《He Left Me to Burn, So I Let the Truth Survive》全部章節：第 1 章 - 第 9 章

The warehouse reeked of smoke and chemicals. My lungs burned as I dragged ragged breaths through a damp cloth pressed over my mouth and nose. Pain radiated across my belly, sharp and unrelenting, yanking me fully out of the memories of my previous life. I forced myself to move. I did not reach for Enzo Saletta, the man who ran the family’s security; I dialed the family emergency channel instead.Footsteps thundered through the corridor, boots scraping against the concrete. A team of enforcers kicked open the heavy doors and surged inside. Through the thick haze, I saw Enzo. He didn’t hesitate. He scooped Chiara Bellini into his arms and carried her to safety, the flames reflected in his cold, precise eyes. Only when she was clear did I call for help, my voice hoarse and broken.The men around me stared through their masks. One spat. “Again?”A solid wooden beam loosened from the ceiling and smashed onto my stomach. Pain shot through me, sharp and immediate. Blood filled my mouth. No on

Enzo’s voice crashed through the line.“You actually called? To see if Chiara burned? Sorry to disappoint you. I saved her. She’s alive and recovering.”“Gia, do you even know whose warehouse you burned? That belonged to the Carmine family. The old man called this afternoon. What was I supposed to say?”“I’m giving you one chance. Come down and face it in front of Chiara. I’ll tell the council you lost control. Otherwise, you handle it yourself.”Before I could respond, Chiara’s soft, trembling voice reached me. “Enzo, don’t scold her. It’s my fault. If she wants to say me set the fire, let her. Don’t argue. She’s pregnant.”Enzo sneered, not at her, but at the situation.“You’re too soft. She burned a family warehouse, not her own home. Step aside.”Then he turned back to me. “Did you hear that? She’s speaking for you. Now come down. I won’t call others to get you.”I waited until he finished.“No need. Prepare the dissolution papers. I’ll sign.”He was stunned. He froze for two secon

Enzo did not come on the day I was discharged. He sent an enforcer to deliver the dissolution papers. The man stood at the door without entering, placed the documents on the nightstand, and tapped twice with his finger. “Mr. Saletta wants you to sign and leave the city.”I picked up the papers. Nothing for compensation, no right to stay in Carmine territory, no discussion of Enzo or Chiara. Every line said the same thing: you are nothing.I signed. The pen scratched lightly across the paper, audible in the quiet room. The enforcer froze, surprised at how quickly I complied. “Take it,” I said. He glanced at me, gathered the papers, and left, his shoes clicking down the corridor, fading into the distance.I set the pen down on the nightstand, next to the cold meal left untouched. My things were few: a small bag with two changes of clothes, charging cables, and the keychain holding the USB. I paused at the door. I had spent days in this room, seen the night view countless times, but there

I didn’t leave the apartment for days. Leo went to the tech department by day and brought news back at night. When he came in, he’d remove his shoes, hang his coat, sit, and report calmly. Facts only, no judgment, no comfort. I liked it that way.“One day he went to the warehouse,” he said one evening. “He reviewed the scene again.”I was peeling an apple. The skin came off in long ribbons, one slice at a time.“He noted the gas cans, the ignition point, and the mismatched timeline.”I set the apple slices on a plate, picked one up with the tip of the knife.“He asked the enforcers who were on duty. Checked everyone.”“Did anyone tell the truth?”“One young one did. He said he saw Bellini enter alone and leave alone, before the fire.”I bit the apple. Crisp.“He asked why the enforcer didn’t report earlier. He said he didn’t dare. Enzo only listened to Bellini at the time.”I put the apple down. Not because it hurt, but because the words were familiar. In my previous life, I tried to e

When the council released its final verdict, I was in my workshop installing a security camera. Not family business, just a small client. A corner store owner had asked me to install two cameras. Small job, little money, enough for a few meals.Leo called while I was on a ladder tightening screws.“The result is out.”“Go ahead.”“Enzo Saletta has been permanently demoted. No longer head of security, reassigned to inventory.”I tightened the last screw and climbed down.“And?”“His team was disciplined too. The enforcer who kicked you lost half a year’s pay. Others who knew and didn’t report were warned.”“Did he appeal?”“No. He accepted it.”I crouched to put away my tools one by one. This wasn’t like him. Enzo never accepted punishment quietly. He argued, deflected, shifted blame. I had learned that in five years. But this time he didn’t. Perhaps he finally understood that some things aren’t won by fighting. Perhaps he was just tired. I didn’t care to know.“One more thing,” Leo sai