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“I’m scared,” she goes on. “I don’t know what to do.”

And that’s when it hits me like a crashing wave.

I can’t stay away any longer. I can’t hide in this villa, pretending I’m not still part of that world.

“I’m coming home,” I tell her before I can stop myself.

The words sound final, even to my own ears. I can feel the heaviness of it settle into my bones.

“Are you sure?” But there’s relief in her eyes. I know she wants me there. She has for a long time.

“I am.”

I’m sure I’m making the right choice, but I also know it’s going to be harder than anything I’ve ever done before. Facing Dad. Facing my brother. Facing Cillian—the one man who has the power to break me all over again.

But it’s time. It’s time to stop running.

“I’ll call Konstantin and tell him,” I add, pulling in a breath.

“Thank you. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Me too. Until then, stay safe and watch out for Gregory.”

“Always.”

“I love you.” And I mean it with all my heart.

“I love you too.”

The line goes silent, and I’m relieved that I’m finally going home, though I know the hardest part is yet to come.

* * *

I landed in New Jersey over an hour ago, and the familiar smell of home is a comfort I’ve missed. Italy was breathtaking—so much beauty, so much peace. The food, the people, the landscape… It was everything I thought I needed. But none of it ever felt like home.

Home is here. Home is family.

As much as I tried to escape, as much as I convinced myself that running away was the best thing for me, I always knew I’d come back. The thought of seeing Cillian again sends a nervous shiver through me, but I’m done. I have to be. There are bigger things to focus on now. Things with my family.

I’m not looking back. I won’t let him keep me chained to the past. I’m moving on. For good.

Letting out a long breath, I climb the steps to Konstantin’s house. The guards at the door nod in greeting, and I feel their silent protection surrounding me.

“There she is!” Ludmilla breaks the tension, and before I can respond, she’s enveloping me in a tight hug. Her arms are warm, and I can feel the familiar pressure of her comfort around me. “I missed you. Never leave us again!”

More footsteps follow, and Gregory is there first, followed by Tatiana. Their faces are like pieces of a puzzle I’ve missed. My baby brother’s grinning up at me, his eyes bright and his features older—too old. He’s not the little kid I left behind.

My heart twinges with regret as I run my hand through his hair, feeling the length of it, the way he’s grown in my absence.

“Are you leaving again?” he asks, face scrunched with concern.

“No.” I smile through the lump in my throat. “I’m here to stay.” I step back to look at him. “My God, you’re almost as tall as me now.”

He laughs.

Tatiana steps forward next. Her smile is soft, but there’s an edge to it—a quiet strength that mirrors the woman she’s becoming.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” she says, thick with emotion.