Page 49 of His Bride

“No, no, no. Val, stay awake!” I plead, my voice rising in panic. “Look at me!”

She struggles to focus on my face. “Adri… I’m scared.”

“I know,” I reply, my tears falling onto her cheeks. “I am too. But we’ll get through this. Together. Like always.”

The wail of sirens pierces the air. Relief floods through me, but it’s short-lived as paramedics swarm around us.

“Miss, we need you to step back,” one of them says firmly.

I shake my head, clinging to Valentina. “I can’t leave her.”

A gentle hand on my shoulder. Enzo. “Let them help her, Adriana.”

Reluctantly, I let go. They lift Valentina onto a stretcher, her hand slipping from mine.

As they wheel her away, a crushing wave of helplessness washes over me. I’ve never felt so powerless, so utterly devastated.

“Val,” I cry, watching her disappear into the ambulance. “Don’t leave me.”

Enzo’s hand on my elbow startles me. “We need to go,” he says, his voice low and urgent. “It’s not safe here.”

I nod numbly, letting him guide me through the chaos. Shards of glass crunch under our feet. The acrid smell of gunpowder burns my nostrils.

“Where are we going?” I ask, my voice trembling.

“At Capo’s house,” Enzo replies, ushering me into a waiting car. “It’s secure and safe there.”

As we pull away, I catch a final glimpse of the party - now a scene of devastation. My stomach churns.

Inside the car, Enzo’s on the phone immediately. “Boss, there’s been an incident,” he says tersely. I tune out the rest, pressing my forehead against the cool window.

The city blurs past, but I can’t shake the image of Valentina’s blood-stained dress. My hands won’t stop shaking.

“Who would do this?” I ask aloud, more to myself than Enzo.

He glances at me in the rearview mirror. “We’ll find out,” he promises, his jaw set.

I want to believe him, but doubt gnaws at me. In this world of shadows and lies, can I trust anyone?

We arrive home. As soon as we’re inside, my legs give out. I collapse onto the couch, trembling violently.

“Val,” I choke out, the reality of what happened finally hitting me full force. “Oh God, Val.”

Enzo kneels beside me, his presence solid and grounding. “Breathe, Adriana,” he says softly. “In and out. That’s it.”

I try to focus on his voice, on the steady rise and fall of my chest. But my mind keeps replaying the gunshots, the screams, Valentina falling…

“She has to be okay,” I say, my voice cracking. “She has to be.”

Enzo’s hand on my shoulder is gentle, unusual to his usual stoic demeanor. “The paramedics got to her quickly. She’s strong.”

I nod, clinging to that sliver of hope. The ticking of a nearby clock feels deafening in the silence.

Suddenly, the front door bursts open. Dante strides in, his face a mask of worry and barely contained rage. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.

“Adriana,” he says, crossing the room in three long strides. “Are you hurt?”

I shake my head, but as he reaches for me, anger booms within me and I snap. I shove his hands away, anger surging through me like wildfire.

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