t of her racing heart. She had tried to ignore it, tried to stay focused on her daily tasks, but today, the weight of Luca's world settled around her like a storm cloud she

e leather couch with an unreadable expression, his fingers tapping the armrest. "Like what?" Francesca's eyes narrowed, frustration building in her chest. "You've been treating me like I'm some fragile thing, something to be protected. I didn't ask for that." The silence between them stretched, filled with an undercurrent of tension. Luca's gaze never left her, but he didn't answer immediately. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady. "I'm just trying to keep you safe." Although his words were sincere, they did not resonate with her. Something in his tone lacked depth, and she sensed there was more to the story. "Safe?" she repeated, her voice edged with bitterness. "I'm not some delicate thing that needs defense. Wouldn't you agree that I understand what's happening? Luca's eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering in them as he leaned forward, the air between them charged with a sudden intensity. "You don't," he said in a quiet voice, almost too quiet to hear. "And it's better if you don't ask too many questions." Her stomach churned. He was building walls between them, and she wasn't going to let him shut her out. "Luca, I want the truth," she demanded, her voice firm. "Everything." A half-smile curled at the corner of Luca's lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You won't like the truth," he said, his voice steady, but the warning in his words was clear. "Some things are better left unsaid." Francesca's chest tightened. "You're not answering me," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and determination. Luca's expression grew more intense. "Stop asking questions you don't want the answers to. It's better for you that way." But Francesca couldn't let it go. The weight of the unknown was too much to bear. The silence between them was unbearable. "What is it? Could you please let me know what information I should not be aware of? Luca didn't answer; instead, his gaze lingered on her, dark and unreadable. The tension in the air crackled like static, the space between them suddenly became too close, too charged. Finally, Luca broke the silence, his voice low, almost apologetic. "You don't know what you're asking for." The words pierced her deeply. There was something dangerous about the way he said it. She was already in too deep. The walls around Luca's world were closing in on her, and she was