Page 16

He doesn’t reply, but there’s a flicker of something in his expression, something that makes my heart stumble in a way I’m not ready to examine. The breakfast ends, but the weight of what’s been said—and unsaid—stays with me. I decide to take a walk in the estate gardens.

A lush expanse of manicured hedges and vibrant flowers welcome me, petals swaying lazily in the afternoon breeze. Birds chatter in the distance, and the soft hum of insects fills the spaces between their calls. It's the kind of place that could lull someone into a false sense of peace.

About half an hour later, a guard comes to tell me Sofia has arrived.

I ask him to send her to me. Moments later, she arrives, coming to walk beside me, her heels crunching lightly against the gravel path.

Her smile is pleasant, almost too pleasant, the kind of mask you learn to wear when you’ve grown up around people who thrive on power plays and deception.

But I know her better than that. There’s tension in the set of her shoulders, a tightness to her jaw.

She feels the weight of this place, the eyes that are always watching.

We reach a secluded spot under a trellis heavy with wisteria. The blossoms hang in delicate clusters, their soft purple hue incongruous with the storm brewing inside me. I glance back toward the estate. No one followed us. At least, I hope no one did.

Sofia stops, turning to face me with a practiced smile. “It’s beautiful here,” she says, her voice light. If I didn’t know her, I’d say she was happy for me. “Practically a palace.”

I don’t smile back. “Do you really mean that?” I ask.

Her smile falters, replaced by a flicker of concern. “Valentina...”

“Sofia,” I cut in, my tone sharper than I intended. I soften it, glancing around once more to make sure we’re alone. “If things go south—if it all falls apart—I need your help to escape. No one else can know about this. I need a way out that no one will expect.”

The lightness of moments before evaporate. Sofia’s brows knit together, her lips parting as though to protest, but she doesn’t. Instead, she studies me, her sharp eyes taking in every detail of my face.

“Escape?” she says finally, her voice panicked. “Valentina, do you even know what you’re asking?”

“I do,” I say firmly, though my stomach twists into knots. “I’m not saying—” The words die in my throat. What am I saying? Do I really want to run?

“Do you want to get out of here?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. There are times when I don’t, and times when I do. I just—I need to have that option.”

Her concern deepens, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she glances toward the estate, her gaze lingering on the towering windows that seem to loom over everything. “Do you really think you can get away from someone like him?”

I swallow hard. “I don’t know. But if I stay here and don’t have a plan, I’ll lose myself completely. I can’t let that happen, Sofia. I need you.”

Sofia steps closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “If you’re caught, Val, it won’t just be you. They’ll come after anyone who helped you. Including me.”

I nod, my throat tight. “I know. That’s why no one else can know. It’s just you and me.”

Her eyes search mine for what feels like an eternity before she finally exhales, a resigned sigh that carries the weight of her decision. “I’ve already thought about that,” she says quietly.

My breath catches. “What do you mean?”

Sofia’s gaze flicks around the garden again before she leans in slightly. “There’s a way to create a diversion, something that could buy you enough time. But it’s risky. We’ll need to use their own systems against them.”

The idea is terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. “What kind of diversion?”

She hesitates, her fingers toying with the hem of her jacket. “It’s better if I don’t say too much right now. The less you know, the safer you are. But when the time comes, you’ll need to be ready. No hesitation, no second-guessing. Can you do that?”

I hesitate, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Could I really leave? Could I walk away from Luca, from this life, from the strange pull he has over me?

“I can,” I say finally.

You’re lying , a voice inside my head screams.

Sofia nods, but her expression doesn’t soften. “This isn’t a game, Valentina. If you want out, you have to be willing to risk everything. Once it starts, there’s no turning back.”

“I understand.”

She studies me for another moment, then reaches out to squeeze my hand. It’s a small gesture, but it feels like an anchor in the chaos. “You’re stronger than you think,” she says softly.

I can’t bring myself to tell her strength will only take me so far when my heart is stumbling, so I force a smile. “Let’s hope so.”

We stand there for a moment, the tension between us giving way to an uneasy silence. Somewhere in the distance, a door slams, the sound echoing faintly through the garden. “We should head back,” Sofia says, her voice pitched low.

I nod, my chest tightening as we begin the slow walk back toward the estate. The path feels longer now, the weight of what we’ve just discussed settling heavily on my shoulders.

As we near the entrance, Sofia glances at me, her expression unreadable. “When the time comes, you’ll know,” she says quietly. “The rest, Valentina, depends on what you choose.”