A dull throbbing pulses through my skull as I come to, the metallic taste of blood heavy on my tongue. My eyelids feel like lead, but I force them open, blinking against the dim, flickering light of a single bulb overhead. The air is damp, thick with the scent of pine—and something far more rancid.
Rotting wood… and death?
I scrunch up my nose and groan as I try to get my bearings.
What the hell happened? I blink again, trying to make sense of the confusion that litters my body.
I’m in a cabin.
Panic rises in my chest, cold and sharp. My wrists burn where they’re bound, the rope digging deep into my skin. My legs are numb, tied just as tightly. I glance down at the chair beneath me, lit only by a single overhead bulb that barely cuts through the darkness.
I tug, testing my restraints, but they don’t budge. The rope mars my skin and aches my joints.
“No, no, no…”
Every inch of me aches with rage—but it’s not just anger. It’s desperation. An overwhelming urge to break free.
I want to scream. I want to fight.
But all I can do is listen to the whispers of my own helplessness.
The betrayal, the grief—they claw at me from the inside out.
Should I surrender?
Part of me wants to. Part of me wants to give in, to fall into the enemy’s hands and let it all go.
Because I can’t ignore the truth: Matteo killed my brother.
But I can’t give up.
Not now. Not when I carry life inside me. His child.
My heart feels like it’s being torn in two, each half at war with the other.
I don’t know who to trust anymore—not with everything that’s happened.
But one thing is clear now: I won’t give up.
Not when there’s someone else who needs me to survive.
A soft, unhinged giggle draws my attention to the darkened corner of the room. I know that voice, and it is the last thing I expected to hear in the thick of the tension.
“Emily.” Her name comes out as nothing more than a whisper, a curse that should never be uttered out loud.
“Oh, goody.”
She steps out of the shadows like a slithering monster from the dark. “And here I thought you’d forgotten all about me.”
She sways slightly, her pupils blown wide, fingers twitching like she’s not fully in control of her own body.
Her lips are stretched into something that might be a grin—but her eyes… her eyes are wild.
Glitching. Unhinged.
“She’s awake,” she singsongs, taking a stumbling step toward me. “Finally. Daniele, look.”
At the mention of his name, my eyes flick to the other end of the room. And there he stands, his back pressed against the wall and his eyes watching me with an incredible intensity. His voice is the last thing I remember before I was plunged into a sea of unconsciousness.
“Daniele.” Emily smacks her lips together. “Come see.”
I stare at the brooding man on the other end of the room. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t move. If not for the barely-there movement of his breathing, I wouldn’t have known he was alive.
He looks exhausted—like a shadow of the man I once knew. But beneath that exhaustion… there’s something else now. Hesitation.
The anger and hurt that burned in his eyes over the past few weeks have faded, dulled, giving way to something else—something I can’t quite name.
Emily crouches in front of me, tilting her head like a bird of prey. “Do you know how much I hate you, Maria?” she whispers, the venom in her words coating her words. “Do you have any idea what it feels like to be invisible? To be nothing? For years, I’ve wanted him, watched him, only for you to come and take him from me.”
I meet her gaze, keeping my voice steady despite the terror clawing up my throat. “You are a crazy woman, I hope you know that.”
Her eye twitches. “Because I thought—” She stops herself, shaking her head like she’s trying to silence her own thoughts.
She clearly chooses to ignore my words and keeps rambling. “I thought he would love me. I thought that once you were out of the picture—once you were gone—he’d finally see me.”
I remain silent. There’s nothing I can say or do to de-escalate the situation.
This woman has created an entire parasocial relationship with my husband.
If I’m going to get out of this, I’ll need to keep a level head.
My life—and the baby’s—depend on it.
Emily takes my chin into her icy hold, her nails digging into my skin. “What makes you so special? What do you have that I don’t?”
A hand clamps down on her shoulder, yanking her back.
“Enough,” Daniele growls. “This isn’t about your sick obsession, Emily. Back off.”
Emily glares at him, lips curling in disgust, but before she can speak, the door creaks open, silencing all of us. A cold shiver travels down my spine at the shift in the air that moves in the room.
It’s him.
Giacomo strides in, bringing with him a gust of cold night air. His presence is suffocating, his energy a black void that sucks all warmth from the room—not that there was any to begin with.
He takes in the scene before him—Emily trembling, Daniele rigid, me bound and silent. His expression barely shifts as he pulls out a gun. The shot rings out before any of us even have a chance to react. It’s swift, precise, and lethal.
The gunshot cracks like thunder. The bullet rips through Emily’s chest, blood spattering as it slices through her like paper. She stumbles back, eyes wide, mouth opening in a silent scream as a wet, gurgling sound bubbles in her throat. Then her knees buckle. She crumples to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut—lifeless before she even hits the ground.
And just like that, she’s gone. Erased from the world in a blink.
I flinch, my breath catching in my throat. Daniele stands there looking just as shocked, but he does a better job of recovering and schooling his features.
Giacomo exhales, lowering the gun like he’s just swatted a fly. “I don’t take kindly to disobedience. She had one job—make sure Matteo went down. Instead, she fell in love with the fucking target.”
Daniele stares at Emily’s lifeless body, his face blank, but his hands tremble at his sides. That’s when I see it—the small shroud of humanity that still lives within him.
“Dispose of that,” Giacomo orders, waving a hand toward the corpse like it’s nothing more than trash.
Daniele hesitates for only a beat before moving to obey, already working to get rid of her.
As Giacomo’s loose ends are tied up, he turns to me, offering a maniacal smile. “As for you, cara mia… I do hope you’re comfortable. The finale is about to begin.”
My stomach twists violently, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear.
“Cat got your tongue, bella?” He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “No matter. I’ve waited years for this moment. Over two decades, and now… my revenge is finally at hand. And you, my dear, will have the best seat in the house.”
He spreads his arms out wide and smiles. Never in my life have I ever seen a man so unhinged and tactful.
“You lied to Daniele,” I spit. “About Beatrice—and God knows what else. You twisted everything he believed in. Broke him from the inside out. And you will pay for what you’ve done, Giacomo.”
He blinks, casting me an amused gaze. “From where I’m standing, amore, it seems that I have the upper hand right now.”
He does—for now. But I know Matteo. By now, he’s already looking for me, which means whatever grand finale Giacomo has planned… it’s about to become reality.
I’m torn—caught between the desperate hope that Matteo finds me and the gut-wrenching fear that he’ll walk straight into this psychopath’s trap.
Giacomo chuckles, amused, striding toward the door. “I have business to attend to,” he says, with a grin that curdles my blood. “But don’t worry—I’ll be back soon.”
His gaze flicks to Daniele, who’s just re-entered the room.
“Make sure she stays put,” Giacomo orders. “I need to make a call to our guest of honor.”
And then he’s gone, leaving me in the cabin with Daniele.
The moment the door shuts behind him, the tension in the room thickens. Daniele remains frozen, his fists clenched, his chest rising and falling too fast. I can tell that he is barely holding on to whatever sliver of light that remains in him.
I swallow hard, my voice coming out softer than I intend. “Daniele.”
He doesn’t look at me.
I press on, my voice low but urgent.
“You know what he’s doing to you, don’t you? I know you do—otherwise, you wouldn’t be standing there like you’re about to tear yourself apart. This was never about love. Never about family. He didn’t bring you back to rebuild something—he brought you here to use you.”
I lean closer, locking eyes with him.
“You’re not a son to him, Daniele. You’re a weapon. A tool he’s been sharpening for years—just to aim at your father. This was always about Matteo. Always about revenge.”
His jaw ticks. It’s all the encouragement I need to keep going. I know I can reach him. I know the Daniele I knew is still in there.
“He lied to you, Daniele. Matteo didn’t kill your mother, he’s the one who saved her. He’s the one who protected you and your mother all these years.”
Daniele exhales sharply, finally turning to me. His eyes are glassy, conflicted. And in that moment, I see it—a flicker of hope, a fracture in the armor he’s worn for so long.
“You are a Davacalli,” I say, voice trembling with urgency. “Matteo never treated you like anything less than his son.”
Daniele swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Come on, Daniele. I know you are in there somewhere.
“He killed my mother,” he says hoarsely.
“No.” I shake my head. “Giacomo is the one who destroyed your family. And Emily—” I pause, waiting for him to meet my gaze. “She killed Beatrice. She poisoned her the same way she was poisoning me. He manipulated both of you.”
Daniele flinches. “Liar.”
I don’t break eye contact. “You know it’s true.”
A loud silence passes between us. Neither one of us daring to speak.
“Help me escape,” I whisper, the plea breaking in my throat. “Please, Daniele. He’s going to kill me—and when he’s done, he’ll come for you too. You know it.”
I lean forward, forcing him to meet my eyes.
“He doesn’t love you. He never did. You’re not his son—you’re just a shadow in his war. And the moment you stop being useful… he’ll erase you like you were never here.”
Silence.
His hesitation is a knife against my throat. For a long moment, he just stands there—silent, still—as if the war inside him might tear him apart.
For one agonizing second, I think he’s going to walk away.
Then—
A sharp breath. A muttered curse.
Daniele steps forward and pulls out a knife, his jaw clenched tight.
I hold my breath as he cuts the ropes at my wrists, then my ankles, the strands falling like dead weight to the floor. My skin burns where they once held me captive.
I’m free.
“We have to go,” he says, his voice low, urgent. “If we want to get out of here alive, we need to move. Now.”
I nod, scrambling to my feet, fighting against the weakness in my legs. I use the thought of the small little life growing inside of me to push me forward and give me the strength to make it.
We move quickly, creeping toward the cabin door. Daniele peers through the cracks, body coiled like a spring. He looks over his shoulder at me and gives me one simple nod.
Stay close, his look states.
Then, in a blur, he bursts forward, kicking down the door.
The first guard doesn’t even have time to react before Daniele slams his knife into his throat. The second one fumbles for his gun, but Daniele is faster, grabbing him by the wrist and twisting until there’s a sickening snap. The guard drops, groaning in pain.
Daniele doesn’t hesitate. One quick, brutal strike to the temple, and he’s out cold.
“Move,” he hisses, grabbing my wrist and dragging me toward a car parked near the tree line.
We’re so close.
But then—
A gunshot splits the air.
Daniele shoves me behind him just as Giacomo’s voice roars through the darkness.
“I should’ve fucking known! You’re just like that treacherous bitch, Beatrice!” His snarl cuts through the night like a blade. “Going somewhere, son?”
Giacomo steps forward, raising his gun—but the wet earth betrays him.
His boot slips on the muddy ground, throwing him off balance. He stumbles with a curse, arms flailing, struggling to stay upright.
“Run!” Daniele growls, yanking me by the wrist. “Now!”
We tear into the woods, swallowed by the dark.
The cold air claws at my lungs as I force my legs to keep moving. Every footstep is heavier than the last, my breath coming in ragged gasps, my body screaming to stop. But I can’t. Not when my child needs me to keep going. Not when every second could be the difference between life and death.
Gunshots explode behind us—deafening cracks that send my heart slamming against my ribs.
“Move faster!” Daniele shouts, gripping my wrist so tightly it feels like my bones might shatter.
My legs are about to give out, but the thought of my baby pushes me forward.
“Faster, Maria.”
I’m trying. God, I’m trying.
My lungs burn, my legs scream, but the fear of what happens if we stop is stronger than the pain.
A bullet tears through the bark of a tree, just inches from my head. I yelp, ducking instinctively.
“Keep going!” Daniele growls, his grip tightening as he yanks me forward. “Don’t stop!”
The trees blur together, shadows twisting and morphing in the dim moonlight. The deeper we go, the more the gunfire fades.
But I know Giacomo isn’t far behind.
He won’t stop until he has me—or until we’re dead.
I steal a glance at Daniele, his jaw clenched, his body tense as he pushes forward. There’s a wild look in his eyes, a battle raging within him. He saved me, yes, but I don’t know if that means he’s fully on my side.
I have to trust him. Because right now, he’s all I have.
The terrain grows rougher, the ground uneven and riddled with roots and decaying forestry. My ankle twists, pain lancing through me, but I bite back a cry and force myself to keep going.
“Shit,” Daniele mutters, pulling me behind the thick trunk of a tree. His chest heaves, breaths fast but forced into control. “We need a plan. Now.”
“There’s no plan,” I pant, gripping the bark for support. “We keep running.”
He shakes his head, peering around the tree. “We won’t make it to the road before they catch up. There are guards littered all over this place.”
He’s right. We’re exposed out here, too easy to track. The only thing working in our favor is the darkness.
My fingers curl into fists. “Then what do we do?”
Daniele presses his lips into a thin line, then, to my horror, he starts shrugging off his jacket.
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
“Giving them a trail.”
He throws the jacket down and grabs a branch, dragging it through the dirt to erase our tracks.
“We need to split up. You head north—there’s an old hunting cabin about half a mile up. If you make it there, you’ll have a better shot at hiding. I’ll come for you.”
“No,” I whisper harshly. “I am not splitting up.”
His eyes flash in the darkness. “Maria, listen to me—”
“No! I’m not leaving you, Daniele. We need to get out of this together.”
His expression tightens, and for a second, I think he’s going to argue. But then his gaze flickers over my shoulder, his pupils dilating.
I don’t need to ask why. The snap of a twig. The shuffle of boots on leaves. They’re coming.
Daniele grabs my face, his fingers rough but steady. “You trust me?”
I swallow. “I—”
“Do you trust me?”
I hesitate, then nod. Something shifts in his expression, something I can’t quite place. Then he’s pushing me back, stepping into the open.
My heart stops.
“I messed up,” Daniele breathes, every word cracked and raw. “I spent so long living in the shadow of the man I thought I was supposed to be—following orders, playing his game. I never wanted to be this person. I betrayed the only man who ever gave a shit about me.” He swallows hard. “I don’t know if he’ll ever forgive me—and God knows I don’t deserve it.”
His voice cracks, but he forces the words out.
“But if I can do one thing right… it’s this. It’s getting you back to him. Alive.”
I shake my head, but he grabs my shoulders, grounding me.
“Go to the cabin,” he says, voice low and urgent. “I’ll find you once I’ve handled this. But if I don’t make it back—if something happens—tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I was trying to make it right.”
His eyes glisten in the dark. Not with fear, but with something that guts me deeper—hope. Hope that he can be better than the man he became.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, my throat tight. “Why are you making it sound like goodbye?”
But he just stares at me for one long second, something silent passing between us—a promise, a regret.
Then he lifts his hands into the air and yells, “I got her!”
The blood in my veins turns to ice.
I lurch forward, but Daniele shoots me a warning glance so sharp and deadly, I freeze mid-step.
His voice carries through the trees. “She’s hurt. She can’t run anymore. We got her!”
My stomach churns violently as I watch him take slow, deliberate steps toward the sound of approaching footsteps, and they make their way in our direction.
Daniele.
I can’t breathe. I can’t move.
And then—just before he disappears into the shadows—he does something that nearly breaks me.
He winks and offers the smallest smile…
And then he’s gone.
It might be the last time I’ll see him alive. The last time I’ll see that small, fleeting glimpse of the man he could have been. I can’t let his sacrifice be in vain. I won’t.
I swallow back a sob, my hands trembling. He’s giving me a chance. This is the opening.
I don’t waste another second. I spin on my heel and bolt into the darkness, ignoring the guilt that claws at my chest. I have to make it to the cabin. I have to survive. Because if Daniele just risked his life for me, I refuse to let it be in vain.
The moment I take off into the darkness, the guilt slams into me like a bullet to the chest. Every instinct in my body screams at me to turn back, to stop Daniele from walking straight into the lion’s den.
But I can’t.
I have to trust him.
I have to run.
The forest swallows me whole, branches clawing at my skin, my breath coming in sharp gasps. Every footfall feels like an earthquake, every snapped twig a gunshot. The cold seeps into my bones, but I push forward, willing my body to move faster.
Daniele’s sacrifice will mean nothing if I don’t make it out.
