. Leo... Derek...”Dominic’s jaw clenched. “We’ll get them back.”“No,” Matteo snapped, pulling away. “We don’t even know where they’ve gone! How could this happen under our roof?”“We were watching every angle—”“They were inside! We had a mole and didn’t see it. They knew the layout. They knew exactly when to move. This wasn’t some random hit—this was planned!”Dominic didn’t argue. He turned toward Pietro, who had rushed in with three guards. “Lock down the building. Check every feed from the last 24 hours. I want every frame analyzed. Find out how they got in, and who helped them.”Pietro nodded and ran out

Chapter 80: Hunted in the SilenceThe cold was worse tonight.Derek sat with his back pressed to the concrete wall, holding Leo close to his chest. His arms ached from staying in the same position too long, but he refused to move. Leo’s breathing was weak again. Shallow and slow.“Leo,” Derek whispered. “You awake?”Leo stirred. His voice was small. “Yeah.”“Your chest still hurts?”“A little.”“You need to breathe deep, remember? In and out. Like Nurse Rachel said.”Leo nodded against his shoulder. Derek helped him count each breath. “One... two... good. Keep going.”Leo coughed, and Derek quickly held him tighter.“I’m scared,” Leo whispered. “What if I don’t get better?”“You will,” Derek said firmly. “As soon as we get out of here. Matteo and Dominic won’t stop. They’re coming.”“I want to go home.”“I know. Me too.”Leo’s small hand clutched his shirt. “I don’t like it here. The lights, the smell. I miss pancakes.”Derek smiled sadly. “Yeah. Matteo’s pancakes. With strawberries o