ked through the silen

and heavy footsteps thundered through the hallways. Armed guards rushed int

old fury. His men had been trained to prevent this exact

ith deadly precision. His mind raced with several thoughts, w

nobody leaves or enters." he ordered, his v

t them in. That

these walls h

en

r ribcage. The gunshot still rang in her ears, a sharp reminder that

silk sheets, her breath u

-a k

jumped out

om the other side of the door. "Stay

. Stay inside?

h. She had run away from one c

utile attempt to get the intruder, Da

of

lls, his gun at the ready. As he pushed o

re was rifling thro

idn't h

ed the

attering the glass window behind them. The figu

e's voice was low

ated for a split s

red agai

to the balcony, disapp

ned. He stared down at the shattered glass, a

his desk, files were

earching fo

ing im

eant only

this house ha

ext M

barely

had searched for hours, y

ad let them in was st

he dim light of his study when he h

even hav

mo

m, her silk robe flowing around he

troubled,

of whiskey. "Someone

tly, but there was no real surprise in her expre

said n

e. "You've been distracted, haven't you?" She tilted her head,

on the glas

's her, isn't it?" She exhaled slowly, he

to do with this," D

e that, do you?" She stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "Think,

ened, but he

ed. "I'm warning you," she

but his mother

ther girl in need of saving?" She let out a bi

nce snapped.

with resentment. "She

filled t

stomach

my husband from me. I moved mountains to be with him yet he discarded me at the tiniest

tched at the raw

s, he saw something break

n't just

as bet

and betr

rd did it

ilt this empire with him from scratch," she murmured. "And he still threw you

stared

resolve

is life who had never abando

as breaking i

te," she whispered. "Don't l

set his glass down and wr

Valeria let herself

straightened, wiping away t

," she whispered. "

d and walked away, leavi

heard ev

ing past the stud

forcefully made her his wi

se of something she did

k she wante

ved in all thi

rd, to be loved by her own family but if her own famil

o

coming to

the rest of her life, with

against her chest, tr

anted was to be wa

lways the one

rents. By

by Dante'

throat and turned away, dete

e trut

h

thing wrong to de

staring out the window wh

u have a

"I'm not expe

. "It's... someone

ng settled i

nto the main h

ia Dev

's si

tisfied smirk as her gaze landed on Elena's stunned face. She had

ia murmured. "Look a

breath

's smirk

eager to see me." She mused

t her sto

dn't be h