The room was quiet, too quiet. The kind of silence that pressed against her chest and made her thoughts louder. Alessia sat by the window, staring into nothing, her heart heavier than ever. Lorenzo's words still lingered in her mind, soft but sharp.
Why would he protect me? Why would my father's greatest enemy risk everything for me?
Her phone buzzed beside her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
It was the same unknown number again — the one that had always found a way to reach her, no matter where she was.
What are you thinking about, queen? Don't worry, I'll be back soon.
Her breath caught.
Her hands shook.
It was him. Lorenzo.
The realization stole the air from her lungs. Every flower that made her smile, every note that made her heart skip, every quiet gesture that reminded her she wasn't alone—it had all been him.
She looked at the little white ribbon tied around her wrist. The same one she'd found with the dog and the flower that night. The same ribbon he had been holding when she shot him.
Her eyes softened, and before she could stop herself, a small, broken smile appeared.
He was the one who made her smile again… after all these years of fighting, pretending, and hiding behind her strength.
The tiny dog curled up on the couch beside her, as if sensing her thoughts. She reached out and gently stroked its fur. "You came from him too, didn't you?" she whispered. "You're his way of telling me I'm not alone."
A tear escaped before she could stop it. She brushed it away quickly, her pride refusing to let it fall freely. Romano women don't cry, she told herself—but her heart refused to listen.
How could he make me feel this way?
How can I fall for someone I'm supposed to hate?
Her thoughts drifted back to his voice, deep and calm:
"I can't hate on people who did nothing to me. My father's enemies can't be my enemies."
The words wrapped around her heart like a promise she didn't know she needed.
She looked up at the sky through the window — painted in fading golds and pinks — and smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in forever.
"I think I'm in love with my father's enemy," she whispered, her voice trembling with truth.