Adriana's POV
Every time I closed my eyes...
I saw the masked man's smile.
His voice echoed inside my head like a curse.
"The fastest way to destroy the most powerful man in Italy..."
Me.
I tightened my fingers around the blanket.
The bedroom was silent except for the sound of rain tapping gently against the windows.
Beside me...
Alessio slept peacefully.
Or at least...
I thought he did.
I slowly slipped out of bed, trying not to wake him.
The cold marble floor bit into my bare feet as I walked toward the balcony.
The night air wrapped around me immediately.
It should have calmed me.
Instead...
It made me feel even more alone.
I hugged myself tightly.
How many enemies had Alessio made over the years?
Enough that they had stopped trying to kill him...and started coming after me instead.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips.
"I had become his weakness."
"No."
His deep voice came from behind me.
"You became my reason."
I froze.
Slowly turning around...
I found Alessio standing in the doorway.
His white shirt hung carelessly over his broad shoulders.
The first few buttons were undone.
His dark hair was messy from sleep.
Yet...
He still looked terrifyingly handsome.
He walked toward me without saying another word.
When he reached me...
He gently tucked one of my curls behind my ear.
His fingers lingered against my cheek.
"They're cold."
"So am I."
His jaw tightened.
Without asking...
He pulled me into his arms.
My forehead rested against his chest.
His heartbeat...
Steady.
Strong.
Safe.
For the first time tonight...
I felt like I could breathe again.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
His body stiffened.
"What did you just say?"
"I'm sorry."
His fingers slipped beneath my chin, forcing me to look at him.
"For what?"
"They want me."
"They're using me to destroy you."
"If I wasn't—"
"Stop."
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried enough authority to silence every thought inside my head.
"You think you're my weakness?"
I couldn't answer.
Because...
Wasn't I?
He smiled sadly.
"No, Principessa."
His thumb brushed away the tear I hadn't realized had fallen.
"You're the reason I wake up every morning."
"You're the reason I come home."
"You're the reason I still remember I'm human."
Another tear escaped.
He caught that one too.
"And if someone dares to touch what's mine..."
His eyes darkened.
"I won't leave enough of them behind to bury."
A shiver ran through me.
Not because I was afraid of him.
Because I believed every single word.
I buried my face against his chest.
His arms tightened immediately.
"You don't have to be strong all the time."
His whisper broke something inside me.
"I..."
My voice cracked.
"I'm scared."
There.
I finally admitted it.
Not of dying.
Not of pain.
But of losing him.
His lips pressed softly against my forehead.
"I know."
"I've never been this scared before."
"You won't lose me."
"What if I do?"
"You won't."
"You can't promise that."
"I can."
"Alessio—"
"I promised the day I married you."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"I protect what's mine."
"And you're mine."
I laughed through my tears.
"So romantic."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
He leaned down...
Capturing my lips in a slow...
Gentle kiss.
There was no desperation.
No hunger.
Only reassurance..
Only love.
When he finally pulled away...
His forehead rested against mine.
"You still doubt me?"
I smiled weakly.
"A little."
His eyebrow lifted.
"Oh?"
"The world's most powerful mafia boss...can't even stop me from overthinking."
For the first time since everything happened...
He laughed.
A real laugh.
God...
I'd missed that sound.
"I'll work on that."
"You'd better."
The next morning...the mansion no longer felt like home.
It felt like a fortress.
Armed guards stood at every entrance.
Every hallway.
Every gate.
No one entered. No one left.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
I walked downstairs just as Luca hurried into Alessio's office.
His face was pale.
"Boss."
"We searched every warehouse."
"Every safe house."
"Every port."
"Nothing."
"They vanished."
Alessio's expression didn't change.
"Then keep searching."
"They left no fingerprints."
"No cameras caught their faces."
"It's like..."
Luca hesitated.
"They wanted us to know they could reach us."
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
Then—
A guard entered carrying a small black box.
"Boss..."
"It arrived five minutes ago."
"No sender."
Every instinct inside me screamed.
Alessio stepped in front of me.
He opened the lid.
Inside...
A single white lily.
One black bullet.
And a folded note.
Alessio unfolded it.
His eyes read the words once.
Twice.
The room went still.
"What does it say?" I whispered.
He didn't answer.
Instead...
He handed me the paper.
My hands trembled.
"You survived today."
"She won't tomorrow."
The world tilted.
A chill spread through every inch of me.
Before I could speak—
CRACK!
Alessio slammed his fist onto the marble desk.
The marble split down the middle.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
His voice came out low.
Deadly.
"Lock down every property."
Every capo straightened.
"No one enters."
"No one leaves."
Luca nodded immediately.
"And if we find him?"
Alessio's eyes became colder than I'd ever seen.
"Don't bring him to me alive."
The room emptied within seconds.
Only the two of us remained.
I stared at the broken marble.
"You shouldn't have done that."
He looked at me.
"I should've done worse."
I walked closer.
Carefully taking his injured hand into mine.
His knuckles were bleeding.
"You'll hurt yourself."
He didn't even look at the blood.
"I'm more worried about you."
I wrapped a clean cloth around his hand.
"You always bleed for me."
He smiled faintly.
"I'd bleed a thousand times if it meant keeping you alive."
I finished tying the bandage.
Then looked up.
His gaze softened.
"You still don't understand, do you?"
"What?"
"They chose the wrong person to threaten."
"Why?"
"Because they threatened my wife."
His fingers intertwined with mine.
"And I never forgive that."
He kissed my forehead again.
Slowly.
Tenderly.
Outside...
Thunder rolled across the dark sky.
Somewhere...
Someone had declared war.
And deep inside...
I knew...
This nightmare had only just begun.