The hum of the machine grew louder, like a relentless drone. The red needle on the control console went wild, shattering past the safety limit. Blood welled from every opening—my eyes, ears, and nose—streaming hot down my face. My throat filled with that metallic, bloody taste. I clenched my teeth so hard that they split, soaking my gums in blood.On the main screen, the display flickered and shifted again. It now replayed my memory of that night, cold and drizzling with rain.Sophia's body had been pulled from the docks, swollen and pale.Valeria threw herself over the corpse, her screams raw and broken. "Sophia! Dio mio, wake up! Who did this to you?"I stood to the side, trembling. Clutched in Sophia's stiff fingers was half of a Leone family cufflink. The cufflink bore a lion crest, and I recognized it immediately. Only members of the Leone inner circle were allowed to wear this.At that moment, everything clicked. This incident was no accident. It was a setup—a move meant t
Read more