id on a bed, pale and motionless, and surrounded by many monitors and IVs. The sight almost mad

oice pulled her from her

to steady her voice

s condition i

d gulping series of imagi

apy as soon as possible i

octor. Full chemotherap

e asked as her breath

million

llion euros. It was almost exactly what she'd taken from Tony'

ll pay," sh

." The doctor raised a brow, su

her. I'll bring t

had stolen. Her hands shook as she handed it over to the hospital staff, her heart pounding with a

nodded approvingly. "Your mother will be

he sat alone in the waiting room, her mind racing and h

r now," the nur

closed, looking fragile against the white hospital sheets. Alessia's heart twisted as

ut eventually, her stomach growled, pulling her back to reality.

ry. She walked slowly, heading to any nearby stall, hugging herself as the chill of the eveni

ting at her from across

thing she had done. Without a second thought, she turned a

angrily. But Alessia didn't look back. Sh

at littl

join in the chase. She took a sharp turn, running all the way home, heart

he wall shift so close' she thought inwardly as she slowly lifted her head to look into Dante's cold, piercing eyes. Th

athed, her voice a

ws furrowing and his ex

Another voice said. It was then her eye scanned the room.

ind words. "I... I was... my m

his stare. "Your mother's sickness isn

f pain rang in the room as the crashing o

name would escape those lips of you

wed down her

the money" Ma

y every single euro. Just... give me more time." Alessia pleaded sha

ugh. "Do you think your p

arely holding steady while avoiding their

u think I'm going to show mercy? I'm not that kind of man. I don't deal in pity. And I d

ght smirk twisted his lips, as though her words amused him in some dark, terrible way. "You started paying for his sins from the day you came to this world as siblings. You're nothing but a slave to the empire now." Her knees gave way, and she slumped to the floor, her bo

back against the wall, trying to put as much dis

her arm in a vice-like grip. She struggled, but it was no use. The prick o

she felt herself slipping away. The last thing she saw wa

here was on